The number of unemployed persons (6.9 million) was essentially unchanged in June, and the unemployment rate held at 4.5 percent. The jobless rate has ranged from 4.4 to 4.6 percent since September 2006. Over the month, the unemployment rates for adult men (4.1 percent), adult women (3.9 percent), teenagers (15.8 percent), whites (4.0 percent), blacks (8.5 percent), and Hispanics (5.7 percent) showed little or no change. The unemployment rate for Asians was 3.1 percent, not seasonally adjusted.
Total Employment and the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
Both total employment (146.1 million) and the civilian labor force (153.1 million) were little changed in June. The employment-population ratio (63.1 percent) and the labor force participation rate (66.1 percent) also were about the same as in May.
Persons Not in the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
In June, 1.5 million persons (not seasonally adjusted) were marginally attached to the labor force compared with 1.6 million a year earlier. These individuals wanted and were available to work and had looked for a job sometime during the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. Among the marginally attached, there were 401,000 discouraged workers in June, down from 481,000 a year earlier. Discouraged workers were not currently looking for work specifically because they believed no jobs were available for them. The remaining 1.1 million persons marginally attached to the labor force in June had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance and family responsibilities.
Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data)
In June, total payroll employment rose by 132,000 to 138.0 million, seasonally adjusted. This increase followed gains of 122,000 in April and 190,000 in May (as revised). In June, employment rose in health care and social assistance, food services, and wholesale trade. Manufacturing continued to lose jobs.
Health care employment grew by 30,000 in June, with gains in hospitals (+14,000) and in nursing and residential care facilities (+8,000). Over the year, health care employment has expanded by 371,000. Employment in social assistance was up by 13,000 over the month. This industry has added 84,000 jobs in the last 12 months.
Food services and drinking places added 35,000 jobs in June. Employment in this industry has risen by 387,000 over the year. In June, wholesale trade employment increased by 20,000, with gains in both its durable and nondurable components.
Employment in government continued to trend up in June (+40,000). Over the year, state and local governments together added 347,000 jobs, while federal employment was about unchanged.
Professional and business services employment was little changed in June. During the first 6 months of 2007, job growth in the industry averaged 13,000 per month compared with an average of 42,000 per month in the last half of 2006.
In financial activities, employment in credit intermediation and related activities fell by 9,000. This loss was partially offset by a job gain in securities, commodity contracts, and investments (+6,000). Retail trade employment edged down in June. General merchandise stores lost 10,000 jobs over the month, and smaller declines occurred among other retail industries.
Manufacturing employment continued to trend down in June (-18,000). Job losses occurred in several component industries including primary metals (-5,000), computer and electronic products (-4,000), wood products (-4,000), and textile mills (-2,000). Partially offsetting the declines, machinery (+6,000) and beverages and tobacco products manufacturing (+3,000) added jobs over the month.
Elsewhere in the goods-producing sector, employment in construction was little changed over the month. Since its most recent peak in September, construction employment has declined by 44,000.
Weekly Hours (Establishment Survey Data)
In June, the average workweek for production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.1 hour to 33.9 hours, seasonally adjusted. Weekly hours for factory workers rose by 0.2 hour to 41.3 hours, while factory overtime hours increased by 0.1 hour to 4.3 hours.
The index of aggregate weekly hours of production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 0.5 percent in June to 107.8 (2002=100). The manufacturing index increased by 0.3 percent to 95.6.
Hourly and Weekly Earnings (Establishment Survey Data)
Average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 6 cents, or 0.3 percent, in June to $17.38, seasonally adjusted. This increase followed gains of 4 cents in April and 7 cents in May. Average weekly earnings grew by 0.6 percent over the month to $589.18. Over the year, both average hourly and weekly earnings rose by 3.9 percent.
