Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

October 2011

Bureau of Labor Statistics

November 4, 2011

 
2

120,000

122,000

124,000

126,000

128,000

130,000

132,000

134,000

136,000

138,000

140,000

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in total nonfarm

October 2011

Level: 131,516

Change: 80

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

13

-83

-72

-185

-233

-178

-231

-267

-434

-509

-802

-619

-820

-726

-796

-660

-386

-502

-300

-231

-236

-221

-55

-130

-39

-35

192

277

458

-192

-49

-59

-29

171

93

152

68

235

194

217

53

20

127

104

158

80

-1,000

-800

-600

-400

-200

0

200

400

600

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Employment in total nonfarm

Over-the-month change, January 2008–October 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Nonfarm payroll employment continued to trend up at a modest pace in October (+80,000). 

• Over the past 12 months, payroll employment has increased by an average of 125,000 per month. 

• Since an employment trough in February 2010, nonfarm employment has expanded by 2.3 

million. 

 
3

-24

-2

22

28

32

4

-5

-1

9

18

8

5

-20

5

-40 -20 0 20 40

Government

Other services

Leisure and hospitality

Education and health services

Professional and business services

Financial activities

Information

Utilities

Transportation and warehousing

Retail trade

Wholesale trade

Manufacturing

Construction

Mining and logging

Employment in total nonfarm

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

80

100,000

102,000

104,000

106,000

108,000

110,000

112,000

114,000

116,000

118,000

120,000

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in total private

October 2011

Level: 109,537

Change: 104

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• In October, a job gain in private-sector employment (+104,000) was partially offset by a loss in 

government (-24,000). No major private-sector industry stood out with significant employment 

changes over the month. However, employment growth continued in professional and business 

services, leisure and hospitality, health care, and mining. Since total nonfarm employment 

reached a trough in February 2010, the private sector has added 2.8 million jobs, while 

government has cut about one-half million jobs. 

• The private sector has now recovered 31 percent of jobs lost in the peak-to-trough period of 

January 2008 to February 2010. 

 
4

32.0

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Average weekly hours, total private

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most 

recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted

All employees

Level: 34.3

Change: 0.0

Production employees

Level: 33.7

Change: 0.1

90

92

94

96

98

100

102

Mar-06 Mar-07 Mar-08 Mar-09 Mar-10 Mar-11

Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100

Index of aggregate weekly hours 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

March 2006–October 2011

October 2011

Level: 94.2

Change: 0.1%

Total private, all employees

• In October, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged 

at 34.3 hours. The all-employee workweek is now 0.6 hour longer than when it reached its low in 

June 2009. 

• The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm 

payrolls edged up 0.1 hour to 33.7 hours in October. The production and nonsupervisory 

employee workweek has grown 0.7 hour since reaching a trough in October 2009, but is still 0.2 

hour below its June 2007 peak. 

• The index of aggregate weekly hours for all employees in the private sector rose 0.1 percent in 

October. Since reaching a low point in October 2009, the index has increased by 4.0 percent. 

 
5

-3.0

-2.0

-1.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

Mar-07 Sep-07 Mar-08 Sep-08 Mar-09 Sep-09 Mar-10 Sep-10 Mar-11 Sep-11

Over-the-year percent change

Average hourly earnings, all employees, and CPI–U*

Total private earnings CPI–U

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted

October 2011 Earnings: 1.8

September 2011 CPI-U: 3.9

*1982–84=100

March 2007–October 2011

92

94

96

98

100

102

104

106

Mar-06 Mar-07 Mar-08 Mar-09 Mar-10 Mar-11

Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100

Index of aggregate weekly payrolls 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

March 2006–October 2011

October 2011

Level: 104.1

Change: 0.3%

Total private, all employees

• Average hourly earnings for all employees in the private sector increased by 5 cents to $23.19 in 

October. 

• Over the past year, average hourly earnings of all employees have increased 1.8 percent. The 

Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was up 3.9 percent from September 

2010 to September 2011. 

• The index of aggregate weekly payrolls of all private sector employees rose 0.3 percent over the 

month. Since reaching a low point in June 2009, the index has increased by 8.0 percent. 

 
6

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in mining and logging

October 2011

Level: 810

Change: 5

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Mining and logging employment ticked up 5,000 in October. Over the past 3 months, the pace of 

job growth slowed. 

• Mining employment edged up in October (+6,000); oil and gas extraction accounted for half of 

the increase. 

• Since reaching a trough in October 2009, mining employment has risen by 152,000, with support 

activities for mining accounting for most of the gains (+110,000). 

 
7

-15

-39

-31

-65

-56

-69

-55

-42

-73

-75

-154

-113

-144

-101

-162

-138

-56

-96

-78

-79

-68

-57

-30

-44

-62

-52

17

16

-37

-18

-11

20

-6

-2

-8

-6

-20

39

5

4

3

-7

10

-14

27

-20

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Employment in construction

Over-the-month change, January 2008–October 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-22.5

0.4

3.7

-4.5

3.3

-30 -20 -10 0 10

Nonresidential specialty trades

Residential specialty trades

Heavy and civil engineering

Nonresidential building

Residential building

Employment in construction

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Construction:

-20

• Construction employment declined by 20,000 in October, largely offsetting an increase of 27,000 

in September. Employment changes in both months were concentrated in nonresidential 

construction. 

• Since reaching a trough in January 2011, employment in construction has remained essentially 

flat and is currently 2.2 million below its April 2006 peak. 

 
8

-12

-34

-38

-56

-33

-56

-68

-85

-88

-131

-121

-175

-284

-171

-175

-173

-172

-140

-54

-46

-49

-51

-44

-28

9

-3

9

38

27

12

32

-29

-6-6

15

11

53

37

20

28

7

14

34

-1

-3

5

-350

-300

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, January 2008–October 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-2.4

-1.1

9.5

0.5

-1.1

3.9

0.6

2.3

-0.8

0.2

-5 0 5 10 15

Miscellaneous manufacturing

Furniture and related products

Transportation equipment

Electrical equipment and appliances

Computer and electronic products

Machinery

Fabricated metal products

Primary metals

Nonmetallic mineral products

Wood products

Employment in durable goods

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Durable goods:

11

• Manufacturing employment remained essentially unchanged for a third consecutive month. 

• In October, a job gain of 11,000 in durable goods was partially offset by a decrease of 6,000 in 

nondurable goods. 

• In October, transportation equipment manufacturers added 10,000 jobs. Motor vehicles and parts 

accounted for 6,000 of this gain. This industry has added 88,000 jobs since reaching an 

employment trough in 2009. Employment in motor vehicles and parts, however, remains 26 

percent lower than at the start of the recent recession in December 2007. 

 
9

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most 

recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted

Production employees

Level: 41.5

Change: 0.2

All employees

Level: 40.5

Change: 0.2

• In October, the factory workweek for all employees rose 0.2 hour, while overtime hours were 

unchanged. Over the past year, the all-employees factory workweek has been the longest since 

the series inception in 2006. 

• Flat employment combined with a longer workweek resulted in a 0.6 percent increase in the index 

of aggregate weekly hours in manufacturing. 

 
10

14,000

14,200

14,400

14,600

14,800

15,000

15,200

15,400

15,600

15,800

16,000

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in retail trade

October 2011

Level: 14,613

Change: 18

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Employment in retail trade trended up in October (+18,000). 

• October’s retail employment gains stemmed from a 10,000-job increase in general merchandise 

stores and a job increase of 6,000 in motor vehicle and parts dealers. 

• Since an employment trough in December 2009, retailers have added an average 12,000 jobs per 

month. 

 
11

4,000

4,100

4,200

4,300

4,400

4,500

4,600

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in transportation and warehousing

October 2011

Level: 4,286

Change: 9

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Employment in transportation and warehousing edged up by 9,000 in October, roughly in line 

with the recent trend. 

 
12

15,000

15,500

16,000

16,500

17,000

17,500

18,000

18,500

19,000

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in professional and business services

October 2011

Level: 17,321

Change: 32

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

7.1

14.4

25.4

4.2

3.8

2.9

-2.2

2.0

3.2

-10 0 10 20 30

- Services to buildings

- Employment services

Administrative and waste services ̊

Management of companies

- Management and technical consulting

- Computer systems design

- Architectural and engineering

- Accounting and bookkeeping

Professional and technical ̊

Employment in selected professional and business services

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Data are preliminary.

 ̊Includes additional component industries not shown seperately.

Over-the-month change, October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Professional and 

business services:

32

• Job growth continued in professional and business services over the month (+32,000). Since a 

September 2009 trough, employment in the sector has risen by an average 38,000 per month. 

• Within administrative waste services, employment growth in October (+25,000) continued at 

about the same pace as the prior 12 months. Temporary help services represents about 30 percent 

of employment in administrative and waste services, yet, it accounted for about 60 percent of 

both the over-the-month and over-the-year job gains. 

• In October, employment was flat in professional and technical services (+3,000), following 

average monthly job gains of 23,000 over the prior 12 months. Employment was flat across 

professional and technical services component industries. 

 
13

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

2,400

2,500

2,600

2,700

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in temporary help services

October 2011

Level: 2,306

Change: 15

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Employment gains in temporary help services have picked up over the past 4 months, 

averaging 18,000 per month from July to October—an improvement from the average gain of 

5,000 jobs per month during the first half of 2011. 

 
14

33

30

30

37

24

26

31

19

14

19

32

24

14

23

8

12

28

24

21

19

20

22

24

22

12

16

35

17

15

16

25

27

23

30

20

28

13

27

30

33

20

23

36

28

45

12

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, January 2008–October 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

3.5

3.3

2.0

2.9

8.2

4.8

0 2 4 6 8 10

Nursing and residential care

Hospitals

- Home health care services

- Outpatient care centers

- Offices of physicians

Ambulatory health care services ̊

Employment in selected health care industries

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Data are preliminary.

 ̊Includes additional component industries not shown seperately.

Over-the-month change, October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Health care 

industries:

12

• Following a very strong 45,000-job gain in September, health care employment changed little 

(+12,000) in October. Over the 2-month span, job growth was similar to the prior 12-month 

average. 

• In October, weak overall employment growth in health care was the result of little change 

across most component industries, although offices of physicians added 8,000 jobs. 

 
15

11,000

11,500

12,000

12,500

13,000

13,500

14,000

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in leisure and hospitality

October 2011

Level: 13,275

Change: 22

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

8,000

8,200

8,400

8,600

8,800

9,000

9,200

9,400

9,600

9,800

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in food services and drinking places

October 2011

Level: 9,562

Change: 13

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Leisure and hospitality employment continued to trend up in October (+22,000). Job growth was 

little changed throughout much of the sector. 

• Since an employment trough in January 2010, leisure and hospitality has added 344,000 jobs. 

Nearly all of the job gains occurred in accommodation and food services. 

 
16

20,000

20,500

21,000

21,500

22,000

22,500

23,000

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in government

October 2011

Level: 21,979

Change: -24

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-3.5

1.2

-15.6

-4.3

2.7

-4.5

-20 -15 -10 -5 0 5

Local government, excluding education

Local government education

State government, excluding education

State government education

U.S. Postal Service

Federal, except U.S. Postal Service

Employment in selected government

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Government:

-24

• Government employment continued to trend down in October (-24,000). Government has lost 

323,000 jobs over the past year. 

• In October, government jobs losses were concentrated in state government, excluding education, 

which lost 16,000 jobs as budgets remained tight. 

 
17

14,000

14,100

14,200

14,300

14,400

14,500

14,600

14,700

5,000

5,050

5,100

5,150

5,200

5,250

5,300

Jan-07 Jul-07 Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Local government

State government

Employment in state and local government

January 2007 - October 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Local

State

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 04, 2011.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most 

recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• State government and local government have reduced their workforce by 2.9 percent and 3.4 

percent since reaching their respective employment peaks in 2008.