Economic & Financial Highlights
Employment
Economic & Financial Highlights tracks data from a number of series. The charts below are associated with the topic of employment.
2016
Nov 09, 2016
Average Hourly Earnings
From September to October, average hourly earnings increased by 10 cents (0.4 percent) to $25.92. During the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 2.8 percent, a seven-year high, up from 2.7 percent in September.
Nov 09, 2016
Contributions to Change in Nonfarm Payroll Employment
October net job growth was led by professional and business services (up 43,000) and health care (up 30,500).
Nov 09, 2016
Payroll Employment Changes
Employers added 161,000 jobs on net in October. During the 12 months ending in October, monthly job gains averaged 196,000. So far in 2016, employment gains have averaged 181,000 per month, down from 229,000 per month in 2015.
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for August was revised up from 167,000 to 176,000, and the change for September was revised up from 156,000 to 191,000. With these revisions, employment gains in August and September combined were 44,000 more than previously reported.
Nov 09, 2016
Unemployment and Labor Force Participation Rates
In October, the U3 civilian unemployment rate ticked down 0.1 percentage point to 4.9 percent. The broader U6 measure of unemployment, which includes persons marginally attached to the labor force and persons working part-time for economic reasons (PTER), fell 0.2 percentage point from the previous month to an eight-year low of 9.5 percent. The labor force participation rate fell 0.1 percentage point to 62.8 percent.
Oct 14, 2016
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Initial Claims
In the week ending October 8, initial claims for unemployment insurance held steady from the previous week at a four-decade low of 246,000. The four-week moving average, a less volatile gauge that helps even out short-run swings in the data, fell 3,500 to 249,250—the lowest average since 1973. Jobless claims have remained below 300,000 for 84 consecutive weeks, the longest streak since 1970 and a sign of continued strengthening in the labor market.
Oct 13, 2016
Average Hourly Earnings
From August to September, average hourly earnings increased by 6 cents (0.2 percent) to $25.79. During the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 2.6 percent—up from 2.4 percent in August.
Oct 13, 2016
Contributions to Change in Nonfarm Payroll Employment
September net job growth was concentrated in professional and business services (up 67,000), health care (up 32,700), food services and drinking places (up 29,700), and retail trade (up 22,000). For the first time in two years, the mining sector did not shed jobs (net zero).
Oct 13, 2016
Payroll Employment Changes
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for July was revised down from 275,000 to 252,000, and the change for August was revised up from 151,000 to 167,000. With these revisions, employment gains in July and August combined were 7,000 lower than previously reported.
Oct 13, 2016
Labor Force Growth
The labor force, which includes people who are employed and those who are unemployed but actively seeking employment, grew by more than three million during the past year, the biggest 12-month gain since early 2007, prior to the recession.
Oct 13, 2016
Unemployment and Labor Force Participation Rates
In September, the U3 civilian unemployment rate ticked up 0.1 percentage point to 5.0 percent. The broader U6 measure of unemployment, which includes persons marginally attached to the labor force and persons working part-time for economic reasons, held steady from the previous month at 9.7 percent. The labor force participation rate rose 0.1 percentage point from the previous month to 62.9 percent.
Oct 12, 2016
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Initial Claims
In the week ending October 1, initial claims for unemployment insurance fell 5,000 from the previous week to 249,000—the second-lowest level since 1973. The four-week moving average, a less volatile gauge that helps even out short-run swings in the data, fell 2,500 to 253,500—the lowest average since December 1973. Jobless claims remained below 300,000 for 83 consecutive weeks, the longest streak since 1970.
Oct 04, 2016
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Initial Claims
In the week ending September 24, initial claims for unemployment insurance ticked up 3,000 from the previous week to 254,000. The four-week moving average, a less volatile gauge that helps even out short-run swings in the data, fell 2,250 to 256,000, which matched an April reading as the lowest average since December 1973. Jobless claims remained below 300,000 for 82 consecutive weeks, the longest such stretch since 1970.
Sep 26, 2016
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Initial Claims
In the week ending September 17, initial claims for unemployment insurance fell 8,000 from the previous week to 252,000—the lowest level since July and just slightly above the four-decade low of 248,000 touched in April. The four-week moving average, a less volatile gauge that helps even out short-run swings in the data, fell 2,250 to 258,500. Jobless claims remained at historically low levels—below 300,000 for 81 consecutive weeks, the longest such stretch since 1970, signaling continued strengthening in the labor market.
Sep 20, 2016
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Initial Claims
In the week ending September 10, initial claims for unemployment insurance ticked up 1,000 from the previous week to 260,000. The four-week moving average, a less volatile gauge that helps even out short-run swings in the data, edged down 500 to 260,750. Jobless claims remained at historically low levels—below 300,000 for 80 consecutive weeks, the longest such stretch since 1970—signaling continued strengthening in the labor market.
Sep 13, 2016
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Initial Claims
In the week ending September 3, initial claims for unemployment insurance fell 4,000 from the previous week to 259,000—their lowest level in seven weeks. The four-week moving average, a less volatile gauge that helps even out short-run swings in the data, fell 1,750 to 261,250. Jobless claims have remained below 300,000 for 79 consecutive weeks, the longest such stretch since 1970, signaling continued strengthening in the labor market.
Sep 07, 2016
Average Hourly Earnings
From July to August, average hourly earnings increased by 3 cents (0.1 percent) to $25.73. Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 2.4 percent—a bit of a slowdown from July’s annual gain of 2.7 percent.
Sep 07, 2016
Contributions to Change in Nonfarm Payroll Employment
August net job growth occurred in most sectors. Gains were concentrated in healthcare and social assistance (up by 36,100), food services and drinking places (up by 34,000), local government (up by 24,000), and professional and business services (up by 22,000). The biggest net losses occurred in the goods-producing sector (down by 24,000; manufacturing, construction, and mining all shed jobs).
Sep 07, 2016
Payroll Employment Changes
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for June was revised down from 292,000 to 271,000, and the change for July was revised up from 255,000 to 275,000. With these revisions, employment gains in June and July combined were 1,000 lower than previously reported.
Sep 07, 2016
Unemployment and Labor Force Participation Rates
In August, the U3 civilian unemployment remained at 4.9 percent for the third month in a row. The broader U6 measure of unemployment, which includes persons marginally attached to the labor force and persons working part-time for economic reasons (PTER), also held steady from the previous month at 9.7 percent. Likewise, the labor force participation rate remained at 62.8 percent from the previous month.
Sep 07, 2016
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Initial Claims
In the week ending August 27, initial claims for unemployment insurance ticked up 2,000 from the previous week to 263,000. The four-week moving average, a less volatile gauge that helps even out short-run swings in the data, fell 1,000 to 263,000. Jobless claims reached a postrecession low of 252,000 in July of this year and have hovered around 260,000 since then. They fell below 300,000 in early 2015 and have remained there for 78 straight weeks, the longest such streak since 1970.
Aug 25, 2016
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Initial Claims
In the week ending August 20, initial claims for unemployment insurance fell by 1,000 from the previous week to 261,000. The four-week moving average, a less volatile gauge that helps even out short-run swings in the data, fell 1,250 to 264,000. Jobless claims fell below 300,000 in early 2015 and have remained there for 77 straight weeks, the longest such streak since 1970.
Aug 15, 2016
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Initial Claims
In the week ending August 6, initial claims for unemployment insurance fell 1,000 from the previous week to 266,000. The four-week moving average, a less volatile gauge that helps even out short-run swings in the data, rose 3,000 to 262,750. Jobless claims reached a four-decade low in April and have remained below 300,000 for 75 straight weeks, the longest such streak since 1970.
Aug 05, 2016
Average Hourly Earnings
Average hourly earnings increased by 8 cents in July to $25.69. Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 2.6 percent.
Aug 05, 2016
Contributions to Change in Nonfarm Payroll Employment
July net job growth was broad-based. The largest net gains were in professional and business services (+70,000), leisure and hospitality (+45,000), health care and social assistance (+48,800), and government (+38,000) sectors. The only net losses occurred in education (-13,600) and mining (-7,000).
Aug 05, 2016
Payroll Employment Changes
Employers added 255,000 net jobs in July. Over the 12 months ending in July, monthly job gains averaged 204,000. So far in 2016, employment gains have averaged 186,000 per month, down from 229,000 per month in 2015.
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for May was revised from +11,000 to +24,000, and the change for June was revised from +287,000 to +292,000. With these revisions, employment gains in May and June combined were 18,000 more than previously reported.
Aug 05, 2016
Unemployment and Labor Force Participation Rates
In July, the U3 civilian unemployment held steady from the previous month at 4.9 percent, reflecting a 420,000 rise in the household survey measure of employment that was offset by a 407,000 increase in the labor force. The broader U6 measure of unemployment, which includes persons marginally attached to the labor force and persons working part time for economic reasons (PTER), rose 0.1 percentage point to 9.7 percent. The labor force participation rate ticked up 0.1 percentage point to 62.8 percent.
Jul 29, 2016
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Initial Claims
In the week ending July 23, initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 14,000 from the previous week to 266,000. The Labor Department adjusts for seasonal variation, however. Automobile factories often shut down during the summer to retool, temporarily laying off workers and potentially causing distortions in the weekly numbers. The four-week moving average, a less volatile gauge that helps even out short-run swings in the data, fell 1,000 to 256,500—a three-month low. Jobless claims have been steadily falling from their 2009 peak. They reached a four-decade low in April and have remained below 300,000 for 73 straight weeks, the longest such streak since 1973.
