1

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

March 2012

Bureau of Labor Statistics

April 6, 2012

   
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 Jan-12

Employment in total nonfarm

March 2012

Level: 132,821

Change: 120

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

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

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–March 2012

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

41

-84

-95

-208

-190

-198

-210

-274

-432

-489

-803

-661

-818

-724

-799

-692

-361

-482

-339

-231

-199

-202

-42

-171

-40

-35

189

239

516

-167

-58

-51

-27

220

121

120

110

220

246

251

54

84

96

85

202

112

157

223

275

240

120

-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 Jan-12

Employment in total nonfarm

Over-the-month change, January 2008–March 2012

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Total nonfarm employment rose by 120,000 in March, compared to an average 

monthly increase of 246,000 over the prior 3 months. 

• Since a recent employment low in February 2010, nonfarm payrolls have 

expanded by 3.6 million jobs. Of the 8.8 million jobs lost between January 2008 

and February 2010, 41 percent have been recovered. 

   
3

41

-136

-112

-215

-216

-231

-259

-294

-425

-480

-797

-658

-839

-725

-787

-802

-312

-426

-296

-219

-184

-232

-42

-120

-40

-27

141

193

84

9292

128

115

196

134

140

119

257

261

264

108

102

175

52

216

139

178

234

277

233

121

-1,000

-800

-600

-400

-200

0

200

400

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11 Jan-12

Employment in total private

Over-the-month change, January 2008–March 2012

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-1

3

39

37

31

15

-9

1

3

-34

4

37

-7

1

-40 -20 0 20 40 60

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, April 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, March 2012

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

120

• Employment in the private sector grew by 121,000 in March. 

• In March, employment rose in manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, and in 

education and health care. Combined, these three industries accounted for nearly 

all of the jobs added to nonfarm payrolls over the month. Retail employment 

declined in March. 
4

-474

45

663

820

1247

61

-102

7

212

300

150

466

22

160

-1000 -500 0 500 1000 1500

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, April 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

February 2010–March 2012 net change

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

120

Total nonfarm: 3,577

Total private: 4,051

• Since an employment trough in February 2010, all private-sector industries, 

except information, have added jobs. 

• Excluding information, the private service-providing industries have accounted 

for 83 percent of the 4.1 million jobs added to private payrolls since February 

2010. 

• Government employment has declined by nearly half a million jobs since 

February 2010. 
5

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 Jan-12

Average weekly hours, total private

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

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

recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–March 2012

Seasonally adjusted

All employees

Level: 34.5

Change: -0.1

Production employees

Level: 33.8

Change: 0.0

90

92

94

96

98

100

102

Mar-06 Mar-07 Mar-08 Mar-09 Mar-10 Mar-11 Mar-12

Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100

Index of aggregate weekly hours 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

March 2006–March 2012

March 2012

Level: 95.8

Change: -0.2%

Total private, all employees

• Average weekly hours for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls edged down 

by 0.1 hour to 34.5 hours in March, while average weekly hours for production 

and nonsupervisory employees remained unchanged at 33.8 hours. 

• The index of aggregate weekly hours decreased by 0.2 percent in March, 

following an increase of 0.5 percent in February. 
6

-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 Mar-12

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, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted

March 2012 Earnings: 2.1

February 2012 CPI-U: 2.9

*1982–84=100

March 2007–March 2012

• Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased 

by 5 cents, or 0.2 percent, in March. Average hourly earnings of private-sector 

production and nonsupervisory employees rose by 3 cents, or 0.2 percent, in 

March. 

• Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 2.1 percent. 

In February, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) had an 

over-the-year increase of 2.9 percent; growth in prices has recently been 

outpacing growth in earnings. 

   
7

-9

-46

-34

-70

-49

-66

-55

-46

-73

-77

-155

-105

-147

-110

-153

-144

-57

-87

-82

-79

-71

-58

-30

-33

-61

-64

23

7

-41

-11

-16

20

-19

7

-11-11

-21

33

7

-1

3

-3

13

-10

30

-9

1

26

18

-6

-7

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11 Jan-12

Employment in construction

Over-the-month change, January 2008–March 2012

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Construction employment edged down in March, with a loss of 11,000 jobs 

occurring in construction of buildings. 

• Despite the loss in March, employment in construction has increased by 95,000 

since a trough in January 2011, with essentially all of the gain split between heavy 

and civil engineering and specialty trade contractors. 

   
8

-20

-28

-39

-56

-31

-59

-75

-79

-84

-130

-114

-179

-297

-166

-172

-179

-167

-143

-61

-41

-44

-49

-34

-30

-8

4

8

32

34

10

20

-17

2

0

9

15

52

37

26

28

8

12

30

3

-3

9

3

28

52

31

37

-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 Jan-12

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, January 2008–March 2012

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Manufacturing experienced solid job growth with 37,000 jobs added in March, 

preceded by 31,000 and 52,000 jobs added in February and January, respectively. 

• Since a trough in January 2010, employment in the industry has risen by 470,000. 
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 Jan-12

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

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

recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–March 2012

Seasonally adjusted

Production employees

Level: 41.7

Change: -0.2

All employees

Level: 40.7

Change: -0.3

• The 1-month diffusion index of manufacturing employment rose from 59.9 in 

February to 67.9 in March. This indicates a widening dispersion of the job growth 

within manufacturing from February to March. 

• The factory workweek for all employees fell by 0.3 hour in March. Over the prior 

3 months, the average workweek had expanded by 0.6 hour. Average weekly 

overtime for all employees remained unchanged at 3.4 hours. 

• Combining the job gain in manufacturing with the shorter workweek, the index of 

aggregate weekly hours of all employees decreased by 0.5 percent in March. 
10

          

0.0

-0.3

13.0

1.2

2.2

6.5

4.9

0.8

-0.6

-0.9

-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, April 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, March 2012

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Durable goods:

26

• Durable goods manufacturing employment increased by 26,000 in March and has 

expanded by 465,000 since a recent low in January 2010. 

• In March, motor vehicles and parts, machinery, and fabricated metals all 

experienced job growth. -8

0

-23

-19

9

-1

-21

-35

-15

-43

6

-28

-100

16

-17

-36

-36

-26

19

-4

-3

-2

-10

-1

12

-6

3

6

11

-1

16

-11

-1

-1

0

-1

18

6

6

4

1

5

9

-3

5

12

4

9

10

7

13

-120

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11 Jan-12

Employment in transportation equipment

Over-the-month change, January 2008–March 2012

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Transportation equipment boosted employment by 13,000 in March, with motor 

vehicles and parts accounting for nearly all of the job gains. 

 

• Since reaching an employment trough in December 2009, manufacturers of 

transportation equipment have added 135,000 jobs. 
11

3.4

2.9

-0.4

-2.8

3.4

-0.5

0.3

-0.1

-0.1

1.0

4.0

-4 -2 0 2 4 6

Plastics and rubber

Chemicals

Petroleum and coal products

Printing

Paper products

Leather products

Apparel

Textile product mills

Textile mills

Beverage and tobacco

Food manufacturing

Employment in nondurable goods

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, March 2012

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Nondurable 

goods:

11

• Employment in nondurable goods edged up by 11,000 in March. 

• Paper products manufacturers added 3,000 jobs over the month. 

1

-43

-23

-71

-52

-47

-43

-60

-68

-52

-132

-99

-99

-71

-94

-61

-8

-23

-45

-12

-46

-35

-11

-27

32

10

25

3

12

-11

14

5

20

37

3

13

37

5

8

67

-5

16

27

-4

14

12

34

7

25

-29

-34

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11 Jan-12

Employment in retail trade

Over-the-month change, January 2008–March 2012

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Retail trade employment fell by 34,000 in March. 

• A job loss in general merchandise stores more than offset gains in health and 

personal care stores (+6,000) and in building material and supply stores (+5,000). 
12

-5

-11

1

-14

-4

-17

-13

-16

-34

-33

-45

-37

-49

-53

-40

-52

-28

-25

-11

-25

-9

-15

2

-12

-11

-8

-14

8

-6

-5

-4

3

8

5

6

8

-3

3

14

-4

14

-13

-4

5

-6

5

11

5

1

9

15

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11 Jan-12

Employment in financial activities

Over-the-month change, January 2008–March 2012

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Financial activities employment rose by 15,000 in March, with most of the gain 

occurring in credit intermediation (+11,000). 

• Employment in the credit intermediation industry reached a trough in June 2010 

and has increased by 47,000 since that time; however, 38,000 of the increase has 

occurred in the past 5 months. 

   
13

0

-40

-63

1

-68

-41

-61

-71

-70

-116

-184

-120

-144

-184

-133

-148

-64

-100

-31

-22

-1

8

56

14

44

29

-3

79

32

67

8

45

23

55

79

82

46

49

88

50

56

5

39

40

59

41

39

72

79

86

31

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

150

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11 Jan-12

Employment in professional and business services

Over-the-month change, January 2008–March 2012

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

23.0

-14.2

15.4

1.1

5.3

3.9

3.6

2.3

13.8

-20 -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, April 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

 ̊Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

Over-the-month change, March 2012

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Professional and 

business services:

31

• Employment in professional and business services continued to trend up in 

March, with an increase of 31,000. 

• Employment in professional and business services has grown by 1.4 million since 

a recent low point in September 2009. 

• In March, services to buildings and dwellings added 23,000 jobs. 
14

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 Jan-12

Employment in temporary help services

March 2012

Level: 2,480

Change: -8

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

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

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–March 2012

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Employment in temporary help services was about unchanged over the month 

after increasing by 55,000 in February. 

• Since the most recent low in August 2009, temporary help services has added 

730,000 jobs, accounting for more than half of the employment gain within 

professional and business services. 

   
15

35

29

30

37

28

21

33

19

14

18

31

23

15

22

10

11

30

24

19

18

22

22

23

20

16

15

36

12

15

11

19

22

16

28

19

23

10

20

32

36

18

26

32

26

46

24

4

23

34

42

26

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 Jan-12

Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, January 2008–March 2012

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

5.8

8.1

3.9

2.6

7.6

12.1

0 5 10 15

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, April 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

 ̊Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

Over-the-month change, March 2012

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Health care 

industries:

26

• Employment in health care continued to expand in March, rising by 26,000. This 

gain is in line with the average change over the prior 12-month period. 

• Offices of physicians and hospitals added 8,000 jobs each. 
16

-4

-5

-9

-25

-12

-3

7

-18

-28

-26

-36

-22

-25

-24

-24

-30

38

6

-8

-24

-28

-24

-11

-38

-1

-9

25

19

11

1

1

30

54

16

13

15

0

42

38

33

2

7

5

20

28

24

53

25

26

40

37

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11 Jan-12

Employment in food services and drinking places

Over-the-month change, January 2008–March 2012

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Food services and drinking places employment rose by 37,000 in March. 

• Since a recent low in February 2010, this industry has added 563,000 jobs, 

averaging 23,000 jobs per month. 

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 Jan-12

Employment in government

March 2012

Level: 21,997

Change: -1

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 06, 2012.

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

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–March 2012

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• In March, government employment changed little for the third consecutive 

month, compared with average monthly job losses of 22,000 in 2011. 

• Since August 2008, employment at the state and the local levels has declined 

by 142,000 and 499,000, respectively.