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Most Recent US Employment Data

 

The unemployment rate came in at 8.3% during the month of January with nonfarm payroll up 243,000 jobs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also reported that employment continued to trend up in several sectors. Among these were professional and business services (+70,000), leisure and hospitality (+44,000) and manufactring (+50,000). Government employment changed little over the month of January.

Household Survey Data At-A-Glance

The unemployment rate has dropped 0.2% in January; 0.8% since August. Rates for major groups are as follows: 

Men 7.7% (-0.3% since December)

Women 7.7% (-0.2% since December)

Teens 23.2% (+0.1% since December)

Caucasians 7.4% (-0.1% since December)

African Americans 13.6% (-2.2% since December)

Latinos/Hispanics 10.5% (-0.9% since December)

Asians 6.7% (-0.1% since December)

Long-term unemployment (jobless for 27 weeks +) was little changed at 5.5 million (-0.1% since December). These persons account for 42.9% of the unemployed (-0.4% since December). 

Involuntary Part-Time Workers

The number of persons employed part-time for economc reasons (involuntary part-time workers) increased slightly during the month to 8.2 million (up from 8.1 million in December). The reason for this type of unemployment status is due to work hours being involuntarily cut back or workers unable to find full-time employment.

Marginally Attached Labor Force (not seasonally adjusted)

During the month of January, roughly 2.8 million people were marginally attached to the labor force (up from December's 2.5 million). These individuals were not in the labor force but were available and had sought work within the prior 12 months. These workers were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work wthin the 4 weeks preceding the survey.

Discouraged Workers (not seasonally adjusted)

There were 1.1 million discouraged workers in January, which is an increase of 155,000 since December. Discouraged workers are individuals that had not been actively seeking employment because they believe there is not work available for them. This number is included in the total Marginally Attached figures.

Professional and Business Services Jobs

The figures for job gains during January grew by 70,000 jobs. Approximately half of the growth occurred in employment services (+33,000 jobs), accounting and bookkeeping (+13,000 jobs) and architectural and engineering services (+7,000 jobs).

Health/Ambulatory Care Jobs

Healthcare employment expanded in January by roughly 31,000 jobs. As a component of this figure, hospitals and ambulatory care each added 13,000 jobs.

Leisure and Hospitality Jobs

Employment in the Leisure and Hospitality sector added 44,000 jobs in the month of January. There was an increase +33,000 jobs in food and beverage services jobs, which is a gain of 9,000 jobs since December. Since February 2010, this sector has added 487,000 jobs.

Construction Jobs

In the month of January, construction jobs grew by 21,000, following an increase of 31,000 jobs in December. Over the previous 2 months, nonresidential trade contractors added 30,000 jobs. 

Manufacturing Jobs

Manufacuring jobs grew by 50,000 jobs. Three components stood out. Fabricated metal products production added 11,000 jobs during the month while motor vehicles and parts grew by 8,000 jobs and machinery grew by 11,000 jobs. This sector has grown overall by  418,000 jobs over the past 2 years.

Retail Jobs

Retail jobs continued an upward trend in the month of January. Department store jobs contributed roughly 19,000 jobs while automobile dealers added 7,000 jobs. Both were offset by the clothing and clothing accessories stores which lost 14,000 jobs. Since December 2009, retail traid has added 390,000 jobs.

Government Jobs

The U.S. Government has been experiencing little change in the month of January. During the 2011 year, the industry has lost 276,000 jobs. Declines have occurred in local and state government (excluding education) and the US Postal Service.

Average Work Week Hours

January saw little change in private nonfarm payrolls. Manufacturing work week employment grew by 0.3 hour to 40.9 hours. Factory overtime grew by 0.1 hour to 3.4 hours. Production and nonsupervisory employee's work week grew by 0.1 hour to 33.8 hours.

Average Hourly Earnings

January's average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls grew by 4 cents (+0.2%) to $23.29. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 1.9%. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees grew by 2 cents (+0.1%) to $19.62.

January's total nonfarm payroll employment was revised from +100,000 to +157,000 and the change for December was revised from +200,000 to +203,000.

A total review of nonfarm payroll data can be found at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm