Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

January 2008

Bureau of Labor Statistics

February 1, 2008
2

126

25

177

46

162

107

57

74 81

140

60

82

-17 -40

0

40

80

120

160

200

240

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

Jan-08, 0.7

Dec-06, 1.6

Mar-06, 2.1

0.4

0.7

1.0

1.3

1.6

1.9

2.2

Jan-06

Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

May-06

Jun-06

Jul-06

Aug-06

Sep-06

Oct-06

Nov-06

Dec-06

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Employment in total nonfarm

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent changes, 2006-08

• Nonfarm payroll employment was essentially unchanged in January following 

gains of 60,000 in November and 82,000 in December. 

• Over the year employment growth has slowed to 0.7 percent in January. Over the 

past year, payroll employment has grown by an average of 83,000 jobs per month. 

This is down from 166,000 jobs per month in the year prior. 
3

4

-27

-28

-5

11

-3

-2

-1

-2

-11

47

19

-1

-18

-60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Natural resources and mining

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, January 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-17

Total nonfarm:

• The goods-producing industries continued to decline in January, with losses in 

both construction and manufacturing. Government employment also trended 

down in January shedding 18,000 jobs. 

• Education and health services experienced job growth of 47,000 for January.
4

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08 33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Average weekly hours, total private

Seasonally adjusted

January 2008

Level: 33.7

Change: -0.1

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

aggregate weekly hours

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two 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.

January 2008

Level: 107.5

Percent change: -0.3

• Average weekly hours of production and nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls edged down in January to 33.7 hours, seasonally adjusted. The 

workweek has remained essentially unchanged since 2004. 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly hours fell slightly in January. This is 

down from a growth rate of 1.0 percent rate in 2007. 
5

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08 0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

AHE CPI-W

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

1997-2008

Over-the-year percent changes in average

Seasonally adjusted, percent

Over-the-year percent changes

January 2008 AHE:+3.7

December 2007 CPI-W: +4.4

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1,2008

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of CES data are preliminary.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Indexes program and

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08 70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two 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

January 2008

Level: 127.6

Percent change: 0.0

• Average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls rose by 4 cents in January. Over the year, average hourly 

earnings have increased by 3.7 percent. 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls remained unchanged in 

January. Over the past year, the index has expanded 4.7 percent; that is down 

from a growth rate of 5.9 percent in the preceding year. Despite recent slowing, 

the index remains at an all time high.
6

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08 5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

January 2008

Level: 7,448

Change: -27

• Employment in construction fell by 27,000 in January, with the losses 

concentrated in the residential components. 

• January’s results were roughly in line with the industry’s performance over the 

past year, as the industry has been struggling with the continuing difficulties in 

the housing market.

-10.2

-1.0

-7.5

-17.9

9.8

-7.6

-0.3 -0.6

-11.9

2.0

-20

-16

-12

-8

-4

0

4

8

12

16

20

Residential building Nonresidential

building

Heavy and civil

engineering

Residential specialty

trades

Nonresidential

specialty trades

January 2008

Prior 12-mo. avg. 

Over-the-month change

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands
7

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08 13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

January 2008

Level: 13,746

Change: -28

• Manufacturing employment declined by 28,000 in January; the losses were spread 

among both durable and nondurable goods. Over the past year, employment in 

the industry has fallen by 269,000. Food manufacturing was the largest loser in 

January, accounting for 7,000 of the jobs lost. 
8

7,800

7,900

8,000

8,100

8,200

8,300

8,400

8,500

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

2003-08

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in financial activities

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

January 2008

Level: 8,257

Change: -2

-104.0

-4.9

25.1

17.2

-22.6

-140 -120 -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40

Credit intermediation*

Commercial banking 

Securities and

commodity

Insurance and related

activities

Real estate 

Over-the-year change, January 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected financial activities

Seasonally adjusted in thousands and percent

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

Commercial banking

(-3.5%)

(-1.5%)

(-0.4%)

(3.0%)

(0.7%)

• Employment in financial activities was essentially flat in January. Over the past 

year, this industry has been gradually cutting jobs as the housing market has 

declined. 

 

• In January, payroll employment in credit intermediation continued to decline. Job 

losses in this industry, which includes mortgage lending and related activities, 

reflect the weakness in the housing market and the subprime mortgage issues. 

January’s job losses were partially offset by modest gains in securities and 

commodities.
9

11.1

1.6

3.1

-0.4

3.7

-2.6

-19.5

-3.7

-7.3

-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 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, January 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected professional and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

business services

services: -11

Professional and business Professional and technical

Management of companies

Administrative and waste services

• In January, employment in professional and business services declined by 11,000; 

this is down from growth of 70,000 jobs in December. The industry has been 

gradually expanding over the past year. 

• Administrative and waste services declined by 20,000 positions in January. This 

essentially offset the previous month’s gain of 23,000 jobs. Services to buildings 

accounted for 7,000 of the jobs lost in January. Employment services was 

essentially unchanged in January, and the industry has been declining over the 

past year. 

• Professional and technical services was little changed in January, with 11,000 

jobs gained during the month. Gains occurred in management and technical 

consulting services and architectural and engineering services. Over the year, 

professional and technical services added 323,000 payroll jobs. 
10

13.8

8.4

-1.2

2.4

10.0

3.3

-3 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, January 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 1, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in health care

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

+27.1

Health care:

Ambulatory health care

services*

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care

facilities

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

• Health care added 27,000 jobs in December, with employment gains coming from 

ambulatory health care services and hospitals. Over the year, health care added 

367,000 jobs, accounting for 45 percent of the private sector jobs added over the 

year.