Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

October 2009

Bureau of Labor Statistics

November 6, 2009
120,000

122,500

125,000

127,500

130,000

132,500

135,000

137,500

140,000

120,000

122,500

125,000

127,500

130,000

132,500

135,000

137,500

140,000

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has 

not yet determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

B-1. Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

October 2009

Level: 130,848

Change: -190

-72

-144-122-160-137-161-128

-175

-321

-380

-597

-681

-741

-681-652

-519

-303

-463

-304

-154

-219-190

-900

-750

-600

-450

-300

-150

0

B-2. Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Total nonfarm employment declined by 190,000 in October. 

• Payroll employment has fallen for 22 consecutive months with losses totaling 7.3 million. 

• The past 3 months have seen an average job loss of 188,000, compared with job losses 

averaging 357,000 during the prior 3 months. From November 2008 to April 2009, 

payroll employment experienced the greatest monthly declines since the recession 

started, with losses averaging 645,000. 
0.7 0.5 0.3 0.2

-0.1 -0.2 -0.3 -0.4 -0.7

-1.1

-1.6

-2.2

-2.7

-3.1

-3.5 -3.8 -3.9 -4.1 -4.2 -4.2 -4.2 -4.0

-5.0

-4.0

-3.0

-2.0

-1.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

B-3. Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted, percent

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent changes, 2008-09

• In October, total nonfarm employment decreased by 4.0 percent over the year, an 

improvement over the 4.2 percent rate of the prior 3 months. 

 
32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has 

not yet determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

B-4. Average weekly hours, total private

Seasonally adjusted

October 2009

Level: 33.0

Change: 0.0

90

95

100

105

110

115

90

95

100

105

110

115

aggregate weekly hours

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not yet 

determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

B-5. Index of total private

Seasonally adjusted, 2002=100

Aggregate weekly hours are the product of average weekly hours and production and nonsupervisory workers.

October 2009

Level: 98.3

Percent change: -0.2

• In October, the average workweek of production and nonsupervisory employees was 

unchanged at 33.0 hours. 

• Average weekly hours have been little changed since March, either 33.0 or 33.1 each 

month. 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly hours fell 0.2 percent in October. Since 

reaching a peak in December 2007, the index has fallen by 8.8 percent. 
-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

hourly earnings and CPI-W (1982-84=100)

1999-2009

B-6. Over-the-year percent changes in average

Seasonally adjusted, percent

Over-the-year percent changes

October 2009 AHE: 2.4

September 2009 CPI-W: -1.7

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not yet 

determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of CES data are preliminary.

Sources: BLS, Consumer Price Indexes program and Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

CPI-W

AHE

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not yet 

determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

B-7. Index of total private

Seasonally adjusted, 2002=100

Aggregate weekly payrolls are the product of average hourly earnings, average weekly hours, and production and nonsupervisory

workers.

aggregate weekly payrolls

October 2009

Level: 122.9

Percent change: 0.0

• In October, average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees rose 5 

cents to $18.72. Over the past year, average hourly earnings have risen by 2.4 percent. 

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) fell 

by 1.7 percent over the year ending in September. 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls has remained about unchanged since 

June, after declining for 10 consecutive months. 
-6

-62

-61

-8

-40

-18

0

-1

-8

18

45

-37

-12

0

-80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60

Mining and logging

Construction

Manufacturing

Wholesale trade

Retail trade

Transportation and warehousing

Utilities

Information

Financial activities

Professional and business services

Education and health services

Leisure and hospitality

Other services

Government

Over-the-month change, October 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

B-8. Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-190

Total nonfarm:

• In October, payroll employment losses occurred in most industries. The largest job 

losses over the month were in construction, manufacturing, and retail trade. 

• Despite continued payroll employment declines in most industries, the job losses have 

moderated substantially since April. 

• Some industries added jobs in October. Education and health services continued to grow 

by adding 45,000 jobs. 

• Although, some industries are still experiencing notable employment declines, the losses 

are much smaller and less widespread than they were last fall and winter. 
-5.6

-3.2

-13.7

-9.4

-30.2

-10.7 -9.1 -10.3

-26.2

-35.6

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

Residential building Nonresidential 

building

Heavy and civil 

engineering

Residential specialty 

trades

Nonresidential 

specialty trades

October 2009 Prior 12-mo. avg. 

Over-the-month change, October 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

B-9. Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Construction cut 62,000 jobs in October, similar to average job losses of the prior 5 

months of 68,000. 

• Losses were concentrated in 2 of the industry’s components: nonresidential specialty 

trade contractors (-30,000) and heavy and civil engineering construction (-14,000). 

 
-33

-52 -49 -57

-30

-51 -51

-67 -65

-119-121

-180

-262

-172-172

-150-146

-123

-41

-55 -45

-61

-300

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

B-10. Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

-2

-8

-1

-5

-10

-6

-3

-2

-5

-3

-15 -10 -5 0 5

Wood products

Nonmetallic mineral products

Primary metals

Fabricated metal products

Machinery

Computer and electronic products

Electrical equipment and appliances

Transportation equipment

Furniture and related products

Miscellaneous manufacturing

Over-the-month change, October 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

B-11. Employment in durable goods manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-44

Durable goods:

• In October, manufacturing shed 61,000 jobs, continuing the moderating trend seen in the 

prior 3 months that averaged losses of 47,000. Manufacturing lost jobs at a faster rate 

between October 2008 and June 2009, during which time 1.3 million jobs were cut, with 

losses averaging 161,000 per month. 

• Manufacturing has 2.1 million fewer jobs in October than at the start of the recession. 

• Employment in durable goods manufacturing fell by 44,000 in October and job losses 

were widespread throughout the industry. 
3.8

-45.6

-20.1

-48.4

-37.7

-15.5

-24.2

-45.7

-56.3-61.4

-90.8-88.1

-46.4

-57.2-61.9

-32.7-28.1

-20.1

-44.5

-20.9

-44.2-39.8

-105

-90

-75

-60

-45

-30

-15

0

15

B-12. Employment in retail trade

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Employment in retail trade fell by 40,000 in October. Employment declines were 

concentrated in sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores (-16,000) and in 

department stores (-11,000). 

 
-1 -3

2

-2

-15 -15

-3

-12

-35

-14

-33 -34 -36

-27

-32

-44

-18

-15

-25

-2

-18 -18

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

B-13. Employment in transportation

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

and warehousing

• In October, transportation and warehousing shed 18,000 jobs, continuing the recent trend 

of moderate job loss. Since May, the industry has averaged monthly losses of 15,000 

jobs. 

 
-14

-18

-7

-14 -11

-17

-8

-13

-26 -27

-45

-33

-56 -56

-41

-46

-27

-33

-14

-23

-9 -8

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

B-14. Employment in financial activities

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Financial activities payroll employment declined by 8,000, similar to September’s loss of 

9,000 jobs. 

• The industry has not had losses this small since the summer of 2008. Financial activities 

incurred the greatest losses from September 2008 to June 2009, during which time job 

losses averaged 39,000 per month. 

 
-25

-38 -34

-23

-37 -43

-34

-48

-37

-45

-90

-73

-90

-73

-57 -54

-1

-30

-6

3 7

34

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

B-15. Employment in temporary help

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

services

• Employment in temporary help services rose by 34,000 in October after having edged up 

in August and September. 

• Before that, the industry had lost 838,000 jobs since the beginning of this recession, in 

December 2007, through July. 

 
12.5

4.8

4.1

5.1

10.0

6

0 3 6 9 12 15 18

Ambulatory health care 

services*

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care 

facilities

Over-the-month change, October 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 6, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

B-16. Employment in selected health care industries

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

+28.5

Health care:

Ambulatory health care 

services*

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care 

facilities

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

• In October, health care employment continued to trend up, rising by 29,000 jobs. The 

industry’s payroll employment has increased by 597,000 since the start of the recession, 

gaining an average 27,000 jobs every month. 

• Except for a job loss in July 2003 (-9,000), health care has not posted a job loss in the 

past 10 years.