Full text of The Employment Situation : December 1999

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Technical information:
USDL 00-06
Household data: (202) 691-6378

Establishment data:
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691-6555
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Transmission of material in this release is
embargoed until 8:30 A.M. (EST),
Friday, January 7, 2000.

THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION:

DECEMBER 1999

Employment rose in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at
4.1 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor
reported today. Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 315,000. Job
growth occurred throughout the service-producing sector and in
construction, while manufacturing employment was little changed. Average
hourly earnings rose by 6 cents in December following a rise of 1 cent in
November and have increased by 3.7 percent over the year.
Unemployment (Household Survey Data)
The number of unemployed persons was essentially unchanged at 5.7
million in December, and the unemployment rate was 4.1 percent for the
third consecutive month. The jobless rate moved downward in 1999; the
fourth quarter average of 4.1 percent was down from 4.4 percent in the
fourth quarter of 1998. Unemployment rates for all the major worker
groups--adult men (3.3 percent), adult women (3.6 percent), teenagers (13.8
percent), whites (3.5 percent), blacks (7.9 percent), and Hispanics (5.9
percent)--showed little or no change over the month. (See tables A-1 and A-2.)
Total Employment and the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
The number of persons in the civilian labor force, 140.1 million, was
little changed in December, as was the labor force participation rate, at
67.1 percent. Total employment rose to 134.4 million. The employmentpopulation ratio--the proportion of the population age 16 and older with
jobs--was 64.4 percent in December, matching its all-time high first reached
in January 1999. (See table A-1.)
About 8.0 million persons (not seasonally adjusted) held more than one
job in December. These multiple jobholders represented 6.0 percent of the
total employed, compared with 6.2 percent in December 1998. (See table A-10.)
Persons Not in the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
The number of persons who were marginally attached to the labor force
in December totaled 1.1 million (not seasonally adjusted). These people
wanted and were available to work and had looked for a job sometime in the
prior 12 months. They are not counted as unemployed because they had not
-------------------------------------------------------------------| Seasonally adjusted household survey data have been revised to
|
|incorporate updated seasonal adjustment factors that reflect the
|
|1999 experience; data back to January 1995 were subject to revision.|
|The unemployment rates for January-December 1999, as originally
|
|published and as revised, appear on page 5, along with additional
|
|information on the revisions.
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------

- 2 Table A. Major indicators of labor market activity, seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
___________________________________________________________________________
|
Quarterly
|
Monthly data
|
|
averages
|
|
|_________________|__________________________| Nov.Category
|
1999
|
1999
| Dec.
|_________________|__________________________|change
|
III |
IV
| Oct. | Nov. | Dec. |
______________________|________|________|________|________|________|_______
HOUSEHOLD DATA
|
Labor force status
|____________________________________________________
Civilian labor force..| 139,394| 139,880| 139,697| 139,834| 140,108|
274
Employment..........| 133,526| 134,153| 133,940| 134,098| 134,420|
322
Unemployment........|
5,868|
5,727|
5,757|
5,736|
5,688|
-48
Not in labor force....| 68,650| 68,780| 68,786| 68,832| 68,724|
-108
|________|________|________|________|________|_______
|
Unemployment rates
|____________________________________________________
All workers...........|
4.2|
4.1|
4.1|
4.1|
4.1|
.0
Adult men...........|
3.5|
3.4|
3.5|
3.3|
3.3|
.0
Adult women.........|
3.8|
3.6|
3.5|
3.6|
3.6|
.0
Teenagers...........|
13.8|
13.8|
13.8|
14.0|
13.8|
-0.2
White...............|
3.7|
3.5|
3.5|
3.5|
3.5|
.0
Black...............|
8.2|
8.1|
8.3|
8.0|
7.9|
-.1
Hispanic origin.....|
6.4|
6.1|
6.3|
6.1|
5.9|
-.2
|________|________|________|________|________|_______
ESTABLISHMENT DATA
|
Employment
|____________________________________________________
Nonfarm employment....| 128,936|p129,585| 129,332|p129,554|p129,869|
p315
Goods-producing 1/..| 25,194| p25,245| 25,198| p25,260| p25,277|
p17
Construction......|
6,270| p6,356|
6,314| p6,369| p6,385|
p16
Manufacturing.....| 18,398| p18,361| 18,356| p18,364| p18,363|
p-1
Service-producing 1/| 103,743|p104,340| 104,134|p104,294|p104,592|
p298
Retail trade......| 22,884| p22,910| 22,891| p22,887| p22,952|
p65
Services..........| 39,172| p39,544| 39,433| p39,545| p39,654|
p109
Government........| 20,194| p20,272| 20,237| p20,258| p20,322|
p64
|________|________|________|________|________|_______
|
Hours of work 2/
|____________________________________________________
Total private.........|
34.5|
p34.5|
34.5|
p34.5|
p34.5|
p.0
Manufacturing.......|
41.8|
p41.7|
41.8|
p41.7|
p41.7|
p.0
Overtime..........|
4.7|
p4.7|
4.7|
p4.6|
p4.7|
p0.1
|________|________|________|________|________|_______
|
Indexes of aggregate weekly hours (1982=100) 2/
|____________________________________________________
Total private.........|
148.3| p149.1|
148.8| p149.2| p149.3|
p0.1
|________|________|________|________|________|_______
|
Earnings 2/
|____________________________________________________
Avg. hourly earnings, |
|
|
|
|
|
total private.......| $13.31| p$13.42| $13.39| p$13.40| p$13.46| p$0.06
Avg. weekly earnings, |
|
|
|
|
|
total private.......| 458.64| p462.88| 461.96| p462.30| p464.37| p2.07
______________________|________|________|________|________|________|_______
1/ Includes other industries, not shown separately.
2/ Data relate to private production or nonsupervisory workers.
p=preliminary.
NOTE: Seasonally adjusted household data have been revised. See note
on page 5.

- 3 searched for employment in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. The number of
discouraged workers was 267,000 in December. These people, a subset of the
marginally attached, were not currently looking for work specifically
because they believed no jobs were available for them. (See table A-10.)
Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data)
Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 315,000 in December to 129.9
million, after seasonal adjustment. Job growth in 1999 totaled 2.7 million
or 2.1 percent; this compares to a 2.4 percent gain in 1998. Privatesector payroll employment rose by 251,000 over the month. (See table B-1.)
The services industry added 109,000 jobs in December. Employment in
business services rose by 77,000 over the month, with job gains in
personnel supply services (27,000) and computer and data processing
services (13,000). Engineering and management services added 23,000 jobs.
Both business services and engineering and management services had much
smaller increases in November. Health services employment grew by 16,000
in December, the second consecutive month with an above-average increase
for the industry. Employment in two services industries that tend to
experience large seasonal fluctuations in demand--agricultural services and
amusements and recreation--declined in December.
Employment in retail trade rose by 65,000 in December. Over the year,
retail employment increased by 427,000, or 1.9 percent, slightly above the
1.7 percent gain in 1998. In December, job gains were concentrated in
general merchandise stores (34,000) and eating and drinking places
(27,000). December's job gain in general merchandise stores was the first
increase since April 1999. Employment in eating and drinking places
fluctuated in 1999 but remained on an upward trend. Wholesale trade
employment increased by 16,000 in December, in line with its average for
the prior 12 months. Growth in the industry was concentrated in durable
goods distribution.
Transportation and public utilities added 32,000 jobs in December,
twice the average for the prior 12 months. Within transportation, air
transportation, which moves packages as well as passengers, added 14,000
jobs, and trucking and warehousing added 9,000.
Finance, insurance, and real estate added 12,000 jobs in December,
mostly in finance. Within finance, employment in security and commodity
brokerages grew by 5,000. Employment in real estate was little changed in
December, following gains over the previous 2 months totaling 14,000.
Employment in government rose by 64,000 in December, after seasonal
adjustment. Much of the gain was in local government education, where
there had been little net change over the prior 3 months.
In the goods-producing sector, construction employment rose by 16,000
in December, following a much larger gain in November. Most of the
December increase was in heavy construction.

- 4 In December, for the second straight month, manufacturing employment
was little changed. Over the year, manufacturing lost 248,000 jobs, with
most of the decline occurring during the first half of the year. In
durable goods, aircraft manufacturing continued to lose jobs. The December
loss was offset by small gains in other durable goods industries, including
electronic components, where employment increased by 2,000 over the month
and by 10,000 since its most recent low in April. Fabricated metals also
added 2,000 jobs in December; since its most recent low point in August,
this industry has added 6,000 jobs. Within nondurable goods industries,
apparel and textiles continued their long-term employment declines, with
job losses in 1999 that totaled 66,000 and 32,000, respectively.
Within mining, employment in oil and gas extraction continued to trend
upward. The industry has added 6,000 jobs since August; this follows heavy
losses through most of 1998 and the first half of 1999.
Weekly Hours (Establishment Survey Data)
The average workweek for production or nonsupervisory workers on
private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged in December at 34.5 hours,
seasonally adjusted. The manufacturing workweek also was unchanged at
41.7 hours; manufacturing overtime was up by 0.1 hour to 4.7 hours.
(See table B-2.)
The index of aggregate weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory
workers on private nonfarm payrolls edged up by 0.1 percent to 149.3
(1982=100), seasonally adjusted. The manufacturing index edged down by
0.1 percent in December to 106.0. (See table B-5.)
Hourly and Weekly Earnings (Establishment Survey Data)
Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on
private nonfarm payrolls increased by 6 cents in December to $13.46,
seasonally adjusted. This follows a gain of 1 cent in November. Hourly
earnings rose by 11 cents in each of the last 2 quarters of 1999, following
gains of 13 cents in each of the first 2 quarters of the year. Over the
month, average weekly earnings rose by 0.4 percent to $464.37, seasonally
adjusted. Over the year, average hourly earnings rose by 3.7 percent, and
average weekly earnings increased by 3.4 percent. (See table B-3.)
________________________________________
The Employment Situation for January 2000 is scheduled to be released
on Friday, February 4, at 8:30 A.M. (EST).

- 5 Revision of Seasonally Adjusted Household Survey Data

At the end of each calendar year, BLS routinely updates the seasonal
adjustment factors for the labor force series derived from the Current
Population Survey (also referred to as the household survey) to incorporate
the experience of that year. This year, seasonally adjusted data for
January 1995-December 1999 were subject to revision. (Seasonally adjusted
establishment data will be revised in June, concurrent with the
introduction of annual benchmark adjustments.)
Table B summarizes the effects of the revisions on the overall
unemployment rate since January 1999. The rate was revised in only 1
month, by 0.1 percentage point. Revised seasonally adjusted data for major
labor force series since December 1998 appear in table C.
The January 2000 issue of Employment and Earnings will contain the new
seasonal adjustment factors for major series for the January-June 2000
period. The publication also will contain a description of the current
seasonal adjustment methodology and revised data for the most recent 13
months or quarters for all regularly published tables containing seasonally
adjusted household survey data. Historical data for the household series
contained in the "A" tables of this release also can be accessed on the BLS
Internet site at (http://stats.bls.gov/cpsatabs.htm). Revised historical
seasonally adjusted monthly and quarterly data also are available on the
Internet from the ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/lf directory.
Table B. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates and changes due to
revision, January-December 1999
---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|
|
Month and year
|
As first
|
As
| Change
|
Computed
|
revised
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|
|
1999
|
|
|
|
|
|
January.................|
4.3
|
4.3
|
.0
February................|
4.4
|
4.4
|
.0
March...................|
4.2
|
4.2
|
.0
April...................|
4.3
|
4.3
|
.0
May.....................|
4.2
|
4.2
|
.0
June....................|
4.3
|
4.3
|
.0
July....................|
4.3
|
4.3
|
.0
August..................|
4.2
|
4.2
|
.0
September...............|
4.2
|
4.2
|
.0
October.................|
4.1
|
4.1
|
.0
November................|
4.1
|
4.1
|
.0
December................|
1/ 4.0
|
4.1
|
0.1
---------------------------------------------------------------------1/ Not published.
Planned Changes in the Household Survey Data

Effective with the release of data for January 2000, revisions will be
introduced into the population controls used for the household survey. The
changes will result in a downward shift in the estimated total civilian
noninstitutional population 16 years and over for January 2000. The
changes will subtract approximately 193,000 from the previously estimated
population trend growth between December 1999 and January 2000. The impact
will vary for subpopulations such as men (-67,000), women (-127,000),
Hispanic (-23,000) and non-Hispanic (-171,000). The effect of the change
on labor force estimates will be described in the Employment Situation news
release for January scheduled for February 4, 2000.

- 6 HOUSEHOLD DATA
Table C.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Employment status of the civilian population by sex and age

(Numbers in thousands)

1998

1999

Employment status, sex, and
age
Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

TOTAL
Civilian noninstitutional
population(1).......... 206,270 206,719 206,873 207,036 207,236 207,427 207,632 207,828 208,038 208,265 208,483 208,666 208,832
Civilian labor force.... 138,545 139,232 139,137 138,804 139,086 139,013 139,332 139,336 139,372 139,475 139,697 139,834 140,108
Participation rate..
67.2
67.4
67.3
67.0
67.1
67.0
67.1
67.0
67.0
67.0
67.0
67.0
67.1
Employed.............. 132,517 133,225 133,029 132,976 133,054 133,190 133,398 133,399 133,530 133,650 133,940 134,098 134,420
Employment-population ratio....
64.2
64.4
64.3
64.2
64.2
64.2
64.2
64.2
64.2
64.2
64.2
64.3
64.4
Unemployed............
6,028
6,007
6,108
5,828
6,032
5,823
5,934
5,937
5,842
5,825
5,757
5,736
5,688
Unemployment rate.
4.4
4.3
4.4
4.2
4.3
4.2
4.3
4.3
4.2
4.2
4.1
4.1
4.1
Men, 20 years and over
Civilian noninstitutional
population(1)..........
Civilian labor force....
Participation rate..
Employed..............
Employment-population ratio....
Agriculture.........
Nonagricultural
industries......
Unemployed............
Unemployment rate.

91,220
70,044
76.8
67,528

91,124
70,202
77.0
67,771

91,189
70,111
76.9
67,527

91,215
69,934
76.7
67,628

91,302
69,992
76.7
67,562

91,368
69,978
76.6
67,470

91,487
70,116
76.6
67,645

91,561
70,167
76.6
67,703

91,692
70,240
76.6
67,768

91,793
70,328
76.6
67,943

91,896
70,339
76.5
67,898

91,986
70,388
76.5
68,037

92,052
70,529
76.6
68,197

74.0
2,254

74.4
2,304

74.1
2,231

74.1
2,239

74.0
2,305

73.8
2,224

73.9
2,246

73.9
2,256

73.9
2,237

74.0
2,189

73.9
2,206

74.0
2,262

74.1
2,227

65,274
2,516
3.6

65,467
2,431
3.5

65,296
2,584
3.7

65,389
2,306
3.3

65,257
2,430
3.5

65,246
2,508
3.6

65,399
2,471
3.5

65,447
2,464
3.5

65,531
2,472
3.5

65,754
2,385
3.4

65,692
2,441
3.5

65,775
2,351
3.3

65,970
2,332
3.3

99,181
60,118
60.6
57,776

99,686
60,691
60.9
58,373

99,746
60,591
60.7
58,261

99,833
60,554
60.7
58,216

99,923 100,008 100,131 100,203 100,285 100,385 100,458 100,573 100,666
60,765 60,708 60,988 60,852 60,904 60,860 60,955 61,052 61,154
60.8
60.7
60.9
60.7
60.7
60.6
60.7
60.7
60.7
58,336 58,483 58,647 58,477 58,648 58,630 58,800 58,838 58,958

58.3
767

58.6
802

58.4
822

58.3
821

58.4
803

58.5
820

58.6
851

58.4
798

58.5
780

58.4
778

58.5
800

58.5
768

58.6
791

57,009
2,342
3.9

57,571
2,318
3.8

57,439
2,330
3.8

57,395
2,338
3.9

57,533
2,429
4.0

57,663
2,225
3.7

57,796
2,341
3.8

57,679
2,375
3.9

57,868
2,256
3.7

57,852
2,230
3.7

58,000
2,155
3.5

58,070
2,214
3.6

58,167
2,196
3.6

15,868
8,383
52.8
7,213

15,909
8,339
52.4
7,081

15,939
8,435
52.9
7,241

15,988
8,316
52.0
7,132

16,011
8,329
52.0
7,156

16,051
8,327
51.9
7,237

16,014
8,228
51.4
7,106

16,065
8,317
51.8
7,219

16,061
8,228
51.2
7,114

16,086
8,287
51.5
7,077

16,129
8,403
52.1
7,242

16,107
8,394
52.1
7,223

16,114
8,425
52.3
7,265

45.5
220

44.5
191

45.4
275

44.6
230

44.7
233

45.1
246

44.4
233

44.9
224

44.3
217

44.0
212

44.9
232

44.8
280

45.1
261

6,993
1,170
14.0

6,890
1,258
15.1

6,966
1,194
14.2

6,902
1,184
14.2

6,923
1,173
14.1

6,991
1,090
13.1

6,873
1,122
13.6

6,995
1,098
13.2

6,897
1,114
13.5

6,865
1,210
14.6

7,010
1,161
13.8

6,943
1,171
14.0

7,004
1,160
13.8

Women, 20 years and over
Civilian noninstitutional
population(1)..........
Civilian labor force....
Participation rate..
Employed..............
Employment-population ratio....
Agriculture.........
Nonagricultural
industries......
Unemployed............
Unemployment rate.
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years
Civilian noninstitutional
population(1)..........
Civilian labor force....
Participation rate..
Employed..............
Employment-population ratio....
Agriculture.........
Nonagricultural
industries......
Unemployed............
Unemployment rate.

1 The population figures are not adjusted for seasonal variation.
NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.
data have been revised based on the experience through December 1999.

Seasonally adjusted

- 5 Explanatory Note

This news release presents statistics from two major surveys, the Current
Population Survey (household survey) and the Current Employment Statistics
survey (establishment survey). The household survey provides the
information on the labor force, employment, and unemployment that appears
in the A tables, marked HOUSEHOLD DATA. It is a sample survey of about
50,000 households conducted by the Bureau of the Census for the Bureau of
Labor Statistics (BLS).
The establishment survey provides the information on the employment,
hours, and earnings of workers on nonfarm payrolls that appears in the B
tables, marked ESTABLISHMENT DATA. This information is collected from
payroll records by BLS in cooperation with State agencies. In June 1999,
the sample included about 390,000 establishments employing about 48 million
people.
For both surveys, the data for a given month relate to a particular week
or pay period. In the household survey, the reference week is generally
the calendar week that contains the 12th day of the month. In the
establishment survey, the reference period is the pay period including the
12th, which may or may not correspond directly to the calendar week.
Coverage, definitions, and differences between surveys
Household survey. The sample is selected to reflect the entire
civilian noninstitutional population. Based on responses to a series of
questions on work and job search activities, each person 16 years and over
in a sample household is classified as employed, unemployed, or not in the
labor force.
People are classified as employed if they did any work at all as paid
employees during the reference week; worked in their own business,
profession, or on their own farm; or worked without pay at least 15 hours
in a family business or farm. People are also counted as employed if they
were temporarily absent from their jobs because of illness, bad weather,
vacation, labor-management disputes, or personal reasons.
People are classified as unemployed if they meet all of the following
criteria: They had no employment during the reference week; they were
available for work at that time; and they made specific efforts to find
employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the reference
week. Persons laid off from a job and expecting recall
need not be
looking for work to be counted as unemployed. The unemployment data
derived from the household survey in no way depend upon the eligibility for
or receipt of unemployment insurance benefits.
The civilian labor force is the sum of employed and unemployed
persons. Those not classified as employed or unemployed are not in the
labor force. The unemployment rate is the number unemployed as a percent
of the labor force. The labor force participation rate is the labor force
as a percent of the population, and the employment-population ratio is the
employed as a percent of the population.
Establishment survey. The sample establishments are drawn from private
nonfarm businesses such as factories, offices, and stores, as well as
Federal, State, and local government entities. Employees on nonfarm
payrolls are those who received pay for any part of the reference pay
period, including persons on paid leave. Persons are counted in each job
they hold. Hours and earnings data are for private businesses and relate
only to production workers in the goods-producing sector and nonsupervisory
workers in the service-producing sector.

- 6 Differences in employment estimates. The numerous conceptual and
methodological differences between the household and establishment surveys
result in important distinctions in the employment estimates derived from
the surveys. Among these are:
--The household survey includes agricultural workers, the self-employed,
unpaid family workers, and private household workers among the employed.
These groups are excluded from the establishment survey.
--The household survey includes people on unpaid leave among the
employed. The establishment survey does not.
--The household survey is limited to workers 16 years of age and older.
The establishment survey is not limited by age.
--The household survey has no duplication
individuals are counted only once, even if
the establishment survey, employees working
appearing on more than one payroll would be
appearance.

of individuals, because
they hold more than one job. In
at more than one job and thus
counted separately for each

Other differences between the two surveys are described in
"Comparing
Employment Estimates from Household and Payroll Surveys," which may be
obtained from BLS upon request.
Seasonal adjustment
Over the course of a year, the size of the nation's labor force and the
levels of employment and unemployment undergo sharp fluctuations due to
such seasonal events as changes in weather, reduced or expanded production,
harvests, major holidays, and the opening and closing of schools. The
effect of such seasonal variation can be very large; seasonal
fluctuations may account for as much as 95 percent of the month-to-month
changes in unemployment.
Because these seasonal events follow a more or less regular pattern each
year, their influence on statistical trends can be eliminated by adjusting
the statistics from month to month. These adjustments make nonseasonal
developments, such as declines in economic activity or increases in the
participation of women in the labor force, easier to spot. For example,
the large number of youth entering the labor force each June is likely to
obscure any other changes that have taken place relative to May, making it
difficult to determine if the level of economic activity has risen or
declined. However, because the effect of students finishing school in
previous years is known, the statistics for the current year can be
adjusted to allow for a comparable change. Insofar as the seasonal
adjustment is made correctly, the adjusted figure provides a more useful
tool with which to analyze changes in economic activity.
In both the household and establishment surveys, most seasonally adjusted
series are independently adjusted. However, the adjusted series for many
major estimates, such as total payroll employment, employment in most major
industry divisions, total employment, and unemployment are computed by
aggregating independently adjusted component series. For example, total
unemployment is derived by summing the adjusted series for four major agesex components; this differs from the unemployment estimate that would be
obtained by directly adjusting the total or by combining the duration,
reasons, or more detailed age categories.
The numerical factors used to make the seasonal adjustments are
recalculated twice a year. For the household survey, the factors are
calculated for the January-June period and again for the July-December

- 7 period. For the establishment survey, updated factors for seasonal
adjustment are calculated for the May-October period and introduced along
with new benchmarks, and again for the November-April period. In both
surveys, revisions to historical data are made once a year.
Reliability of the estimates
Statistics based on the household and establishment surveys are subject
to both sampling and nonsampling error. When a sample rather than the
entire population is surveyed, there is a chance that the sample estimates
may differ from the "true" population values they represent. The exact
difference, or sampling error, varies depending on the particular sample
selected, and this variability is measured by the standard error of the
estimate. There is about a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that
an estimate based on a sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard
errors from the "true" population value because of sampling error. BLS
analyses are generally conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.
For example, the confidence interval for the monthly change in total
employment from the household survey is on the order of plus or minus
376,000. Suppose the estimate of total employment increases by 100,000
from one month to the next. The 90-percent confidence interval on the
monthly change would range from -276,000 to 476,000 (100,000 376,000).
These figures do not mean that the sample results are off by these
magnitudes, but rather that there is about a 90-percent chance that the
"true" over-the-month change lies within this interval. Since this range
includes values of less than zero, we could not say with confidence that
employment had, in fact, increased. If, however, the reported employment
rise was half a million, then all of the values within the 90-percent
confidence interval would be greater than zero. In this case, it is likely
(at least a 90-percent chance) that an employment rise had, in fact,
occurred. The 90-percent confidence interval for the monthly change in
unemployment is 258,000, and for the monthly change in the unemployment
rate it is .21 percentage point.
In general, estimates involving many individuals or establishments have
lower standard errors (relative to the size of the estimate) than estimates
which are based on a small number of observations. The precision of
estimates is also improved when the data are cumulated over time such as
for quarterly and annual averages. The seasonal adjustment process can
also improve the stability of the monthly estimates.
The household and establishment surveys are also affected by nonsampling
error. Nonsampling errors can occur for many reasons, including the
failure to sample a segment of the population, inability to obtain
information for all respondents in the sample, inability or unwillingness
of respondents to provide correct information on a timely basis, mistakes
made by respondents, and errors made in the collection or processing of the
data.
For example, in the establishment survey, estimates for the most recent 2
months are based on substantially incomplete returns; for this reason,
these estimates are labeled preliminary in the tables. It is only after
two successive revisions to a monthly estimate, when nearly all sample
reports have been received, that the estimate is considered final.
Another major source of nonsampling error in the establishment survey is
the inability to capture, on a timely basis, employment generated by new
firms. To correct for this systematic underestimation of employment growth
(and other sources of error), a process known as bias adjustment is
included in the survey's estimating procedures, whereby a specified number
of jobs is added to the monthly sample-based change. The size of the

- 8 monthly bias adjustment is based largely on past relationships between the
sample-based estimates of employment and the total counts of employment
described below.
The sample-based estimates from the establishment survey are adjusted
once a year (on a lagged basis) to universe counts of payroll employment
obtained from administrative records of the unemployment insurance program.
The difference between the March sample-based employment estimates and the
March universe counts is known as a benchmark revision, and serves as a
rough proxy for total survey error. The new benchmarks also incorporate
changes in the classification of industries. Over the past decade, the
benchmark revision for total nonfarm employment has averaged 0.3 percent,
ranging from zero to 0.7 percent.
Additional statistics and other information
More comprehensive statistics are contained in Employment and Earnings,
published each month by BLS. It is available for $16.00 per issue or
$40.00 per year from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC
20402. All orders must be prepaid by sending a check or money order
payable to the Superintendent of Documents, or by charging to Mastercard or
Visa.
Employment and Earnings also provides measures of sampling error for the
household survey data published in this release. For unemployment and
other labor force categories, these measures appear in tables 1-B through
1-H of its "Explanatory Notes." Measures of the reliability of the data
drawn from the establishment survey and the actual amounts of revision due
to benchmark adjustments are provided in tables 2-B through 2-G of that
publication.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-606-5886; TDD message referral
phone: 1-800-877-8339.

HOUSEHOLD DATA
Table A-1.

HOUSEHOLD DATA
Employment status of the civilian population by sex and age

(Numbers in thousands)

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted(1)

Employment status, sex, and age

Dec.
1998

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

TOTAL
Civilian noninstitutional population..............
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio...............
Agriculture.................................
Nonagricultural industries..................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate.........................
Not in labor force..............................

206,270
138,297
67.0
132,732
64.3
2,953
129,779
5,565
4.0
67,973

208,666
139,895
67.0
134,515
64.5
3,185
131,330
5,380
3.8
68,771

208,832
139,941
67.0
134,696
64.5
2,979
131,717
5,245
3.7
68,891

206,270
138,545
67.2
132,517
64.2
3,241
129,276
6,028
4.4
67,725

208,038
139,372
67.0
133,530
64.2
3,234
130,296
5,842
4.2
68,666

208,265
139,475
67.0
133,650
64.2
3,179
130,471
5,825
4.2
68,790

208,483
139,697
67.0
133,940
64.2
3,238
130,702
5,757
4.1
68,786

208,666
139,834
67.0
134,098
64.3
3,310
130,788
5,736
4.1
68,832

208,832
140,108
67.1
134,420
64.4
3,279
131,141
5,688
4.1
68,724

99,309 100,179 100,264
74,055 74,545 74,631
74.6
74.4
74.4
70,930 71,797 71,699
71.4
71.7
71.5
3,125
2,748
2,932
4.2
3.7
3.9

99,309
74,382
74.9
71,173
71.7
3,209
4.3

99,863
74,499
74.6
71,436
71.5
3,063
4.1

99,976 100,088 100,179 100,264
74,643 74,680 74,728 74,930
74.7
74.6
74.6
74.7
71,630 71,623 71,732 71,927
71.6
71.6
71.6
71.7
3,013
3,057
2,996
3,003
4.0
4.1
4.0
4.0

91,220
69,949
76.7
67,439
73.9
2,076
65,363
2,510
3.6

91,220
70,044
76.8
67,528
74.0
2,254
65,274
2,516
3.6

91,692
70,240
76.6
67,768
73.9
2,237
65,531
2,472
3.5

91,793
70,328
76.6
67,943
74.0
2,189
65,754
2,385
3.4

Men, 16 years and over
Civilian noninstitutional population..............
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio...............
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate.........................
Men, 20 years and over
Civilian noninstitutional population..............
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio...............
Agriculture.................................
Nonagricultural industries..................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate.........................

91,986
70,441
76.6
68,293
74.2
2,243
66,050
2,148
3.0

92,052
70,460
76.5
68,125
74.0
2,047
66,077
2,335
3.3

91,896
70,339
76.5
67,898
73.9
2,206
65,692
2,441
3.5

91,986
70,388
76.5
68,037
74.0
2,262
65,775
2,351
3.3

92,052
70,529
76.6
68,197
74.1
2,227
65,970
2,332
3.3

Women, 16 years and over
Civilian noninstitutional population.............. 106,960 108,487 108,569 106,960 108,175 108,289 108,395 108,487 108,569
Civilian labor force............................ 64,242 65,350 65,309 64,163 64,873 64,832 65,017 65,106 65,178
Participation rate........................
60.1
60.2
60.2
60.0
60.0
59.9
60.0
60.0
60.0
Employed...................................... 61,801 62,718 62,997 61,344 62,094 62,020 62,317 62,366 62,493
Employment-population ratio...............
57.8
57.8
58.0
57.4
57.4
57.3
57.5
57.5
57.6
Unemployed....................................
2,440
2,632
2,313
2,819
2,779
2,812
2,700
2,740
2,685
Unemployment rate.........................
3.8
4.0
3.5
4.4
4.3
4.3
4.2
4.2
4.1
Women, 20 years and over
Civilian noninstitutional population..............
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio...............
Agriculture.................................
Nonagricultural industries..................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate.........................

99,181 100,573 100,666
60,337 61,440 61,426
60.8
61.1
61.0
58,273 59,314 59,491
58.8
59.0
59.1
717
728
740
57,556 58,586 58,751
2,065
2,127
1,935
3.4
3.5
3.1

99,181 100,285 100,385 100,458 100,573 100,666
60,118 60,904 60,860 60,955 61,052 61,154
60.6
60.7
60.6
60.7
60.7
60.7
57,776 58,648 58,630 58,800 58,838 58,958
58.3
58.5
58.4
58.5
58.5
58.6
767
780
778
800
768
791
57,009 57,868 57,852 58,000 58,070 58,167
2,342
2,256
2,230
2,155
2,214
2,196
3.9
3.7
3.7
3.5
3.6
3.6

15,868
8,011
50.5
7,020
44.2
161
6,860
990
12.4

15,868
8,383
52.8
7,213
45.5
220
6,993
1,170
14.0

Both sexes, 16 to 19 years
Civilian noninstitutional population.............
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio...............
Agriculture.................................
Nonagricultural industries..................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate.........................

16,107
8,014
49.8
6,909
42.9
215
6,694
1,106
13.8

16,114
8,056
50.0
7,081
43.9
193
6,888
975
12.1

16,061
8,228
51.2
7,114
44.3
217
6,897
1,114
13.5

16,086
8,287
51.5
7,077
44.0
212
6,865
1,210
14.6

16,129
8,403
52.1
7,242
44.9
232
7,010
1,161
13.8

16,107
8,394
52.1
7,223
44.8
280
6,943
1,171
14.0

16,114
8,425
52.3
7,265
45.1
261
7,004
1,160
13.8

1 The population figures are not adjusted for seasonal variation; therefore, identical numbers appear in the unadjusted
and seasonally adjusted columns.
NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey. Seasonally
adjusted data have been revised based on the experience through December 1999.

HOUSEHOLD DATA
Table A-2.

HOUSEHOLD DATA
Employment status of the civilian population by race, sex, age, and Hispanic origin

(Numbers in thousands)

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted(1)

Employment status, race, sex, age, and
Hispanic origin
Dec.
1998

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

WHITE
Civilian noninstitutional population.............. 172,197 173,709 173,821 172,197 173,275 173,432 173,585 173,709 173,821
Civilian labor force............................ 115,796 116,735 116,896 115,980 116,619 116,495 116,654 116,703 117,008
Participation rate..........................
67.2
67.2
67.3
67.4
67.3
67.2
67.2
67.2
67.3
Employed...................................... 111,647 112,919 113,116 111,539 112,308 112,303 112,548 112,611 112,951
Employment-population ratio.................
64.8
65.0
65.1
64.8
64.8
64.8
64.8
64.8
65.0
Unemployed....................................
4,149
3,816
3,781
4,441
4,311
4,192
4,106
4,092
4,057
Unemployment rate...........................
3.6
3.3
3.2
3.8
3.7
3.6
3.5
3.5
3.5
Men, 20 years and over
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate..........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio.................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate...........................

59,662
77.2
57,725
74.7
1,937
3.2

59,788
76.9
58,264
74.9
1,524
2.5

59,843
76.9
58,140
74.7
1,703
2.8

59,716
77.3
57,811
74.8
1,905
3.2

59,932
77.3
58,007
74.8
1,925
3.2

59,841
77.1
58,102
74.9
1,739
2.9

59,777
77.0
58,043
74.7
1,734
2.9

59,761
76.9
58,067
74.7
1,694
2.8

59,889
77.0
58,221
74.8
1,668
2.8

Women, 20 years and over
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate..........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio.................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate...........................

49,429
60.0
47,960
58.3
1,469
3.0

50,150
60.3
48,659
58.5
1,491
3.0

50,277
60.4
48,930
58.8
1,347
2.7

49,223
59.8
47,561
57.8
1,662
3.4

49,713
59.9
48,140
58.0
1,573
3.2

49,593
59.7
48,010
57.8
1,583
3.2

49,733
59.8
48,203
58.0
1,530
3.1

49,814
59.9
48,273
58.0
1,541
3.1

50,011
60.1
48,486
58.2
1,525
3.0

Both sexes, 16 to 19 years
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate..........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio.................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate...........................
Men.......................................
Women.....................................

6,705
53.4
5,962
47.4
743
11.1
13.2
8.8

6,797
53.4
5,996
47.1
801
11.8
12.5
11.0

6,776
53.2
6,046
47.5
730
10.8
12.8
8.6

7,041
56.0
6,167
49.1
874
12.4
13.8
10.9

6,974
54.8
6,161
48.4
813
11.7
12.3
11.0

7,061
55.4
6,191
48.6
870
12.3
12.7
11.9

7,144
56.1
6,302
49.5
842
11.8
11.9
11.7

7,128
56.0
6,271
49.2
857
12.0
12.8
11.2

7,108
55.8
6,244
49.0
864
12.2
13.3
10.9

BLACK
Civilian noninstitutional population..............
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate..........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio.................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate...........................

24,561
16,136
65.7
14,993
61.0
1,143
7.1

25,019
16,555
66.2
15,292
61.1
1,263
7.6

25,051
16,488
65.8
15,302
61.1
1,186
7.2

24,561
16,155
65.8
14,894
60.6
1,261
7.8

24,904
16,321
65.5
15,047
60.4
1,274
7.8

24,946
16,474
66.0
15,114
60.6
1,360
8.3

24,985
16,489
66.0
15,124
60.5
1,365
8.3

25,019
16,508
66.0
15,187
60.7
1,321
8.0

25,051
16,513
65.9
15,204
60.7
1,309
7.9

Men, 20 years and over
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate..........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio.................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate...........................

7,047
71.9
6,592
67.2
455
6.5

7,335
73.3
6,841
68.4
493
6.7

7,257
72.4
6,758
67.5
499
6.9

7,060
72.0
6,598
67.3
462
6.5

7,162
72.0
6,714
67.5
448
6.3

7,205
72.3
6,696
67.2
509
7.1

7,281
72.9
6,717
67.3
564
7.7

7,277
72.8
6,767
67.7
510
7.0

7,273
72.6
6,766
67.5
507
7.0

Women, 20 years and over
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate..........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio.................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate...........................

8,089
65.8
7,600
61.8
490
6.1

8,338
66.5
7,818
62.4
520
6.2

8,293
66.1
7,807
62.2
486
5.9

8,052
65.5
7,495
61.0
557
6.9

8,241
66.1
7,673
61.5
568
6.9

8,316
66.5
7,759
62.1
557
6.7

8,252
65.9
7,745
61.9
507
6.1

8,305
66.3
7,757
61.9
548
6.6

8,260
65.8
7,706
61.4
554
6.7

Both sexes, 16 to 19 years
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate..........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio.................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate...........................
Men.......................................
Women.....................................

999
40.6
801
32.6
198
19.8
25.7
14.4

882
35.6
632
25.5
250
28.3
31.0
26.0

938
37.8
737
29.7
201
21.4
25.2
17.6

1,043
42.4
801
32.5
242
23.2
27.6
19.1

918
37.0
660
26.6
258
28.1
29.6
26.7

953
38.4
659
26.5
294
30.8
30.3
31.4

956
38.5
662
26.7
294
30.8
35.3
26.1

926
37.3
663
26.7
263
28.4
31.0
25.9

980
39.5
732
29.5
248
25.3
27.5
23.0

HISPANIC ORIGIN
Civilian noninstitutional population..............
Civilian labor force............................
Participation rate..........................
Employed......................................
Employment-population ratio.................
Unemployed....................................
Unemployment rate...........................

21,405
14,485
67.7
13,398
62.6
1,087
7.5

21,947
14,841
67.6
14,001
63.8
840
5.7

22,008
14,965
68.0
14,112
64.1
853
5.7

21,405
14,512
67.8
13,379
62.5
1,133
7.8

21,752
14,710
67.6
13,759
63.3
951
6.5

21,820
14,766
67.7
13,795
63.2
971
6.6

21,881
14,809
67.7
13,879
63.4
930
6.3

21,947
14,887
67.8
13,979
63.7
908
6.1

22,008
14,984
68.1
14,095
64.0
889
5.9

1 The population figures are not adjusted for seasonal variation; therefore, identical numbers appear in the unadjusted
and seasonally adjusted columns.
NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other races"
group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups. Beginning in January
1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey. Seasonally adjusted data have been revised
based on the experience through December 1999.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-3. Employment status of the civilian population 25 years and over by educational attainment, seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted(1)

Educational attainment
Dec.
1998

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

29,094
12,509
43.0
11,609
39.9
900
7.2

28,228
12,197
43.2
11,424
40.5
773
6.3

28,144
11,963
42.5
11,236
39.9
727
6.1

29,094
12,499
43.0
11,618
39.9
881
7.0

28,568
12,307
43.1
11,448
40.1
859
7.0

57,115
37,442
65.6
36,066
63.1
1,376
3.7

57,789
37,830
65.5
36,665
63.4
1,165
3.1

57,590
37,534
65.2
36,248
62.9
1,286
3.4

57,115
37,279
65.3
35,891
62.8
1,388
3.7

43,022
31,933
74.2
31,080
72.2
853
2.7

44,070
32,688
74.2
31,883
72.3
805
2.5

44,069
32,544
73.8
31,788
72.1
756
2.3

43,484
34,889
80.2
34,323
78.9
566
1.6

44,365
35,253
79.5
34,697
78.2
556
1.6

44,821
35,852
80.0
35,287
78.7
565
1.6

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

28,583
12,151
42.5
11,327
39.6
824
6.8

28,246
12,201
43.2
11,401
40.4
800
6.6

28,228
12,132
43.0
11,347
40.2
785
6.5

28,144
11,956
42.5
11,243
39.9
713
6.0

57,195
36,954
64.6
35,657
62.3
1,297
3.5

57,518
37,188
64.7
35,879
62.4
1,309
3.5

57,275
37,080
64.7
35,874
62.6
1,206
3.3

57,789
37,671
65.2
36,445
63.1
1,226
3.3

57,590
37,362
64.9
36,071
62.6
1,291
3.5

43,022
31,846
74.0
30,926
71.9
920
2.9

43,130
31,842
73.8
30,864
71.6
978
3.1

42,955
32,140
74.8
31,269
72.8
871
2.7

43,787
32,203
73.5
31,330
71.6
873
2.7

44,070
32,312
73.3
31,444
71.3
868
2.7

44,069
32,404
73.5
31,586
71.7
818
2.5

43,484
34,862
80.2
34,225
78.7
637
1.8

45,086
36,037
79.9
35,465
78.7
572
1.6

45,081
35,722
79.2
35,112
77.9
610
1.7

44,986
35,721
79.4
35,106
78.0
615
1.7

44,365
35,264
79.5
34,655
78.1
609
1.7

44,821
35,824
79.9
35,186
78.5
638
1.8

Less than a high school diploma
Civilian noninstitutional population......
Civilian labor force....................
Percent of population...............
Employed..............................
Employment-population ratio.........
Unemployed............................
Unemployment rate...................
High school graduates, no college(2)
Civilian noninstitutional population......
Civilian labor force....................
Percent of population...............
Employed..............................
Employment-population ratio.........
Unemployed............................
Unemployment rate...................
Less than a bachelor's degree(3)
Civilian noninstitutional population......
Civilian labor force....................
Percent of population...............
Employed..............................
Employment-population ratio.........
Unemployed............................
Unemployment rate...................
College graduates
Civilian noninstitutional population......
Civilian labor force....................
Percent of population...............
Employed..............................
Employment-population ratio.........
Unemployed............................
Unemployment rate...................
1
and
2
3

The population figures are not adjusted for seasonal variation, therefore, identical numbers appear in the unadjusted
seasonally adjusted columns.
Includes high school diploma or equivalent.
Includes the categories, some college, no degree; and associate degree.
NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey. Seasonally
adjusted data have been revised based on the experience through December 1999.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-4. Selected employment indicators
(In thousands)

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Category

Dec.
1998

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

CHARACTERISTIC
Total employed, 16 years and over................. 132,732 134,515 134,696 132,517 133,530 133,650 133,940 134,098 134,420
Married men, spouse present..................... 43,426 43,599 43,531 43,205 43,368 43,367 43,206 43,273 43,283
Married women, spouse present................... 33,502 33,920 34,221 33,077 33,504 33,275 33,521 33,635 33,762
Women who maintain families.....................
8,011
8,553
8,302
8,087
8,335
8,312
8,398
8,526
8,375
OCCUPATION
Managerial and professional specialty...........
Technical, sales, and administrative support....
Service occupations.............................
Precision production, craft, and repair.........
Operators, fabricators, and laborers............
Farming, forestry, and fishing..................

40,007
38,517
17,873
14,586
18,702
3,046

40,558
39,380
17,548
14,919
18,813
3,298

41,038
39,560
17,582
14,988
18,546
2,981

39,777
38,281
18,000
14,569
18,470
3,427

40,800
38,874
17,976
14,322
18,089
3,412

40,784
38,634
17,876
14,659
18,227
3,365

40,718
39,023
17,694
14,836
18,340
3,365

40,363
39,283
17,633
14,903
18,476
3,407

40,800
39,311
17,706
14,940
18,299
3,367

CLASS OF WORKER
Agriculture:
Wage and salary workers.......................
1,683
1,946
1,822
1,867
1,908
1,930
1,936
2,049
2,018
Self-employed workers.........................
1,241
1,193
1,127
1,332
1,266
1,198
1,267
1,216
1,211
Unpaid family workers.........................
29
46
31
34
46
40
42
41
36
Nonagricultural industries:
Wage and salary workers....................... 120,917 122,511 123,053 120,365 121,150 121,583 121,654 121,965 122,426
Government.................................. 18,902 19,098 19,169 18,709 19,114 19,080 18,817 18,902 18,959
Private industries.......................... 102,015 103,413 103,885 101,656 102,036 102,503 102,837 103,063 103,467
Private households........................
962
932
972
937
873
1,035
939
944
948
Other industries.......................... 101,053 102,481 102,912 100,719 101,163 101,468 101,898 102,119 102,519
Self-employed workers.........................
8,745
8,715
8,566
8,829
9,000
8,791
8,833
8,686
8,662
Unpaid family workers.........................
117
104
97
119
93
100
101
108
98
PERSONS AT WORK PART TIME
All industries:
Part time for economic reasons................
Slack work or business conditions...........
Could only find part-time work..............
Part time for noneconomic reasons.............

3,455
2,005
1,088
19,770

3,045
1,804
974
19,744

3,332
2,017
974
19,662

3,448
1,938
1,144
18,721

3,279
1,904
1,057
19,230

3,283
1,922
1,073
18,801

3,179
1,928
993
18,799

3,274
1,930
1,032
18,651

3,320
1,951
1,025
18,618

Nonagricultural industries:
Part time for economic reasons................
Slack work or business conditions...........
Could only find part-time work..............
Part time for noneconomic reasons.............

3,242
1,901
1,057
19,270

2,886
1,696
955
19,193

3,129
1,891
964
19,143

3,271
1,851
1,115
18,187

3,127
1,813
1,041
18,652

3,112
1,806
1,063
18,273

2,983
1,807
964
18,249

3,105
1,815
1,013
18,083

3,157
1,843
1,018
18,061

NOTE: Persons at work excludes employed persons who were absent from their jobs during the entire reference week for
reasons such as vacation, illness, or industrial dispute. Part time for noneconomic reasons excludes persons who usually
work full time but worked only 1 to 34 hours during the reference week for reasons such as holidays, illness, and bad
weather. Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey. Seasonally
adjusted data have been revised based on the experience through December 1999.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-5. Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted

Number of
unemployed persons
(in thousands)

Unemployment rates(1)

Category
Dec.
1998

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Total, 16 years and over.........................
Men, 20 years and over.........................
Women, 20 years and over.......................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years.....................

6,028
2,516
2,342
1,170

5,736
2,351
2,214
1,171

5,688
2,332
2,196
1,160

4.4
3.6
3.9
14.0

4.2
3.5
3.7
13.5

4.2
3.4
3.7
14.6

4.1
3.5
3.5
13.8

4.1
3.3
3.6
14.0

4.1
3.3
3.6
13.8

Married men, spouse present....................
Married women, spouse present..................
Women who maintain families....................

1,007
948
547

925
880
548

969
872
556

2.3
2.8
6.3

2.3
2.7
6.3

2.2
2.6
6.4

2.2
2.5
6.0

2.1
2.5
6.0

2.2
2.5
6.2

Full-time workers..............................
Part-time workers..............................

4,801
1,255

4,536
1,191

4,540
1,175

4.2
5.1

4.1
4.6

4.0
5.0

4.0
4.7

3.9
4.9

3.9
4.9

747
1,477
497
1,299
282

751
1,461
578
1,224
246

719
1,464
624
1,198
208

1.8
3.7
3.3
6.6
7.6

1.8
3.6
4.5
6.2
6.4

1.8
3.5
3.9
6.4
5.3

1.8
3.5
4.0
6.3
5.8

1.8
3.6
3.7
6.2
6.7

1.7
3.6
4.0
6.1
5.8

4,681
1,286
32
436
818
423
395
3,395
243
1,506
229
1,417
404
187

4,478
1,202
25
439
738
450
288
3,276
260
1,457
185
1,374
393
186

4,478
1,274
22
526
726
449
277
3,204
234
1,438
173
1,359
414
155

4.4
4.5
5.6
6.1
3.9
3.4
4.8
4.4
3.1
5.5
2.8
4.1
2.1
9.1

4.2
4.8
4.2
7.6
3.8
3.7
4.1
4.0
3.0
4.8
2.4
4.0
2.1
9.6

4.3
4.8
6.7
6.9
3.9
4.0
3.9
4.1
2.8
5.2
2.3
4.1
2.0
5.7

4.2
4.5
5.0
6.7
3.7
3.5
4.0
4.1
3.1
4.9
2.3
4.0
2.1
7.7

4.2
4.2
4.6
5.7
3.7
3.7
3.7
4.1
3.3
5.3
2.3
3.9
2.0
8.3

4.1
4.4
4.1
6.6
3.6
3.6
3.5
4.0
3.0
5.2
2.1
3.8
2.1
7.1

CHARACTERISTIC

OCCUPATION(2)
Managerial and professional specialty..........
Technical, sales, and administrative support...
Precision production, craft, and repair........
Operators, fabricators, and laborers...........
Farming, forestry, and fishing.................
INDUSTRY
Nonagricultural private wage and salary workers
Goods-producing industries...................
Mining.....................................
Construction...............................
Manufacturing..............................
Durable goods............................
Nondurable goods.........................
Service-producing industries.................
Transportation and public utilities........
Wholesale and retail trade.................
Finance, insurance, and real estate........
Services...................................
Government workers.............................
Agricultural wage and salary workers...........

1 Unemployment as a percent of the civilian labor force.
2 Seasonally adjusted unemployment data for service occupations are not available because the seasonal component, which
is small relative to the trend-cycle and irregular components, cannot be separated with sufficient precision.
NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey. Data have been
revised based on the experience through December 1999.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-6. Duration of unemployment
(Numbers in thousands)

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Duration
Dec.
1998

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Less than 5 weeks................................
5 to 14 weeks....................................
15 weeks and over................................
15 to 26 weeks................................
27 weeks and over.............................

2,299
1,817
1,449
680
769

2,384
1,729
1,268
633
635

2,348
1,615
1,281
621
661

2,573
1,884
1,572
759
813

2,599
1,798
1,463
747
716

2,582
1,805
1,412
708
704

2,545
1,811
1,434
719
715

2,601
1,760
1,401
725
676

2,620
1,694
1,388
693
695

Average (mean) duration, in weeks................
Median duration, in weeks........................

14.1
6.7

12.9
6.0

13.0
5.8

14.0
6.8

13.2
6.4

13.0
5.9

13.2
6.3

13.0
6.2

12.8
5.9

100.0
41.3
32.7
26.0
12.2
13.8

100.0
44.3
32.1
23.6
11.8
11.8

100.0
44.8
30.8
24.4
11.8
12.6

100.0
42.7
31.2
26.1
12.6
13.5

100.0
44.4
30.7
25.0
12.7
12.2

100.0
44.5
31.1
24.3
12.2
12.1

100.0
44.0
31.3
24.8
12.4
12.3

100.0
45.1
30.5
24.3
12.6
11.7

100.0
45.9
29.7
24.3
12.2
12.2

NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED

PERCENT DISTRIBUTION
Total unemployed.................................
Less than 5 weeks..............................
5 to 14 weeks..................................
15 weeks and over..............................
15 to 26 weeks...............................
27 weeks and over............................

NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.
adjusted data have been revised based on the experience through December 1999.

Seasonally

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-7. Reason for unemployment
(Numbers in thousands)

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Reason
Dec.
1998

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

2,849
934
1,915
1,382
533
628
1,706
381

2,340
755
1,584
1,065
519
792
1,833
415

2,451
859
1,592
1,073
519
718
1,745
330

2,795
865
1,930
(1)
(1)
719
1,994
503

2,629
893
1,736
(1)
(1)
793
1,942
481

2,573
869
1,704
(1)
(1)
758
1,967
504

2,518
802
1,716
(1)
(1)
778
1,958
511

2,493
851
1,642
(1)
(1)
821
1,935
485

2,401
795
1,606
(1)
(1)
825
2,036
453

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

51.2
16.8
34.4
11.3
30.6
6.9

43.5
14.0
29.4
14.7
34.1
7.7

46.7
16.4
30.4
13.7
33.3
6.3

46.5
14.4
32.1
12.0
33.2
8.4

45.0
15.3
29.7
13.6
33.2
8.2

44.3
15.0
29.4
13.1
33.9
8.7

43.7
13.9
29.8
13.5
34.0
8.9

43.5
14.8
28.6
14.3
33.7
8.5

42.0
13.9
28.1
14.4
35.6
7.9

2.1
.5
1.2
.3

1.7
.6
1.3
.3

1.8
.5
1.2
.2

2.0
.5
1.4
.4

1.9
.6
1.4
.3

1.8
.5
1.4
.4

1.8
.6
1.4
.4

1.8
.6
1.4
.3

1.7
.6
1.5
.3

NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED
Job losers and persons who completed temporary
jobs...........................................
On temporary layoff.............................
Not on temporary layoff.........................
Permanent job losers..........................
Persons who completed temporary jobs..........
Job leavers.......................................
Reentrants........................................
New entrants......................................
PERCENT DISTRIBUTION
Total unemployed..................................
Job losers and persons who completed temporary
jobs...........................................
On temporary layoff............................
Not on temporary layoff........................
Job leavers......................................
Reentrants.......................................
New entrants.....................................
UNEMPLOYED AS A PERCENT OF THE
CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE
Job losers and persons who completed temporary
jobs...........................................
Job leavers......................................
Reentrants.......................................
New entrants.....................................

1 Not available.
NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.
adjusted data have been revised based on the experience through December 1999.

Seasonally

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-8. Range of alternative measures of labor underutilization
(Percent)

Not seasonally
adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Measure

Dec.
1998

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

U-1 Persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer, as a percent of
the civilian labor force................................

1.0

.9

.9

1.1

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

U-2 Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs, as
a percent of the civilian labor force...................

2.1

1.7

1.8

2.0

1.9

1.8

1.8

1.8

1.7

U-3 Total unemployed, as a percent of the civilian labor
force (official unemployment rate)......................

4.0

3.8

3.7

4.4

4.2

4.2

4.1

4.1

4.1

U-4 Total unemployed plus discouraged workers, as a percent
of the civilian labor force plus discouraged workers....

4.3

4.0

3.9

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

U-5 Total unemployed, plus discouraged workers, plus all
other marginally attached workers, as a percent of the
civilian labor force plus all marginally
attached workers........................................

4.8

4.6

4.5

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

U-6 Total unemployed, plus all marginally attached workers,
plus total employed part time for economic reasons,
as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all
marginally attached workers.............................

7.3

6.8

6.9

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

1 Not available.
NOTE: This range of alternative measures of labor underutilization replaces the U1-U7 range published in table A-7 of
this release prior to 1994. Marginally attached workers are persons who currently are neither working nor looking for work
but indicate that they want and are available for a job and have looked for work sometime in the recent past. Discouraged
workers, a subset of the marginally attached, have given a job-market related reason for not currently looking for a job.
Persons employed part time for economic reasons are those who want and are available for full-time work but have had to
settle for a part-time schedule. For further information, see "BLS introduces new range of alternative unemployment
measures," in the October 1995 issue of the Monthly Labor Review. Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised
population controls used in the household survey. Seasonally adjusted data have been revised based on the experience
through December 1999.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-9. Unemployed persons by sex and age, seasonally adjusted

Number of
unemployed persons
(in thousands)

Unemployment rates(1)

Age and sex

Dec.
1998

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999

Dec.
1999

Total, 16 years and over..........................
16 to 24 years..................................
16 to 19 years................................
16 to 17 years..............................
18 to 19 years..............................
20 to 24 years................................
25 years and over...............................
25 to 54 years................................
55 years and over.............................

6,028
2,158
1,170
567
609
988
3,860
3,320
511

5,736
2,249
1,171
553
619
1,078
3,488
3,048
459

5,688
2,209
1,160
553
612
1,049
3,479
2,987
477

4.4
9.8
14.0
16.7
12.2
7.2
3.3
3.3
2.9

4.2
9.6
13.5
15.9
12.1
7.3
3.2
3.2
2.7

4.2
10.0
14.6
16.1
13.8
7.2
3.1
3.2
2.6

4.1
10.0
13.8
15.9
12.4
7.7
3.0
3.1
2.7

4.1
10.0
14.0
16.5
12.3
7.7
3.0
3.1
2.6

4.1
9.8
13.8
16.5
12.1
7.4
3.0
3.0
2.7

Men, 16 years and over..........................
16 to 24 years................................
16 to 19 years..............................
16 to 17 years............................
18 to 19 years............................
20 to 24 years..............................
25 years and over.............................
25 to 54 years..............................
55 years and over...........................

3,209
1,227
693
336
353
534
1,985
1,676
292

2,996
1,194
645
292
353
549
1,789
1,531
252

3,003
1,252
671
311
356
581
1,757
1,493
246

4.3
10.6
16.0
19.1
13.7
7.4
3.2
3.2
3.0

4.1
9.9
13.9
16.2
12.6
7.6
3.1
3.1
2.9

4.0
9.9
14.6
16.6
13.2
7.2
3.0
3.0
2.9

4.1
10.4
14.2
15.5
13.2
8.2
2.9
3.0
2.8

4.0
10.2
14.9
16.9
13.6
7.5
2.8
2.9
2.6

4.0
10.6
15.2
17.7
13.5
7.8
2.8
2.8
2.5

Women, 16 years and over........................
16 to 24 years................................
16 to 19 years..............................
16 to 17 years............................
18 to 19 years............................
20 to 24 years..............................
25 years and over.............................
25 to 54 years..............................
55 years and over...........................

2,819
931
477
231
256
454
1,875
1,644
219

2,740
1,055
526
261
266
529
1,699
1,517
207

2,685
957
489
242
256
468
1,722
1,494
231

4.4
8.9
11.8
14.1
10.6
7.1
3.5
3.6
2.8

4.3
9.3
13.2
15.6
11.6
7.0
3.3
3.4
2.4

4.3
10.0
14.7
15.6
14.5
7.2
3.2
3.4
2.1

4.2
9.6
13.4
16.3
11.4
7.2
3.1
3.2
2.5

4.2
9.8
13.0
16.1
10.8
7.9
3.1
3.3
2.6

4.1
8.9
12.2
15.1
10.5
7.0
3.2
3.2
2.9

1 Unemployment as a percent of the civilian labor force.
NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.
revised based on the experience through December 1999.

Data have been

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-10. Persons not in the labor force and multiple jobholders by sex, not seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)

Total

Men

Women

Category
Dec.
1998

Dec.
1999

Dec.
1998

Dec.
1999

Dec.
1998

Dec.
1999

67,973
4,187
1,196

68,891
4,045
1,142

25,254
1,762
548

25,632
1,736
557

42,719
2,425
649

43,259
2,309
585

358
838

267
874

214
334

162
395

145
504

106
479

Total multiple jobholders(4)......................................
Percent of total employed.....................................

8,220
6.2

8,037
6.0

4,163
5.9

4,026
5.6

4,057
6.6

4,011
6.4

Primary job full time, secondary job part time................
Primary and secondary jobs both part time.....................
Primary and secondary jobs both full time.....................
Hours vary on primary or secondary job........................

4,561
1,778
233
1,613

4,411
1,759
343
1,495

2,574
522
149
898

2,479
507
231
797

1,988
1,255
84
715

1,932
1,252
112
698

NOT IN THE LABOR FORCE

Total not in the labor force......................................
Persons who currently want a job................................
Searched for work and available to work now(1)...............
Reason not currently looking:
Discouragement over job prospects(2)....................
Reasons other than discouragement(3)....................
MULTIPLE JOBHOLDERS

1 Data refer to persons who have searched for work during the prior 12 months and were available to take a job during the
reference week.
2 Includes thinks no work available, could not find work, lacks schooling or training, employer thinks too young or old, and
other types of discrimination.
3 Includes those who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for such reasons as child-care and transportation
problems, as well as a small number for which reason for nonparticipation was not determined.
4 Includes persons who work part time on their primary job and full time on their secondary job(s), not shown separately.
NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Table B-1. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry
(In thousands)

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Industry
Dec.
1998

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999p

Dec.
1999p

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999p

Dec.
1999p

Total......................... 128,028 130,209 130,589 130,694 127,186 128,945 129,048 129,332 129,554 129,869
Total private.................... 107,686 109,664 109,891 110,015 107,213 108,735 108,830 109,095 109,296 109,547
Goods-producing.........................

25,274

25,496

25,425

25,188

25,354

25,148

25,186

25,198

25,260

25,277

Mining................................
Metal mining........................
Coal mining.........................
Oil and gas extraction..............
Nonmetallic minerals, except fuels..

570
49.6
90.4
322.1
107.6

534
47.6
82.3
292.7
111.8

531
48.4
82.5
290.5
109.7

527
48.2
82.8
292.3
104.1

570
50
90
320
110

524
47
83
285
109

527
48
83
287
109

528
48
82
289
109

527
49
82
288
108

529
48
83
291
107

Construction..........................
6,068
6,549
6,489
6,284
General building contractors........ 1,396.0 1,471.5 1,465.9 1,441.7
Heavy construction, except building.
826.4
932.9
898.9
834.8
Special trade contractors........... 3,845.9 4,145.0 4,123.8 4,007.9

6,173
1,404
876
3,893

6,246
1,426
852
3,968

6,293
1,440
857
3,996

6,314
1,445
861
4,008

6,369
1,451
869
4,049

6,385
1,452
881
4,052

Manufacturing.........................
Production workers................

18,636
12,818

18,413
12,663

18,405
12,655

18,377
12,634

18,611
12,795

18,378
12,622

18,366
12,617

18,356
12,608

18,364
12,616

18,363
12,616

Durable goods........................
Production workers................
Lumber and wood products............
Furniture and fixtures..............
Stone, clay, and glass products.....
Primary metal industries............
Blast furnaces and basic steel
products.......................
Fabricated metal products...........
Industrial machinery and equipment..
Computer and office equipment.....
Electronic and other electrical
equipment........................
Electronic components and
accessories....................
Transportation equipment............
Motor vehicles and equipment......
Aircraft and parts................
Instruments and related products....
Miscellaneous manufacturing.........

11,096
7,590
821.8
536.7
565.4
701.7

10,969
7,503
834.9
545.4
575.8
685.5

10,979
7,513
832.5
544.1
574.4
689.0

10,979
7,514
829.4
545.1
565.2
690.2

11,074
7,568
823
534
570
699

10,975
7,513
826
543
568
688

10,959
7,496
827
544
569
685

10,952
7,489
829
546
568
685

10,958
7,494
830
543
571
687

10,959
7,487
830
543
571
687

226.5
221.0
222.6
223.8
1,498.0 1,490.7 1,492.4 1,495.0
2,168.4 2,110.7 2,113.0 2,118.3
370.8
358.0
357.7
357.5

(1)
1,493
2,167
370

(1)
1,484
2,122
359

(1)
1,486
2,117
358

(1)
1,487
2,116
358

(1)
1,488
2,117
357

(1)
1,490
2,118
359

1,675.0 1,665.6 1,668.5 1,674.6

1,669

1,662

1,662

1,665

1,664

1,667

639.9
641.7
642.3
645.5
1,893.9 1,837.0 1,841.0 1,841.4
1,002.3 1,001.1 1,006.8 1,010.1
520.8
471.6
469.5
466.1
850.3
829.9
832.1
832.5
384.9
393.6
392.2
387.3

640
1,882
994
518
851
386

641
1,859
1,012
483
836
387

640
1,848
1,006
476
833
388

643
1,838
1,001
471
830
388

643
1,836
1,002
467
833
389

645
1,831
1,002
463
833
389

7,540
5,228
1,683.5
42.6
583.0
723.5
666.8
1,569.5
1,040.8
138.3
1,012.9
78.8

7,537
5,227
1,693
40
582
724
666
1,560
1,042
140
1,012
78

7,403
5,109
1,666
36
557
672
658
1,553
1,030
136
1,022
73

7,407
5,121
1,679
38
553
669
657
1,552
1,033
137
1,017
72

7,404
5,119
1,680
38
551
666
655
1,552
1,033
136
1,021
72

7,406
5,122
1,686
38
552
663
655
1,550
1,033
136
1,022
71

7,404
5,129
1,691
38
550
658
655
1,548
1,033
135
1,026
70

Nondurable goods.....................
Production workers................
Food and kindred products...........
Tobacco products....................
Textile mill products...............
Apparel and other textile products..
Paper and allied products...........
Printing and publishing.............
Chemicals and allied products.......
Petroleum and coal products.........
Rubber and misc. plastics products..
Leather and leather products........

7,444
5,160
1,709.4
40.6
552.6
671.9
654.4
1,551.1
1,031.7
138.4
1,021.2
72.6

7,426
5,142
1,693.5
40.8
552.5
665.4
655.1
1,555.0
1,032.5
136.7
1,022.1
72.3

7,398
5,120
1,677.9
41.8
549.7
654.8
655.0
1,556.5
1,033.9
133.4
1,023.8
70.9

Service-producing....................... 102,754 104,713 105,164 105,506 101,832 103,797 103,862 104,134 104,294 104,592
Transportation and public utilities...
6,747
6,889
6,905
6,947
Transportation......................
4,408
4,511
4,518
4,556
Railroad transportation...........
230.8
227.7
227.6
227.6
Local and interurban passenger
transit........................
490.6
503.4
503.4
503.5
Trucking and warehousing.......... 1,779.5 1,860.1 1,845.4 1,840.1
Water transportation..............
177.4
182.7
178.6
175.3
Transportation by air............. 1,252.8 1,252.6 1,278.6 1,322.2
Pipelines, except natural gas.....
13.8
12.9
12.9
13.2
Transportation services...........
463.1
472.0
471.7
473.7
Communications and public utilities.
2,339
2,378
2,387
2,391
Communications.................... 1,489.2 1,539.7 1,546.8 1,549.0
Electric, gas, and sanitary
services.......................
850.0
838.6
840.6
841.7

6,684
4,340
231

6,813
4,445
226

6,831
4,455
227

6,841
4,458
227

6,860
4,472
227

6,892
4,498
228

474
1,769
183
1,205
14
464
2,344
1,492

488
1,817
182
1,246
13
473
2,368
1,525

486
1,825
182
1,250
13
472
2,376
1,533

486
1,828
182
1,251
13
471
2,383
1,541

487
1,833
181
1,259
13
472
2,388
1,545

487
1,842
180
1,273
13
475
2,394
1,551

852

843

843

842

843

843

7,076
4,202
2,874
23,599

6,901
4,077
2,824
22,525

7,031
4,169
2,862
22,888

7,041
4,172
2,869
22,862

7,064
4,188
2,876
22,891

7,066
4,191
2,875
22,887

7,082
4,205
2,877
22,952

951.5
994.8
994.8
991.9
3,062.2 2,795.2 2,966.2 3,085.4
2,718.7 2,491.0 2,644.3 2,742.9
3,551.6 3,485.5 3,512.2 3,548.0

967
2,758
2,456
3,487

988
2,774
2,468
3,484

992
2,762
2,460
3,478

1,001
2,756
2,455
3,481

1,004
2,750
2,447
3,478

1,007
2,784
2,469
3,485

2,359.0 2,425.8 2,421.3 2,421.4
1,055.6 1,095.0 1,095.8 1,095.4
1,250.4 1,194.7 1,252.0 1,309.8

2,370
1,059
1,147

2,409
1,089
1,191

2,415
1,091
1,189

2,420
1,092
1,200

2,424
1,096
1,199

2,434
1,099
1,191

1,093.5 1,098.1 1,116.5 1,146.3
7,808.5 7,866.7 7,868.1 7,906.3
3,097.2 3,021.9 3,109.8 3,189.6

1,048
7,857
2,891

1,094
7,960
2,988

1,097
7,932
2,997

1,099
7,925
3,009

1,093
7,943
2,996

1,101
7,970
2,980

Finance, insurance, and real estate...
7,522
7,646
7,656
7,671
Finance.............................
3,664
3,706
3,718
3,734
Depository institutions........... 2,046.9 2,037.8 2,042.1 2,050.9
Commercial banks................ 1,468.5 1,457.5 1,462.1 1,469.3
Savings institutions............
256.6
252.9
251.8
251.6
Nondepository institutions........
699.8
707.9
707.7
711.5
Mortgage bankers and brokers....
360.0
355.7
355.7
355.7
Security and commodity brokers....
660.2
690.6
696.5
700.8
Holding and other investment
offices........................
257.3
269.4
271.4
270.6
Insurance...........................
2,379
2,409
2,411
2,415
Insurance carriers................ 1,623.8 1,636.8 1,636.5 1,638.2
Insurance agents, brokers, and
service........................
755.4
772.2
774.0
776.4
Real estate.........................
1,479
1,531
1,527
1,522

7,542
3,663
2,047
1,467
257
698
360
661

7,650
3,716
2,046
1,464
255
719
366
685

7,653
3,715
2,047
1,466
255
713
361
686

7,668
3,719
2,047
1,464
254
711
358
691

7,678
3,725
2,047
1,465
253
710
358
697

7,690
3,735
2,049
1,468
252
714
358
702

257
2,379
1,624

266
2,407
1,636

269
2,410
1,637

270
2,414
1,641

271
2,411
1,636

270
2,412
1,637

755
1,500

771
1,527

773
1,528

773
1,535

775
1,542

775
1,543

38,207
739
1,783
1,202
8,829
964
3,292
2,922

39,205
757
1,813
1,207
9,186
998
3,418
3,024

39,257
763
1,811
1,210
9,204
1,000
3,440
3,032

39,433
766
1,806
1,210
9,303
1,003
3,490
3,099

39,545
774
1,810
1,214
9,331
1,003
3,504
3,101

39,654
758
1,804
1,224
9,408
997
3,531
3,125

Wholesale trade.......................
Durable goods.......................
Nondurable goods....................
Retail trade..........................
Building materials and garden
supplies.........................
General merchandise stores..........
Department stores.................
Food stores.........................
Automotive dealers and service
stations.........................
New and used car dealers..........
Apparel and accessory stores........
Furniture and home furnishings
stores...........................
Eating and drinking places..........
Miscellaneous retail establishments.

Services2.............................
Agricultural services...............
Hotels and other lodging places.....
Personal services...................
Business services...................
Services to buildings.............
Personnel supply services.........
Help supply services............

6,899
4,074
2,825
23,174

38,070
682.0
1,705.2
1,184.7
8,902.9
958.4
3,350.2
2,974.8

7,079
4,182
2,897
22,883

39,671
794.4
1,810.3
1,182.2
9,465.8
1,004.1
3,630.3
3,222.2

7,080
4,190
2,890
23,241

39,584
774.7
1,740.1
1,184.1
9,466.3
1,003.9
3,620.0
3,209.8

39,534
711.8
1,725.4
1,201.0
9,484.9
996.0
3,623.5
3,212.0

Computer and data processing
services.......................
Auto repair, services, and parking..
Miscellaneous repair services.......
Motion pictures.....................
Amusement and recreation services...
Health services.....................
Offices and clinics of medical
doctors........................
Nursing and personal care
facilities.....................
Hospitals.........................
Home health care services.........
Legal services......................
Educational services................
Social services.....................
Child day care services...........
Residential care..................
Museums and botanical and zoological
gardens...........................
Membership organizations............
Engineering and management services.
Engineering and architectural
services.......................
Management and public relations...
Services, nec.......................
Government............................
Federal.............................
Federal, except Postal Service....
State...............................
Education.........................
Other State government............
Local...............................
Education.........................
Other local government............

1,693.8
1,157.7
389.4
581.1
1,479.4
9,914.6

1,843.1
1,195.1
402.6
611.5
1,550.8
10054.6

1,691
1,163
390
577
1,647
9,899

1,806
1,185
396
608
1,712
9,993

1,814
1,190
398
608
1,713
9,999

1,823
1,196
400
612
1,730
10,009

1,828
1,198
401
614
1,728
10,025

1,841
1,197
405
606
1,711
10,041

1,837.0 1,878.4 1,887.0 1,894.0

1,833

1,874

1,876

1,880

1,887

1,890

1,758.9
3,954.9
653.9
988.4
2,342.0
2,714.9
629.8
760.0

1,762.2
3,988.8
658.7
1,013.2
2,427.6
2,856.5
657.3
800.5

1,756
3,952
651
988
2,223
2,708
618
762

1,755
3,973
658
1,004
2,288
2,799
631
785

1,756
3,977
657
1,007
2,289
2,803
631
788

1,756
3,978
658
1,009
2,288
2,817
634
792

1,755
3,979
658
1,012
2,298
2,841
644
798

1,760
3,987
656
1,015
2,304
2,850
648
802

91.6
95.7
93.1
93.4
2,366.1 2,395.0 2,395.0 2,404.9
3,277.1 3,472.6 3,485.5 3,504.0

94
2,380
3,292

95
2,409
3,458

94
2,408
3,464

95
2,409
3,487

95
2,411
3,498

95
2,419
3,521

919.1
955.5
959.0
959.6
1,088.3 1,193.1 1,196.6 1,208.9
55.2
58.0
58.1
58.7

922
1,090
(1)

948
1,178
(1)

948
1,180
(1)

954
1,193
(1)

960
1,195
(1)

965
1,215
(1)

19,973
2,701
1,819
4,652
1,932
2,720
12,620
7,148
5,472

20,210
2,651
1,779
4,706
1,965
2,741
12,853
7,308
5,545

20,218
2,654
1,785
4,717
1,965
2,752
12,847
7,295
5,552

20,237
2,643
1,780
4,722
1,960
2,762
12,872
7,305
5,567

20,258
2,646
1,778
4,725
1,965
2,760
12,887
7,315
5,572

20,322
2,652
1,777
4,735
1,974
2,761
12,935
7,350
5,585

20,342
2,739
1,801.5
4,733
2,042.1
2,691.3
12,870
7,489.6
5,380.8

1,815.0
1,195.5
401.6
601.4
1,673.0
10012.2

1,757.5
3,979.4
659.1
1,005.4
2,443.8
2,826.1
649.4
789.8

20,545
2,631
1,768.3
4,843
2,091.5
2,751.6
13,071
7,567.4
5,503.4

1,830.3
1,195.9
402.0
607.6
1,562.5
10037.4

1,758.3
3,981.9
662.9
1,010.8
2,483.4
2,849.8
657.6
796.4

20,698
2,640
1,764.3
4,861
2,122.9
2,738.0
13,197
7,694.6
5,502.2

20,679
2,686
1,759.8
4,818
2,083.2
2,735.0
13,175
7,687.2
5,488.2

1 These series are not published seasonally adjusted because the seasonal component, which is small relative to the
trend-cycle and irregular components, cannot be separated with sufficient precision.
2 Includes other industries, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Table B-2. Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm payrolls by industry

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Industry
Dec.
1998

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999p

Dec.
1999p

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999p

Dec.
1999p

Total private....................

34.7

34.6

34.5

34.6

34.6

34.5

34.4

34.5

34.5

34.5

Goods-producing.........................

41.7

41.5

41.5

41.6

41.1

41.1

41.1

41.1

41.3

41.0

Mining................................

43.7

44.6

44.7

45.2

43.3

44.2

44.3

44.1

44.2

44.9

Construction..........................

39.1

40.0

39.5

38.7

39.4

39.0

39.1

39.1

40.0

38.9

Manufacturing.........................
Overtime hours....................

42.6
4.9

42.0
4.9

42.2
4.9

42.6
5.1

41.7
4.5

41.8
4.7

41.8
4.7

41.8
4.7

41.7
4.6

41.7
4.7

Durable goods........................
Overtime hours....................

43.3
5.2

42.5
4.9

42.7
5.0

43.1
5.3

42.2
4.6

42.4
4.9

42.4
4.9

42.3
4.8

42.2
4.7

42.1
4.8

Lumber and wood products............
Furniture and fixtures..............
Stone, clay, and glass products.....
Primary metal industries............
Blast furnaces and basic steel
products.......................
Fabricated metal products...........
Industrial machinery and equipment..
Electronic and other electrical
equipment........................
Transportation equipment............
Motor vehicles and equipment......
Instruments and related products....
Miscellaneous manufacturing.........

41.7
41.5
43.8
44.6

41.4
40.5
44.0
44.3

41.3
40.5
44.1
44.7

41.2
41.6
43.1
45.4

41.5
40.2
43.8
43.7

41.3
40.3
43.6
44.4

41.1
40.4
43.6
44.4

41.1
40.2
43.4
44.3

41.0
40.0
43.9
44.3

40.8
40.5
43.1
44.5

43.7
43.4
43.2

44.9
42.4
42.3

45.4
42.7
42.6

46.3
43.4
43.4

43.3
42.2
42.1

45.1
42.4
42.4

45.0
42.3
42.4

45.0
42.1
42.4

45.4
42.1
42.3

45.8
42.1
42.4

42.3
45.7
46.8
42.0
40.2

41.8
44.1
45.3
41.4
40.2

42.2
44.1
45.2
42.0
40.2

42.6
44.6
45.9
42.6
40.2

41.1
44.1
44.9
41.1
39.6

41.7
44.0
45.2
41.6
40.1

41.6
44.0
45.2
41.6
40.0

41.6
43.9
45.3
41.5
39.8

41.5
43.5
44.7
41.6
39.6

41.4
43.0
44.1
41.7
39.7

Nondurable goods.....................
Overtime hours....................

41.6
4.6

41.3
4.7

41.4
4.7

41.8
4.8

40.9
4.3

40.9
4.4

40.9
4.4

41.0
4.5

41.0
4.4

41.0
4.6

Food and kindred products...........
Tobacco products....................
Textile mill products...............
Apparel and other textile products..
Paper and allied products...........
Printing and publishing.............
Chemicals and allied products.......
Petroleum and coal products.........
Rubber and misc. plastics products..
Leather and leather products........

42.8
37.5
41.4
37.9
44.3
38.8
43.5
44.7
42.7
38.1

42.4
42.4
41.5
37.7
43.8
38.6
43.1
43.2
41.6
37.7

42.4
42.7
41.6
37.6
43.9
38.8
43.5
43.0
42.0
38.2

42.5
44.2
42.0
38.1
44.3
39.0
43.8
44.0
42.5
38.3

42.0
36.6
40.8
37.3
43.4
38.1
42.7
(2)
41.7
37.5

41.6
40.0
40.9
37.3
43.7
38.3
43.3
(2)
41.6
38.2

41.7
40.2
40.8
37.5
43.5
38.3
43.2
(2)
41.7
37.2

42.0
41.0
41.3
37.5
43.5
38.4
43.1
(2)
41.5
37.5

41.8
42.3
41.2
37.3
43.5
38.3
43.2
(2)
41.6
37.8

41.7
43.5
41.4
37.5
43.3
38.3
43.1
(2)
41.5
37.7

Service-producing.......................

32.9

32.8

32.7

32.8

32.9

32.9

32.8

32.8

32.8

32.9

Transportation and public utilities...

39.1

38.4

38.2

38.2

39.1

38.9

38.6

38.5

38.1

38.3

Wholesale trade.......................

38.4

38.6

38.4

38.5

38.4

38.4

38.5

38.6

38.4

38.5

Retail trade..........................

29.2

28.8

28.7

29.2

29.0

29.0

28.8

28.9

28.9

29.0

Finance, insurance, and real estate...

36.2

36.1

36.0

36.1

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

Services..............................

32.6

32.7

32.7

32.7

32.7

32.7

32.6

32.7

32.8

32.8

1 Data relate to production workers in mining and manufacturing; construction workers in construction; and
nonsupervisory workers in transportation and public utilities; wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real
estate; and services. These groups account for approximately four-fifths of the total employees on private nonfarm
payrolls.
2 These series are not published seasonally adjusted because the seasonal component, which is small relative to the
trend-cycle and irregular components, cannot be separated with sufficient precision.
p = preliminary.

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Table B-3. Average hourly and weekly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm payrolls by
industry

Average hourly earnings

Average weekly earnings

Industry
Dec.
1998

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999p

Dec.
1999p

Dec.
1998

Total private....................
Seasonally adjusted.............

$13.00
12.98

$13.41
13.39

$13.44
13.40

$13.48
13.46

$451.10
449.11

Goods-producing.........................

14.56

15.04

15.03

15.10

Mining................................

17.29

17.00

16.94

Construction..........................

16.87

17.49

Manufacturing.........................

13.69

14.04

Durable goods........................
Lumber and wood products............
Furniture and fixtures..............
Stone, clay, and glass products.....
Primary metal industries............
Blast furnaces and basic steel
products.......................
Fabricated metal products...........
Industrial machinery and equipment..
Electronic and other electrical
equipment........................
Transportation equipment............
Motor vehicles and equipment......
Instruments and related products....
Miscellaneous manufacturing.........

14.16
11.33
11.10
13.70
15.36

Nondurable goods.....................
Food and kindred products...........
Tobacco products....................
Textile mill products...............
Apparel and other textile products..
Paper and allied products...........
Printing and publishing.............
Chemicals and allied products.......
Petroleum and coal products.........
Rubber and misc. plastics products..
Leather and leather products........

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999p

Dec.
1999p

$463.99
461.96

$463.68
462.30

$466.41
464.37

607.15

624.16

623.75

628.16

17.22

755.57

758.20

757.22

778.34

17.38

17.43

659.62

699.60

686.51

674.54

14.09

14.22

583.19

589.68

594.60

605.77

14.55
11.59
11.33
14.02
16.02

14.58
11.60
11.35
14.09
16.14

14.73
11.68
11.49
14.07
16.22

613.13
472.46
460.65
600.06
685.06

618.38
479.83
458.87
616.88
709.69

622.57
479.08
459.68
621.37
721.46

634.86
481.22
477.98
606.42
736.39

18.18
13.34
14.73

18.96
13.50
15.18

19.18
13.57
15.20

19.23
13.70
15.39

794.47
578.96
636.34

851.30
572.40
642.11

870.77
579.44
647.52

890.35
594.58
667.93

13.26
17.56
17.73
14.00
11.12

13.58
18.47
18.93
14.36
11.47

13.57
18.46
18.87
14.36
11.46

13.68
18.69
19.16
14.42
11.62

560.90
802.49
829.76
588.00
447.02

567.64
814.53
857.53
594.50
461.09

572.65
814.09
852.92
603.12
460.69

582.77
833.57
879.44
614.29
467.12

12.99
12.02
17.05
10.56
8.71
15.78
13.68
17.31
21.22
12.08
9.43

13.27
12.10
17.77
10.72
8.99
16.12
13.97
17.72
21.68
12.37
9.83

13.34
12.23
17.76
10.79
9.04
16.14
14.01
17.74
21.81
12.40
9.82

13.45
12.32
17.70
10.86
9.12
16.25
14.11
17.87
21.87
12.53
9.88

540.38
514.46
639.38
437.18
330.11
699.05
530.78
752.99
948.53
515.82
359.28

548.05
513.04
753.45
444.88
338.92
706.06
539.24
763.73
936.58
514.59
370.59

552.28
518.55
758.35
448.86
339.90
708.55
543.59
771.69
937.83
520.80
375.12

562.21
523.60
782.34
456.12
347.47
719.88
550.29
782.71
962.28
532.53
378.40

Service-producing.......................

12.50

12.89

12.93

12.98

411.25

422.79

422.81

425.74

Transportation and public utilities...

$15.50

$15.76

$15.86

$15.89

$606.05

$605.18

$605.85

$607.00

Wholesale trade.......................

14.32

14.78

14.86

14.98

549.89

570.51

570.62

576.73

Retail trade..........................

8.88

9.20

9.21

9.25

259.30

264.96

264.33

270.10

Finance, insurance, and real estate...

14.40

14.68

14.72

14.74

521.28

529.95

529.92

532.11

Services..............................

13.18

13.54

13.60

13.71

429.67

442.76

444.72

448.32

1 See footnote 1, table B-2.
p = preliminary.

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Table B-4. Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm
payrolls by industry, seasonally adjusted

Percent
change
from:
Nov. 1999Dec. 1999

Dec.
1998

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999p

Dec.
1999p

Total private:
Current dollars..............
Constant (1982) dollars2.....

$12.98
7.81

$13.29
7.87

$13.35
7.86

$13.39
7.87

$13.40
7.87

$13.46
N.A.

0.4
(3)

Goods-producing...............
Mining......................
Construction................
Manufacturing...............
Excluding overtime4.......

14.51
17.18
16.80
13.60
12.90

14.90
17.12
17.15
14.03
13.28

14.93
17.09
17.21
14.04
13.29

14.97
17.09
17.27
14.07
13.33

15.00
16.92
17.32
14.07
13.33

15.04
17.10
17.43
14.10
13.36

.3
1.1
.6
.2
.2

Service-producing.............
Transportation and public
utilities................
Wholesale trade.............
Retail trade................
Finance, insurance, and real
estate...................
Services....................

12.49

12.79

12.85

12.89

12.90

12.97

.5

15.47
14.30
8.89

15.70
14.63
9.13

15.76
14.74
9.15

15.76
14.80
9.18

15.80
14.85
9.20

15.89
14.95
9.26

.6
.7
.7

14.40
13.08

14.63
13.44

14.70
13.49

14.72
13.55

14.72
13.55

14.74
13.62

.1
.5

Industry

1 See footnote 1, table B-2.
2 The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) is used to
deflate this series.
3 Change was -.1 percent from October 1999 to November 1999, the latest month available.
4 Derived by assuming that overtime hours are paid at the rate of time and one-half.
N.A. = not available.
p = preliminary.

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Table B-5. Indexes of aggregate weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm payrolls by
industry
(1982=100)

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Industry
Dec.
1998

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999p

Dec.
1999p

Dec.
1998

Oct.
1999

Nov.
1999p

Dec.
1999p

Total private....................

147.8

150.0

149.9

150.5

146.6

148.4

148.2

148.8

149.2

149.3

Goods-producing.........................

116.7

117.6

117.2

116.0

115.5

114.3

114.6

114.7

115.6

114.7

Mining................................

53.8

51.9

51.6

51.8

53.4

49.8

50.3

50.6

50.4

51.6

Construction..........................

166.7

185.4

181.3

Manufacturing.........................

110.1

107.2

107.6

170.1

171.3

170.3

172.4

173.2

179.0

174.2

108.5

107.5

106.4

106.4

106.2

106.1

106.0

Durable goods........................
Lumber and wood products............
Furniture and fixtures..............
Stone, clay, and glass products.....
Primary metal industries............
Blast furnaces and basic steel
products.......................
Fabricated metal products...........
Industrial machinery and equipment..
Electronic and other electrical
equipment........................
Transportation equipment............
Motor vehicles and equipment......
Instruments and related products....
Miscellaneous manufacturing.........

114.5
148.7
139.7
117.2
92.7

111.1
150.0
138.1
119.8
90.0

111.8
149.2
137.8
119.5
91.3

113.1
147.8
142.0
114.7
92.8

111.5
148.1
134.6
118.1
90.4

111.2
147.6
137.5
116.8
90.4

110.9
147.1
137.5
117.0
90.2

110.5
147.6
137.4
116.2
89.8

110.4
147.2
136.1
118.1
90.2

110.0
146.5
137.5
115.7
90.6

68.7
121.8
109.3

69.4
118.1
103.3

70.3
119.1
104.4

72.0
121.2
106.8

68.0
117.7
106.3

70.0
117.4
104.4

69.9
117.2
104.2

69.9
116.8
104.1

70.5
116.9
104.0

71.1
117.0
104.1

109.5
132.9
172.8
76.5
101.3

107.2
124.3
166.9
74.7
103.6

108.4
125.0
168.3
75.7
102.7

110.5
126.8
171.9
76.4
101.6

105.9
127.3
163.6
75.0
100.3

107.2
126.6
169.9
75.4
101.1

106.7
125.4
168.0
75.1
101.3

106.7
124.2
167.3
75.1
100.8

106.4
123.0
165.5
75.2
100.3

106.4
121.2
163.0
74.7
100.9

Nondurable goods.....................
Food and kindred products...........
Tobacco products....................
Textile mill products...............
Apparel and other textile products..
Paper and allied products...........
Printing and publishing.............
Chemicals and allied products.......
Petroleum and coal products.........
Rubber and misc. plastics products..
Leather and leather products........

104.0
120.7
62.2
84.7
64.3
109.5
126.4
104.1
77.5
151.9
34.2

101.8
122.4
62.0
80.6
59.1
106.0
123.1
102.8
75.2
149.8
31.1

101.8
121.1
61.8
80.9
58.4
106.3
124.1
103.8
73.5
151.3
31.4

102.2
120.0
65.5
81.2
58.2
107.7
124.9
104.7
73.1
153.9
30.5

102.1
119.3
56.2
83.4
63.4
107.1
123.0
102.2
79.4
148.1
33.4

99.9
116.2
49.5
80.0
58.6
105.9
122.1
102.3
72.5
149.4
31.7

100.2
117.7
53.7
79.5
58.6
105.6
122.1
102.7
73.9
149.2
30.9

100.4
118.7
54.8
80.0
58.1
105.2
122.6
102.8
73.2
149.2
30.5

100.3
118.6
56.6
79.9
57.7
105.4
121.8
103.3
72.4
149.6
30.8

100.5
119.1
58.2
80.2
57.6
105.3
121.5
103.0
75.1
150.4
29.5

Service-producing.......................

161.7

164.5

164.6

166.0

160.5

163.7

163.3

164.1

164.2

164.8

Transportation and public utilities...

134.2

134.1

133.7

134.5

133.0

134.1

133.5

133.3

132.2

133.0

Wholesale trade.......................

130.2

134.2

133.5

133.6

130.2

132.5

133.1

133.8

133.1

133.7

Retail trade..........................

146.8

142.8

144.7

149.4

140.9

143.8

142.6

143.1

143.1

143.9

Finance, insurance, and real estate...

137.9

139.0

138.9

139.6

138.9

140.7

140.2

140.5

139.8

140.4

Services..............................

196.6

205.2

204.3

204.2

197.8

202.4

202.3

204.0

205.0

205.3

1 See footnote 1, table B-2.
p = preliminary.

Aug.
1999

Sept.
1999

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Table B-6.

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Diffusion indexes of employment change, seasonally adjusted

(Percent)

Time span

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Private nonfarm payrolls, 356 industries1

Over 1-month span:
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............
1998..............
1999..............

63.8
49.6
56.2
63.8
54.4

58.0
64.9
61.0
57.9
58.3

54.6
59.4
61.9
58.8
52.1

56.5
55.1
62.8
60.5
58.8

47.5
61.9
58.8
55.9
51.5

54.8
60.8
56.3
57.9
57.0

55.6
57.0
60.7
58.0
57.6

59.1
62.5
61.0
55.8
50.0

57.9
57.3
59.4
54.6
55.1

56.9
63.5
65.4
52.9
57.2

55.2
59.7
63.6
59.1
p58.7

57.7
61.2
62.1
58.6
p54.4

Over 3-month span:
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............
1998..............
1999..............

63.8
62.6
63.8
66.7
60.7

62.9
62.5
63.6
66.2
55.9

58.0
63.3
67.7
64.5
59.6

53.5
63.1
67.3
63.9
54.6

53.9
63.1
62.6
61.4
56.3

52.7
64.3
61.7
58.7
56.2

59.3
64.3
61.4
60.0
56.2

61.0
62.2
66.2
58.4
59.0

59.4
64.6
67.3
57.6
57.4

58.6
64.2
69.9
57.6
p60.7

57.3
66.2
70.8
59.0
p59.8

55.3
63.2
71.2
60.4

Over 6-month span:
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............
1998..............
1999..............

66.7
62.6
67.4
70.6
61.1

59.7
65.2
68.3
66.9
58.8

58.6
64.5
65.6
65.9
57.3

56.5
65.2
67.0
62.4
59.0

59.0
64.7
65.6
62.6
55.2

60.0
64.6
64.9
61.1
57.4

57.7
67.0
66.3
58.0
56.9

61.0
65.4
68.4
59.8
p62.1

60.5
65.9
69.7
60.0
p60.0

59.3
66.7
71.3
60.8

61.7
66.9
71.3
60.8

63.2
66.7
71.9
58.0

Over 12-month span:
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............
1998..............
1999..............

63.6
64.5
69.0
70.4
60.1

62.4
66.7
67.3
68.3
57.3

62.6
64.5
68.3
67.1
57.0

63.3
65.6
69.7
64.0
57.6

61.7
68.5
69.5
62.1
p58.0

61.9
67.3
70.1
61.7
p58.7

58.7
67.7
70.1
61.8

62.2
66.4
70.4
63.8

62.2
68.0
70.5
59.8

61.5
69.9
69.7
59.0

63.5
68.7
69.8
59.3

65.4
66.9
71.3
58.6

Manufacturing payrolls, 139 industries1

Over 1-month span:
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............
1998..............
1999..............

57.2
42.4
50.0
58.6
40.3

50.4
55.4
52.9
51.8
42.4

47.1
46.8
53.6
50.4
39.6

52.9
41.0
56.1
50.4
44.6

41.4
55.8
52.2
40.6
36.3

45.3
51.4
53.2
46.8
45.3

45.0
47.1
51.1
40.3
57.2

51.1
56.5
55.4
45.3
38.5

48.6
48.9
53.6
42.1
42.8

51.1
55.0
62.2
36.3
48.9

45.3
50.7
61.2
39.9
p54.3

48.2
54.0
55.4
45.0
p48.9

Over 3-month span:
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............
1998..............
1999..............

55.4
46.8
51.8
59.4
37.4

51.4
46.0
51.4
57.9
31.7

44.2
43.5
57.6
51.8
37.1

41.7
46.0
56.8
44.2
30.2

43.5
48.2
54.3
41.7
33.8

37.4
51.1
51.8
34.9
43.9

42.1
51.8
53.6
37.4
43.2

43.9
49.6
55.4
37.1
44.6

48.2
53.2
59.7
38.1
38.5

46.8
52.5
68.3
34.2
p48.9

44.6
55.0
65.8
35.6
p50.7

41.4
50.7
64.4
35.3

Over 6-month span:
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............
1998..............
1999..............

55.4
41.4
54.7
59.7
33.1

45.7
46.0
54.0
49.3
29.1

43.2
45.7
51.4
48.2
28.1

38.1
47.1
54.3
36.7
36.0

41.7
46.0
52.5
36.7
30.9

42.8
48.6
52.2
36.7
34.5

41.0
52.9
55.4
28.4
36.3

42.1
50.4
61.2
31.3
p46.0

43.5
51.8
61.5
33.5
p45.0

43.2
51.4
64.7
35.3

44.2
52.5
66.2
32.7

45.0
51.8
65.1
28.1

Over 12-month span:
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............
1998..............
1999..............

46.0
43.5
54.7
54.0
32.7

44.2
47.5
52.5
49.3
25.9

46.0
45.3
54.0
46.0
28.4

47.8
45.3
54.0
40.6
29.5

41.0
50.4
55.4
35.6
p28.4

41.7
49.6
56.8
33.8
p30.9

38.5
50.4
57.2
30.9

38.8
48.6
57.9
32.0

36.3
51.1
58.3
26.6

38.5
55.0
56.5
26.6

39.9
54.3
55.4
25.5

44.6
50.7
57.2
26.3

1 Based on seasonally adjusted data for 1-, 3-, and 6-month spans and unadjusted data for the 12-month span. Data are
centered within the span.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: Figures are the percent of industries with employment increasing plus one-half of the industries with
unchanged employment, where 50 percent indicates an equal balance between industries with increasing and decreasing
employment.