1

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

March 2010

Bureau of Labor Statistics

April 2, 2010

 
2

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

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: 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

March 2010

Level: 129,750

Change: +162

70

-10 -50 -33

-149

-231 -193 -210

-334

-458

-554

-728

-673

-779

-726 -753

-528

-387

-515

-346

-212 -225 -224

64

-109

14

-14

162

-900

-750

-600

-450

-300

-150

0

150

300

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

• In March, nonfarm payroll employment rose by 162,000. 

• During the first quarter of 2009, monthly job losses averaged 753,000. Job losses 

moderated in subsequent months and in the past 5 months employment has shown little 

net change. 

 
3

0.6 0.5 0.3 0.2

-0.1 -0.3 -0.4 -0.6

-1.0

-1.5

-2.1

-2.6

-3.2

-3.7

-4.2 -4.5 -4.6 -4.8 -4.9 -4.9 -4.7 -4.5

-3.9

-3.5

-3.0

-2.4

-1.8

-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

Over-the-year percent change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in total nonfarm

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• The 12-month rate of job loss has slowed from 4.9 percent in August 2009 to 1.8 percent 

in March 2010. 

• The over-the-year rate of change is now at a pace last seen in late 2008. 

 
4

32.0

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

32.0

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: 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

Production employees

Level: 33.3

Change: +0.2

All employees

Level: 34.0

Change: +0.1

• In March, the average workweek of all employees on private nonfarm payrolls notched 

up 0.1 to 34.0 hours. Average weekly hours of production and nonsupervisory 

employees rose by 0.2 to 33.3 hours. 

• The increases offset declines of equal magnitude in February. 

 
5

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: 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.

Over-the-year percent change in average hourly earnings

Seasonally adjusted

Production employees

Percent change: 2.1

All employees

Percent change: 1.8

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

of all employees and CPI-U (1982-84), 2007-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Indexes program and Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent change in average hourly earnings

Seasonally adjusted

Over-the-year percent changes

March 2010 AHE: 1.8

February 2010 CPI-U: 2.2

AHE

CPI-U

• In March, average hourly earnings of all employees fell by 2 cents to $22.47, following a 

4-cent gain in February. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have risen by 

1.8 percent. 

• Average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees fell by 2 cents to 

$18.90 in March. 

• The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose by 2.2 percent over 

the year ending in February. 
6

85

90

95

100

105

2006-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Index of total private aggregate weekly hours

Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100

March 2010

Level: 91.4

Percent change: +0.4

of all employees

85

90

95

100

105

2006-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls

Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100

March 2010

Level: 97.9

Percent change: +0.3

payrolls of all employees

• The index of total private aggregate weekly hours rose by 0.4 percent in March. Over the 

last 5 months, the index has trended up by 1.0 percent. 

 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls rose by 0.3 percent in March. Since 

reaching a low point in October 2009, the index has risen by 1.6 percent. 
7

9

15

17

9

15

8

0

-12

-21

11

45

22

6

39

-30 -15 0 15 30 45 60

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, March 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

+162

Note: Data are preliminary.

• Temporary help services and health care continued to add jobs over the month. 

Employment in the federal government also rose, reflecting the hiring of temporary 

workers for Census 2010. 

• Employment fell in financial activities. 

• March is the first month in 2 years in which most private-sector industries added jobs. 

The diffusion index over a 1-month span jumped 10 points to 60.0. This index measures 

the dispersion of employment change, with a value above 50 indicating that more 

industries are adding jobs than losing them over the month. 

 
8

5

3.8

8.1

-0.3

8.1

6.9

4.7

7.2

2.8

-4

-2.7

-5.9

-7.3

-13.3

-15.5

-13.9-13.3

-8

-5.3

-8.8

-3.1

-4.7

7.6

1

7.8

6

8.1

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in mining

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• Mining employment rose by 8,000 in March. This industry has added 31,000 jobs since 

last October, following job losses totaling 106,000 over the prior 13 months. 

• Support activities for mining has been the primary driver of these employment changes, 

although mining excluding oil and gas has also added jobs over the past 5 months after 

more than 1 year of employment declines. 

 
9

-24 -28 -33

-59 -61

-70

-52 -52

-72

-92

-149

-95

-153

-116

-142

-114

-59

-91

-80

-64 -71 -67

-15

-36

-60 -59

15

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

-0.8

9.4

6.0

-9.3

9.4

-9.0 -8.1 -9.1

-14.9

-30.5

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

Residential building Nonresidential 

building

Heavy and civil 

engineering

Residential specialty 

trades

Nonresidential 

specialty trades

March 2010

Prior 12-mo. avg.

Over-the-month change, March 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Data are preliminary.

• Construction employment held steady in March. This industry had shed an average of 

72,000 jobs per month in the prior 12 months. 

• Nonresidential builders added 9,000 jobs in March, while employment movements were 

small and offsetting in the specialty trades. 

 
10

-5

-30 -37 -50

-27

-49

-72

-93 -93

-141 -130

-177

-279

-166 -165

-149 -152

-129

-43 -57 -48 -57

-25 -18

22

6 17

-350

-300

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• Manufacturing employment edged up in March. Over the last 3 months, manufacturing 

has added 45,000 jobs, with most of the gains in durable goods industries. 

• Fabricated metal products and machinery accounted for more than half of the 

manufacturing job growth in March. 

• Manufacturing had seen broad-based job losses among the component industries since 

before the start of the recession. However, in the past 2 months more industries have 

shown employment gains than employment losses. The 1-month manufacturing diffusion 

index rose from 54.3 to 58.5 in March. 
11

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: 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

Production employees

Level: 41.0

Change: +0.5

All employees

Level: 39.9

Change: +0.2

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

manufacturing, 2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: 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 overtime hours,

Seasonally adjusted

Production employees

Level: 3.7

Change: +0.2

All employees

Level: 2.9

Change: +0.1

• Average weekly hours of all employees in manufacturing rose by 0.2 hour in March. 

Some of this increase may represent a rebound following severe weather in February. 

The factory workweek has risen by 1.2 hours over the last 12 months. Factory overtime 

rose by 0.1 hour in March. 

• In March, the average manufacturing workweek for production employees increased by 

0.5 hour. Since reaching a trough in March 2009, the average workweek for production 

employees in manufacturing has increased by 1.6 hours. Average weekly overtime for 

production employees rose by 0.2 hour in March. 

 
12

14,000

14,500

15,000

15,500

16,000

14,000

14,500

15,000

15,500

16,000

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: 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

March 2010

Level: 14,432.3

Change: +14.9

-2.4

-34.6

-11.8

-66.4-67.5

-36.4 -42

-66.6

-78.9-80.2

-117

-99.2

-71 -69.8

-87.4

-42.8

-22.2-24.4

-53.5

-15.3

-48.3

-63

8.8

-14.5

49.1

8.3 14.9

-150

-120

-90

-60

-30

0

30

60

90

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in retail trade

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• Employment edged up in retail trade in March. During the first quarter of 2010, retail 

trade added an average of 24,000 jobs per month, in contrast to 42,000 jobs lost per 

month in 2009. 

• Despite the gains over the past 3 months, the industry has shed 1.1 million jobs since 

reaching a peak in December 2007. 

• In March, employment levels among the component industries were little changed with 

the exception of building material and garden supply stores, which added 12,000 jobs 

over the month. 
13

-2 -1 -2

-7

-3

-7

-13

-11 -12 -11

-20

-26

-20

-15

-12

-24 -25

-15

-12

-9

1

-3

-12

-14

-3

-7

-12

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in information

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• Employment in information edged down in March, continuing a trend of job losses. 

• Since last reaching an employment peak in May 2007, the information industry has shed 

315,000 jobs, or 10 percent of its workforce. 

 
14

-9 -10

0

-6

-9

-17 -15

-18

-33

-37

-44

-29

-55

-51

-42

-47

-32 -31

-23 -24

-12

-19

2

-9

-22

-15

-21

-60

-45

-30

-15

0

15

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in financial activities

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• Employment in financial activities continued to decrease in March, and job losses total 

253,000 over the year. 

• In March, insurance carriers and related activities reduced payrolls by 9,000 positions. 

Over the year, this industry has accounted for almost 30 percent of the job losses in 

financial activities. 

 
15

-12.5

-6.4

-0.2

-5.8

1.1

-0.9

24.3

42.6

-14.9

-30 0 30 60

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, March 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in selected professional and

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Professional and business

services: +11

business services

Professional and technical*

Management of companies

Administrative and waste services*

Note: Data are preliminary.

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

1,600

1,800

2,000

2,200

2,400

2,600

2,800

3,000

1,600

1,800

2,000

2,200

2,400

2,600

2,800

3,000

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: 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

March 2010

Level: 2,037.1

Change: +40.2

• Employment in professional and business services changed little in March. 

• Services to buildings and dwellings cut 15,000 jobs in March. 

• Employment in temporary help services rose by 40,000 in March. Since September 

2009, employment in this industry has grown by 313,000, or 18 percent. 

 
16

27.9

33.5

29.6

37.3

23.6

21

33.1

19.7

17.1

20.4

29.7

25.5

12.2

17.8

13.1

8.3

23.2

19.9 21

17.8

23.2 23.8

17.3 17.7

13.4 14.1

26.8

0

10

20

30

40

50

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in health care

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

15.5

4

0.7

4.3

1.9

9.4

11.3

3.8

0.4

4.3

2.8

3.6

-10 0 10 20

Ambulatory health care services*

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care facilities

March 2010: +26.8

Prior 12-mo. avg.: +17.7

Over-the-month change, March 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in selected health care industries

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Offices of physicians

Note: Data are preliminary.

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

• Health care added 27,000 jobs in March, compared with an average gain of 18,000 over 

the prior 12 months. The largest gains occurred in ambulatory health care services and in 

nursing and residential care facilities. 

 
17

10,000

10,500

11,000

11,500

12,000

12,500

13,000

13,500

14,000

10,000

10,500

11,000

11,500

12,000

12,500

13,000

13,500

14,000

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: 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 and hospitality

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

March 2010

Level: 13,041

Change: +22

-13.2

2.2

5.6

-11.3

-23.4

-8.8 -7.1

-14.1

-23.9

-30.7-29.6

-26.6

-13.7

-16.7

-19.4

-2

18.6

-1

-9.7

-13.1-14.9 -13

-5.8

-21.8

20.2

7.6

14.7

-45

-30

-15

0

15

30

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Employment in food services and drinking places

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• Employment in leisure and hospitality edged up in March. 

• So far in 2010, food services and drinking places has added 43,000 jobs. Employment 

fell by 293,000 from December 2007 to December 2009. 

 
18

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

Federal excluding U.S. Postal Service

Federal excluding U.S. Postal Service 

and Census temporary and 

intermittent workers

and excluding Census temporary and intermittent workers, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 2, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in Federal excluding U.S. Postal Service, including

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• The Federal government boosted payroll employment by 48,000 in March, due to hiring 

of temporary workers for Census 2010 activities. 

• State and local government employment changed little over the month.