Nonfarm payroll employment was down 4,000 jobs in August, and the unemployment rate remained at 4.6 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported September 7. Over the last 3 months, total payroll employment changes have averaged 44,000 per month and private sector employment changes have averaged 72,000 per month (as revised). In August, employment in manufacturing, construction, and local government education declined, while job growth continued in health care and food services (USDL 07-1363).
Average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 5 cents, or 0.3 percent, in August to $17.50, seasonally adjusted. Average weekly earnings grew by 0.3 percent over the month to $591.50. Over the year, both average hourly and weekly earnings rose by 3.9 percent.
The number of unemployed and the unemployment rate held at 7.1 million and 4.6 percent, respectively, in August. The unemployment level and rate were little changed from a year earlier. In August, the unemployment rates for adult men (4.1 percent), adult women (4.1 percent), teenagers (16.1 percent), whites (4.2 percent), blacks (7.7 percent), and Hispanics (5.5 percent) showed little or no change. The unemployment rate for Asians was 3.4 percent, not seasonally adjusted.
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