1

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

April 2009

Bureau of Labor Statistics

May 8, 2009
2

120,000

122,500

125,000

127,500

130,000

132,500

135,000

137,500

140,000

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

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, May 8, 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.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

April 2009

Level: 132,414

Change: -539

-72

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

-175

-321

-380

-597

-681

-741

-681 -699

-539

-900

-750

-600

-450

-300

-150

0

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Jan-09

Feb-09

Mar-09

Apr-09

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Nonfarm payroll employment declined by 539,000 in April. Payroll employment 

has declined by 3.9 million in the past 6 months, or an average of 656,000 per 

month. This is the largest 6-month decline since the series began in 1939.
3

-4.5

-4.0

-3.5

-3.0

-2.5

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Months

-4.5

-4.0

-3.5

-3.0

-2.5

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

November 1973

July 1981

December 2007

from beginning of recession*, seasonally adjusted

Percentage change in total nonfarm employment,

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 2009.

*Note: Business cycle peak as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent two months are 

preliminary.

Apr-09, -3.8

Mar-06, 2.2

-4.5

-3.0

-1.5

0.0

1.5

3.0

Jan-06

Apr-06

Jul-06

Oct-06

Jan-07

Apr-07

Jul-07

Oct-07

Jan-08

Apr-08

Jul-08

Oct-08

Jan-09

Apr-09

-4.5

-3.0

-1.5

0.0

1.5

3.0

Employment in total nonfarm

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent changes, 2008-09

• Total nonfarm employment peaked in December 2007, coinciding with the start of 

 the recession as declared by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). 

 With the recent acceleration of job losses, nonfarm employment has fallen by 5.7 

 million or 4.2 percent since its peak. 

• Job losses averaged 180,000 per month in the 10 months immediately following 

the peak and then accelerated to an average 656,000 per month since October.
4

-11

-110

-149

-41

-47

-38

-1

-17

-40

-122

15

-44

-7

72

-210 -180 -150 -120 -90 -60 -30 0 30 60 90

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, April 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-539

Total nonfarm:

• In April, job losses occurred in most major industry sectors. Manufacturing, 

construction, and professional and business services continued to have large 

employment declines. 

• Goods-producing industries shed 270,000 jobs in April, while service-providing 

industries lost 269,000 jobs.

• Government added 72,000 jobs to payrolls in April, the largest one month change 

since the start of the recession; however, this was largely due to the addition of 

temporary Census workers. 
5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 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.

Average weekly hours, total private

Seasonally adjusted

April 2009

Level: 33.2

Change: 0.0

90

95

100

105

110

115

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

90

95

100

105

110

115

aggregate weekly hours

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 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.

Index of total private

Seasonally adjusted, 2002=100

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

April 2009

Level: 100.3

Percent change: -0.6

• In April, the average workweek for production and nonsupervisory workers on 

private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged at 33.2 hours, seasonally adjusted—33.2 

hours is the lowest level on record for the series, which began in 1964. 

• The index of aggregate weekly hours of production and nonsupervisory workers 

on nonfarm payrolls fell by 0.6 percent in April. Since peaking in December 

2007, the index has decreased by 7.0 percent.
6

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 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.

Employment in mining and logging

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

April 2009

Level: 744

Change: -11

• Employment in mining and logging realized a loss of 11,000 jobs in April, 

continuing the trend of accelerating job loss. Year to date, the industry has shed 

45,000 jobs, a sharp contrast to 2008 during which the industry added an average 

4,000 jobs per month. 
7

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 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.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

April 2009

Level: 6,348

Change: -110

• Construction employment declined by 110,000 in April. Over the past 6 months, 

job losses have averaged 120,000 per month, compared with 46,000 per month 

between December 2007 and October 2008. 

• Since the beginning of the recession, construction employment has declined by 

about 1.2 million. Employment in construction currently stands at its lowest level 

since November 1998, having lost all the jobs gained in the housing-related 

expansion from March 2003 to January 2007.

• Employment losses in April were widespread throughout the industry as both the 

residential and nonresidential components shed jobs. 
8

-33

-52 -49 -57

-30

-51 -51

-67 -65

-119 -121

-180

-262

-172 -167

-149

-300

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Jan-09

Feb-09

Mar-09

Apr-09

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

-1

-1

-12

-29

-22

-12

-9

-34

-8

-1

-40 -35 -30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0

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, April 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in durable goods manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-127

Durable goods:

• Employment in manufacturing fell by 149,000 over the month, with widespread 

job losses among the component industries. Employment losses have accelerated 

since September 2008, with 1.2 million jobs cut from payrolls since that time. 

• Durable goods manufacturing had the lion’s share of this loss, with 127,000 jobs 

cut from payrolls in April. Three durable goods industries—transportation 

equipment (-34,000), fabricated metal products (-29,000) and machinery 

(-22,000)—accounted for about two thirds of the durable goods manufacturing 

job loss.
9

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 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.

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted

April 2009

Level: 39.6

Change: +0.2

• The manufacturing workweek increased by 0.2 hour to 39.6 hours, and factory 

overtime rose by 0.1 hour to 2.7 hours. Despite this uptick, the manufacturing 

workweek has remained below 40 hours for 5 consecutive months. 
10

5,000

5,250

5,500

5,750

6,000

6,250

6,500

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

5,000

5,250

5,500

5,750

6,000

6,250

6,500

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 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.

Employment in wholesale trade

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

April 2009

Level: 5,696.2

Change: -40.7

14,000

14,250

14,500

14,750

15,000

15,250

15,500

15,750

16,000

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

14,000

14,250

14,500

14,750

15,000

15,250

15,500

15,750

16,000

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 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.

Employment in retail trade

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

April 2009

Level: 14,823.7

Change: -46.7

• Wholesale trade employment was down 41,000 over the month, with much of the 

decrease among durable goods wholesalers. The industry has lost 352,000 jobs 

since employment peaked in November 2007, with 224,000 of those lost in the 

last 6 months. 

• Employment in retail trade fell by 47,000 in April. Since peaking in November 

2007, employment has declined by 766,000. 

• In April, losses in retail trade employment were widespread, led by department 

stores (-14,000), automobile dealers (-9,000), and building material and garden 

supply stores (-8,000). 
11

3,750

4,000

4,250

4,500

4,750

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

3,750

4,000

4,250

4,500

4,750

and warehousing

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 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.

Employment in transportation

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

April 2009

Level: 4,255.5

Change: -38.1

• Employment in transportation and warehousing declined by 38,000 in April. This 

loss was slightly above the average monthly decline of 34,000 jobs the industry 

has experienced over the last 6 months. 

• Losses were concentrated in truck transportation (-16,000) and warehousing and 

storage (-8,000). 
12

7,500

7,750

8,000

8,250

8,500

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

7,500

7,750

8,000

8,250

8,500

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 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.

Employment in financial activities

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

April 2009

Level: 7,815

Change: -40

-86.7

-25.8

-47.3

-36.1

-59.3

-50.2

-7.4

-19.6

-2.4

-15.7

-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0

Credit intermediation*

Securities, commodities,

investments

Insurance and related

activities

Real estate

Oct. 08-Apr. 09

Apr. 08-Oct. 08

6-month employment changes

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected financial activities industries

seasonally adjusted, in thousands

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

Commercial banking 

• Employment in financial activities declined by 40,000 over the month. Job losses 

occurred throughout the sector, including real estate and rental and leasing 

(-15,000) and credit intermediation and related activities (-14,000). 

• Job losses within financial activities have accelerated since October 2008. Over 

the past 6 months, job losses have averaged 46,000 per month, compared with 

16,000 per month between December 2007 and October 2008. 
13

-17.1

2.6

-13.5

-1.4

1.6

-15.2

-89.9

-68.9

-7.2

-120 -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20

Professional and technical*

Accounting and bookkeeping

Architectural and engineering

Computer systems design

Management and technical consulting

Management of companies

Administrative and waste services*

Employment services

Services to buildings

Over-the-month change, April 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected professional and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

business services

services: -122

Professional and technical* Professional and business

Management of companies

Administrative and waste services*

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

1,500

1,750

2,000

2,250

2,500

2,750

3,000

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

1,500

1,750

2,000

2,250

2,500

2,750

3,000

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 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.

Employment in temporary help services

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

April 2009

Level: 1,758.6

Change: -62.5

• The professional and business services industry lost 122,000 jobs in April. This 

sector has shed an average of 139,000 jobs per month since October 2008, when 

losses within the industry began to accelerate. Losses were concentrated in 

administrative and waste services (-90,000). 

• Temporary help services lost 63,000 jobs in April. Since December 2007, the 

industry has averaged a loss of 52,000 jobs per month.
14

17.7

2.2

3

8.8

0.6

-1.6

14.9

5.4

0.8

4.3

9.4

3.2

-3 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21

Ambulatory health care

services*

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential

care facilities

April 2009:+16.7

Prior 12-mo. avg.: +27.4

Over-the-month change, April 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected health care industries

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Health care:

Ambulatory health care

services*

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care

facilities

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

• The health care industry added 17,000 jobs over the month, in line with its 

average monthly gain since January. In 2008 the average gain was 30,000 jobs per 

month. 

• Employment in hospitals remained flat in April. So far in 2009, the change in 

employment has averaged 2,000 jobs per month, which is about one-fifth of the 

2008 monthly average (11,000). 
15

10,000

10,500

11,000

11,500

12,000

12,500

13,000

13,500

14,000

14,500

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

10,000

10,500

11,000

11,500

12,000

12,500

13,000

13,500

14,000

14,500

and hospitality

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 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.

Employment in leisure

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

April 2009

Level: 13,150

Change: -44

• The leisure and hospitality industry lost 44,000 jobs in April. This industry has 

shed 401,000 jobs since its most recent peak in December 2007, with 245,000 of 

those lost in the last 6 months.

• Amusements, gambling and recreation (-22,000) and accommodation (-8,000) 

accounted for most of the job loss within leisure and hospitality. 
16

22

30

20

10

37 34

15 19

-21

4 4

-11

8 7

-6

72

-30

-15

0

15

30

45

60

75

90

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Jan-09

Feb-09

Mar-09

Apr-09

Employment in government

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 8, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Employment in government rose by 72,000 over the month. Within the federal 

government, job gains resulted primarily from hiring of temporary workers to 

prepare for Census 2010.