Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

March 2009

Bureau of Labor Statistics

April 3, 2009
2

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

1939

1943

1947

1951

1955

1959

1963

1967

1971

1975

1979

1983

1987

1991

1995

1999

2003

2007

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

1939-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 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

March 2009

Level: 133,019

Change: -663

 Total nonfarm payroll employment continued to fall sharply (-663,000) in March. 

Payroll employment has declined by 3.3 million in the past 5 months, or an 

average of 667,000 per month. This is the largest 5-month decline since the series 

began in 1939 

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, April 3, 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

March 2009

Level: 133,019

Change: -663

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, April 3, 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

March 2009

Level: 133,019

Change: -663
3

-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

-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, April 3, 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.

-4.0

-3.5

-3.0

-2.5

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

-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

-4.0

-3.5

-3.0

-2.5

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

November 1973

July 1981

December 2007

from beginning of recession*, seasonally adjusted

Percentage change in total nonfarm employment,

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 2009.

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

preliminary.

 Total nonfarm employment peaked in December 2007, coinciding with the start of 

 the recession as declared by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). 

 With the recent acceleration of job losses, nonfarm employment has fallen by 5.1 

 million since its peak – 65 percent occurring in the past 5 months. 

 In the 15 months since the start of the recession, employment has fallen by 3.7 

 percent. The decline is larger than has typically been experienced in the past 

 few recessions. Of the 4 most recent recessions, only the 1981 recession is 

 similar to the current downturn in terms of relative job loss. 
4

-18

-126

-161

-31

-48

-34

1

-10

-43

-133

8

-40

-23

-5

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

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 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-663

Total nonfarm:

 In March, job losses were large and extended across nearly all major industry 

sectors. Losses were particularly sharp in manufacturing, professional and 

business services, and construction. 

 Goods-producing industries shed 305,000 jobs in March, while service-providing 

industries lost 358,000 jobs.
5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-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, April 3, 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

March 2009

Level: 33.2

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, April 3, 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.

March 2009

Level: 100.9

Percent change: -1.0

 In March, the average workweek for production and nonsupervisory workers on 

private nonfarm payrolls fell 0.1 hour to 33.2 hours, seasonally adjusted - the 

lowest level on record for the series, which began in 1964. 

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

on nonfarm payrolls fell by 1.0 percent in March. Since peaking in December 

2007, the index has decreased by 6.4 percent.
6

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 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 construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

March 2009

Level: 6,473

Change: -126

 Construction employment continued to contract in March as the industry shed 

126,000 jobs. Nearly half of the total losses since the most recent industry peak in 

January 2007 have occurred in the past 5 months. 

 Since the beginning of the recession, employment has dropped by about 1.1 

million. Employment in construction now stands at its lowest level since March 

1999, offsetting jobs gained in the housing-related expansion from March 2003 to 

January 2007.

 As with recent months, employment losses were widespread across the industry. 

Both the residential and nonresidential components shed jobs, as firms continued 

to reduce staff to cope with weak demand. 
7

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

1939

1943

1947

1951

1955

1959

1963

1967

1971

1975

1979

1983

1987

1991

1995

1999

2003

2007

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

1939-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 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

March 2009

Level: 12,310

Change: -161

-33

-52 -49 -57

-30

-51 -51

-67 -65

-119 -121

-180

-262

-169 -161

-300

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

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

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

 Manufacturing employment fell by 161,000 in March, with widespread job losses 

occurring among the component industries. Manufacturing has lost 1.5 million 

jobs since the start of the current recession, bringing employment to a level last 

experienced in February 1946. 

 Durable goods manufacturing continued to bear the brunt of the employment 

losses, accounting for 125,000 or 78 percent of manufacturing’s total decline in 

March.
8

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, April 3, 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

March 2009

Level: 39.3

Change: -0.2

 Average weekly hours in manufacturing fell by 0.2 hour to 39.3 hours in March. 

Since the start of the current recession, average weekly hours and overtime have 

fallen steeply; both are at their lowest levels since 1983. 
9

0

-9

-9

-28

-27

-5

-9

-26

-10

-2

-35 -30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0

Wood products

Nonmettalic 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, March 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in durable goods manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-125

Durable goods:

 The losses in durable goods manufacturing were widespread in March led by 

fabricated metal products (-28,000), machinery (-27,000), and transportation 

equipment (-26,000). 

 Fabricated metal products exhibited the heaviest job loss in manufacturing in 

March, declining by 28,000. Job losses have accelerated in the past 5 months, 

with employment declining by 134,000 or 9 percent. 

 The machinery industry cut 27,000 jobs in March, the largest 1-month loss in the 

history of the series dating back to January 1990. The industry has shed 106,000 

jobs over the past 5 months, which account for 88 percent of jobs lost since 

employment peaked in March 2008 
10

5,000

5,250

5,500

5,750

6,000

6,250

6,500

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

5,000

5,250

5,500

5,750

6,000

6,250

6,500

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 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 wholesale trade

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

March 2009

Level: 5,747.7

Change: -31.2

14,000

14,250

14,500

14,750

15,000

15,250

15,500

15,750

16,000

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

14,000

14,250

14,500

14,750

15,000

15,250

15,500

15,750

16,000

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 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 retail trade

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

March 2009

Level: 14,892.9

Change: -47.8

 Employment in wholesale trade fell by 31,000 over the month, with nearly all of 

the declines in durable goods wholesalers. The industry has lost 300,000 jobs 

since employment peaked in November 2007. Two-thirds of that loss has come in 

the last 6 months. 

 Retail trade employment fell by 48,000 in March. Since peaking in November 

2007, employment has declined by an average of 44,000 per month. 

 In March, weakness in retail trade employment was widespread, led by building 

materials and garden supply stores (-13,000), automobile dealerships (-12,000), 

and electronics and appliance stores (-10,000). 
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, April 3, 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

March 2009

Level: 4,290.0

Change: -34.0

1,150

1,200

1,250

1,300

1,350

1,400

1,450

1,500

1,550

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

1,150

1,200

1,250

1,300

1,350

1,400

1,450

1,500

1,550

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 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 truck transportation

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

March 2009

Level: 1,295.5

Change: -14.9

 Transportation and warehousing lost 34,000 jobs in March, raising total job losses 

to 265,000 since employment peaked in December 2007. 

 Truck transportation cut 15,000 jobs in March, marking 12 straight months of 

decline. Since the most recent employment peak in January 2007, trucking has 

lost 159,000 jobs or 11 percent of its workforce. 
12

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 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 financial activities

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

March 2009

Level: 7,867

Change: -43

-125.6

-26.0

-55.1

-34.3

-66.0

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

Credit intermediation*

Commercial banking 

Securities and

commodity

Insurance and related

activities

Real estate 

Over-the-year change, March 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected financial activities

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

+13.5

Health care:

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

Commercial banking

 Employment in financial activities continued to decline in March as 43,000 jobs 

were eliminated from industry payrolls. Most of the job cuts occurred in credit 

intermediation (-15,000); real estate (-12,000); and securities, commodity 

contracts, and investments (-7,000). 

 Financial activities has shed about 495,000 jobs since December 2006, with more 

than half of the losses occurring in the past 7 months. 
13

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

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

business services

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 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 professional and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

March 2009

Level: 16,894

Change: -133

1,500

1,750

2,000

2,250

2,500

2,750

3,000

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

1,500

1,750

2,000

2,250

2,500

2,750

3,000

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 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 temporary help services

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

March 2009

Level: 1,816.8

Change: -71.7

 Employment in professional and business services fell by 133,000 in March. Over 

the current 5-month period, the industry has averaged job losses of 144,000 per 

month. Since peaking in December 2007, professional and business services 

employment has fallen by 1.2 million. 

 Temporary help services cut 72,000 positions in March, bringing its recessionary 

job loss to 767,000, or 30 percent of employment. With the accelerated losses in 

payrolls over the past 5 months, temporary help services is at the lowest 

employment level since April 1996.
14

7.7

3.2

0.7

2.7

-0.7

6.5

14.9

5.3

1

4.1

10.3

3.2

-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

March 2009:+13.5

Prior 12-mo. avg.: +28.4

Over-the-month change, March 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in health care

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Health care:

Ambulatory health care

services*

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care

facilities

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

 Health care continued to add jobs in March (14,000) but at a reduced rate. In the 

first quarter of 2009, health care added an average of 17,000 jobs per month, 

about half the average monthly gain (30,000) seen in 2008. 
15

10,000

10,500

11,000

11,500

12,000

12,500

13,000

13,500

14,000

14,500

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Jan-09

10,000

10,500

11,000

11,500

12,000

12,500

13,000

13,500

14,000

14,500

and hospitality

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 3, 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 leisure

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

March 2009

Level: 13,200

Change: -40

 Leisure and hospitality shed 40,000 jobs in March. Employment in the industry 

has fallen by 351,000 jobs since the start of the recession in December 2007. 

Most of the job losses in March occurred in accommodation (-23,000) and food 

services and drinking places (-9,000).