Advance copies of this statement are made available to the press 

under lock-up conditions with the explicit understanding that 

the data are embargoed until 8:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. 

Statement of 

Keith Hall 

Commissioner 

Bureau of Labor Statistics 

Friday, February 4, 2011

The unemployment rate declined from 9.4 to 9.0 percent in 

January, and nonfarm payroll employment changed little 

(+36,000). Since a recent low point in February 2010, nonfarm 

employment has increased by 1.0 million. In January, employment 

increased in manufacturing and retail trade, while job losses 

occurred in transportation and warehousing and in construction. 

Employment in most other major industries changed little. 

 Manufacturing employment grew by 49,000 over the month 

and has increased by 161,000 since a recent low point in 

December 2009. Over the period, durable goods industries 

accounted for the entire increase. In January, employment 

increased in motor vehicles and parts (+20,000), fabricated 

metal products (+13,000), machinery (+10,000), and computer and 

electronic products (+5,000). 
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Retail trade added 28,000 jobs over the month with a 

notable increase in clothing stores (+15,000). Employment in 

retail trade has increased by 123,000 since its recent low point 

in December 2009. 

Employment in transportation and warehousing decreased by 

38,000 in January. A decline of 45,000 jobs in courier and 

messenger services offset a gain of similar magnitude in 

December. 

Construction employment continued to decline in January 

(-32,000). Severe weather in some parts of the country may have 

impacted employment and hours in this industry. Nonresidential 

specialty trade contracting accounted for much of the 

over-the-month employment decline in construction. 

Average hourly earnings of all employees on private nonfarm 

payrolls rose by 8 cents in January to $22.86. Over the past 12 

months, average hourly earnings have risen by 1.9 percent. From 

December 2009 to December 2010, the Consumer Price Index for All 

Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased by 1.4 percent. 

Turning now to some measures from our household survey, the 

number of unemployed persons fell by about 600,000 in January, 

and the unemployment rate declined by 0.4 percentage point to 

9.0 percent. The labor force, at 153.2 million, was unchanged 

after adjustment for updated population controls. Among the 
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unemployed, 43.8 percent had been jobless for 27 weeks or more 

in January. 

The number of persons working part time in January who 

would have preferred full-time employment dropped by about half 

a million to 8.4 million, the lowest level in a year. 

Before closing, I would note there were routine annual 

adjustments to the data from our two surveys. The establishment 

survey data released today reflect the incorporation of annual 

benchmark revisions. Each year, we re-anchor our sample-based 

survey estimates to full universe counts of employment, 

primarily derived from administrative records of the 

unemployment insurance tax system. Household survey data for 

January reflect updated population estimates from the U.S. 

Census Bureau. Further information about the impact of these 

adjustments is contained in our news release and on our Web 

site. 

In summary, the unemployment rate declined to 9.0 percent 

in January, and nonfarm payroll employment changed little 

(+36,000).