Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

May 2009

Bureau of Labor Statistics

June 5, 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-02

Jan-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, June 5, 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

May 2009

Level: 132,151

Change: -345

-72

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

-175

-321

-380

-597

-681

-741

-681 -652

-504

-345

-900

-750

-600

-450

-300

-150

0

Jan-08Feb-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

May-09

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Nonfarm payroll employment declined by 345,000 in May. This decline was 

about half of the average monthly job loss for the prior 6 months. Since the 

recession began in December 2007, payroll employment has fallen by 6 million.
3

-5.0

-4.0

-3.0

-2.0

-1.0

0.0

1.0

-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

-5.0

-4.0

-3.0

-2.0

-1.0

0.0

1.0

July 1990

March 2001

December 2007

from beginning of recession*, seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Percentage change in total nonfarm employment,

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

preliminary.

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 -3.7 -3.9

-5.0

-4.0

-3.0

-2.0

-1.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

Jan-08

Mar-08

May-08

Jul-08

Sep-08

Nov-08

Jan-09

Mar-09

May-09

Employment in total nonfarm

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 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). 

• In the 17 months since the start of the recession, employment has fallen by 4.3 

percent. During the 2001 and 1990 recessions, employment levels fell by 1.7 

percent and 1.4 percent, respectively, over the same length of time. 

• Employment is down 3.9 percent from May 2008. 
4

-10

-59

-156

-22

-18

-15

0

-24

-30

-51

44

3

-1

-7

-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, May 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-345

Total nonfarm:

• In May, job losses occurred in most major industry sectors. Steep job losses 

continued in manufacturing, but the rate of decline moderated in many major 

industries, including construction, professional and business services, and retail 

trade. 

• Goods-producing industries shed 225,000 jobs in May, while service-providing 

industries lost 120,000 jobs.

• The only industry with employment gains in May was education and health 

services, which added 44,000 jobs.
5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05Jan-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, June 5, 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

May 2009

Level: 33.1

Change: -0.1

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, June 5, 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.

May 2009

Level: 99.7

Percent change: -0.7

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

private nonfarm payrolls was 33.1 hours, seasonally adjusted. With the exception 

of March, this is the lowest level on record for the series, which began in 1964. 

• A 0.1-hour decrease offset a 0.1-hour increase in April. 

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

on private nonfarm payrolls fell by 0.7 percent in May. Since peaking in 

December 2007, the index has decreased by 7.5 percent.
6

5.9

2.6

6.0

0.1

7.7 8.3 7.5

9.3

7.1

0.0

-0.9

-3.5

-8.0 -8.9

-14.5

-11.2 -10.5

-18

-15

-12

-9

-6

-3

0

3

6

9

12

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

May-09

Employment in mining

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Employment in mining realized a loss of 11,000 jobs in May. Since peaking in 

October 2008, the industry has shed 58,000 jobs, a sharp contrast to 2008 during 

which the industry added an average 4,000 jobs per month. 
7

-34

-44 -44

-64

-44

-61

-31

-24

-46

-65

-127

-98

-135

-113

-123

-108

-59

-150

-120

-90

-60

-30

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

May-09

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Construction employment declined by 59,000 in May, compared with an average 

monthly job loss of 117,000 in the industry for the previous 6 months. 

• 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 May were widespread throughout the industry, with the 

sharpest declines in nonresidential specialty trade contractors (-30,000) and 

residential construction of buildings (-11,000). 
8

11,000

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

11,000

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 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 manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

May 2009

Level: 11,986

Change: -156

-7

-6

-10

-19

-26

-14

-6

-36

-7

-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, May 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in durable goods manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-131

Durable goods:

• Employment in manufacturing fell by 156,000 over the month, with job losses 

occurring in most component industries. Since the start of the recession, 

manufacturing employment has decreased by 1.8 million, representing 3 in 10 of 

the jobs lost during this downturn. 

• Employment in durable goods manufacturing was responsible for the majority of 

these losses with 131,000 jobs cut from payrolls in May. Three durable goods 

industries, motor vehicles and parts (-30,000), machinery (-26,000), and 

fabricated metal products (-19,000) accounted for over half of the overall decline 

in factory employment.
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, June 5, 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

May 2009

Level: 39.3

Change: -0.2

• The manufacturing workweek decreased by 0.2 hour to 39.3 hours, and factory 

overtime remained unchanged at 2.7 hours. The manufacturing workweek has 

remained below 40 hours for 6 consecutive months. A level of 39.3 hours was last 

recorded in February 1983. 
10

-11.0 -12.7

-8.7

-16.6

-6.6 -6.2

-16.2

-12.6

-7.1

-27.1

-29.8

-39.6

-31.4

-45.6

-32.4 -34.1

-21.9

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

Jan-08Feb-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

May-09

Employment in wholesale trade

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

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

-36.5

-17.5

-110

-90

-70

-50

-30

-10

10

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

May-09

Employment in retail trade

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Wholesale trade employment was down 22,000 over the month, with durable 

goods wholesalers accounting for more than half of this loss. Wholesale trade has 

lost 363,000 jobs since employment peaked in November 2007. 

• Employment in retail trade fell by 18,000 in May, compared with an average 

monthly job loss of 63,000 in the industry for the previous 6 months. Since 

peaking in November 2007, employment has declined by 772,000. 
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, June 5, 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

May 2009

Level: 4,236.6

Change: -14.5

• Transportation and warehousing cut 15,000 jobs from payrolls in May. This loss 

was less than half the average monthly decline of 34,000 jobs the industry had 

experienced over the previous 6 months. 

• Trucking shed 8,000 jobs this month, the smallest 1-month decline the industry 

has seen since October 2008. Truck transportation has cut 147,000 positions since 

the start of the current recession. 
12

-3

3

-2

-6

-4

-7

-11

-5 -4 -4

-17

-25

-16

-6

-13

-20

-24

-30

-20

-10

0

10

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

May-09

Employment in information

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Information employment fell by 24,000 in May. This was 8,000 lower than its 

prior 6-month average decline of 16,000. 

• Information has now lost 164,000 jobs since the start of the recession, with 52 

percent of those losses coming from publishing (except Internet) and 27 percent 

coming from telecommunications. 
13

-14

-18

-7

-14 -11

-17

-8

-13

-26 -27

-45

-33

-56 -56

-41

-45

-30

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

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

May-09

Employment in financial activities

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Employment in financial activities declined by 30,000 over the month. This is less 

than the prior 6-month average job loss of 46,000. 

• Job losses occurred throughout the sector, including securities (-10,000) and real 

estate (-9,000). 
14

-40

-51

-64

-4

-63 -63

-36

-61 -52

-63

-124 -132

-151

-176

-119 -111

-51

-220

-180

-140

-100

-60

-20

Jan-08Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Jan-09Feb-09

Mar-09

Apr-09

May-09

Employment in professional and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

business services

-25

-38

-34

-23

-37

-43

-34

-48

-37

-45

-90

-73

-90

-73

-57 -55

-7

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

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-09Feb-09

Mar-09

Apr-09

May-09

Employment in temporary help

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

services

• During May, professional and business services employment declined by 51,000; 

the loss was moderate relative to the 136,000 jobs lost on average over the 

previous 6 months. 

• Temporary help employment changed little in May, following monthly losses that 

averaged 73,000 during the prior 6 months. 
15

28

32

28

39

29

23

38

25

22

25

41

34

14

25

21

19

24

0

10

20

30

40

50

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

May-09

Employment in health care

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Health care employment grew by 24,000 in May, about in line with its average 

monthly gain thus far in 2009. 

• Average monthly growth in health care has slowed from 30,000 per month in 

2008, largely due to little growth in hospital employment during 2009. 
16

-17

-5

-1

-16 -17

-5

-17 -19

-26

-33

-51

-40

-36

-32 -34

-38

3

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

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

May-09

Employment in leisure 

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

and hospitality

• Employment in leisure and hospitality industry was essentially flat in May. This 

industry has shed 384,000 jobs since the recession began and has lost an average 

of 39,000 jobs over the last 6 months.

• Job losses in amusements, gambling, and recreation were offset by small 

employment gains in food services and drinking places and performing arts and 

spectator sports.
17

22

30

20

10

37 34

15 19

-21

4 4

-11

8 7

-4

92

-7

-45

-30

-15

0

15

30

45

60

75

90

105

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

May-09

Employment in government

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 5, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Government employment experienced a small decline in May (-7,000), resulting 

from the loss of Census intermittent workers and U.S. Postal service employees. 

State and local government employment was relatively unchanged.