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December 7, 2006
Non-farm payroll employment rose by 132,000 in November, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 4.5 percent, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported December 8. Job gains continued in several service-providing industries, including professional and business services, food services and health care. Employment declined in construction and manufacturing.
Unemployment (Household Survey Data)
Both the number of unemployed persons (6.8 million) and the unemployment rate (4.5 percent) were about unchanged in November. Over the year, these measures have declined from 7.6 million and 5.0 percent, respectively.
In November, unemployment rates for all major worker groups – adult men (3.9 percent), adult women (4.0 percent), teenagers (15.1 percent), whites (3.9 percent), blacks (8.6 percent) and Hispanics (4.9 percent) – showed little or no change over the month. The unemployment rate for Asians was 3.2 percent, not seasonally adjusted.
Total Employment and the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
In November, total employment, at 145.6 million, was essentially unchanged, and the employment-population ratio remained at 63.3 percent. The civilian labor force rose by 383,000 to 152.4 million; the labor force participation rate, at 66.3 percent, was about the same as in October.
Persons Not in the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
About 1.4 million persons (not seasonally adjusted) were marginally attached to the labor force in November, about unchanged from a year earlier. These individuals wanted and were available for work and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the four weeks preceding the survey. Among the marginally attached, there were 349,000 discouraged workers in November, little changed from a year earlier. Discouraged workers were not currently looking for work specifically because they believed no jobs were available for them. The other 1 million marginally attached had not searched for work in the four weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities.
Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data)
Total non-farm payroll employment rose by 132,000 in November to 136.0 million. This followed increases of 203,000 in September and 79,000 in October (as revised). Thus far this year, payroll employment has grown by an average of 149,000 per month. In November, employment rose in several service-providing industries and in mining; employment declined in construction and continued to trend downward in manufacturing.
In the goods-producing sector, mining employment grew by 4,000 in November with gains in support activities for oil and gas. Employment in mining has grown by 136,000 since its most recent low in April 2003.
Construction employment declined by 29,000 in November, following a loss of similar size in October. The November decline was spread across all component industries. Since peaking in February of this year, employment in residential specialty trades was down by 109,000. Employment in nonresidential specialty trades edged down in November, after trending up during the first 10 months of the year.
Manufacturing employment continued to trend down (-15,000) in November. Motor vehicles and parts lost 7,000 jobs. Employment continued to fall in two construction-related industries: wood products (-6,000) and furniture and related products (-5,000). Computer and electronic products manufacturing added 5,000 jobs over the month.
Professional and business services employment increased by 43,000 in November and has risen by 426,000 over the year. Job growth has occurred in a number of industries, including architectural and engineering services, management consulting, and computer systems design. Employment in temporary help services was flat over the month and has changed little since January.
Health care employment rose by 28,000 in November. Hospitals and doctors' offices each added 6,000 jobs. Over the year, health care employment has increased by 309,000.
In leisure and hospitality, employment growth continued in food services and drinking places. This industry added 34,000 jobs in November, raising total job gains over the last 12 months to 295,000.
Employment in wholesale trade continued to trend up in November. Employment in this industry has risen by 288,000 since its most recent low in August 2003.
Within retail trade, employment grew over the month in clothing and accessory stores; health and personal care stores; sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores; and non-store retailers (which include catalog and internet retailers). General merchandise stores continued to lose jobs (-12,000 after seasonal adjustment); since August 2005, employment in this industry has decreased by 107,000.
Weekly Hours (Establishment Survey Data)
The average workweek for production and non-supervisory workers on private non-farm payrolls was unchanged at 33.9 hours in November. The manufacturing work week and factory overtime both fell by 0.1 hour to 41.1 and 4.2 hours, respectively.
The index of aggregate weekly hours of production and non-supervisory workers on private non-farm payrolls increased by 0.1 percent in November to 105.6 (2002=100). The manufacturing index fell by 0.4 percent to 95.5.
Hourly and Weekly Earnings (Establishment Survey Data)
Average hourly earnings of production and non-supervisory workers on private non-farm payrolls rose by 3 cents, or 0.2 percent, in November to $16.94. Average weekly earnings also rose by 0.2 percent in November to $574.27. Over the year, average hourly earnings increased by 4.1 percent, and average weekly earnings increased by 4.4 percent.
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