Full text of The Employment Situation : January 1997

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Technical information:
USDL 97-32
Household data:
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Friday, February 7, 1997.

THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION:

JANUARY 1997

Employment rose in January, and the unemployment rate was essentially
unchanged at 5.4 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S.
Department of Labor reported today.
The number of nonfarm payroll jobs, as measured by the monthly survey of
establishments, rose by 271,000 in January, after seasonal adjustment.
Total employment, as measured by the monthly survey of households, rose by
about 430,000 over the month, after allowance is made for the effect of
revised population controls introduced into the survey in January. (See
note on page 4.)
Unemployment (Household Survey Data)
Both the number of unemployed persons, 7.3 million, and the unemployment
rate, 5.4 percent, were about unchanged in January, after seasonal
adjustment. Jobless rates for the major demographic groups--adult men (4.6
percent), adult women (4.6 percent), teenagers (17.0 percent), whites (4.6
percent), blacks (10.8 percent), and Hispanics (8.3 percent)--also showed
little or no change over the month. (See tables A-1 and A-2.)
Total Employment and the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
After adjusting for the effect of the revised population estimates,
civilian employment rose by about 430,000 in January, to 128.6 million
(seasonally adjusted). The proportion of the population that was employed
(the employment-population ratio) edged up to 63.6 percent.
The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons was about
unchanged in January at 4.4 million, after seasonal adjustment. This
series has shown little definitive movement over the past year. (See
table A-3.)
Approximately 7.6 million persons (not seasonally adjusted) held more
than one job in January. The proportion of all employed persons that held
more than one job was 6.0 percent. (See table A-9.)
The civilian labor force, at 135.8 million (seasonally adjusted),
increased by about 500,000 in January, after allowance for the revised
population estimates. The labor force participation rate continued to
trend upward, reaching 67.2 percent.

- 2 Table A. Major indicators of labor market activity, seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
___________________________________________________________________________
|
Quarterly
|
Monthly data
|
|
averages
|
|
|_________________|__________________________|Dec.Category
|
1996
|
1996
| 1997 |Jan.
|_________________|_________________|________|change1/
|
III | IV
| Nov. | Dec. | Jan. |
______________________|________|________|________|________|________|_______
HOUSEHOLD DATA
|
Labor force status
|____________________________________________________
Civilian labor force..| 134,118| 134,830| 134,831| 135,022| 135,848|
509
Employment..........| 127,042| 127,705| 127,644| 127,855| 128,580|
433
Uemployment....... |
7,076|
7,124|
7,187|
7,167|
7,268|
75
Not in labor force....| 66,732| 66,627| 66,632| 66,614| 66,437|
-327
|________|________|________|________|________|_______
|
Unemployment rates
|____________________________________________________
All workers...........|
5.3|
5.3|
5.3|
5.3|
5.4|
0.1
Adult men...........|
4.5|
4.4|
4.4|
4.4|
4.6|
.2
Adult women.........|
4.7|
4.8|
4.8|
4.9|
4.6|
-.3
Teenagers...........|
16.6|
16.6|
16.8|
16.5|
17.0|
.5
White...............|
4.6|
4.6|
4.6|
4.6|
4.6|
.0
Black...............|
10.5|
10.6|
10.6|
10.5|
10.8|
.3
Hispanic origin.....|
8.7|
8.0|
8.3|
7.7|
8.3|
.6
|________|________|________|________|________|_______
ESTABLISHMENT DATA
|
Employment
|____________________________________________________
Nonfarm employment....| 119,958|p120,519| 120,492|p120,753|p121,024|
p271
Goods-producing 2/..| 24,273| p24,321| 24,319| p24,359| p24,391|
p32
Construction......|
5,438| p5,491|
5,491| p5,519| p5,533|
p14
Manufacturing.....| 18,266| p18,264| 18,262| p18,276| p18,294|
p18
Service-producing 2/| 95,685| p96,198| 96,173| p96,394| p96,633|
p239
Retail trade......| 21,682| p21,863| 21,857| p21,930| p21,949|
p19
Services..........| 34,529| p34,790| 34,780| p34,880| p35,047|
p167
Government........| 19,536| p19,513| 19,497| p19,534| p19,555|
p21
|________|________|________|________|________|_______
|
Hours of work 3/
|____________________________________________________
Total private.........|
34.4|
p34.6|
34.6|
p34.8|
p34.1| p-0.7
Manufacturing.......|
41.7|
p41.8|
41.7|
p42.0|
p41.7|
p-.3
Overtime..........|
4.5|
p4.5|
4.5|
p4.6|
p4.6|
p.0
|________|________|________|________|________|_______
|
Earnings 3/
|____________________________________________________
Avg. hourly earnings, |
|
|
|
|
|
total private.......| $11.86| p$11.98| $11.99| p$12.05| p$12.06| p$0.01
Avg. weekly earnings, |
|
|
|
|
|
total private.......| 408.50| p414.12| 414.85| p419.34| p411.25| p-8.09
______________________|________|________|________|________|________|_______
1/ Changes for household data levels reflect an allowance for the
effect of revised population controls. See the note on page 4.
2/ Includes other industries, not shown separately.
3/ Data relate to private production or nonsupervisory workers.
p=preliminary.

- 3 Persons Not in the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
About 1.6 million persons (not seasonally adjusted) were marginally
attached to the labor force in January--that is, they wanted and were
available for work and had looked for jobs sometime in the prior 12 months.
The number of discouraged workers--a subset of the marginally attached who
were not currently looking for jobs specifically because they believed no
jobs were available for them or there were none for which they would
qualify--was 397,000 in January. (See table A-9.)
Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data)
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 271,000 in January to
121.0 million, after seasonal adjustment. The services industry accounted
for three-fifths of January’s increase, and manufacturing employment rose
for the fourth straight month. (See table B-1.)
The services industry added 167,000 jobs in January, with business
services and health services accounting for two-thirds of the gain. Within
business services, growth continued in computer and data processing
services, and there was an exceptionally large job gain in help supply
services, after seasonal adjustment. While there does appear to have been
some genuine strength in help supply services in January, the magnitude of
the increase was exaggerated somewhat by special factors affecting the
seasonally adjusted data. Health services employment rose by 43,000 in
January, with sizable increases occurring in offices and clinics of medical
doctors and in hospitals.
Employment in transportation rose by 16,000. Retail trade employment
was little changed overall in January. Job gains in apparel stores, eating
and drinking places, and other retail industries were offset by a large
decline in general merchandise stores. Still, employment in general
merchandise stores was slightly higher than the level recorded in
September, just prior to the holiday hiring period. Employment in finance,
insurance, and real estate rose modestly in January, as continued job gains
in finance and real estate were partly offset by declines in insurance.
Manufacturing employment rose by 18,000 in January, building on a slow
growth trend that began last October. Gains were concentrated in
transportation equipment, including both aircraft and motor vehicles, and
in industrial machinery and food products. Employment in apparel continued
its long-term decline; this industry has lost 200,000 jobs, or one-fifth of
its workforce, over the past 5 years. Employment in the construction
industry continued to trend upward, but the January increase was limited by
severe weather conditions in some parts of the country.
Weekly Hours (Establishment Survey Data)
The average workweek for production or nonsupervisory workers on private
nonfarm payrolls fell sharply in January--0.7 hour--to 34.1 hours,
seasonally adjusted, reflecting the impact of extreme weather in many areas
during the survey reference period. The length of the workweek was down in
each of the major industry groups. The manufacturing workweek, 41.7 hours,
was down by 0.3 hour in January. Factory overtime was unchanged at 4.6
hours. (See table B-2.)
The index of aggregate weekly hours of private production or
nonsupervisory workers on nonfarm payrolls fell by 1.7 percent to 137.0
(1982=100) in January, as the decline in the average workweek
more than offset the rise in employment. The manufacturing index fell by
0.7 percent to 106.2. (See table B-5.)

- 4 Hourly and Weekly Earnings (Establishment Survey Data)
Average hourly earnings of private production or nonsupervisory workers
on nonfarm payrolls edged up by 1 cent in January to $12.06, seasonally
adjusted, following large increases in the prior 2 months. Reflecting the
decline in the workweek, average weekly earnings fell by 1.9 percent to
$411.25. Over the past year, average hourly earnings rose by 3.8 percent
and average weekly earnings increased by 4.7 percent. (See table B-3.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Revisions to the Household Survey Population Estimates
|
|
|
|
Effective with the release of data for January 1997, revised
|
|population controls, primarily reflecting improvements in the estimation |
|of demographic characteristics for immigrants and emigrants, have been
|
|introduced into the household survey. The revised controls result in an |
|increase of 470,000 in the January estimate of the population 16 years
|
|and over and associated increases in the estimated levels of labor force, |
|employment, and unemployment. These changes represent a break in series |
|with data for prior periods. The impact of the revisions was concentrated|
|in the estimates for Hispanics. The unemployment rate and other
|
|percentages are virtually unaffected.
|
|
|
|
Official population and labor force estimates for December 1996 and
|
|earlier months have not been revised, and at present there are no plans
|
|for revision. To assess the impact of the revised population controls on |
|trend growth, December estimates for selected data series were
|
|recalculated using the new controls. When the revised controls are
|
|applied to the December data (that is, both the December and January
|
|estimates are on a consistent basis), trend growth over the
|
|December-January period is about 180,000 for the civilian
|
|noninstitutional population 16 years and over, 500,000 for the
|
|civilian labor force, 430,000 for the employed, and 75,000 for the
|
|unemployed.
|
|
|
|
An article describing these revisions and their effect on national
|
|labor force estimates will appear in the February 1997 issue of
|
|Employment and Earnings.
|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------________________________________________
The Employment Situation for February 1997 is scheduled to be released
on Friday, March 7, at 8:30 A.M. (EST).

- 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 1996,
the sample included about 390,000 establishments employing over 47 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 0.2 percent,
ranging from zero to 0.6 percent.
Additional statistics and other information
More comprehensive statistics are contained in Employment and Earnings,
published each month by BLS. It is available for $13.00 per issue or
$35.00 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 1H 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-STAT; TDD phone: 202-6065897; TDD message referral phone: 1-800-326-2577.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-1.

Employment status of the civilian population by sex and age

(Numbers in thousands)

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted(1)

Employment status, sex, and age

Jan.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

Jan.
1996

Sept.
1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

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

199,634
131,396
65.8
123,126
61.7
3,068
120,058
8,270
6.3
68,238

201,636
134,583
66.7
127,903
63.4
3,131
124,772
6,680
5.0
67,053

202,285
134,317
66.4
126,384
62.5
3,036
123,348
7,933
5.9
67,968

199,634
132,899
66.6
125,311
62.8
3,498
121,813
7,588
5.7
66,735

201,060
134,291
66.8
127,248
63.3
3,480
123,768
7,043
5.2
66,770

201,273
134,636
66.9
127,617
63.4
3,450
124,167
7,019
5.2
66,637

201,463
134,831
66.9
127,644
63.4
3,354
124,290
7,187
5.3
66,632

201,636
135,022
67.0
127,855
63.4
3,426
124,429
7,167
5.3
66,614

202,285
135,848
67.2
128,580
63.6
3,468
125,112
7,268
5.4
66,437

95,713
70,612
73.8
66,006
69.0
4,605
6.5

96,742
71,959
74.4
68,434
70.7
3,525
4.9

97,264
72,117
74.1
67,640
69.5
4,477
6.2

95,713
71,586
74.8
67,527
70.6
4,059
5.7

96,447
72,087
74.7
68,304
70.8
3,783
5.2

96,556
72,363
74.9
68,647
71.1
3,716
5.1

96,654
72,362
74.9
68,589
71.0
3,773
5.2

96,742
72,414
74.9
68,707
71.0
3,707
5.1

97,264
73,106
75.2
69,164
71.1
3,942
5.4

88,223
66,990
75.9
63,129
71.6
2,147
60,982
3,861
5.8

89,040
68,227
76.6
65,326
73.4
2,213
63,112
2,901
4.3

89,446
68,429
76.5
64,693
72.3
2,132
62,561
3,736
5.5

88,223
67,556
76.6
64,258
72.8
2,382
61,876
3,298
4.9

88,733
68,056
76.7
64,978
73.2
2,366
62,612
3,078
4.5

88,840
68,273
76.8
65,299
73.5
2,400
62,899
2,974
4.4

88,971
68,391
76.9
65,349
73.4
2,355
62,994
3,042
4.4

89,040
68,369
76.8
65,367
73.4
2,356
63,011
3,002
4.4

89,446
68,998
77.1
65,813
73.6
2,364
63,449
3,185
4.6

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.......................
Women, 16 years and over
Civilian noninstitutional population............ 103,921 104,894 105,022 103,921 104,614 104,717 104,809 104,894 105,022
Civilian labor force.......................... 60,784 62,624 62,200 61,313 62,204 62,273 62,469 62,608 62,742
Participation rate......................
58.5
59.7
59.2
59.0
59.5
59.5
59.6
59.7
59.7
Employed.................................... 57,119 59,469 58,744 57,784 58,944 58,970 59,055 59,148 59,416
Employment-population ratio.............
55.0
56.7
55.9
55.6
56.3
56.3
56.3
56.4
56.6
Unemployed..................................
3,665
3,156
3,457
3,529
3,260
3,303
3,414
3,460
3,327
Unemployment rate.......................
6.0
5.0
5.6
5.8
5.2
5.3
5.5
5.5
5.3
Women, 20 years and over
Civilian noninstitutional population............
Civilian labor force..........................
Participation rate......................
Employed....................................
Employment-population ratio.............
Agriculture...............................
Nonagricultural industries................
Unemployed..................................
Unemployment rate.......................

96,717
57,352
59.3
54,264
56.1
748
53,516
3,088
5.4

97,457
58,893
60.4
56,253
57.7
715
55,538
2,640
4.5

97,520
58,637
60.1
55,739
57.2
703
55,036
2,898
4.9

96,717
57,594
59.5
54,684
56.5
849
53,835
2,910
5.1

97,226
58,349
60.0
55,644
57.2
844
54,800
2,705
4.6

97,290
58,432
60.1
55,681
57.2
800
54,881
2,751
4.7

97,366
58,574
60.2
55,753
57.3
786
54,967
2,821
4.8

97,457
58,728
60.3
55,871
57.3
772
55,099
2,857
4.9

97,520
58,894
60.4
56,165
57.6
797
55,369
2,729
4.6

14,694
7,054
48.0
5,733
39.0
173
5,560
1,322
18.7

15,139
7,463
49.3
6,324
41.8
203
6,121
1,139
15.3

15,318
7,251
47.3
5,952
38.9
202
5,750
1,299
17.9

14,694
7,749
52.7
6,369
43.3
267
6,102
1,380
17.8

15,101
7,886
52.2
6,626
43.9
270
6,356
1,260
16.0

15,143
7,931
52.4
6,637
43.8
250
6,387
1,294
16.3

15,126
7,866
52.0
6,542
43.3
213
6,329
1,324
16.8

15,139
7,925
52.3
6,617
43.7
298
6,319
1,308
16.5

15,318
7,956
51.9
6,601
43.1
307
6,294
1,354
17.0

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

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 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-2.

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
Jan.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

Jan.
1996

Sept.
1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

WHITE
Civilian noninstitutional population............ 167,669 169,044 169,436 167,669 168,639 168,788 168,924 169,044 169,436
Civilian labor force.......................... 111,180 113,573 113,338 112,207 113,334 113,625 113,816 113,991 114,377
Participation rate........................
66.3
67.2
66.9
66.9
67.2
67.3
67.4
67.4
67.5
Employed.................................... 104,900 108,686 107,425 106,631 108,217 108,527 108,570 108,734 109,151
Employment-population ratio...............
62.6
64.3
63.4
63.6
64.2
64.3
64.3
64.3
64.4
Unemployed..................................
6,280
4,887
5,913
5,576
5,117
5,098
5,246
5,257
5,226
Unemployment rate.........................
5.6
4.3
5.2
5.0
4.5
4.5
4.6
4.6
4.6
Men, 20 years and over
Civilian labor force..........................
Participation rate........................
Employed....................................
Employment-population ratio...............
Unemployed..................................
Unemployment rate.........................

57,593
76.6
54,606
72.6
2,987
5.2

58,510
77.2
56,302
74.3
2,208
3.8

58,691
77.2
55,803
73.4
2,888
4.9

57,942
77.0
55,464
73.7
2,478
4.3

58,343
77.2
56,042
74.2
2,301
3.9

58,539
77.4
56,294
74.4
2,245
3.8

58,549
77.3
56,276
74.3
2,273
3.9

58,623
77.4
56,356
74.4
2,267
3.9

59,042
77.7
56,653
74.5
2,388
4.0

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

47,546
58.8
45,285
56.0
2,261
4.8

48,740
60.0
46,860
57.6
1,880
3.9

48,473
59.6
46,423
57.1
2,050
4.2

47,687
59.0
45,607
56.4
2,080
4.4

48,314
59.5
46,394
57.2
1,920
4.0

48,380
59.6
46,439
57.2
1,941
4.0

48,558
59.8
46,530
57.3
2,028
4.2

48,686
59.9
46,614
57.3
2,072
4.3

48,631
59.8
46,750
57.5
1,881
3.9

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

6,041
52.0
5,008
43.1
1,033
17.1
18.7
15.3

6,323
52.7
5,524
46.0
800
12.6
14.0
11.3

6,174
50.9
5,198
42.9
976
15.8
17.3
14.3

6,578
56.6
5,560
47.8
1,018
15.5
16.3
14.6

6,677
56.0
5,781
48.5
896
13.4
14.8
11.9

6,706
56.1
5,794
48.5
912
13.6
15.4
11.6

6,709
56.0
5,764
48.1
945
14.1
15.5
12.6

6,682
55.6
5,764
48.0
918
13.7
14.8
12.6

6,704
55.3
5,747
47.4
957
14.3
14.9
13.6

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

23,424
14,752
63.0
13,152
56.1
1,600
10.8

23,794
15,254
64.1
13,782
57.9
1,472
9.6

23,847
15,141
63.5
13,474
56.5
1,667
11.0

23,424
14,982
64.0
13,388
57.2
1,594
10.6

23,690
15,184
64.1
13,566
57.3
1,618
10.7

23,728
15,276
64.4
13,647
57.5
1,629
10.7

23,762
15,290
64.3
13,673
57.5
1,617
10.6

23,794
15,306
64.3
13,693
57.5
1,613
10.5

23,847
15,372
64.5
13,709
57.5
1,663
10.8

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

6,657
71.2
5,969
63.8
689
10.3

6,808
71.7
6,261
65.9
547
8.0

6,749
71.0
6,061
63.7
687
10.2

6,741
72.1
6,109
65.3
632
9.4

6,834
72.6
6,174
65.6
660
9.7

6,838
72.4
6,199
65.6
639
9.3

6,899
72.7
6,264
66.0
635
9.2

6,833
72.0
6,235
65.7
598
8.8

6,829
71.8
6,198
65.2
632
9.2

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

7,315
62.2
6,651
56.5
664
9.1

7,581
63.6
6,935
58.2
646
8.5

7,560
63.3
6,852
57.4
708
9.4

7,329
62.3
6,679
56.8
650
8.9

7,435
62.7
6,788
57.2
647
8.7

7,487
63.0
6,822
57.4
665
8.9

7,499
63.0
6,833
57.4
666
8.9

7,544
63.3
6,851
57.5
693
9.2

7,574
63.4
6,880
57.6
694
9.2

780
33.8
532
23.1
248
31.8
37.3
27.1

864
36.2
585
24.5
279
32.3
37.6
27.8

833
34.8
560
23.4
272
32.7
43.2
24.0

912
39.5
600
26.0
312
34.2
38.1
30.6

915
38.0
604
25.1
311
34.0
37.2
30.9

951
39.6
626
26.1
325
34.2
36.5
31.9

892
37.5
576
24.2
316
35.4
41.2
30.0

929
38.9
607
25.4
322
34.7
38.6
31.2

969
40.4
631
26.3
337
34.8
42.7
27.5

18,929
12,393
65.5
11,102
58.7
1,291
10.4

19,505
13,151
67.4
12,216
62.6
935
7.1

20,013
13,600
68.0
12,349
61.7
1,251
9.2

18,929
12,556
66.3
11,375
60.1
1,181
9.4

19,346
12,871
66.5
11,801
61.0
1,070
8.3

19,398
12,989
67.0
11,928
61.5
1,061
8.2

19,454
13,182
67.8
12,094
62.2
1,088
8.3

19,505
13,150
67.4
12,141
62.2
1,009
7.7

20,013
13,795
68.9
12,653
63.2
1,142
8.3

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

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
1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-3. Selected employment indicators
(In thousands)

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Category

Jan.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

Jan.
1996

Sept.
1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

CHARACTERISTIC
Total employed, 16 years and over............... 123,126 127,903 126,384 125,311 127,248 127,617 127,644 127,855 128,580
Married men, spouse present................... 41,580 42,628 42,308 42,178 42,330 42,617 42,631 42,607 42,909
Married women, spouse present................. 31,854 32,913 32,531 32,117 32,679 32,537 32,509 32,631 32,826
Women who maintain families...................
7,214
7,443
7,433
7,281
7,420
7,392
7,444
7,500
7,501
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................

35,614
36,761
16,487
13,302
17,755
3,207

37,411
38,208
17,089
13,595
18,435
3,164

37,357
37,744
16,793
13,610
17,854
3,027

35,706
37,174
16,847
13,606
18,231
3,753

36,759
37,812
17,435
13,681
18,069
3,557

36,917
37,951
17,295
13,587
18,235
3,565

37,177
37,821
17,408
13,508
18,259
3,445

37,234
37,902
17,271
13,574
18,310
3,496

37,478
38,163
17,171
13,902
18,317
3,528

CLASS OF WORKER
Agriculture:
Wage and salary workers.....................
1,609
1,712
1,648
1,944
1,834
1,813
1,829
1,878
1,988
Self-employed workers.......................
1,420
1,369
1,335
1,540
1,557
1,560
1,464
1,475
1,448
Unpaid family workers.......................
40
50
54
46
91
71
68
66
62
Nonagricultural industries:
Wage and salary workers..................... 111,266 115,515 113,981 112,801 114,765 115,018 115,133 115,212 115,560
Government................................ 18,044 18,331 18,311 18,114 18,092 18,132 18,270 18,266 18,385
Private industries........................ 93,223 97,184 95,670 94,687 96,673 96,886 96,863 96,946 97,176
Private households......................
874
951
941
936
981
992
956
934
1,002
Other industries........................ 92,349 96,233 94,729 93,751 95,692 95,894 95,907 96,012 96,174
Self-employed workers.......................
8,708
9,120
9,219
8,927
8,811
8,967
9,023
9,109
9,445
Unpaid family workers.......................
83
137
148
91
129
137
140
149
162
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...........

4,320
2,580
1,466
17,542

4,352
2,470
1,548
18,898

4,541
2,735
1,474
18,450

4,210
2,288
1,544
17,435

4,302
2,398
1,617
17,823

4,286
2,258
1,683
17,754

3,983
2,107
1,559
17,957

4,338
2,353
1,653
17,868

4,426
2,423
1,552
18,340

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

4,103
2,427
1,444
16,933

4,140
2,313
1,526
18,307

4,338
2,603
1,447
17,879

3,940
2,155
1,509
16,780

4,130
2,284
1,580
17,204

4,118
2,147
1,647
17,123

3,815
2,001
1,543
17,313

4,162
2,214
1,622
17,237

4,163
2,310
1,512
17,737

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 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-4. Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted

Number of
unemployed persons
(in thousands)

Unemployment rates(1)

Category
Jan.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

Jan.
1996

Sept.
1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

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

7,588
3,298
2,910
1,380

7,167
3,002
2,857
1,308

7,268
3,185
2,729
1,354

5.7
4.9
5.1
17.8

5.2
4.5
4.6
16.0

5.2
4.4
4.7
16.3

5.3
4.4
4.8
16.8

5.3
4.4
4.9
16.5

5.4
4.6
4.6
17.0

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

1,389
1,292
648

1,306
1,261
686

1,242
1,114
753

3.2
3.9
8.2

3.0
3.4
8.3

3.0
3.5
8.5

3.0
3.6
8.8

3.0
3.7
8.4

2.8
3.3
9.1

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

6,070
1,479

5,754
1,425

5,809
1,426

5.6
6.0

5.1
5.6

5.1
5.6

5.3
5.6

5.2
5.8

5.2
5.7

895
1,764
799
1,656
331

899
1,837
770
1,505
293

814
1,771
782
1,568
286

2.4
4.5
5.5
8.3
8.1

2.3
4.5
5.4
7.5
7.1

2.2
4.5
5.5
7.7
7.0

2.3
4.5
5.7
7.7
7.7

2.4
4.6
5.4
7.6
7.7

2.1
4.4
5.3
7.9
7.5

5,821
1,805
32
719
1,054
557
497
4,016
274
1,738
202
1,802
519
232

5,538
1,699
44
633
1,022
594
428
3,839
282
1,597
230
1,730
572
216

5,558
1,708
33
705
971
569
401
3,850
288
1,657
267
1,639
550
186

5.8
6.4
5.2
10.9
5.0
4.5
5.7
5.6
3.9
6.7
2.8
5.6
2.8
10.7

5.3
5.6
5.1
9.3
4.4
4.2
4.7
5.2
4.1
6.2
3.0
5.3
3.0
10.8

5.3
5.8
5.8
9.6
4.7
4.4
5.1
5.1
4.4
6.2
2.9
5.0
2.9
10.0

5.5
6.1
4.9
10.3
4.7
4.5
5.1
5.2
3.5
6.3
2.9
5.3
2.8
10.9

5.4
5.9
7.6
9.4
4.8
4.7
5.0
5.2
4.0
6.2
3.1
5.2
3.0
10.3

5.4
6.0
6.0
10.1
4.6
4.4
4.8
5.2
4.1
6.4
3.5
4.9
2.9
8.6

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 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-5. Duration of unemployment
(Numbers in thousands)

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Duration
Jan.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

Jan.
1996

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

3,301
2,485
2,483
1,215
1,268

2,313
2,406
1,962
883
1,079

3,352
2,329
2,252
1,029
1,223

2,774
2,370
2,369
1,114
1,255

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

15.5
7.9

15.6
7.7

15.3
7.4

100.0
39.9
30.1
30.0
14.7
15.3

100.0
34.6
36.0
29.4
13.2
16.1

100.0
42.3
29.4
28.4
13.0
15.4

Sept.
1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

2,522
2,245
2,277
1,040
1,237

2,556
2,265
2,294
1,062
1,232

2,819
2,252
2,184
1,018
1,166

2,671
2,357
2,179
976
1,203

2,801
2,223
2,155
943
1,212

16.2
8.2

16.9
8.6

16.7
8.3

16.0
7.7

15.8
7.8

16.0
7.7

100.0
36.9
31.5
31.5
14.8
16.7

100.0
35.8
31.9
32.3
14.8
17.6

100.0
35.9
31.8
32.2
14.9
17.3

100.0
38.9
31.0
30.1
14.0
16.1

100.0
37.1
32.7
30.2
13.5
16.7

100.0
39.0
31.0
30.0
13.1
16.9

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 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-6. Reason for unemployment
(Numbers in thousands)

Not seasonally
adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Reason

Jan.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

Jan.
1996

Sept.
1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

4,425
1,728
2,697
1,853
844
803
2,503
540

3,230
1,045
2,184
1,514
670
771
2,189
491

4,027
1,502
2,526
1,666
860
858
2,525
523

3,586
1,106
2,480
(1)
(1)
835
2,481
620

3,236
989
2,247
(1)
(1)
800
2,441
559

3,171
957
2,214
(1)
(1)
797
2,489
577

3,261
994
2,267
(1)
(1)
825
2,523
586

3,221
987
2,234
(1)
(1)
845
2,556
626

3,245
953
2,293
(1)
(1)
890
2,505
600

53.5
20.9
32.6
9.7
30.3
6.5

48.3
15.6
32.7
11.5
32.8
7.3

50.8
18.9
31.8
10.8
31.8
6.6

47.7
14.7
33.0
11.1
33.0
8.2

46.0
14.1
31.9
11.4
34.7
7.9

45.1
13.6
31.5
11.3
35.4
8.2

45.3
13.8
31.5
11.5
35.1
8.1

44.4
13.6
30.8
11.7
35.3
8.6

44.8
13.2
31.7
12.3
34.6
8.3

3.4
.6
1.9
.4

2.4
.6
1.6
.4

3.0
.6
1.9
.4

2.7
.6
1.9
.5

2.4
.6
1.8
.4

2.4
.6
1.8
.4

2.4
.6
1.9
.4

2.4
.6
1.9
.5

2.4
.7
1.8
.4

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 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-7. Range of alternative measures of labor underutilization
(Percent)

Not seasonally
adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Measure

Jan.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

Jan. Sept.
1996 1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

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

1.9

1.5

1.7

1.8

1.7

1.7

1.6

1.6

1.6

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

3.4

2.4

3.0

2.7

2.4

2.4

2.4

2.4

2.4

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

6.3

5.0

5.9

5.7

5.2

5.2

5.3

5.3

5.4

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

6.6

5.2

6.2

(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...............

7.5

6.0

7.0

(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..

10.8

9.2

10.4

(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 1997,
data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-8. Unemployed persons by sex and age, seasonally adjusted

Number of
unemployed persons
(in thousands)

Unemployment rates(1)

Age and sex

Jan.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

Jan.
1996

Sept.
1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996

Jan.
1997

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.............................

7,588
2,712
1,380
643
734
1,332
4,822
4,300
564

7,167
2,526
1,308
641
677
1,218
4,696
4,147
542

7,268
2,625
1,354
567
787
1,270
4,590
4,137
501

5.7
12.8
17.8
20.1
16.2
9.9
4.3
4.5
3.6

5.2
11.5
16.0
17.6
14.7
8.9
4.1
4.2
3.3

5.2
11.7
16.3
18.0
15.3
8.9
4.0
4.2
3.2

5.3
11.9
16.8
17.0
17.0
9.0
4.1
4.2
3.1

5.3
11.9
16.5
19.3
14.7
9.1
4.1
4.2
3.3

5.4
12.2
17.0
17.7
16.6
9.4
4.0
4.2
3.1

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...........................

4,059
1,444
761
357
401
683
2,579
2,290
309

3,707
1,366
705
343
364
661
2,337
2,032
303

3,942
1,468
757
336
418
711
2,441
2,174
293

5.7
12.9
18.9
21.7
16.8
9.5
4.3
4.4
3.5

5.2
12.1
17.5
19.2
16.2
9.0
4.0
4.2
3.3

5.1
12.3
18.1
19.6
17.1
8.9
3.8
4.0
3.0

5.2
12.5
18.4
18.9
19.0
9.2
3.9
4.0
3.1

5.1
12.3
17.4
20.6
15.4
9.3
3.8
3.9
3.4

5.4
12.9
18.4
20.4
17.1
9.8
4.0
4.1
3.2

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...........................

3,529
1,268
619
286
333
649
2,243
2,010
255

3,460
1,160
603
298
313
557
2,359
2,115
239

3,327
1,157
598
231
369
559
2,148
1,963
208

5.8
12.7
16.6
18.4
15.4
10.4
4.4
4.5
3.7

5.2
10.9
14.4
16.0
13.1
8.7
4.2
4.2
3.4

5.3
11.0
14.4
16.2
13.4
8.9
4.2
4.4
3.4

5.5
11.3
15.2
15.1
15.0
8.9
4.3
4.5
3.0

5.5
11.4
15.5
18.1
14.0
8.9
4.5
4.7
3.3

5.3
11.4
15.5
14.9
16.2
8.9
4.1
4.3
2.9

1 Unemployment as a percent of the civilian labor force.
NOTE: Beginning in January 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-9. Persons not in the labor force and multiple jobholders by sex, not seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)

Total

Men

Women

Category
Jan.
1996

Jan.
1997

Jan.
1996

Jan.
1997

Jan.
1996

Jan.
1997

68,238
5,751
1,737

67,968
5,164
1,615

25,101
2,340
871

25,147
2,204
818

43,137
3,410
865

42,821
2,960
797

409
1,328

397
1,218

241
630

268
550

167
698

129
668

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

7,127
5.8

7,572
6.0

3,758
5.7

4,076
6.0

3,370
5.9

3,496
6.0

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......................

4,013
1,605
239
1,236

4,270
1,638
210
1,427

2,366
498
173
699

2,540
526
154
845

1,647
1,107
66
538

1,730
1,113
56
582

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 1997, 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
Jan.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996p

Jan.
1997p

Jan.
1996

Sept.
1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996p

Jan.
1997p

Total......................... 116,176 121,578 121,552 118,982 118,070 120,050 120,311 120,492 120,753 121,024
Total private....................

96,908 101,593 101,654

99,503

98,734 100,531 100,803 100,995 101,219 101,469

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

23,541

24,513

24,285

23,769

24,112

24,257

24,284

24,319

24,359

24,391

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

558
50.0
101.2
308.2
98.4

571
51.9
97.8
311.2
110.2

564
51.6
96.5
309.7
106.1

553
51.2
95.9
305.9
99.7

569
51
101
310
107

567
52
98
309
108

566
52
98
308
108

566
52
97
308
109

564
52
96
307
109

564
52
96
307
109

Construction..........................
4,789
5,634
5,423
5,063
General building contractors........ 1,141.8 1,263.6 1,244.8 1,192.4
Heavy construction, except building.
615.4
797.3
721.7
636.5
Special trade contractors........... 3,032.0 3,572.6 3,456.7 3,234.4

5,234
1,205
741
3,288

5,449
1,233
765
3,451

5,464
1,233
765
3,466

5,491
1,241
764
3,486

5,519
1,249
768
3,502

5,533
1,260
767
3,506

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

18,194
12,554

18,308
12,653

18,298
12,637

18,153
12,518

18,309
12,656

18,241
12,591

18,254
12,606

18,262
12,613

18,276
12,618

18,294
12,635

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.........

10,604
7,253
741.8
503.3
511.6
710.2

10,721
7,346
774.2
503.6
541.7
704.2

10,738
7,358
770.1
505.1
533.2
705.2

10,663
7,299
756.2
500.8
514.9
702.2

10,643
7,288
750
503
532
709

10,675
7,307
766
500
537
706

10,684
7,318
769
499
538
702

10,694
7,327
771
501
537
703

10,711
7,334
771
502
539
702

10,727
7,352
769
501
535
702

239.8
234.4
234.9
234.4
1,440.6 1,465.1 1,466.2 1,457.5
2,086.1 2,083.9 2,094.5 2,094.7
357.3
360.3
361.1
360.2

240
1,442
2,085
357

237
1,456
2,082
359

234
1,459
2,088
360

234
1,461
2,087
360

233
1,461
2,091
361

235
1,463
2,098
360

1,646.2 1,652.1 1,651.7 1,644.4

1,646

1,649

1,648

1,647

1,645

1,645

608.9
610.2
612.2
614.1
1,751.5 1,775.2 1,792.1 1,780.3
949.2
951.6
965.0
952.2
446.9
470.8
473.7
477.3
830.2
831.2
833.1
829.2
382.6
390.1
387.0
383.0

609
1,757
956
446
831
388

613
1,764
955
455
831
384

611
1,764
950
463
833
384

611
1,772
952
468
830
385

611
1,780
956
472
833
387

615
1,792
962
477
831
391

Nondurable goods.....................
7,590
7,587
7,560
7,490
Production workers................
5,301
5,307
5,279
5,219
Food and kindred products........... 1,624.9 1,652.6 1,637.7 1,616.5
Tobacco products....................
43.2
42.8
43.7
42.1
Textile mill products...............
636.5
630.3
628.5
625.1
Apparel and other textile products..
857.7
833.9
820.4
804.3
Paper and allied products...........
681.6
675.3
675.2
672.7
Printing and publishing............. 1,530.5 1,531.4 1,535.9 1,524.4
Chemicals and allied products....... 1,021.9 1,014.8 1,013.6 1,011.6
Petroleum and coal products.........
135.8
138.6
134.9
132.1
Rubber and misc. plastics products..
959.7
974.3
976.0
968.1
Leather and leather products........
98.1
93.4
94.4
93.1

7,666
5,368
1,672
41
640
868
684
1,533
1,026
140
964
98

7,566
5,284
1,639
40
631
835
674
1,527
1,017
139
971
93

7,570
5,288
1,641
41
633
834
674
1,528
1,017
138
971
93

7,568
5,286
1,647
42
628
829
675
1,525
1,017
139
974
92

7,565
5,284
1,651
41
629
823
675
1,525
1,015
137
975
94

7,567
5,283
1,661
40
630
815
675
1,527
1,017
136
972
94

95,213

93,958

95,793

96,027

96,173

96,394

96,633

Transportation and public utilities...
6,188
6,399
6,405
6,290
Transportation......................
3,925
4,110
4,123
4,020
Railroad transportation...........
230.4
230.6
228.0
224.0
Local and interurban passenger
transit........................
445.4
476.9
478.9
476.5
Trucking and warehousing.......... 1,826.1 1,901.2 1,905.8 1,815.2
Water transportation..............
164.8
169.3
168.1
166.8
Transportation by air.............
819.7
869.5
879.5
876.1
Pipelines, except natural gas.....
14.1
13.7
13.7
13.7
Transportation services...........
424.5
448.7
448.5
447.8
Communications and public utilities.
2,263
2,289
2,282
2,270
Communications.................... 1,361.9 1,403.5 1,398.1 1,391.5
Electric, gas, and sanitary
services.......................
901.4
885.5
883.4
878.8

6,254
3,980
235

6,337
4,052
230

6,338
4,059
231

6,350
4,062
229

6,341
4,060
229

6,357
4,076
229

436
1,874
172
822
14
427
2,274
1,367

458
1,877
171
855
14
447
2,285
1,398

458
1,877
172
859
14
448
2,279
1,393

460
1,870
172
868
14
449
2,288
1,401

462
1,856
171
879
14
449
2,281
1,396

467
1,863
175
877
14
451
2,281
1,398

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

92,635

97,065

97,267

907

887

886

887

885

883

6,609
3,879
2,730
21,546

6,512
3,814
2,698
21,268

6,619
3,877
2,742
21,702

6,643
3,885
2,758
21,803

6,651
3,890
2,761
21,857

6,655
3,895
2,760
21,930

6,662
3,897
2,765
21,949

838.1
936.1
934.9
890.1
2,697.6 2,986.0 3,072.0 2,778.8
2,372.2 2,635.0 2,701.4 2,456.2
3,381.1 3,494.8 3,525.0 3,451.6

882
2,651
2,330
3,399

930
2,737
2,415
3,440

936
2,765
2,442
3,454

942
2,770
2,444
3,462

947
2,780
2,454
3,463

940
2,751
2,434
3,473

2,195.9 2,305.8 2,299.5 2,290.0
1,004.3 1,043.0 1,040.1 1,040.8
1,109.6 1,155.4 1,202.8 1,113.6

2,227
1,011
1,100

2,297
1,039
1,100

2,303
1,041
1,108

2,309
1,042
1,106

2,312
1,043
1,103

2,318
1,047
1,114

955.7 1,028.8 1,057.4 1,023.9
7,083.6 7,462.4 7,503.3 7,233.7
2,657.5 2,837.9 2,940.6 2,764.6

949
7,405
2,655

991
7,504
2,703

998
7,517
2,722

1,005
7,527
2,736

1,016
7,557
2,752

1,018
7,575
2,760

Finance, insurance, and real estate...
6,840
7,017
7,033
7,012
Finance.............................
3,268
3,356
3,370
3,374
Depository institutions........... 2,018.1 2,032.0 2,035.4 2,035.6
Commercial banks................ 1,463.2 1,477.2 1,481.3 1,482.2
Savings institutions............
265.9
257.9
256.4
255.4
Nondepository institutions........
489.2
529.0
534.9
538.6
Mortgage bankers and brokers....
219.5
238.2
241.5
244.5
Security and commodity brokers....
527.2
551.1
554.7
555.1
Holding and other investment
offices........................
233.1
244.0
245.4
244.2
Insurance...........................
2,248
2,259
2,262
2,257
Insurance carriers................ 1,543.1 1,546.6 1,548.6 1,544.9
Insurance agents, brokers, and
service........................
704.9
712.4
713.5
712.0
Real estate.........................
1,324
1,402
1,401
1,381

6,894
3,277
2,022
1,467
266
490
(1)
529

7,009
3,341
2,029
1,474
261
522
(1)
547

7,026
3,355
2,035
1,478
260
526
(1)
549

7,038
3,361
2,035
1,479
258
530
(1)
552

7,054
3,371
2,035
1,480
257
534
(1)
556

7,063
3,381
2,037
1,485
256
539
(1)
558

236
2,253
1,547

243
2,265
1,554

245
2,263
1,551

244
2,264
1,550

246
2,266
1,552

247
2,260
1,548

706
1,364

711
1,403

712
1,408

714
1,413

714
1,417

712
1,422

33,694
593
1,652
1,170
6,942
883
2,510
2,216

34,607
617
1,686
1,182
7,267
891
2,691
2,387

34,709
621
1,690
1,184
7,292
894
2,697
2,391

34,780
628
1,692
1,185
7,285
885
2,672
2,362

34,880
620
1,702
1,191
7,321
885
2,684
2,373

35,047
630
1,713
1,187
7,391
873
2,772
2,455

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............

6,455
3,792
2,663
20,919

32,965
500.4
1,552.7
1,213.0
6,760.5
870.9
2,368.8
2,090.1

6,664
3,888
2,776
22,207

34,793
623.1
1,629.4
1,157.8
7,402.5
887.0
2,772.9
2,454.8

6,659
3,895
2,764
22,536

34,736
570.7
1,630.4
1,174.7
7,381.5
881.1
2,741.0
2,422.5

34,277
526.4
1,601.3
1,232.6
7,197.5
862.7
2,589.8
2,286.6

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............

1,139.1
1,038.0
353.1
508.0
1,274.5
9,397.1

1,252.4
1,118.8
368.4
527.2
1,390.4
9,674.3

1,276.9
1,119.7
363.7
531.5
1,348.3
9,692.7

1,140
1,051
358
513
1,490
9,427

1,226
1,108
367
539
1,522
9,621

1,239
1,117
366
536
1,534
9,642

1,251
1,121
370
530
1,545
9,666

1,264
1,130
370
538
1,563
9,680

1,276
1,134
369
535
1,575
9,723

1,632.5 1,694.7 1,705.2 1,708.2

1,638

1,686

1,689

1,694

1,699

1,717

1,711.4
3,817.7
640.0
919.3
1,929.8
2,347.3
570.7
647.8

1,757.3
3,885.6
661.5
938.1
1,985.4
2,413.9
587.6
674.4

1,718
3,822
648
925
1,969
2,362
567
651

1,751
3,863
661
934
2,005
2,410
575
672

1,754
3,869
663
937
2,015
2,416
580
673

1,757
3,875
668
941
2,025
2,420
579
675

1,760
3,879
665
942
2,023
2,416
576
676

1,763
3,891
666
941
2,022
2,427
582
678

75.0
83.7
84.1
79.3
2,099.3 2,140.7 2,141.6 2,116.9
2,805.9 2,931.8 2,936.2 2,936.7

83
2,135
2,833

85
2,150
2,921

85
2,151
2,930

86
2,152
2,941

87
2,153
2,951

87
2,153
2,966

1,761.8
3,873.6
670.0
939.0
2,182.8
2,430.0
594.8
673.4

1,266.9
1,125.2
368.5
539.6
1,397.9
9,693.5

1,763.2
3,878.9
667.1
940.1
2,132.5
2,425.8
590.2
675.1

813.0
859.0
43.9

859.5
933.8
45.9

856.1
937.8
46.1

853.6
931.6
46.0

825
873
(3)

853
917
(3)

854
922
(3)

859
935
(3)

859
942
(3)

863
945
(3)

19,268
2,761
1,906.6
4,559
1,890.0
2,668.5
11,948
6,794.8
5,152.7

19,985
2,719
1,858.8
4,784
2,124.8
2,659.2
12,482
7,157.2
5,324.6

19,898
2,758
1,854.8
4,730
2,077.7
2,652.6
12,410
7,145.8
5,263.8

19,479
2,704
1,843.1
4,584
1,927.5
2,656.9
12,191
6,961.7
5,229.6

19,336
2,783
1,930
4,625
1,933
2,692
11,928
6,646
5,282

19,519
2,739
1,883
4,658
1,975
2,683
12,122
6,787
5,335

19,508
2,731
1,878
4,640
1,960
2,680
12,137
6,794
5,343

19,497
2,733
1,873
4,640
1,960
2,680
12,124
6,798
5,326

19,534
2,729
1,870
4,647
1,967
2,680
12,158
6,803
5,355

19,555
2,726
1,866
4,641
1,960
2,681
12,188
6,825
5,363

1 This series is not suitable for seasonal adjustment because it has very little seasonal and irregular movement.
Thus, the not seasonally adjusted series can be used for analysis of cyclical and long-term trends.
2 Includes other industries, not shown separately.
3 This series is 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-2. Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm payrolls by industry

Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Industry
Jan.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996p

Jan.
1997p

Jan.
1996

Sept.
1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996p

Jan.
1997p

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

33.4

34.5

34.9

33.9

33.8

34.7

34.3

34.6

34.8

34.1

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

39.2

41.4

41.8

40.4

39.7

41.0

41.0

41.1

41.3

40.8

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

43.8

45.5

46.1

44.3

44.1

45.4

45.4

44.8

45.8

44.4

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

36.7

38.8

38.5

36.3

38.2

38.6

38.8

38.9

38.8

37.8

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

39.8
4.0

42.1
4.8

42.8
5.1

41.5
4.4

40.0
4.1

41.7
4.5

41.7
4.4

41.7
4.5

42.0
4.6

41.7
4.6

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

40.9
4.3

42.9
5.1

43.7
5.5

42.2
4.7

40.9
4.4

42.5
4.8

42.4
4.7

42.4
4.7

42.8
4.9

42.4
4.9

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.........

38.6
35.8
40.9
43.4

41.0
40.4
43.5
44.5

41.1
41.6
43.2
45.3

39.4
39.5
40.7
44.6

39.1
35.7
42.1
43.2

40.9
39.5
43.2
44.5

40.9
39.5
43.3
44.4

41.0
39.8
43.2
44.1

40.9
40.3
43.5
44.6

40.2
39.9
42.1
44.5

44.3
40.9
42.3

45.1
42.9
43.3

45.4
43.7
44.5

45.1
42.1
43.3

44.3
41.0
42.1

44.4
42.4
43.0

44.6
42.4
42.9

44.7
42.3
43.0

44.9
42.6
43.3

45.2
42.1
43.1

40.4
42.3
43.4
40.4
37.6

42.1
44.5
45.2
42.2
40.7

43.0
45.6
46.5
43.0
40.9

41.4
44.4
45.4
41.7
39.5

40.3
42.4
43.3
40.2
37.7

41.6
44.3
45.2
41.9
39.8

41.5
43.9
44.7
41.7
39.8

41.4
44.1
44.6
41.8
40.0

41.9
44.6
45.1
42.0
40.4

41.3
44.8
45.8
41.6
39.9

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

38.4
3.5

41.2
4.4

41.6
4.5

40.5
4.1

38.7
3.8

40.7
4.1

40.6
4.1

40.7
4.1

41.0
4.3

40.6
4.3

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........

39.3
35.8
36.0
33.3
41.7
36.7
42.4
43.1
40.3
34.6

41.8
41.2
41.6
37.7
44.1
38.7
43.7
44.0
41.6
39.3

42.1
42.1
41.9
38.0
44.5
39.0
44.4
43.9
42.6
39.3

40.7
39.0
40.9
37.0
43.5
37.7
43.6
46.7
41.3
37.5

39.9
36.4
36.1
33.5
41.5
37.2
42.5
(2)
40.3
34.8

41.0
40.3
40.9
37.3
43.5
38.3
43.1
(2)
41.6
38.8

41.1
39.9
40.9
37.4
43.4
38.2
43.2
(2)
41.5
38.4

41.2
40.6
41.3
37.4
43.6
38.2
43.3
(2)
41.2
39.0

41.5
41.8
41.6
37.5
43.7
38.4
43.6
(2)
41.8
38.9

41.0
39.2
41.1
37.2
43.4
38.1
43.6
(2)
41.1
37.8

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

31.9

32.6

33.1

32.2

32.2

33.0

32.6

32.8

33.0

32.4

Transportation and public utilities...

38.5

39.9

40.0

39.1

38.8

40.1

39.6

39.9

40.0

39.4

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

37.6

38.3

38.7

37.8

37.8

38.5

38.1

38.3

38.6

38.0

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

27.5

28.7

29.3

27.9

28.3

28.9

28.7

29.0

28.9

28.6

Finance, insurance, and real estate...

35.5

35.8

36.7

35.6

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

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

31.8

32.4

32.7

32.0

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

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
Jan.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996p

Jan.
1997p

Jan.
1996

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

$11.71
11.62

$12.01
11.99

$12.06
12.05

$12.12
12.06

$391.11
392.76

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

13.27

13.63

13.73

13.69

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

15.63

15.66

15.93

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

15.24

15.59

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

12.66

12.93

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.........

13.18
10.28
10.00
12.60
14.85

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........

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996p

Jan.
1997p

$414.35
414.85

$420.89
419.34

$410.87
411.25

520.18

564.28

573.91

553.08

16.18

684.59

712.53

734.37

716.77

15.64

15.69

559.31

604.89

602.14

569.55

13.08

13.07

503.87

544.35

559.82

542.41

13.49
10.57
10.28
12.95
15.19

13.65
10.61
10.41
12.95
15.16

13.64
10.59
10.39
13.04
15.19

539.06
396.81
358.00
515.34
644.49

578.72
433.37
415.31
563.33
675.96

596.51
436.07
433.06
559.44
686.75

575.61
417.25
410.41
530.73
677.47

17.66
12.35
13.45

18.11
12.58
13.81

17.95
12.76
13.99

17.78
12.73
13.94

782.34
505.12
568.93

816.76
539.68
597.97

814.93
557.61
622.56

801.88
535.93
603.60

11.95
16.92
17.48
12.99
10.32

12.35
17.38
17.93
13.33
10.54

12.52
17.62
18.20
13.41
10.62

12.48
17.53
18.10
13.45
10.59

482.78
715.72
758.63
524.80
388.03

519.94
773.41
810.44
562.53
428.98

538.36
803.47
846.30
576.63
434.36

516.67
778.33
821.74
560.87
418.31

11.92
11.09
18.51
9.56
7.87
14.59
12.48
16.10
19.40
11.12
8.51

12.12
11.41
18.88
9.76
8.01
14.87
12.82
16.41
19.59
11.33
8.74

12.25
11.48
18.92
9.90
8.14
14.96
12.91
16.50
20.25
11.51
8.86

12.23
11.41
18.92
9.90
8.12
14.87
12.91
16.38
20.46
11.47
8.89

457.73
435.84
662.66
344.16
262.07
608.40
458.02
682.64
836.14
448.14
294.45

499.34
476.94
777.86
406.02
301.98
655.77
496.13
717.12
861.96
471.33
343.48

509.60
483.31
796.53
414.81
309.32
665.72
503.49
732.60
888.98
490.33
348.20

495.32
464.39
737.88
404.91
300.44
646.85
486.71
714.17
955.48
473.71
333.38

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

11.20

11.46

11.51

11.61

357.28

373.60

380.98

373.84

Transportation and public utilities...

$14.45

$14.62

$14.67

$14.76

$556.33

$583.34

$586.80

$577.12

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

12.65

13.03

13.19

13.15

475.64

499.05

510.45

497.07

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

7.89

8.13

8.14

8.22

216.98

233.33

238.50

229.34

Finance, insurance, and real estate...

12.62

12.98

13.04

13.04

448.01

464.68

478.57

464.22

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

11.73

12.05

12.17

12.21

373.01

390.42

397.96

390.72

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:
Dec. 1996Jan. 1997

Jan.
1996

Sept.
1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996p

Jan.
1997p

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

$11.62
7.41

$11.91
7.45

$11.90
7.42

$11.99
7.45

$12.05
7.47

$12.06
N.A.

0.1
(3)

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

13.30
15.48
15.25
12.63
12.00

13.56
15.67
15.53
12.87
12.21

13.57
15.65
15.55
12.88
12.21

13.62
15.76
15.55
12.94
12.27

13.70
15.89
15.67
13.00
12.30

13.75
16.03
15.71
13.06
12.36

.4
.9
.3
.5
.5

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

11.06

11.36

11.35

11.45

11.50

11.50

.0

14.39
12.58
7.83

14.58
12.99
8.01

14.50
12.91
8.09

14.59
13.05
8.13

14.62
13.18
8.15

14.76
13.08
8.17

1.0
-.8
.2

12.55
11.59

12.92
11.89

12.86
11.90

13.02
12.02

13.02
12.07

12.99
12.07

-.2
.0

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 .3 percent from November 1996 to December 1996, 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
Jan.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996p

Jan.
1997p

Jan.
1996

Sept.
1996

Oct.
1996

Nov.
1996

Dec.
1996p

Jan.
1997p

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

127.7

138.8

140.6

133.0

131.7

138.0

137.1

138.2

139.3

137.0

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

101.5

112.8

112.6

105.6

106.0

110.3

110.5

110.9

111.7

110.4

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

51.0

55.6

55.5

52.1

52.7

54.7

54.7

53.9

55.1

53.7

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

120.4

154.9

146.8

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

100.9

107.5

109.1

126.5

140.7

147.9

149.0

150.5

151.3

147.8

104.8

102.0

105.9

105.9

106.1

106.9

106.2

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.........

103.4
123.8
111.9
97.3
90.9

109.8
138.5
126.6
111.1
92.7

112.1
137.9
130.8
108.3
94.7

107.5
129.3
123.3
98.2
92.5

104.1
127.1
111.4
104.9
90.4

108.3
136.2
122.9
109.2
92.6

108.2
137.1
122.6
109.9
92.4

108.4
137.9
123.9
109.2
91.6

109.4
137.3
125.7
110.4
92.6

108.7
134.5
124.2
106.4
92.3

72.9
109.8
101.9

72.9
117.6
103.6

73.5
119.8
107.4

72.7
114.5
104.7

72.8
110.2
101.2

72.5
115.3
102.7

72.5
115.5
102.8

72.6
115.4
103.2

72.5
116.1
104.2

73.4
115.0
104.2

105.3
115.7
157.2
71.1
95.1

109.4
123.4
163.6
74.4
105.7

111.3
128.0
171.0
76.1
104.9

107.1
123.7
164.3
73.4
100.3

105.0
116.6
158.2
70.8
97.2

108.0
122.3
164.5
74.0
101.1

107.4
121.4
161.8
73.6
101.1

107.2
122.7
161.7
73.6
102.0

108.2
124.3
164.1
74.2
103.8

106.7
125.9
167.6
73.5
104.0

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........

97.4
105.6
59.6
80.2
68.7
104.9
118.6
99.5
70.5
136.0
40.4

104.4
115.5
68.6
92.5
75.4
110.5
125.1
100.2
75.6
142.5
43.3

104.9
114.8
71.9
92.9
74.8
111.5
126.4
101.4
73.0
146.0
44.3

101.0
109.3
64.7
90.3
71.4
108.7
120.4
99.5
75.9
140.2
41.3

99.3
111.0
55.9
80.8
70.1
105.0
120.5
100.2
73.9
136.5
41.2

102.6
111.8
61.9
90.9
74.9
108.8
123.0
99.2
75.1
142.1
42.9

102.7
112.4
63.2
91.3
74.8
108.8
122.8
99.2
73.4
141.5
42.5

102.8
113.2
66.4
91.3
74.3
109.3
122.8
99.4
74.8
140.9
42.5

103.5
114.6
66.3
92.3
74.1
109.3
123.2
99.6
75.5
142.8
43.6

102.6
113.7
60.2
91.2
72.9
109.0
121.9
99.9
79.2
140.2
41.8

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

139.5

150.5

153.1

145.2

143.2

150.4

149.0

150.5

151.7

148.9

Transportation and public utilities...

121.9

131.7

132.2

126.7

124.5

130.8

129.2

130.4

130.6

129.2

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

120.2

126.5

127.4

123.4

122.0

126.3

125.4

126.3

127.2

125.3

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

124.4

138.0

143.6

129.9

129.9

135.7

135.5

137.1

137.1

135.6

Finance, insurance, and real estate...

122.0

126.4

129.9

125.6

122.2

129.6

125.0

127.6

130.7

125.4

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

166.1

178.8

180.0

173.7

170.3

179.8

178.2

179.4

181.6

177.7

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

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:
1993..............
1994..............
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............

60.0
58.8
63.2
52.4
p56.6

60.8
62.1
59.3
63.2

51.3
66.0
54.9
60.0

58.6
64.2
54.6
52.4

61.7
60.3
51.4
62.2

55.2
63.5
55.1
57.4

57.7
61.5
54.1
55.8

57.0
62.1
57.4
57.3

61.8
60.8
51.8
52.7

59.7
61.5
54.8
63.1

61.8
63.1
56.3
57.2

59.6
63.9
59.4
p59.6

Over 3-month span:
1993..............
1994..............
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............

63.8
67.1
66.6
60.7

61.2
69.5
63.2
61.8

61.1
70.4
56.9
61.2

59.8
68.7
53.4
60.0

63.1
66.4
54.2
61.0

62.9
66.0
52.9
63.6

59.7
68.5
56.6
60.3

63.1
69.5
53.8
56.7

64.5
65.3
54.2
60.8

67.1
65.6
54.6
60.0

64.6
68.0
58.3
p65.9

63.5
67.8
57.0
p61.8

Over 6-month span:
1993..............
1994..............
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............

63.3
70.8
66.3
60.3

65.2
71.6
60.8
62.9

63.8
69.0
58.7
63.8

64.2
69.8
54.4
63.8

62.4
69.5
53.5
62.6

65.9
69.5
54.1
59.0

65.7
69.2
53.1
65.2

63.9
69.0
56.3
62.6

66.3
69.2
55.9
p62.4

67.3
68.5
54.1
p64.0

70.6
69.1
56.2

69.5
66.6
61.8

Over 12-month span:
1993..............
1994..............
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............

64.9
70.2
62.6
61.0

63.9
71.6
60.8
61.7

64.0
71.8
60.1
61.5

65.4
71.8
61.2
61.1

67.0
72.1
58.1
62.8

67.6
71.8
57.7
p65.2

67.6
71.5
54.5
p63.9

67.0
72.1
58.7

70.2
70.1
58.6

69.5
69.4
57.3

69.2
65.7
59.4

70.1
65.0
59.8

Manufacturing payrolls, 139 industries1

Over 1-month span:
1993..............
1994..............
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............

52.5
56.5
56.8
42.1
p49.3

56.5
60.1
55.0
48.2

50.7
59.7
46.0
48.2

45.7
58.6
45.3
39.6

54.0
53.2
39.2
53.2

45.7
57.9
40.3
49.6

49.3
57.6
45.0
43.9

49.3
53.6
45.0
50.0

59.4
55.8
42.4
44.6

53.2
54.7
45.3
54.3

53.6
57.2
46.4
48.2

55.0
59.4
47.5
p55.0

Over 3-month span:
1993..............
1994..............
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............

60.8
63.7
60.4
38.8

58.3
64.4
51.8
39.9

53.2
66.2
43.5
37.8

47.8
60.8
34.9
43.2

48.9
56.1
33.1
45.3

54.0
56.8
32.0
47.5

50.4
60.8
33.1
45.7

58.3
58.6
35.6
40.6

57.6
54.0
38.8
50.7

59.7
56.1
39.6
47.1

54.7
60.1
40.6
p54.7

57.6
60.8
38.8
p49.3

Over 6-month span:
1993..............
1994..............
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............

56.5
62.2
55.4
32.0

59.0
64.4
45.0
37.4

56.8
60.4
38.5
37.1

55.4
61.5
33.5
38.1

50.7
59.0
27.7
42.4

57.9
56.8
28.8
37.8

59.4
56.5
28.8
48.6

56.5
57.2
30.6
43.5

57.6
60.1
33.5
p46.0

58.6
55.8
33.1
p50.7

64.4
59.7
34.2

60.8
55.8
38.8

Over 12-month span:
1993..............
1994..............
1995..............
1996..............
1997..............

56.8
57.9
42.1
33.1

57.9
58.6
40.3
33.1

55.8
60.8
39.9
33.8

58.6
60.8
40.6
35.6

57.2
60.8
34.5
37.1

57.6
63.3
31.7
p42.8

58.6
59.4
25.9
p40.3

59.0
60.1
28.8

61.2
57.2
28.1

59.7
55.8
24.1

60.1
49.6
27.0

57.6
47.5
29.1

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.