The unemployment rate (6.1 percent) was unchanged in September, following a 0.4 percentage point rise in August. The number of unemployed persons was little changed at 9.5 million. Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed persons has increased by 2.2 million and the unemployment rate has risen by 1.4 percentage points.
The unemployment rates for adult men (6.1 percent) and blacks (11.4 percent) rose in September. The jobless rates for teenagers (19.1 percent), whites (5.4 percent), and Hispanics (7.8 percent) were essentially unchanged. The unemployment rate for adult women declined to 4.9 percent, partly offsetting an increase in August. The unemployment rate for Asians in September was 3.8 percent, not seasonally adjusted.
In September, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) rose by 167,000 to 2.0 million, an increase of 728,000 over the past 12 months. The longterm unemployed accounted for 21.1 percent of total unemployment in September.
Total Employment and the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
The civilian labor force (154.7 million) and the labor force participation rate (66.0 percent) were essentially unchanged over the month. Total employment (145.3 million) and the employment-population ratio (62.0 percent) were little changed. Since a recent high in December 2006, the employment-population ratio has declined by 1.4 percentage points.
The number of persons who worked part time for economic reasons rose by 337,000 to 6.1 million in September, an increase of 1.6 million over the past 12 months. This category includes persons who would like to work full time but were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find full-time
jobs.
The number of multiple jobholders fell by 398,000 in September to 7.7 million; multiple jobholders made up 5.3 percent of all employed persons.
Persons Not in the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
About 1.6 million persons (not seasonally adjusted) were marginally attached to the labor force in September, 336,000 more than 12 months earlier. These individuals wanted and were available for work and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They are not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. Among the marginally attached, there were 467,000 discouraged workers in September; the number of discouraged workers has increased by 191,000 from a year earlier. Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work specifically because they believe no jobs are available for them. The other 1.1 million persons marginally attached to the labor force in September had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities.
Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data)
Total nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 159,000 in September. Thus far in 2008, payroll employment has fallen by 760,000. Over the month, employment continued to decline in manufacturing, construction, and retail trade. Health care and mining continued to add jobs in September.
Manufacturing employment fell by 51,000 over the month, bringing the decline in factory jobs to 442,000 over the past 12 months. In September, job losses continued in motor vehicles and part (-18,000); this industry has shed 140,000 jobs over the past 12 months. Else where among durable goods manufacturers, employment decreased in fabricated metals (- 7,000), wood products (-5,000), and furniture and related products (-5,000). In nondurable goods manufacturing, paper products (-3,000) and plastics and rubber products (-4,000) lost jobs over the month.
Construction lost 35,000 jobs over the month. Thus far this year, all of the components of construction have experienced employment declines; the majority of the losses have been in the residential components.
Employment in retail trade dropped by 40,000 in September and by 250,000 over the last 12 months. Department stores lost 11,000 jobs
in September and 70,000 over the last 12 months. Employment also continued to decline in motor vehicle and parts dealers (-10,000);this industry has lost 48,000 jobs in the past 4 months. Gasoline stations also lost jobs in September (-6,000).
Employment in transportation and warehousing declined by 16,000 in September and by 57,000 since its peak 12 months earlier. Over the
month, job losses occurred in trucking (-12,000) and air transportation (-5,000).
In September, employment in financial activities fell by 17,000,with nearly half of the decline occurring in securities and investment firms. The financial activities industry has lost 172,000 jobs since its employment peak in December 2006.
Employment in professional and business services continued to trend down over the month (-27,000), largely reflecting further job cuts in employment services. Computer systems design services and management and technical consulting services each added 9,000 jobs in September.
Health care employment continued to increase in September with a gain of 17,000. Job growth in the industry averaged 30,000 a month over the prior 12 months. In September, employment also continued to grow in mining (8,000). Mining employment has expanded by 241,000 since reaching a low in April 2003.
Weekly Hours (Establishment Survey Data)
In September, the average workweek for production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls fell by 0.1 hour to 33.6 hours, seasonally adjusted. The manufacturing workweek decreased by 0.2 hour, and factory overtime decreased by 0.1 hour.
The index of aggregate weekly hours of production and nonsupervisory workers on nonfarm payrolls fell by 0.5 percent in September to 106.3 (2002=100). The manufacturing index decreased by 1.0 percent to 89.6.
Hourly and Weekly Earnings (Establishment Survey Data)
In September, average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 3 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $18.17, seasonally adjusted. This followed gains of 6 cents in July and 8 cents in August. Average weekly earnings were $610.51 in September. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings increased by 3.4 percent and average weekly earnings rose by 2.8 percent.
