Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

November 2009

Bureau of Labor Statistics

December 4, 2009

 
1

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, December 4, 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

November 2009

Level: 130,996

Change: -11

-72

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

-175

-321

-380

-597

-681

-741

-681-652

-519

-303

-463

-304

-154-139-111

-11

-900

-750

-600

-450

-300

-150

0

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Nonfarm payroll employment was essentially unchanged in November. 

• Since the start of this year, the magnitude of monthly job losses has decreased steadily. 

In the 3 months prior to November, total nonfarm saw an average job loss of 135,000, 

compared with job losses averaging 357,000 during the 3 months from May to July. From 

November 2008 to April 2009, payroll employment experienced the greatest monthly 

declines since the recession started, with monthly losses averaging 645,000. 

• Since the recession began in December 2007, payroll employment has declined by 7.2 

million. 
2

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 -4.1 -3.9-3.5

-5.0

-4.0

-3.0

-2.0

-1.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted, percent

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent changes, 2008-09

• In November, total nonfarm employment decreased by 3.5 percent over the year, an 

improvement over the decreases of 4.2 percent in the years ending in July and August. 

 
3

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 4, 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

November 2009

Level: 33.2

Change: +0.2

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, December 4, 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.

November 2009

Level: 99.1

Percent change: +0.6

• In November, average weekly hours of production and nonsupervisory employees rose by 

0.2 hour to 33.2 hours. 

• Despite recent increases in the average workweek, it remains 0.6 hour lower than when 

the recession began in December 2007. 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly hours rose by 0.6 percent in November. 

Despite the increase, aggregate weekly hours have fallen by 8.1 percent since reaching a 

peak in December 2007. 
4

-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

Over-the-year percent changes in average

Seasonally adjusted, percent

Over-the-year percent changes

November 2009 AHE: 2.2

October 2009 CPI-W: -0.4

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, December 4, 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, December 4, 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 payrolls are the product of average hourly earnings, average weekly hours, and production and nonsupervisory

workers.

aggregate weekly payrolls

November 2009

Level: 124.1

Percent change: +0.7

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

1 cent to $18.74. Over the past year, average hourly earnings have risen by 2.2 percent. 

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

by 0.4 percent over the year ending in October. 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls rose by 0.7 percent in November. 

Since June, aggregate weekly payrolls have increased by 1.1 percent after falling 5.0 

percent following a peak in August 2008. 
5

-1

-27

-41

-12

-15

-5

-2

-17

-10

86

40

-11

-3

7

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

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, November 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 4, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-11

Total nonfarm:

• In November, payroll employment losses in construction, manufacturing, and information 

were offset by job gains in professional and business services and health care. 

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

much smaller in recent months. 

 
6

-34

-44 -44

-64

-44

-61

-31

-24

-46

-65

-127

-98

-135

-113

-123

-103

-57

-79

-69 -66

-53 -56

-27

-150

-120

-90

-60

-30

0

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

-0.5 -0.6

5.2

-2.7

-28.5

-10.0 -9.0 -10.4

-24.2

-36.5

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

Residential building Nonresidential 

building

Heavy and civil 

engineering

Residential specialty

trades

Nonresidential 

specialty trades

November 2009

Prior 12-mo. avg. 

Over-the-month change, November 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 4, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

• Construction employment experienced a decline of 27,000 in November, smaller than the 

average monthly decline of 63,000 during the prior 6 months. 

• Over the month, construction job losses were concentrated in nonresidential specialty 

trade contractors (-29,000). 

• From a recent employment peak in January 2007 through December 2008, construction 

jobs losses were concentrated in the residential components. However, so far in 2009, 

nonresidential construction job losses have exceeded those seen in residential 

construction. 
7

-33

-52 -49 -57

-30

-51 -51

-67 -65

-119-121

-180

-262

-172-172

-150-146

-123

-41

-55

-41 -51 -41

-300

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

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, December 4, 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

November 2009

Level: 40.4

Change: +0.3

• In November, manufacturing shed 41,000 jobs, about in line with the trend over the prior 

4 months, when manufacturing saw an average monthly employment decline of 47,000. 

Manufacturing lost jobs at a faster rate over the 9 months from October 2008 through 

June 2009, during which time 1.4 million jobs were cut. Factory jobs losses averaged 

161,000 per month during that period. 

• In November, there were notable job cuts in machinery, computer and electronic 

products, and printing. 

• The factory workweek rose by 0.3 hour in November and has increased by 1.0 hour since 

May. 
8

-3

3

-2

-6

-4

-7

-11

-5 -4 -4

-17

-25

-16

-6

-13

-21

-26

-13

-11

-5

-1 -1

-17

-30

-20

-10

0

10

Employment in information

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Employment in information declined by 17,000 in November, larger than the average 

monthly decline of 6,000 during the prior 5 months. In November, telecommunications 

accounted for about half the decrease, and losses continued in publishing. 

 
9

-25

-38 -34

-23

-37 -43 -34

-48

-37 -45

-90

-73

-90

-73

-57 -54

-1

-30

-6

3

17

44 52

-120

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Employment in temporary help

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

services

• Employment in temporary help services rose by 52,000 in November. Since reaching a 

recent employment low in July, the industry has added 117,000 jobs. 

• Since 1990, peaks and troughs in temporary help services employment have preceded 

those of total nonfarm employment on 3 occasions—temporary help services reached a 

high point in 2000, 10 months before total nonfarm; hit a low point in 2003, 4 months 

before total nonfarm; and reached another high point in 2006, 12 months prior to total 

nonfarm. 

 
10

12.6

3.8

-3.3

7.3

6.8

1.6

14.7

4.7

0.9

5.7

4.7

5.9

-6 -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

November 2009:+21.0

Prior 12-mo. avg.: +25.3

Over-the-month change, November 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 4, 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.

Offices of physicians

Outpatiant care centers

Home health care services

• Health care employment continued to rise in November (+21,000). 

• Home health care services and hospitals added 7,000 jobs each, accounting for the 

majority of November’s job gain. 

• Although health care continues to add jobs, the rate of job growth has slowed. So far in 

2009, employment has grown at an annualized rate of 2.0 percent. In the 3 years from 

2006 through 2008, health care had averaged an annual growth rate of 2.7 percent.