Full text of Monthly Labor Review : January 2008, Volume 131, Number 1

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

MONTHLY LABOR

REVIEW
Volume 131, Number 1
January 2008

State labor legislation enacted in 2007

3

Laws concerning the minimum wage, equal employment opportunity,
time off, and drug and alcohol testing were among the most active areas of legislation
John J. Fitzpatrick, Jr., and James L. Perine

Changes in State unemployment insurance legislation, 2007

32

State enactments include provisions that relate to confidentiality and disclosure
of unemployment compensation information and other changes to UI laws
Loryn Lancaster

Older workers:  increasing their labor force participation and hours of work

41

Older workers have increased their labor force participation and full-time
employment, changing long-run trends among men and women
Murray Gendell

Departments

Labor month in review		 2
Précis		55
Book reviews		56
Current labor statistics		58

Editor-in-Chief: Michael D. Levi  Executive Editor: William Parks II   Managing Editor:  Leslie Brown Joyner  Editor: Brian
I. Baker  Book Review Editor: James Titkemeyer  Design and Layout: Catherine D. Bowman, Edith W. Peters  Contributing
Editor: Lawrence H. Leith  Contributor: William J. Wiatrowski

Labor Month In Review

The January Review
January is the month when we typically publish updates on changes in
State labor and unemployment insurance legislation, and our first issue for
2008 is no exception.
John J. Fitzpatrick, Jr., and James L.
Perine from the U.S. Department of
Labor’s Employment Standards Administration (ESA) provide a detailed
and comprehensive overview of State
labor legislation in 2007. Developments in more than 30 categories of
labor-related legislation at the State
level are routinely tracked by ESA,
including those in such topical areas
as agriculture, child labor, immigrant
protections, prevailing and minimum wages, and worker privacy. The
authors note that there was a larger
volume of legislation in 2007 than in
the previous year, and that 46 States
enacted laws of consequence in one
or more of the 30 categories.
Loryn Lancaster of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and
Training Administration reviews developments in unemployment insurance (UI) legislation among the various States in 2007. She pays particular
emphasis to how some States last year
enacted legislative changes or modified existing rules in response to the
issuance in late 2006 of a Departmental rule governing the confidentiality
and disclosure of State unemployment compensation information. She
also describes new UI provisions designed to address fraud and nonfraud
benefit overpayments, in addition to
other legislative developments.



Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

Also in this issue is a look at recent trends in workforce participation
by older workers. Murray Gendell of
Georgetown University examines labor force participation rates and patterns of employment for workers in
various age cohorts starting at age 50.
He finds that there have been noteworthy changes in recent years in historical patterns of workforce activity
for both men and women in these age
groups, and illuminates some of the
changes in retirement and pension
planning behavior that are influencing
these trends.

BLS budget
As announced in this space last month,
the availability of this publication in a
print edition has temporarily been curtailed due to budget constraints. More
information about the impacts of the
Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Fiscal Year
2008 budget may be found at http://
www.bls.gov/bls/budgetimpact.htm

CWC Online and The
Editor’s Desk
There are precedents for periodicals
such as the MLR being published by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics only in
an online format. Compensation and
Working Conditions Online (known
more commonly as CWC Online) has
just marked its fifth anniversary of
monthly publication. Over this span,
it has published about 100 pieces, including articles and table and chart
presentations, on many aspects of
occupational pay, employee benefits,
workplace injuries and illnesses, major

work stoppages, and other subjects relating to the general world of employee
compensation and workplace safety.
The current edition of CWC Online
may be found at http://www.bls.gov/
opub/cwc/cm20080122ar01p1.htm
As regular MLR readers may be
aware, the Bureau also posts each
business day an online feature called
Monthly Labor Review: The Editor’s
Desk (or “TED,” as it is commonly
known.) The goal of TED is to publish
timely information from around BLS
in a concise, easy-to-digest format,
usually in the form of a chart and a
few paragraphs of text. Items selected
for TED typically highlight intriguing data or trends published in fuller
Bureau reports and analyses, to which
links are provided. Print-edition compilations of the “best” of TED are available from BLS. (You can contact us at
ted@bls.gov.) The Editor’s Desk will be
reaching an anniversary of its own later
this year (its 10th birthday, in fact).

Cell phone expenditures
Data from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey show that spending by
consumers on cellular telephones has
risen rapidly in recent years. While
that will not be a surprise, given the
now-ubiquitous presence of these
little devices throughout society, the
fact that cell phone expenditures are
now about equal to those of landline
phone services has caught many people’s attention. A brief analysis of this
phenomenon posted on the Bureau’s
Web site—at http://www.bls.gov/cex/
cellphones.htm—received quite a bit
of media attention.

State Labor Laws, 2007

State labor legislation
enacted in 2007
Laws concerning the minimum wage, prevailing wages,
equal employment opportunity, wages paid, time off,
drug and alcohol testing, child labor, and worker privacy
were among the most active areas with new or amended
legislation enacted during the year
John J. Fitzpatrick, Jr.,
and
James L. Perine

John J. Fitzpatrick, Jr., is the
State Standards Team leader
in the Office of Performance,
Budget, and Departmental
Liaison, Wage and Hour
Division, Employment
Standards Administration,
U.S. Department of Labor;
James L. Perine is a compliance specialist on the State
Standards Team in the same
Office. E-mail: fitzpatrickjr.
john@dol.gov or perine.
james@dol.gov

T

he Wage and Hour Division of the
U.S. Department of Labor is responsible for tracking various categories
of labor legislation and reporting on any
amendments or new laws falling under those
categories and enacted by States. More than
30 categories are tracked during this yearly
process. Among the categories tracked are
agriculture, child labor, State departments of
labor, the discharge of employees, drug and
alcohol testing, equal employment opportunity, employment agencies, employer leasing,
family issues, genetic testing, handicapped
workers, hours worked, human trafficking,
immigrant protections, inmate labor, living
wages, the minimum wage, offsite work,
overtime, plant closings, prevailing wages,
the right to work, time off, unfair labor practices, wages paid, whistleblower protections,
worker privacy, and workplace security. Not
every piece of enacted legislation that comes
within the purview of one of these categories is addressed in this article. Among the
laws that are not addressed are those which
(1) amend existing State law, but are strictly
technical in nature, (2) affect only a limited
number of individuals, (3) require the initiation, completion, or distribution of a study

of an issue, or (4) deal with funding matters related to an issue. Also not covered are
areas of labor legislation that concentrate
on issues relating to occupational safety and
health, employment and training, labor relations, employee background checks (except
for those dealing with potential national
security issues), economic security, and local-area living wage ordinances.
A larger volume of State labor legislation
was enacted during 2007 than during the
previous year. The increase was due in part
to the fact that, unlike the situation in 2006,
all 50 State legislatures and the District of
Columbia met in regularly scheduled sessions in 2007. The labor legislation that was
enacted or amended by the States and the
District last year addressed a variety of issues in 26 employment standards areas and
included many important measures.
Most State legislation in 2007 occurred in
eight categories: child labor, drug and alcohol
testing, equal employment opportunity, the
minimum wage, prevailing wages, time off,
wages paid, and worker privacy. Forty-six of
the 50 States and Puerto Rico enacted labor
legislation of consequence in one or more of
the 30 categories tracked. The legislatures of
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 

State Labor Laws, 2007

Illinois, Hawaii, Maine, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and Virginia enacted above-average numbers of
labor-related pieces of legislation in the categories tracked.
At the time this article was sent off for publication, only
Arkansas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and
the District of Columbia had not enacted labor legislation
within any of the 30 categories tracked.
For the second year in a row, minimum-wage legislation was the “hot-button” issue. The substantial level of
activity in State minimum-wage legislation was due in
part to an increase in the Federal minimum wage. Effective July 24, 2007, the Federal minimum wage for covered
nonexempt employees was raised to $5.85 per hour. The
minimum wage increases to $6.55 per hour effective July
24, 2008, and $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. The
Federal increase resulted in increases in a number of State
minimum-wage rates, because several States previously
had enacted legislation that required them to maintain
a minimum wage at least equal to, or even greater than,
the Federal minimum wage. More than 40 States now
have such minimum-wage requirements. A few States
have minimum-wage rates that are less than the Federal
minimum wage. Finally, 5 States—Alabama, Louisiana,
Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee—have not
yet established a minimum-wage requirement, although
Tennessee does enforce a promised-wage law.1
The remainder of this article comprises two sections.
The first provides a brief overview of several of the most
active legislative categories tracked and discusses some,
but not nearly all, of the pieces of legislation that resulted
in laws which were amended or enacted by the individual
State legislatures during 2007. The second section consists
of a more comprehensive description of each State’s laborrelated legislative activities, again subdivided by legislative
category, that resulted in laws amended or enacted by the
individual State legislatures during the course of the past
year.
Child labor. California extended the expiration date of an
exemption for 16- and 17-year-old minors employed in one
particular county to work up to 60 hours per week during
peak harvest season when school is not is session. Illinois
amended the State hazardous orders so that they now prohibit persons under the age of 16 from working in occupations handling human blood, body fluids, or body tissues.
Massachusetts amended the hours of work permitted for


Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

16-year-old minors in some occupations and now requires
an adult to be present on the jobsite if a minor is employed
after 8:00 p.m. New Hampshire employers may employ 16and 17-year-old youths who are still in school, as long as
the employer maintains a file copy of a signed written document from a parent or guardian of the child in question that
permits the youth’s employment. The requirements for work
permits for minors in various occupations and the hours of
work permitted for performers less than 18 years of age in
New Mexico were modified. The child labor code does not
now apply to minors in Texas who are engaged in the direct
sale of newspapers to the general public. Virginia increased
the fines assessed against employers who incur the death of
a child in their employ. In addition, minors under 18 years of
age may not be employed in any capacity in the manufacturing of paint or of goods with alcoholic content. Minors in
the State of Washington who are under 14 years of age may
not work without the written permission of a judge of the
superior court of the county wherein the child resides.
Drug and alcohol testing. Drivers in Arkansas who are covered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act must submit
to drug and alcohol testing, and the appropriate database
must be checked by employers to determine applicants’ eligibility for employment. Florida licensees of slot machine
gaming must implement drug and alcohol programs for
employees. Hawaii employers whose employees test positive in an onsite screening test must have their employees
report to a licensed laboratory within 4 hours of having
completed the test. Employers in Maine may no longer
require, request, or suggest that an employee or applicant
sign consent forms absolving employers from, among
other things, potential liabilities due to the imposition
of substance abuse testing. In North Carolina, operators
who have commercial driver’s licenses and who have tested
positive in a substance abuse test must be disqualified from
operating a commercial motor vehicle until the employer
obtains a receipt of proof of successful completion by the
employee of assessment and treatment. Motor carriers for
hire in Tennessee who provide passenger transportation
in vehicles designed to transport eight or more passengers
must conduct a mandatory drug-testing program.
Equal employment opportunity. Colorado added the two
categories of religion and sexual orientation to its list of
grounds upon which employers may not discriminate.

Now employers may not refuse to hire, discharge, promote or demote, harass during the course of employment,
or discriminate in matters of compensation against any
otherwise qualified person on the basis of his or her religion or sexual orientation. In Illinois, it is now considered
a civil rights violation for a public employer to refuse to
temporarily transfer a pregnant peace office or firefighter
to a less strenuous or hazardous position for the duration
of the pregnancy if so requested by the employee under
the advice of a physician and if the request can be reasonably accommodated. In addition, the State Civil Rights
Act now includes gender among those characteristics that
cannot be used by any unit of State, county, or local government to exclude a person from participation in, deny a
person any benefits from, or subject a person to discrimination under any program or activity. Iowa added sexual
orientation and gender identity to the group of factors
that are prohibited from being used by persons to discriminate in the area of employment activities. North Dakota amended the definition of “discriminatory practice”
in the State Century Code. Oregon amended its State
laws so that they now encourage the fullest utilization
of the available workforce. The State removed arbitrary
standards of race, sexual orientation, disability, and marital
status that were acting as a barrier to employment.
Minimum wage. Nearly 190 pieces of legislation pertaining to the minimum wage were introduced in 46 States.
Changes in the State minimum wage laws were brought
about either on account of newly enacted or amended
legislation that occurred during the year, because changes
were required as a result of legislation which had been enacted in previous years and that called for specific actions
to occur in subsequent years, or because of ballot issues
that had been approved by public vote.
Arizona statutes regarding employer liability for nonpayment of the minimum wage were amended, while Arkansas amended the minimum-wage allowance for gratuities and also refined the definition of an employee. Idaho
now requires that the State minimum wage conform to
and track with the Federal minimum wage. The Illinois
minimum wage was increased to $7.50 per hour, with additional increases scheduled for July 1, 2008, 2009, and
2010. Employers in Indiana who employ two or more employees during a workweek shall pay the employees wages
not less than the Federal minimum wage. Iowa increased
the State minimum wage to $6.20 per hour in April, while
Kentucky increased its State minimum wage to $5.85 per
hour in June 2007, to be followed by increases to $6.55 per
hour in July 2008 and $7.25 in July 2009. Maine amended

the coverage portion of the State minimum-wage law by
extending coverage to (1) individuals employed in domestic service in or about a private home and engaged directly
by the resident or owner of the home or (2) individuals in
the family or residence of the homeowner. Montana now
requires the State minimum wage to exclude the value of
tips received by an employee. In addition, the minimumwage requirement in Montana will now be subject to an
annual cost-of-living adjustment. Among other changes
in the Nevada minimum-wage law, tips or gratuities received by employees shall neither be credited as being any
part of, nor be offset against, the wage rates required by
the State law. The New Hampshire minimum wage was
increased to $6.50 per hour, with an additional increase
scheduled for September 2008. The minimum wage in
New Mexico increased to $6.50 per hour on January 1,
2008, and will be increased further to $7.25 per hour on
January 1, 2009. In addition, New Mexico enacted legislation that prohibits any city, town, county, home rule municipality, or other political subdivision from adopting or
continuing in effect any law or ordinance that mandates
a minimum wage higher than that set forth in the State
Minimum Wage Act. The New Mexico legislation is effective for a period of 2 years from January 1, 2008. The
North Dakota and South Dakota minimum-wage rates
were increased to $5.85 per hour, the same as the newly
increased Federal minimum wage, and will match the next
two Federal minimum-wage rate increases set for 2008
and 2009. Vermont employers in the hotel, motel, tourist
place, and restaurant industry must pay a service or tipped
employee at a basic hourly wage of not less than $3.65
per hour, and this basic rate shall be increased at the same
percentage as the minimum-wage rate. The definition of
a service or tipped employee in the State was redefined to
mean an employee in any of the aforesaid industries who
customarily and regularly receives more than $120 per
month in tips for direct and personal services performed.
Virginia redefined the definition of an employee to clarify
who is excluded from being considered an employee.
Prevailing wage. Hawaii revised the definition of a public work to include work performed under a construction
contract between private persons if more than 50 percent
of the assignable square feet of a project is leased or assigned for use by the State, any county in the State, or any
agency of the State or any county, whether or not the property is privately owned. The Illinois Prevailing Wage Act
was amended to clarify the fact that the Act applies to the
wages of laborers, mechanics, and other workers employed
in any public works, by any public body, and to anyone unMonthly Labor Review • January 2008 

State Labor Laws, 2007

der contract for public works. In Illinois, no employee may
use, possess, distribute, deliver, or be under the influence of
a drug or alcohol while performing work on a public works
project. Before employers in the State begin work on public
works projects, they must have in place a written program
that meets or exceeds State requirements and that must
be filed with the public body engaged in the public works
and made available to the general public for the prevention
of substance abuse among their employees. Legislation in
New Jersey has strengthened the prohibition against any
contractor or subcontractor who has been debarred from
public work due to violations of the prevailing-wage law
from using a firm, corporation, or partnership in which
the contractor has an interest. Construction employers in
New Jersey, and their representatives who fail to properly
classify an individual as an employee for purposes of the
State Prevailing Wage Act and other State statutes, who
fail to pay wages, benefits, taxes, or other contributions required by those acts shall be guilty of a disorderly person’s
offense and shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than
$100 or more than $1,000, or be imprisoned for not less
than 10 days or more than 90 days, or both. Each week,
any day of which employees are misclassified, constitutes
a separate offense. The size of the contract may affect the
size of the fine and the length of imprisonment. Texas no
longer requires that the prevailing-wage rate determined
by a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor
be no more than 3 years of age. Wyoming increased the
State prevailing-wage threshold to encompass $100,000
contracts for the entire State, with the exception of any
area defined as a metropolitan statistical area as delineated
under specific U.S. codes.
Time off. Arizona employers who have 50 or more employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year are
required to allow an employee who is a victim of a crime
to leave work in order to obtain or attempt to obtain an
order of protection, an injunction against harassment, or
any other injunctive relief to help ensure the health, safety,
or welfare of the victim or the victim’s child. California
enacted legislation that requires qualified employers to allow a qualified employee who is the spouse of a qualified
member of the Armed Forces of the United States, the
National Guard, or the Reserves to take up to 10 days
of unpaid leave while the qualified member is home on
leave. In an amendment, Hawaii State law now stipulates
that the employee is the only one entitled to make a decision to take family leave as unpaid leave or to substitute
the unpaid leave with accrued vacation, personal, or paid


Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

family leave time. Employees in Illinois who are subject to
the Employee Blood Donation Leave Act may be entitled
to blood donation leave with pay. Employees in Montana
who terminate their employment for a reason not reflecting discredit upon them are entitled, upon the date of termination, to cash compensation for unused vacation leave,
assuming that they have worked the qualifying length of
time. Nebraska employers who employ between 15 and
50 employees are required to provide up to 15 days of unpaid family military leave to an employee during the time
Federal or State deployment orders are in effect. Employers who have more than 50 employees shall provide 30
days of leave. Employees in Nevada who are summoned
for jury duty may not be required by their employers to
use sick leave or vacation time for their jury service. Employers in New York must grant a leave of absence of 3
hours in any 12-month period to an employee who seeks
to donate blood. In Vermont, duly qualified members of
the “Reserve components of the Armed Forces,” of the
Ready Reserve, or of an organized unit of the National
Guard shall, upon request, be entitled to leaves of absence
for a total of 15 days in any calendar year for the purpose
of engaging in military drill, training, or other temporary
duty under military authority. Virginia employers shall allow any employee who is a victim of a crime to leave work
to be present at all criminal proceedings relating to the
crime against the employee.
Wages paid. If an employer in Colorado disputes the
amount of wages or compensation claimed by an employee who has been terminated under the State Revised Statutes, and if, within 14 days after the employee’s demand,
the employer makes a legal tender of the amount that
the employer, in good faith, believes is due, the employer
shall not be liable for any penalty, unless, in a legal action,
the employee recovers a greater amount than the amount
tendered. Employees in Illinois may file a complaint with
the State Department of Labor alleging violations of the
State Wage Payment and Collection Act within 1 year
after the wages, final compensation, or wage supplements
were due. Iowa employers who fail to send an employee’s
wages for direct deposit on or by the regular payday are
liable for the amount of any overdraft charges if the overdraft is created on the employee’s account because of the
employer’s failure to send the wages by the regular payday. Kansas employers are now permitted to designate the
method of payment by which employees receive wages,
provided that all wages are paid by one of four specific
methods. Nebraska amended its State Wage Payment and
Collection Act so that whenever an employer separates an

employee from the payroll, the unpaid wages constituting
commissions shall become due on the next regular payday
following the employer’s receipt of payment for the goods
or services from the customer who generated the commission. New Hampshire expanded the list of reasons for
which employers are authorized to withhold wages. In addition, employers in the State are now authorized to pay
employees via payroll card. It is now an unlawful practice
for a temporary help service firm in New Jersey to willfully withhold or divert wages for any purpose not expressly
permitted by statute. Deductions from employees’ wages
by an employer in Oregon, as required and authorized by
law or agreement, shall be paid to the appropriate recipients within the time required by the law or agreement. If
such a time requirement is not specified, payment must be
made within 7 days after the date the wages from which
the deductions are made are due. If a business relationship
between an employer in Utah and a sales representative terminates, the employer shall pay the sales representative all
commissions due within 30 days after the day on which the
termination is effective, and within 14 days after the day on
which a commission becomes due if said commission is due
after the day on which the termination is effective.
Worker privacy. Arizona added the position of code enforcement officer to the list of public employees, and others, who may request that the general public be prohibited
from accessing the unique identifier and the recording date
contained in indexes of recorded instruments maintained
by the county recorder. Florida statutes were amended
to exempt certain personal identifying information from
the public records requirements. Now exempt is personal
identifying information that is contained in records documenting an act of domestic violence and that is submitted
to an agency by an agency employee. Indiana expanded

Alabama
Other legislation. Active and contributing
members of a city or municipal retirement
system who participate in the State Employee
Retirement System and who have rendered
prior service as a full-time firefighter with a
nonparticipating city employer which has
been annexed into a city or municipality that
participates in the retirement system may
purchase credit, including credit for hazardous duty service in the retirement system, for
prior service if the member pays to the secretary-treasurer of the retirement system, prior
to the date of the member’s retirement, a sum

the categories of public records that may not be disclosed
by a public agency unless access to the records is specifically required by a State or Federal statute or is ordered by
a court under the rules of discovery. Except when data are
to be released to certain Federal, State, and local government entities, Nebraska employers shall not publicly post
or display, in any manner, more than the last four digits of
an employee’s Social Security number, or otherwise make
more than the last four digits available to the general public or to an employee’s coworkers. Nevada amended the
exemptions from State law that authorize the release of
the home address of a peace officer by a law enforcement
agency. New York employers shall make reasonable efforts
to provide a room or other location, in close proximity
to the work area, where an employee can express milk in
privacy. Confidential employment information secured
by the Oregon Employment Department may be provided to the State Department of Transportation to assist
that department in carrying out its duties relating to the
collection of delinquent and liquidated debts, including
taxes, due under the State Revised Statutes and the State
Vehicle Code. In Tennessee, the residential address, as
well as the personal telephone and cell phone numbers, of
any State, county, municipal, or other public law enforcement officer shall now be treated as confidential and not
open for inspection by members of the public. It is now
unlawful in Virginia for any person to publish the name
or photograph of a law enforcement officer, along with
identifying information, with the intent to utilize that information to coerce, intimidate, or harass the officer. It is
now unlawful in Washington State for any person, firm,
or corporation to require, either directly or indirectly, that
any employee or prospective employee take or be subject
to any lie detector or similar tests as a condition of either
employment or continued employment.

equal to the full actuarial determined cost for
each year of service purchased, as determined
by the actuary for the system. The local government entity that currently employs the
member shall furnish the retirement system
with documentation of the prior service being
claimed by the member, as requested by the
retirement system.
Arizona
Immigrant protection. Legislation was enacted
that prohibits employers from intentionally or
knowingly employing an unauthorized alien.
The same legislation established penalties, be-

ginning January 1, 2008, for employers in violation. Under the legislation, all employers are
required to use the Basic Employment Verification Pilot Program, which has existed since
November 1997, is jointly operated by the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Service (under
the Department of Homeland Security) and
the Social Security Administration, and is
used to verify the authorization of all newly
hired employees. Currently, an employer’s
participation in the project is voluntary, and
participating employers may be accessed via
the Internet. For a first violation of this new
State law, during a 3-year period in which an
employer knowingly employs an unauthorized
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 

State Labor Laws, 2007

alien, the court may order the appropriate licensing agencies to suspend all licenses held by
the employer, unless the employer files a sworn
affidavit with the county attorney within 3
business days. The affidavit must state that the
employer has terminated the employment of
all unauthorized aliens and that the employer
will not intentionally or knowingly employ an
unauthorized alien. Suspended licenses will
remain suspended until the employer files the
signed affidavit with the county attorney. For a
first intentional violation, the court will order
the suspension of all of the employer’s licenses
for a minimum of 10 days. A second knowing
or intentional violation of the new State law
will result in the court ordering the permanent
revocation of all of the employer’s licenses that
are held at the employer’s place of business.
Minimum wage. The State Revised Statutes
concerning employer liability for nonpayment
of the minimum wage were amended. In any
action or proceeding occurring on or after
January 1, 2007, an employer or other entity
is not liable if either fails to pay the minimum
wage, as long as the party in question proves
that the act or omission was in good faith and
that it conformed with and relied on a State
administrative regulation, order, ruling, approval, interpretation, administrative practice,
or enforcement policy issued by the State Industrial Commission.
Time off. The State Revised Statutes regarding
victims’ rights were amended. Employers who
have 50 or more employees for each working
day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in
the current or preceding calendar year, along
with agents of such employers, are required to
allow an employee who is a victim of a crime
to leave work. The allowance to leave work is
in order to provide the employee with time
to obtain, or attempt to obtain, an order of
protection, an injunction against harassment,
or any other injunctive relief to help ensure
the health, safety, or welfare of the victim or
victim’s child.
Worker privacy. The employment position of
a State code enforcement officer was added to
the list of public employees, and others, who
may request that the general public be prohibited from accessing the unique identifier and
the recording date contained in indexes of recorded instruments maintained by the county
recorder. The officer (or others) may request
the recorder to prohibit access to the officer’s
residential address and telephone number
contained in instruments or writings recorded
by the county recorder and made available on
the Internet. The officer also may request that
the general public be prohibited from accessing records maintained by any of the following
county employees: assessor, treasurer, peace
officer, judge, justice, commissioner, public
  Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

defender, and prosecutor. The officer must file
an affidavit containing specific information in
order to request the prohibition on the release
of information.
Arkansas
Drug and alcohol testing. Any person employed by a State employer in a safety-sensitive transportation job, or who has submitted an application for employment with an
employer in the State in a safety-sensitive
transportation job, for which drug and alcohol tests are required under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and who holds
a commercial driver’s license shall submit to
drug and alcohol testing. The employer must
report to the State Office of Driver Services
the results of the alcohol screening test, or the
refusal to provide a specimen for the screening
test, within 3 business days. The State Office
of Driver Services shall maintain the information received, which is considered confidential,
in a database, to be known as the Commercial
Driver Alcohol and Drug Testing Database,
for at least 3 years. An employer can request
information from the database for each employee who is subject to drug and alcohol testing. The penalty for an employer who knowingly fails to check the database as required is
$1,000, effective July 1, 2008. The penalty for
knowingly hiring an employee with a record
of a positive alcohol or drug test in the database is $5,000. The penalty for an employer
who knowingly fails to report an occurrence
regarding a drug test is $500. Such penalties
do not apply to the State or to an agency or
political subdivision of the State.
Immigrant protections. No State agency may
enter into or renew a public contract for services with a contractor who knows that the
contractor or one of its subcontractors employs or contracts with an illegal immigrant
to perform work under the contract. Before
executing a public contract, each prospective
contractor shall certify, in a manner that does
not violate Federal law in existence on January
1, 2007, that the contractor is neither employing nor contracting with an illegal immigrant
at the time of the certification. If a contractor
violates this provision, the State shall require
the contractor to remedy the violation within
60 days. If the contractor fails to remedy the
violation within 60 days, the State shall terminate the contract for breach of contract.
The contractor shall be liable to the State for
actual damages if the contract is terminated
under such circumstances. Subcontractors are
required to submit certification on their employees within 30 days after execution of the
contract.
Minimum wage. The State law concerning
the minimum-wage allowance for gratuities

was amended. Every employer of an employee
engaged in any occupation in which gratuities
have been customarily and usually constituted and have been recognized as a part of
remuneration for hiring purposes shall now
be entitled to an allowance for gratuities as a
part of the hourly wage rate in the amount of
no less than $3.62 per hour. This entitlement
is based upon the proviso that the employee
actually received that amount in gratuities and
that the application of the foregoing gratuity
allowances results in payment of wages other
than gratuities to tipped employees, including
full-time students, of not less than $2.63 per
hour.
Overtime. The State definition of an employee, as covered by minimum-wage and
overtime law, was amended. The definition no
longer includes (1) an employee employed in
connection with the publication of a weekly,
semimonthly, or daily newspaper with a circulation under 4,000; (2) one employed on
a casual basis in domestic service to provide
babysitting services or companionship services for those who are no longer able to care
for themselves due to age or infirmity; (3) one
engaged in the delivery of newspapers to retail
subscribers; or (4) a homeworker engaged in
making wreaths composed principally of natural holly, pine, cedar, or other evergreens and
harvesting natural holly, pine, cedar, and other
evergreens used in making such wreaths. In
another enactment, the director of the State
Department of Labor may now authorize employment in excess of the standard 40 hours
per week or may authorize the calculation of
overtime on a basis other than the regular rate
of pay required by the law (time and one-half
for hours exceeding 40 hours per week) for
employment that (1) necessitates irregular
hours of work; (2) is performed at a piecework
rate; (3) pays on a commission basis in a retail
or service establishment; (4) is performed in
a hospital or enterprise engaged in the care
of the sick, the aged, or the mentally ill by an
independently owned and controlled local enterprise in the wholesale or bulk distribution
of petroleum products; or (5) is performed
under a collective bargaining agreement.
Worker privacy. The commercial driver’s
license record in effect on January 1, 2007,
and released by the State Office of Driver
Services to the employer or prospective
employer of a commercial driver shall be a
complete record that includes any convictions, disqualifications, and other licensing
actions for violations required to be retained
on a commercial driver’s license record. If
a driver operates a motor vehicle and is
convicted of being intoxicated by drugs or
alcohol or for refusing to submit to chemical testing, the driver shall be disqualified
from operating a commercial motor vehicle

for 1 year or 3 years, depending upon the
type of cargo. For a second conviction, disqualification is for life (but the driver may
be reinstated after 10 years if the he or she
has been subject to rehabilitation). The penalties imposed for leaving the scene of an
accident are the same as those listed for operating a motor vehicle under the influence
of drugs or alcohol or for refusing to submit
to chemical testing.
California
Child labor. Legislation was enacted that
extended the authority of the State labor
commissioner to allow an exemption for minors 16 or 17 years of age who reside in Lake
County to work up to 60 hours per week during peak harvest season. The legislation, which
is effective from January 1, 2008, to January
1, 2012, requires that work hours be extended
only when school is not in session and only
upon written approval of the Lake County
Board of Education. The commissioner may
require inspections of agricultural packing
plants prior to issuing the exemption. In addition, the legislation removed the requirement
that the minor be enrolled in school in Lake
County for the exemption to apply. Finally,
Lake County is now required to issue an annual report on working conditions of minors
employed in the agricultural packing industry
in the past year, notwithstanding provisions of
the law that expired on January 1, 2008, making agency reports permissive.
Overtime. An employee in the computer
software field shall be exempt from the requirement that an overtime rate of compensation be paid if (1) the employee is engaged
primarily in work that is intellectual or creative and requires the exercise of discretion
and independent judgment; (2) the employee’s work involves the application of systems
analysis techniques and procedures, including
consulting with users to determine hardware,
software, or system functional specifications;
(3) the employee is highly skilled and is proficient in the theoretical and practical application of highly specialized information to
computer systems analysis, programming, and
software engineering; and (4) the employee’s
hourly rate of pay is not less than $36.00 or
the annualized full-time salary equivalent
of that rate ($75,000). This pay rate shall be
adjusted in accordance with the State Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners
and Clerical Workers on October 1 of each
year, to be effective January 1 of the next year.
The exemption does not apply if (1) the employee is a trainee or in an entry-level position
or has not attained the level of skill and expertise necessary to work independently and
without close supervision; (2) the employee
is engaged in the operation of computers or

in the manufacture, repair, or maintenance of
computer hardware and related equipment;
(3) the employee is an engineer, drafter, machinist, or other professional whose work is
highly dependent upon, or facilitated by, the
use of computers and computer software programs, and the employee is not in a computer
systems analysis or programming occupation;
or (4) the employee is a writer engaged in
writing materials such as box labels, product
descriptions, documentation, promotional
material, setup and installation instructions,
and other, similar written information.

vided at the facility. Violators of the amended
legislation shall be subject to a civil penalty
of up to $25,000. Employees who have been
discriminated against shall be entitled to reinstatement, to reimbursement for lost wages
and work benefits caused by the acts of the
employer, or to any remedy deemed warranted
by the court. A health-care worker who has
been discriminated against and who prevails
in court will be entitled to reimbursement
for lost income and for any legal costs associated with pursuing the case or to any remedy
deemed warranted by the court.

Time off. Legislation was enacted that requires qualified employers to allow a qualified
employee who is the spouse of a qualified
member of the Armed Forces of the United
States, the National Guard, or the Reserves
to take up to 10 days of unpaid leave while
the qualified member is home on leave. A
qualified employer is defined as any individual, corporation, company, firm, State, city,
county, municipal corporation, district, public
authority, or any other governmental subdivision that employs 25 or more employees. A
qualified employee is defined as (1) a spouse
of the qualified member, (2) an employee who
performs service for hire for an employer for
an average of 20 or more hours per week, but
is not an independent contractor, (3) an employee who, within 2 days of receiving official
notice that the qualified member will be on
leave from deployment, provides the employer
with notice of his or her intention to take the
leave provided for; and (4) an employee who
submits written documentation to the employer certifying that the qualified member
will be on leave from deployment during the
time the leave provided for is requested. A
qualified member is defined as a person who
is (1) a member of the Armed Forces of the
United States who, during a period of military
conflict, has been deployed to an area designated as a combat theater or combat zone
by the President of the United States, (2) a
member of the National Guard who has been
deployed during a period of military conflict,
or (3) a member of the Reserves who has been
deployed during a period of military conflict.

Colorado

Whistleblower. Legislation was enacted that
amended the new category of medical professionals to whom whistleblower protections
were extended. Health facilities are prohibited
from discriminating or retaliating against any
of their patients, employees, medical staff, or
other health care workers because that person (1) presented a grievance, complaint, or
report to an entity or agency responsible for
accrediting or evaluating the facility or any
other governmental entity; or (2) initiated,
participated, or cooperated in an investigation
or administrative proceeding related to the
quality of care, services, or conditions pro-

Equal employment opportunity. The category
of employment nondiscriminatory protections in the State was expanded to cover two
additional protection subcategories. Under
State law, it shall be a discriminatory or unfair employment practice for an employer to
refuse to hire, to discharge, to promote or
demote, to harass during the course of employment, or to discriminate in matters of
compensation against any otherwise qualified person because of disability, race, creed,
color, sex, age, national origin, or ancestry.
Sexual orientation and religion were added to
the list of subcategories covered. In addition,
employment agencies are prohibited from
refusing, because of sexual orientation or religion, to list and properly classify an individual
for employment, or to refer an individual for
employment, in a known available job for
which such individual is otherwise qualified.
Finally, it shall also be a discriminatory or unfair employment practice for employers, labor
organizations, joint apprenticeship committees, or vocational schools to act against any
qualified person in pursuit of apprenticeship
programs, or to discriminate against such person, in the terms, conditions, or privileges of
such programs because of sexual orientation
or religion (as well as against qualified persons
in the other subcategories listed).
Immigrant protections. No State agency or
political subdivision shall enter into or renew
a public contract for services with a contractor or subcontractor who knowingly employs
or contracts with an illegal alien to perform
work under the contract. Prior to executing a
public contract for services, each prospective
contractor shall certify that, at the time of the
certification, it does not knowingly employ or
contract with an illegal alien and that it has
participated, or attempted to participate, in the
basic pilot program that confirms the employment eligibility of all employees who are newly
hired for employment in the United States. If
the contractor is not accepted into the basic
pilot program prior to entering into a public
contract for services, the contractor shall apply
to participate in the program every 3 months
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 

State Labor Laws, 2007

until the contractor is accepted or the public contract for services has been completed,
whichever is earlier. This provision shall be
neither required nor effective in a public contract for services if the basic pilot program is
discontinued.
Minimum wage. The State minimum wage
was increased to $6.85 on January 1, 2007.
No more than $3.02 per hour in tip income
may be used to offset the minimum wage of
employees who regularly receive tips. A tipped
employee is defined as an employee who is
engaged in an occupation in which he or she
customarily and regularly receives more than
$30.00 a month in tips.
Wages paid. Employers are required to pay
terminated employees in a timely manner. If
the employer disputes the amount of wages or
compensation claimed by an employee under
the State Revised Statutes, and if, within 14
days after the employee’s demand, the employer makes a legal tender of the amount that
the employer in good faith believes is due, the
employer shall not be liable for any penalty
unless, in a legal action, the employee recovers
a greater amount than the amount tendered.
If, within 14 days of receipt of a demand
for payment, the employer fails to mail an
employee’s earned, vested, and determinable
wages or compensation to the place specified
in the demand, then the employer is liable for
the wages or compensation, together with a
penalty in the sum of the following amounts:
(1) 125 percent of the amount of such wages
or compensation, up to and including $7,500;
and (2) 50 percent of the amount of such
wages or compensation that exceeds $7,500.
If the employee can show that the employer’s
failure to pay was willful, these penalties increase by 50 percent. Evidence of a judgment
against the employer within the last 5 years
for failure to pay wages or compensation shall
be admissible as evidence of willful conduct.
Where an action taken by the employee fails
to recover a greater sum than the amount tendered by the employer, the court may, when
certain conditions are met, award the employer reasonable costs and attorneys’ fees incurred
in such action.
Whistleblower. Patient safety is of paramount
importance in the delivery of health care. Patients are safest when a health-care worker has
the right to speak out on the patient’s behalf
without fear of reprisal or retaliation. Healthcare workers have the right to report patient
safety concerns and to advocate for a patient’s
well-being without the risk of disciplinary action or loss of employment. Many health-care
professions are under existing legal, licensing,
or ethical obligations to report unsafe practices, and it is a violation of public policy for
practitioners in those professions to be fired
10

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

or penalized for fulfilling those obligations.
A new section of an existing statute protects
the health-care worker who makes a goodfaith report or disclosure without malice or
consideration of personal benefit. The healthcare worker is not granted immunity for his
or her own acts of medical negligence or for
unprofessional conduct. Also, the health-care
worker must be sure to follow the procedures
that exist within his or her organization prior
to pursuing any further reporting or disclosure activity.
Worker privacy. The State Revised Statutes
were amended to remove the names of the
county employees and officials from the two
published reports that originally listed the
name, job title, and gross monthly salary of
each employee. The first report was published
in August for the period prior to June of the
same year, and the second report shall be published in February and shall list each employee’s salary for the previous calendar year. Each
publication with information on employees’
salaries shall be accompanied by information
on the countywide average percentage of salary that is paid in fringe benefits, including,
but not limited to, insurance, medical care,
retirement plans, housing, transportation, or
other subsidized employee expenses.
Connecticut
Human trafficking.
The State established
a State Trafficking in Persons Council. The
council’s responsibilities are to (1) hold meetings to provide updates and progress reports,
(2) identify criteria for providing services to
adult victims of trafficking, (3) identify criteria for providing services to children of trafficking victims, and (4) consult with governmental and nongovernmental organizations
in developing recommendations to strengthen
State and local efforts to prevent trafficking,
protect and assist victims of trafficking, and
prosecute traffickers. Trafficking is defined as
all acts involved in the recruitment, abduction,
transport, harboring, transfer, sale, or receipt
of persons, within national or across international borders, through force, coercion, fraud,
or deception, to place persons in situations of
slavery or slaverylike conditions, forced labor,
or forced services, such as forced prostitution
or sexual services, domestic servitude, bonded
slavery labor, or other debt-related bondage.
Delaware
Drug and alcohol testing. Any State Department of Education employee working in the
prison education program and whose permanent work assignment location resides within
or on the campus of a State Department of
Correction Level 5 or Level 4 facility must
submit to the same random drug-testing pro-

cedure required of State Department of Correction employees.
Human trafficking.
The State Code was
amended through the addition of a new section on human trafficking recognizing the
aspects of the crime of human trafficking,
defining prohibited activities, and making it
more likely that the crime will be charged. A
person is guilty of involuntary servitude when
the person knowingly subjects, or attempts
to subject, another person to forced labor or
services by (1) causing or threatening to cause
physical harm (a Class B felony), (2) physically restraining or threatening to physically
restrain the other person (a Class B felony),
(3) abusing or threatening to abuse the law or
legal process (a Class C felony), (4) knowingly
destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating, or possessing any actual or purported
passport or other immigration document, or
other actual or purported government document, of the other person (a Class E felony),
(5) using blackmail, or using or threatening to
cause financial harm or financial control, over
the other person (a Class F felony). A person
is guilty of trafficking of persons for forced labor or services (a Class B felony) when a person knowingly (1) recruits, entices, harbors,
provides, transports, or obtains, by any means,
another person, intending or knowing that
the person will be subjected to forced labor
or services, or (2) profits, in a financial manner or by receiving anything of value, from
participation in a venture that has engaged in
an act that is a violation of the State Code. A
person is guilty of sexual servitude of a minor
when the person knowingly (1) recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains
by any means, a minor under 18 years of age,
knowing that the minor will engage in commercial sexual activity, a sexually explicit performance, or the production of pornography,
or (2) causes a minor to engage in commercial
sexual activity or a sexually explicit performance. Sexual servitude of a minor between the
ages of 14 and 18 is a Class C felony, while
sexual servitude of a minor under 14 years of
age is a Class B felony.
Florida
Drug and alcohol testing. The State Division
of Pari-mutuel Wagering has adopted and
implemented certain rules and procedures that
apply to licensees of slot machine gaming. One
of those rules is that the licensees must implement a drug-testing program for employees
that includes, but is not limited to, requiring
each employee to sign an agreement that he or
she understands that the slot machine facility
is a drug-free workplace. The division may impose a civil fine of up to $5,000 for each violation of the rules and procedures in place under
the State statute affecting gaming.

Minimum wage. As a result of previously
enacted legislation, the State minimum wage
was increased to $6.79 per hour, effective
January 1, 2008.
Worker privacy.
The State statutes were
amended to provide an exemption from the
public records requirements for certain records and time sheets provided to a government agency. Personal identifying information
that is contained in records documenting an
act of domestic violence and that is submitted
to an agency by an agency employee is confidential and exempt from public disclosure.
This exemption applies to records submitted
to an agency that document an act of domestic violence and that are submitted in order to
obtain leave. The release of such information
could expose the victim of domestic violence
to public humiliation and shame and could
allow persons to determine the schedule and
location of the employee who is the victim of
domestic violence. The information is exempt
from release for 1 year after the leave has been
taken by the victim.
Workplace violence. An employer who has 50
or more employees must permit an employee
who has been employed by the employer for
3 or more months to request and take up to 3
working days of leave in any 12-month period
if the employee or a family or household member of the employee is the victim of domestic
violence. At the discretion of the employer,
the leave may be taken with or without pay.
The employee may use the leave to (1) seek an
injunction for protection against domestic violence or an injunction for protection in cases
of repeat violence, dating violence, or sexual
violence, (2) obtain medical care or medical
health counseling, or both, for the employee
or a family or household member in order to
address physical or psychological injuries resulting from an act of domestic violence, (3)
obtain services from a victim-services organization, (4) make the employee’s home secure
from the perpetrator of the domestic violence
or seek new housing to escape the perpetrator, or (5) seek legal assistance in addressing
issues arising from the act of domestic violence, or attend and prepare for court-related
proceedings arising from the act of domestic
violence.
Georgia
Immigrant protections. The portion of the
State Annotated Official Code relating to income taxes was amended. On or after January
1, 2008, no payment, compensation, or other
remuneration, including, but not limited to,
wages, salaries, bonuses, benefits, in-kind
exchanges, expenses, or any other economic
benefit, paid for labor services to an individual
and totaling $600 or more in a taxable year

may be claimed or allowed as a deductible
business expense for State income taxes for
the employment of certain employees. The deduction for a business expense may be claimed
only if such individual is an authorized employee, defined as any individual whose hiring
for employment or continuing employment in
the United States does not violate 8 U.S.C.,
Section 1324a, having to do with the unlawful
employment of aliens.
Inmate labor.
Employers participating in
prison inmate work programs under the State
Code shall be prohibited from providing anything of value to the State Board of Corrections, the State Department of Corrections,
the State Correctional Industries Administration, or any officer or employee thereof, other
than the payments authorized by the State
Code section pertaining to the inmate work
programs.
Hawaii
Drug and alcohol testing. The State Revised
Statutes were amended by modifying the
definitions of two key terms. A substance abuse
onsite screening test is now defined as a portable
substance abuse test that meets the requirements of the United States Food and Drug
Administration for commercial distribution or
is manufactured by a facility that is minimally
certified as meeting the standards established
by the International Organization for Standardization and that may be used by an employer in the workplace. A substance abuse test
is any testing procedure designed to take and
analyze body fluids or other materials from
the body for the purpose of measuring the
amount of drugs, alcohol, or the metabolites
of drugs in the sample test. Every employer
shall administer the test according to the
package insert that accompanies the test. Employers shall have the employee or prospective
employee report, within 4 hours after testing positive, to a laboratory licensed by State
regulation, and the employers are required to
bear the cost of the laboratory testing. Employers are empowered to take punitive action
against any employee who fails to show up for
the laboratory test. All information concerning the substance abuse onsite screening test
shall be strictly confidential. Under certain
circumstances, employers are prohibited from
discharging, suspending, or discriminating
against any employee who tests positive for
the presence of drugs, alcohol, or the metabolites of drugs.
Plant closing. Any employer of an establishment covered by State statute shall provide, to
each employee and the State director of labor
and industrial relations, written notification
of a closing, divestiture, partial closing, or relocation of the business establishment at least

60 days prior to its occurrence. Failure by the
employer to perform such action shall result
in the employer being liable to each affected
employee for an amount equal to backpay and
benefits for the period of violation, but not to
exceed 60 days. This liability may be reduced
by (1) the amount of any wages paid by the
employer during the notification period and
(2) any voluntary and unconditional payment not required by a legal obligation. An
employer of a covered establishment that is
actively seeking a buyer for a sale, transfer, or
merger is not required to provide said notice
until the employer has entered into a binding agreement for the sale, transfer, or merger
of the covered establishment that results in a
divestiture. An employer who fails to provide
such notice shall be subject to a civil fine not
to exceed $500 for each day of the violation.
Prevailing wage. The State Revised Statutes
regarding public works were amended. The issuance of special-purpose revenue bonds for
a public work project not directly caused by
a governmental contracting agency shall be
reported promptly by the director of the State
Department of Budget Finance to the director of the State Department of Labor and
Industrial Relations. When the State Department of Budget and Finance enters into an
agreement with a party to finance or refinance
a project with the proceeds of special-purpose
revenue bonds, and such party has entered into
a collective bargaining agreement with a bona
fide labor union governing the party’s workforce, the terms of that collective bargaining
agreement and associated provisions shall be
deemed the prevailing wages and terms. Those
terms shall serve as the basis of compliance for
work on the project for the party’s workforce,
provided that the enforcement powers of the
director of the State Department of Labor
and Industrial Relations, including the power
to collect and maintain certified copies of all
payrolls, are not adversely affected.
The State requirements for public works
private construction contracts under the State
Revised Statutes were amended. The definition of a public work now shall also include
a construction contract between private persons if more than 50 percent of the assignable
square feet of a project is leased or assigned
for use by the State, by any county, or by any
agency of the State or any county, whether or
not the property is privately owned and (1)
the lease or other agreement is entered into
prior to the contract’s becoming effective or
(2) construction work is performed according
to a plan, specification, or criteria established
by the State, by any county, or by any agency
of the State or any county. The construction
project owner shall submit weekly certified
payrolls to the governmental leasing agency
or the governmental agency that has accepted
the construction project for its use, either of
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 11

State Labor Laws, 2007

which shall be the governmental contracting
agency for the construction project.
Because of an amendment to the State Revised Statutes, a civil action to recover unpaid
wages or overtime compensation may be filed
in any court of competent jurisdiction by any
one or more laborers or mechanics for, and on
behalf of, the worker(s) and others similarly
situated. The employees may file an action
for injunctive and other relief against an employer that fails to pay the prevailing wage to
its employees as required by this statute and
pursuant to the Federal Labor Management
Cooperation Act.
Time off. Under current State law, employees
are entitled to 4 weeks of family leave, which
shall consist of unpaid leave, paid leave, or a
combination of paid leave and unpaid leave.
The law originally permitted either the employer or the employee to decide which type
of leave to apply to a period of family leave. As
now amended, State law leaves the employee
as the only one entitled to make the decision
to take family leave as unpaid leave or to substitute the unpaid leave with accrued vacation,
personal, or paid family leave time. There is,
however, a stipulation: the employee shall not
use more than 10 paid leave days per year for
the purpose of family leave, unless an express
provision of a valid collective bargaining
agreement authorizes the use of more than 10
days of sick leave for such purpose.
Worker privacy. The State Uniform Information Practices Act was amended to specify
that each State agency shall make available,
for public inspection and duplication during
regular business hours, information regarding (1) the name, address, and occupation
of any person borrowing funds from a State
or county loan program and (2) the amount,
purpose, and current status of the loan. Certified payroll records on public works contracts
shall not include Social Security numbers
and home addresses. Information on contract
hires and consultants hired by agencies shall
contain the amount of compensation and the
duration and objectives of the contract, but
not the Social Security numbers or home addresses of the workers or consultants.
Idaho
Minimum wage. The portion of the State
Code concerning the minimum wage was
amended. The amount of the minimum wage
shall now conform to, and track with, the Federal minimum wage. In determining the wages of a tipped employee, the amount of direct
wages paid by an employer to the employee
shall be deemed to be increased on account of
tips actually received by the employee—provided, however, that the direct wages paid to
the employee by the employer shall not be in
12

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

an amount less than $3.35 per hour. If the tips
actually received by the employee, combined
with the direct wages paid by the employer,
do not at least equal the minimum wage, the
employer must make up the difference.
Illinois
Child labor.
The Hazardous Occupations
section of the State Child Labor Law was
amended to include a section which states
that no minor under 16 years of age shall be
employed, permitted, or allowed to work in
occupations that involve the handling or storage of human blood, human blood products,
human body fluids, or human body tissues.
Equal employment opportunity. As the result
of an amendment to the State Human Rights
Act, it will now be considered a civil rights
violation for a public employer to refuse to
temporarily transfer a pregnant peace officer
or firefighter to a less strenuous or hazardous
position for the duration of the pregnancy.
The request must be at the behest of the peace
officer or firefighter acting under the advice
of her physician, and the employer must be
able to reasonably accommodate the request
or transfer.
The State Human Rights Act also was
amended to secure the right of freedom from
sexual harassment in employment in institutions of elementary and secondary education,
in addition to those of higher education. It is
now a civil rights violation for any elementary,
secondary, or higher education representative
to commit or engage in sexual harassment in
elementary, secondary, or higher education.
It is also a civil rights violation to retaliate
against a person because the person has opposed that which he or she reasonably and in
good faith believes to be unlawful discrimination or sexual harassment in elementary,
secondary, or higher education.
The State Civil Rights Act of 2003 now
includes gender among those issues which
cannot be used by any of unit of State, county,
or local government to exclude a person from
participation in, deny a person any benefits of,
or subject a person to discrimination under
any program or activity.
A charge filed with the State Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within
180 days after the date of an alleged civil rights
violation shall be deemed filed with the State
Department of Human Rights on the date it
was filed with the State Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission. The director of the
commission will make a determination regarding substantial evidence, and if it is ruled that
there is insufficient evidence, then the director
shall give the complainant notice of his or her
right to seek review before the commission
or commence a civil action in the appropriate
circuit court. If the complainant chooses to file

a request for review with the commission, the
complainant may not later commence a civil
action in a circuit court. If the complainant
chooses to commence a civil action in a circuit
court, the complainant must do so within 90
days after receipt of the director’s notice. If the
director determines that there is substantial
evidence, the complainant and respondent will
be notified of the determination. If the complainant chooses to have the department file a
complaint with the commission on the complainant’s behalf, then, within 14 days after receipt of the director’s notice, the complainant
must request, in writing, that the department
file the complaint. If the complainant fails to
request, in writing and in a timely manner, that
the department file the complaint, the complainant may commence a civil action only in
the appropriate circuit court. If the complainant chooses to commence a civil action in a
circuit court, the complainant must do so in
the circuit court in the county wherein the
civil rights violation was allegedly committed. If the department has not issued its report
within 365 days after the charge is filed, the
complainant shall have 90 days to either file
his or her own complaint with the commission
or commence a civil action.
All applicants for a position in either the
fire or police department of a municipality in
the State shall be under 35 years of age and
shall be subject to an examination that shall
be public, competitive, and open to all applicants. Reasonable limitations as to residence,
health, habits, and moral character shall apply.
The age limitation does not apply to any person previously employed as a police officer or
firefighter in a regularly constituted police or
fire department of any municipality, regardless of whether the municipality is located in
the State or in another state. Applicants who
are 20 years of age and who have successfully
completed 2 years of law enforcement studies at an accredited college or university may
be considered for appointment to active duty
with the police department, but shall not have
the power of arrest or be permitted to carry
firearms until they have reached 21 years of
age. Applicants who are 18 years of age and
who have successfully completed 2 years of
study in fire techniques, amounting to a total
of four high school credits, within the cadet
program of a municipality may be considered
for appointment to active duty with the fire
department of any municipality in the State.
Independent contractor. The State Employee
Classification Act was amended to address
the practice of misclassifying employees as
independent contractors within the State. The
State Department of Labor shall post a summary of the requirements in English, Spanish,
and Polish on its official Web site and on bulletin boards in each of its offices. The department shall have the power to conduct investi-

gations in connection with the administration
and enforcement of the law on the issue of
employee classification, with the right to
inspect documents related to the determination of whether an individual is an employee.
Employers may be fined up to $1,500 for each
violation of the Act uncovered during a first
audit. Employers found in violation during
subsequent audits conducted within 5 years of
an earlier violation may be fined up to $2,500
for each violation and shall not be awarded
any State contract until 4 years have elapsed
from the date of the last violation. For willful
violations, the civil money penalties assessed
may be double the amount of the usual assessment. Employers found to have committed first-time willful violations are guilty of a
Class C misdemeanor. Employers found guilty
of subsequent willful violations committed
within 5 years of the previous violation have
committed a Class 4 felony. The State Department of Labor, the State Department of
Employment Security, the State Department
of Revenue, and the State Workers’ Compensation Commission shall cooperate by sharing
information concerning any suspected misclassification by an employer or other entity of
one or more of its employees as independent
contractors. These offices and the Office of the
State Comptroller shall be obliged to check
such employer or other entity’s compliance
with the State Employee Classification Act,
which takes effect January 1, 2008.
Minimum wage. The State minimum wage
was increased to $7.50 per hour on July 1,
2007. Further increases are scheduled. The
minimum wage is scheduled to increase to
$7.75 per hour on July 1, 2008, $8.00 per hour
on July 1, 2009, and $8.25 per hour on July
1, 2010.
During the first 90 consecutive calendar
days after an employee who is 18 years of age
or older and whose wages are based upon the
rates described in the preceding paragraph
and have not been reduced from those rates
is initially employed by an employer, the employer may pay the employee a wage that is
not more than 50 cents less than the applicable minimum wage described in the preceding paragraph. In addition, an employer may
pay a day or temporary laborer who is 18 years
of age or older at a rate that is not more than
50 cents less per hour than the applicable
minimum wage if the employment is occasional or irregular and requires no more than
90 days to complete. Also, there shall be no
discrimination between employees on the basis of sex or mental or physical handicap. For
those occupations involving gratuities, each
employer is allowed a tip credit not to exceed
40 percent of the applicable minimum wage.
Finally, no camp counselor who resides on the
premises of a seasonal camp of an organized
not-for-profit corporation shall be subject

to the adult minimum wage if he or she (1)
works 40 or more hours per week and receives
a total weekly salary of not less than the adult
minimum wage for a 40-hour week, (2) is paid
a stipend on a one-time or periodic basis, or
(3) is a minor working with parental consent
that has been received in writing prior to the
commencement of such employment. If the
employment is for less than 40 hours per week,
then the counselor shall be paid the minimum
hourly wage for each hour worked.
Prevailing wage. The State Prevailing Wage
Act was amended to clarify the fact that the
Act applies to the wages of laborers, mechanics, and other workers employed in any public
works, by any public body, and to anyone under
contract for public works. This application of
the Act includes and applies to any maintenance, repair, assembly, or disassembly work
performed on equipment, whether owned,
leased, or rented.
No employee may use, possess, distribute,
deliver, or be under the influence of a drug or
alcohol while performing work on a public
works project. An employee is considered to
be under the influence of alcohol if an analysis
of the alcohol concentration in the employee’s
blood or breath indicates that the concentration is at or above 0.02 percent at the time
of the alleged violation. Before an employer
begins work on a public works project, the
employer shall have in place a written program that meets or exceeds the requirements
of the State Substance Abuse Prevention on
Public Works Projects Act. The program must
be filed with the public body engaged in the
public works and must be made available to
the general public in order to discourage substance abuse among the employer’s employees.
All testing must be performed by a laboratory
that is certified for Federal Workplace Drug
Testing Programs by the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Service Administration of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The employer’s program must include, at
a minimum, (1) a requirement of a nine-panel
urine drug test plus a test for alcohol; (2) a
requirement that employees submit to prehire,
random, reasonable-suspicion, and postaccident drug and alcohol testing (however,
prehire testing of an employee is not required
if the employee has been participating in a
random-testing program during the 90 days
preceding the work commencement date); (3)
a procedure for notifying an employee who
tests positive for the presence of a drug in his
or her system or who refuses to submit to testing; and (4) reasonable-suspicion testing. An
employee who is barred or removed from work
for having tested positive for the presence of a
drug or for refusing to take appropriate drug
tests may return to work after testing negative
in subsequent tests or successfully completing
a rehabilitation program. The employee shall

be reinstated to his or her former employment status if work for which the employee
is qualified exists.
Time off. Upon approval from the employee’s agency, an employee may use (1) up to 30
days of organ donation leave in any 12-month
period to serve as a bone marrow or organ
donor, (2) up to 1 hour or more to donate
blood every 56 days, and (3) up to 2 hours
or more to donate blood platelets. Leave for
platelet donation may not be granted more
than 24 times in a 12-month period. An
employee may not be required to use accumulated sick or vacation leave time before
being eligible for organ donor leave and must
present medical documentation before leave
can be approved.
Upon request, an employee subject to the
State Employee Blood Donation Leave Act
may be entitled to blood donation leave with
pay. An employee may use up to 1 hour, or
more if authorized by the employer or a collective bargaining agreement, to donate blood
every 56 days in accordance with appropriate
medical standards established by the American Red Cross, America’s Blood Centers, the
American Association of Blood Banks, or
any other nationally recognized standard.
Wages paid. An employee may file a complaint
with the State Department of Labor alleging
violations of the State Wage Payment and
Collection Act within 1 year after the wages,
final compensation, or wage supplements
were due. Any employer or agency thereof
who willfully refuses to pay is guilty of a Class
C misdemeanor upon conviction, and each
day during which any violation of the Act
continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. Any employer whom the State
director of labor has demanded, or whom a
court has ordered to pay wages due an employee and who fails to do so within 15 days
after such demand or order is entered shall
be liable to pay a penalty of 1 percent of the
wages due per calendar day to the employee
for each day of delay in paying such wages, up
to an amount equal to twice the sum of unpaid wages due the employee. Such employer
shall also be liable to the State Department of
Labor for 20 percent of such unpaid wages.
Any employer who knowingly discharges or
in any other manner knowingly discriminates
against any employee because that employee
has made a complaint to his employer or the
State Director of Labor is guilty of a Class C
misdemeanor upon conviction.
Workplace violence. A person commits an
aggravated assault when, in committing an
assault, he or she knows the individual assaulted to be a caseworker, an investigator, or
another person employed by the State Department of Healthcare and Family Services
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 13

State Labor Laws, 2007

or the County Department of Public Aid and
is upon the grounds of a public-aid office or
grounds adjacent thereto or is in any part of
a building used for public-aid purposes. If
the caseworker, investigator, or other person
employed and engaged in the business of
the agency is violated upon the grounds of a
home of a public-aid applicant or recipient, or
of any other person being interviewed or investigated in connection with the employee’s
discharge of his or her duties, an assault is also
committed. In addition, an assault is committed if the assailant knowingly accosts a utility
worker while the utility worker is engaged in
the execution of his or her duties or is prevented from performing those duties or if the
attack is in retaliation for the utility worker’s
performing the said duties. This latter category also includes independent contractors
working on behalf of a public utility or telecommunications entity.
Indiana
Minimum wage. The State minimum-wage
law was amended so that, effective June 30,
2007, employers in the State who employ two
or more employees during a workweek were
required to pay wages to the employees of not
less than the minimum wage required under
the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as
amended. This wage requirement does not apply to tipped employees, in relation to which
the employer may claim an allowed tip credit
where appropriate. In addition, the employer
is not required to pay the State minimum
wage for the first 90 days of employment to
employees who have not yet reached 20 years
of age, as long as the rate paid complies with
the rate required for such employees under
the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Time off. A new section was added to the
State Code to highlight the work of the State
wing of the Civil Air Patrol. No member of
the Civil Air Patrol participating in an emergency service operation may be disciplined for
absence from work by any public or private
employer if the member has notified his or
her immediate supervisor in writing that the
person is a member of the Civil Air Patrol.
No action may be taken against the person if
he or she already has reported to work on the
day of the emergency service operation and
secures authorization from the supervisor to
leave the duty station. The commander or any
other officer in charge of the Civil Air Patrol
also must present a written statement to the
member’s immediate supervisor indicating
that the member was engaged in an emergency service operation at the time of his or her
absence from work. A public employer in the
State is in violation of this legislation if the
employer disciplines an employee for missing
work because of the employee’s participation
14  Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

in an emergency service operation. A public
employee may bring a civil action against the
employer in the county of employment in
order to seek back wages, reinstatement to a
former position, fringe benefits wrongly denied or withdrawn, or seniority rights wrongly
denied or withdrawn.
The State Code pertaining to military
service was amended. The code now contains
an exemption from service on any jury in any
court in the State for individuals who serve
on active duty in the Armed Forces of the
United States or the State National Guard.
In addition, military family leave of 10 days
is applicable to employers who employ at least
50 employees for each working day during
each of at least 20 calendar workweeks. To be
eligible, employees must have been employed
by the employer for at least 12 months and
have worked at least 1,500 hours during the
12-month period immediately preceding the
day the leave begins. A covered employee
must be the spouse, parent, grandparent, or
sibling of a person who is ordered to active
duty. The employee is entitled to unpaid leave,
or the employee may opt to use earned paid
vacation leave, personal leave, or other leave;
alternatively, the employer may require that
some such paid leave be utilized.
Wages paid. Every person, firm, corporation,
or association doing business in the State shall
pay each employee at least semimonthly, or biweekly if requested, the amount due the employee. The payment shall be made in lawful
currency of the United States, by negotiable
check, draft, or money order, or by electronic
transfer to a financial institution designated
by the employee. Payment shall be made for
all wages earned up to a date not more than
10 business days prior to the date of payment.
Payments may be made at shorter intervals.
If an employee voluntarily leaves employment, either permanently or temporarily, the
employer shall not be required to pay the employee an amount due until the next usual and
regular day for payment of wages as established by the employer. If an employee leaves
employment voluntarily and without the employer’s knowing the employee’s whereabouts
or address, the employer is not subject to pay
until 10 business days have elapsed after the
employee has made a demand for the wages
due and has furnished the employer with an
address to where the wages may be sent or
forwarded. A business day is any day other
than Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday.
Worker privacy. The categories of public records that may not be disclosed by a public
agency unless access to the records is specifically required by a State or Federal statute or is
ordered by a court under the rules of discovery
have been expanded. The excluded categories
now comprise the name, amount of compen-

sation, job title, business address, business
telephone number, job description, education
and training background, previous work experience, and dates of first employment of a
law enforcement officer who is operating in
an undercover capacity.
Iowa
Drug and alcohol testing. The State amended
its policy for the employer practice of unannounced drug and alcohol testing. Employers
may conduct unannounced drug or alcohol
tests on employees selected from three pools.
The first pool consists of the entire employee
population at a particular worksite of the employer, except for employees not subject to testing pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement, those who are not scheduled to be at
work at the time the testing is to be conducted
because of their status (for example, those on
annual or sick leave and those in training), and
those who have been excused from work pursuant to the employer’s work policy prior to
the time the testing is announced to the employees. The second pool consists of the entire
full-time active employee population at a particular worksite, minus those exempt because
of a collective bargaining agreement, those not
scheduled to be at work at the time testing is
conducted because of their status, and those
who have been excused from work pursuant
to the employer’s work policy. The final pool
consists of all employees at a particular worksite who are in a pool of employees in a safetysensitive position and who are scheduled to be
at work at the time testing is conducted, other
than employees not subject to testing pursuant
to a collective bargaining agreement or employees who are not scheduled to be at work
at the time testing is to be conducted or who
have been excused from work pursuant to the
employer’s work policy prior to the time the
testing is announced to the employees.
Equal employment opportunity. The categories of sexual orientation and gender identity
were added to other discriminatory categories
listed in the State Code. Employers now may
not refuse to hire, accept, register, classify, or
refer for employment any applicant for employment or any employee on the basis of the
person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Nor may employers discharge any employee
or otherwise discriminate in employment
against any applicant for employment or any
employee on the same basis.
Minimum wage. Effective April 1, 2007, the
State minimum wage was increased to $6.20
per hour. A further increase to $7.25 will become effective on January 1, 2008. Employers
may, but are not required to, pay employees
the applicable State minimum wage until the
employee has completed 90 calendar days of

employment with the employer. Employers,
however, are required to pay those same employees an hourly wage of at least $5.30 as of
April 1, 2007, and a rate of at least $6.35 as of
January 1, 2008.
Wages paid. If an employer fails to send an
employee’s wages for direct deposit on or by
the regular payday, the employer is liable for
the amount of any overdraft charge if the
overdraft is created on the employee’s account
because of the employer’s failure to send the
wages on or by the regular payday. The overdraft charges may be a basis for a monetary
claim and for damages under the State Code.
Kansas
Equal employment opportunity. The governor
signed an executive order dedicated to the
principles of freedom and equality among
all of the State’s citizens and declared that all
State entities shall make certain that the following programs are in place: (1) a diversity
management program that includes outreach
recruitment and hiring, support, mentoring,
development, rewards, and recognitions for
achievement, as well as a means of monitoring the effectiveness of the program; (2)
a strong program, including training and a
prompt and confidential method for expressing complaints, prohibiting discrimination
and harassment on account of race, color,
gender, sexual orientation, gender identity,
religion, national origin, ancestry, age, military or veteran status, or disability status, and
(3) a program of awareness regarding legal
protections for persons with disabilities, in
order to allow qualified applicants to apply
for employment and to allow employees with
disabilities to perform the essential functions
of jobs and enjoy the privileges and benefits
of employment.
Wages paid. Employers in the State are now
permitted to designate the method by which
employees receive wages, provided that all
wages are paid by at least one of the following
methods: (1) in lawful money of the United
States; (2) by check or draft negotiable in the
community wherein the place of employment
is located; (3) by the transfer or deposit of
electronic funds to an automated clearinghouse member financial institution account
designated by the employee; (4) by payroll
card. Employers that elect to pay wages by
one of these methods shall offer an alternative
form or payment method as a default option
for employees who fail to designate a financial
institution account for the transfer or deposit
of electronic funds. In addition, employers
that elect to use one of the methods listed
shall allow employees at least one means of
access to their funds per pay period at no cost
to the employee for an amount up to and in-

cluding the total amount of the employee’s net
wages, as stated on the employee’s earnings
statement. Finally, employers may not charge
an employee initiation, loading, or other participation fees to receive wages payable in an
electronic fund transfer to a payroll account,
except for the cost required to replace a lost,
stolen, or damaged payroll card.
Kentucky
Minimum wage. The State minimum wage
was increased to $5.85 per hour in June and
is scheduled for two subsequent increases:
to $6.55 per hour on July 1, 2008, and to
$7.25 per hour on July 1, 2009. If the Federal
minimum wage is increased in excess of the
minimum hourly rate required by State law,
the State minimum wage shall be increased,
on the same date, to the same amount as the
required Federal hourly rate.
Louisiana
Whistleblower. Persons who violate State law
relating to freedom from reprisal against public employees for the disclosure of improper
acts shall be subject to the fines and penalties
provided by State law. If, as a result of a public
hearing, there is a finding of probable cause
to believe that a person has violated such a
criminal law of the State, the finding shall be
forwarded for appropriate action to the district attorney of the parish in which the violation occurred. Each agency head shall ensure
that a notice containing an explanation, in
plain language, of the rights of employees
under State law is posted and maintained at
some convenient and conspicuous location in
each building in which more than 10 public
employees are employed.
Maine
Discharge. Public employers may deduct any
service fees owed by an employee to a collective bargaining agent from the employee’s pay,
without signed authorization from the employee, and remit those fees to the bargaining
agent as long as the fee obligation arises from
a lawfully executed and implemented collective bargaining agreement. In the event that
a fee payor owes any arrears on its fee obligations, the deductions authorized by statute
may include an installment on a payment plan
to reimburse all arrears, but in each pay period
may not exceed 10 percent of the gross pay
owed. Public employees have a right to join
or refrain from joining labor organizations.
Thus, public employers may not require an
employee to become a member of a union, an
employee organization, or a bargaining agent.
Nor may such employers terminate or discipline an employee for not paying union dues
or fees of any type.

Drug and alcohol testing. The State Employment Practices Law regarding testing for
substance abuse among temporary workers
was amended. The use of consent forms is
prohibited. An employer may not require, request, or suggest that any employee or applicant for employment sign or agree to any form
or agreement that attempts to (1) absolve the
employer from any liability that may arise out
of the imposition of the substance abuse test or
(2) waive an employee’s or applicant’s rights, or
eliminate or diminish an employer’s obligation,
under the State Revised Statutes Annotated,
except as provided by State statute. An employment agency, as defined by State statute,
may request a written waiver for a temporary
placement from an individual already in its
employ or on a roster of eligibility, as long as
the client company has an approved substance
abuse testing policy and the individual has not
been assigned work at the client company in
the 30 days previous to the request. The test
must otherwise comply with both State standards and the employment agency’s approved
policy regarding applicant testing. The agency
may not take adverse action against the individual for refusal to sign a waiver.
Family issues. The State expanded the reasons
for which employees may utilize family medical leave. In addition to being permitted to
take family medical leave for the birth of their
own or their spouse’s children, employees may
now take leave for the birth of their domestic partners’ children or for the placement of
children 16 years of age or younger with their
domestic partners in connection with the
adoption of the children by the employees or
their domestic partners. A domestic partner is
defined as an employee’s partner who (1) is a
mentally competent adult; (2) has been legally
domiciled with the employee for at least 12
months; (3) is not legally married to, or legally
separated from, another individual; (4) is the
sole partner of the employee and expects to remain so; and (5) is jointly responsible with the
employee for each other’s common welfare, as
evidenced by a joint living arrangement, joint
financial arrangements, or joint ownership of
real or personal property.
The State Revised Statutes regarding family military leave were amended. Subject to
State requirements, an employer who now
employs 15 or more employees shall provide
each eligible employee up to 15 days of family military leave per deployment if requested
by the employee. Such family military leave
authorized under the statute may be taken
only within one or more of the following
timeframes: (1) the 15 days immediately prior
to deployment, (2) deployment if the military
member is granted leave, and (3) the 15 days
immediately following deployment. Family
military leave granted under the statute may
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 15

State Labor Laws, 2007

consist of unpaid leave. In addition, the employee is entitled to military leave upon the
death or incurrence of a serious health condition of the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, parent, or child if the spouse, domestic
partner, parent, or child, as a member of the
State military forces or the U.S. Armed Forces,
including the National Guard and Reserves,
dies or incurs the serious health condition
while on active duty. Finally, the definition
of an employer, as amended, now no longer
includes an independent contractor.
The State’s Family Medical Leave Law
was amended to provide for intermittent
leave, as is provided under the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act. The 10 weeks of
family medical leave that qualified employees
are entitled to in any 2 years no longer has to
be used consecutively. Family medical leave on
an intermittent or reduced schedule may be
taken, subject to some limitations, such as an
agreement reached by the employer and the
employee and medical necessity.
Minimum wage. Because of previously passed
legislation, the State minimum wage was increased to $7.00 per hour on October 1.
The coverage portion of the State Minimum Wage Act, as it pertains to domestic
workers, was amended. Coverage now extends
to an individual employed in domestic service
in or about a private home and engaged directly by the resident or owner of the home or
the family of the resident or homeowner.
A service employee is now defined to mean
any employee engaged in an occupation in
which the employee customarily and regularly
receives more than $30.00 a month in tips.
Among such employees are waiters, waitresses, bellhops, counter personnel, and bartenders who serve customers. The tips received by
a service employee become the property of
the employee and may not be shared with the
employer. Service employees may volunteer
to pool their tips to be split evenly among
themselves and other service employees or
may volunteer to share a part of their tips with
other employees who do not generally receive
tips directly from the customers. Tips that are
automatically included in the customer’s bill
or that are charged to a credit card must be
given to the service employee, except that if
the employer must pay the credit card company a percentage on each sale, the employer
may deduct from the employee’s tip a proportion of the credit card charge that is the same
proportion that the tip is to the total bill. A tip
that is charged to a credit card must be paid
by the employer to the employee by the next
regular payday and may not be held while the
employer is awaiting reimbursement from a
credit card company.
Overtime. The State labor laws regarding automobile dealerships were amended. An auto16  Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

mobile salesperson is defined as a person who
is engaged primarily in selling automobiles
or trucks as an employee of an establishment
engaged primarily in the business of selling
those vehicles to the ultimate purchaser. The
term “automobile salesperson” now includes a
person who is engaged primarily in assisting
in the financing and providing of insurance
products to the ultimate purchaser. An automobile service writer has been newly defined
as a person employed for the purpose of, and
engaged primarily in, receiving, analyzing,
and referencing requests for service, repair,
or analysis of motor vehicles as an employee
of an establishment engaged primarily in the
business of selling automobiles or trucks to
the ultimate purchaser, except that the term
“automobile service writer” does not include
an employee who is paid on an hourly basis.
Plant closing. Employers or persons proposing
to terminate or to relocate an establishment
covered by State statute outside the State shall
notify employees and municipal officers of the
municipality in which the plant is located,
in writing, not less than 60 days prior to the
termination or relocation. Persons breaching
this requirement commit a civil violation for
which a fine of not more than $500 may be
adjudged, except that a fine is not adjudged if
the relocation is necessitated by a physical calamity or if the failure to give notice is due to
unforeseen circumstances. Persons violating
sections of the State statutes regarding plant
closings, with the exception of the circumstances just discussed, commit a civil violation
for which a fine of not more than $1,000 per
violation may be adjudged. Each employee affected constitutes a separate violation.
Maryland
Human trafficking. The State statutes dealing with human trafficking and servitude were
amended to include extortion. A person may
not obtain, attempt to obtain, or conspire to
obtain money, property, labor, services, or anything of value from another person with the
person’s consent if the consent is induced by
the wrongful use of actual or threatened (1)
force or violence; (2) economic injury; or (3)
destruction, concealment, removal, confiscation, or possession of any immigration or government identification document with intent
to harm the immigration status of either the
person in question or another person. If the
value of the property, labor, or services is $500
or more, then the person who violates this
section of the statutes is guilty of the felony
of extortion and, upon conviction, is subject
to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years, or
a fine of $5,000, or both. If the value of the
property, labor, or services is less than $500,
then the person who violates this section of
the statutes is guilty of the misdemeanor of

extortion and, upon conviction, is subject to
imprisonment not exceeding 18 months, or
a fine not exceeding $500, or both. A person
seeking to extort money, property, labor, services, or anything of value from someone may
not falsely accuse, or threaten to falsely accuse,
that person or another person of a crime or
of anything that, if the accusation were true,
would tend to bring either of the latter individuals in contempt or disrepute. A person
who violates this section of the statutes is
guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction,
is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10
years, or a fine not exceeding $10,000, or both.
Parents, guardians, or persons who have permanent or temporary care, custody, or responsibility for the supervision of another may not
consent to the taking or detention of the other
for prostitution. Persons found guilty of such
actions are guilty of human trafficking and,
upon conviction, are subject to imprisonment
not exceeding 10 years, or a fine of $5,000,
or both. If the victim of the trafficking is a
minor, the person who is convicted is guilty
of a felony and, upon conviction, is subject
to imprisonment not exceeding 25 years, or a
fine of $15,000, or both.
Living wage. The State enacted a new law
requiring that a living wage be applied to all
employees working on State procurement
contracts. The law requires contractors or
subcontractors that employ more than 10 employees and that have a contract for $100,000
or more to comply with the requirements of
the State Living Wage Law. The law does not
apply to employers who employ 10 or fewer
employees and who have a State contract for
services valued at less than $500,000. The law
does apply to employees of covered employers
for the duration of the contract if at least onehalf of the employees’ time during any workweek relates to a State contract for services or a
subcontract for services under a State contract.
The employees must be paid at least $11.30
per hour if the State contract services are valued at 50 percent or more of the total value of
the contract and are performed in Montgomery, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, Howard,
or Baltimore counties or in Baltimore city.
If the employees are performing the work in
the State, but outside of these locales, the employees must be paid at least $8.50 per hour.
The commissioner of the State Department of
Labor is required to assess the appropriateness
of the measures used to adjust the wage rates
every 3 years.
Offsite work. The State Department of Transportation has implemented the Telework
Partnership with Employers Initiative by collaborating with several State agencies to allow
employees to work outside the traditional environment, either at home or in a satellite office. Telework affords employees flexible work

arrangements and reduced commuting costs,
with an eye toward providing for a better
work-family balance, reduced stress, improved
job satisfaction, and reduced travel time and
expense. On or before December 31, 2007,
the State Department of Transportation shall
evaluate the State Department’s Telework
Partnership with Employers Initiative and issue a report of its findings and recommendations regarding the initiative to the governor.
Massachusetts
Child labor. A person shall not employ a child
or permit a child to work in, about, or in connection with any establishment or occupation
before 6:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m., except
as an operator in a regular-service telephone
exchange or a telegraph office until, but not
after, 11:00 p.m. A child 16 years of age or
older may be employed until, but not after,
11:30 p.m. on any night other than a night
preceding a regularly scheduled schoolday. In
addition, a child 16 years of age or older may
be employed in a restaurant or racetrack until,
but not after, 12 midnight on any night other
than a night preceding a regularly scheduled
schoolday. An establishment that stops serving clients or customers at 10:00 p.m. may
employ a child until, but not after, 10:15 p.m.
A child employed after 8:00 p.m. must be
under the direct and immediate supervision
of an adult acting in a supervisory capacity
who is situated in the workplace and is reasonably accessible to the child. This stipulation does not apply to a child employed at a
kiosk, cart, or stand located within the common areas of an enclosed shopping mall that
employs security personnel every night from
8:00 p.m. until the mall is closed to the public. Whoever employs or permits any minor
to work contrary to the preceding legislative
requirements shall be punished by a fine of
not less than $500 or more than $5,000, or
by imprisonment of not more than 1 month,
or both. As an alternative to initiating criminal proceedings to enforce any violation of
the statute, the State attorney general may
issue a written warning or citation and may
impose a separate civil money penalty of not
more than $250 for the first violation, not
more than $500 for the second violation, and
not more than $2,500 for the third and each
subsequent violation. If said person employing such a minor has been notified in writing
by any authorized inspector or supervisor,
the violations shall be considered to constitute a separate offense for every day during
which the employment continues. If a minor
16 years of age or older fails to meet the requirements for completion of the sixth grade,
a person shall not employ that minor while
a public evening school is maintained in the
town where the minor resides or is employed
if said minor is authorized to attend a public

evening school. If the minor regularly attends
the evening school or a day school, then each
week the minor must present his or her employer with a school record demonstrating
proper attendance. When the record shows
unexcused absences, the minor’s attendance
shall be deemed irregular and insufficient.
Appropriate teachers or authorized persons
who issue permits may excuse justifiable absence or waive the school attendance requirements if the physical or mental condition of
the minor is such as to render his or her attendance at school harmful or impracticable.
Independent contractor. By Executive order
of the State Governor, it shall be the policy
of all agencies in the Executive Branch of the
State government to prohibit the use of undocumented workers in connection with the
performance of State contracts. As a condition of receiving Commonwealth funds,
all contracts entered into by the executive
branch shall require the associated contractors to certify that they shall not knowingly
use undocumented workers in connection
with the performance of the contract and
that they shall verify the immigration status
of all workers assigned to the contract without engaging in unlawful discrimination. The
employer further shall not recklessly alter,
falsify, or accept altered or falsified documents from any such worker. All contracts
shall specify that a breach of any of the terms
of this Executive order during the period of
the contract may be regarded as a material
breach subjecting the contractor to sanctions
including, but not limited to, monetary penalties, withholding of payments, or suspension or termination of the contract.
Michigan
Minimum wage. The State minimum wage
was increased to $7.15 per hour on July 1,
2007.
Minnesota
Overtime. The commissioner of the State
Department of Labor and Industry may issue an order requiring an employer to comply
with the State statute prohibiting the employer from taking action against a nurse solely
on the grounds that the nurse fails to accept
an assignment of additional consecutive work
hours in excess of a normal work period at the
facility at which the nurse is employed. The
nurse may decline to perform the additional
work because doing so may, in the nurse’s
judgment, jeopardize patient safety. Notwithstanding the prohibition, the nurse may be
scheduled for duty or required to continue on
duty for more than one normal work period
in an emergency. The prohibition does not apply to a nursing facility, an intermediate-care

facility, any persons with developmental disabilities, a licensed boarding-care facility, or a
“Housing with Services Establishment.”2
Other laws. Upon the hiring of a job applicant, an employer is required to provide the
applicant with written notice of the rights and
remedies afforded employees by State law.
Missouri
Discharge. Any employer in the State that is
found, in any State court or in any U.S. district
court located in the State, to have terminated,
demoted, or taken an adverse employment
action toward a veteran of the war on terror
during his or her deployment shall be subject
to an administrative penalty in the amount of
$35,000 when certain conditions are met. The
director of the State Division of Employment
Security shall take judicial notice of judgments
in suits brought under the Uniformed Services
Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.
Time off. No public or private employer shall
terminate an employee for joining, as a volunteer firefighter, any fire department or fire protection district, including, but not limited to,
any municipal, volunteer, rural, or subscription
fire department or organization, volunteer fire
protection association, State Disaster Medical Assistance Team, State Task Force One, or
Urban Search and Rescue Team. No public or
private employer shall terminate an employee
who is a volunteer firefighter or a member of
any of the aforementioned agencies and who
is absent from, or late to, his or her employment in order to respond to an emergency
that arises before the time the employee is to
report to his or her place of employment. An
employer may charge, against an employee’s
regular pay, any time that the employee loses
from employment because of the employee’s
response to an emergency in the course of
performing his or her duties as a volunteer
firefighter or member of any of the aforementioned agencies. The employer may request
the employee to provide a written statement
from the supervisor or acting supervisor of
the volunteer fire department, or any of the
other aforementioned agencies, stating that
the employee responded to an emergency and
citing the time and date of the emergency.
Montana
Minimum wage. State law now requires that
the State minimum wage of $6.15 per hour
exclude both the value of tips received by
the employee and the special provisions for a
training wage. In addition, the minimum wage
is now subject to the following annual costof-living adjustment: no later than September
30 of each year, an adjustment of the wage
amount specified in the first sentence of this
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 17

State Labor Laws, 2007

section shall be based upon the increase, if any,
from August of the preceding year to August
of the year in which the calculation is made,
in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban
Consumers, U.S. city average, for all items, as
published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
of the U.S. Department of Labor. The wage
amount established by means of this formula,
rounded to the nearest 5 cents, becomes effective on January 1 of the following year.
Offsite work. A joint resolution of the State
Senate and House of Representatives urged
the executive and judicial branches of the
State to implement telecommuting policies
within those branches’ agencies, identifying
functions that may be performed by employees who work offsite, adopting policies and
procedures, and implementing strategies for
the policy initiatives. Offsite work is seen as a
means of reducing energy usage, the Nation’s
dependency on foreign oil, and funding for terrorists and as a means of improving highway
safety by reducing traffic. Further, telecommuting has been shown to increase worker
productivity, improve retention of employees,
and bring efficiency to the use of employer
assets. Another benefit of such a policy is a
reduction in the number of children without
parents at home.
Time off. An employee who terminates employment for a reason not reflecting discredit
upon him- or herself is entitled, upon the
date of termination, to cash compensation
for unused vacation leave, assuming that the
employee has worked the qualifying period.
Vacation leave contributed to the sick leave
fund is nonrefundable and is not eligible for
cash compensation upon termination. An employee may contribute accumulated vacation
leave to a nonrefundable sick leave fund. In
consultation with the State employee group
benefits council, the State Department of Administration shall adopt rules for implementing such a policy.
Nebraska
Time off. The State legislature enacted the
Family Military Leave Act, under whose
authority and requirements any employer
that employs between 15 and 50 employees
shall provide up to 15 days of unpaid family
military leave to an employee during the time
Federal or State deployment orders pertaining
to that employee are in effect. If the employer
employs more than 50 employees, then the
employer shall provide up to 30 days of unpaid family military leave. The employee shall
give at least 14 days’ notice of the intended
date upon which the family military leave will
commence if the leave will consist of 5 or more
consecutive workdays. Employees taking family military leave for fewer than 5 consecutive
18

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

days shall give the employer as much advance
notice thereof as is practicable. The employer
may require certification from the proper
military authority to verify the employee’s eligibility. Any employee who exercises the right
to family military leave shall, upon expiration
of the leave, be entitled to be restored to the
position held by the employee when the leave
began or to a position with equivalent seniority status, benefits, pay, and other terms and
conditions of employment. This stipulation
does not apply to an employee who has not
been so restored if the employer proves that
the employee was not restored because of conditions unrelated to the employee’s exercise of
his or her rights under the Act.
Wages paid. The section of the State Wage
Payment and Collection Act concerned with
commissions was amended. Paid leave, other
than earned but unused vacation leave, provided as a fringe benefit by the employer shall
not be included in the wages due and payable
at the time of separation, unless the employer
and the employee (or the employer and the
collective bargaining representative) have specifically agreed otherwise. In addition, wages
include commissions on all orders delivered
and on all orders on file with the employer at
the time of separation, less the dollar amount
for any returned or canceled orders. Whenever
an employer separates an employee from the
payroll, the unpaid wages constituting commissions shall become due on the next regular
payday following the employer’s receipt of
payment for the goods or services from the
customer from which the commission was
generated. The employer shall provide the
employee a periodic accounting of outstanding commissions until all commissions have
been paid or the orders have been returned or
canceled by the customer. If an employee establishes a claim for unpaid wages and secures
judgment on such claim, an amount equal to
the judgment may be recovered from the employer. If the nonpayment of wages is found
to be willful, an amount equal to 2 times the
amount of unpaid wages shall be recovered
from the employer and shall be remitted to
the State treasurer for distribution.
Worker privacy. The State Revised Statutes
Cumulative Supplement concerning information that may be withheld from release to the
public by the lawful custodian of the records,
unless publicly disclosed in an open court,
open administrative proceeding, or open
meeting, or disclosed by a public entity pursuant to its duties, was amended in order to include an additional category of materials that
may be withheld from release. Job application
materials submitted by applicants, other than
finalists who have applied for employment
by any public body, may be withheld from
release. Job application materials are defined

as applications, resumes, reference letters,
and school transcripts. A finalist (1) is any
applicant who reaches the final pool of applicants, numbering four or more, from which
the successful applicant is to be selected, (2)
is an original applicant when the final pool
of applicants numbers fewer than four, or (3)
is an original applicant among four or fewer
original applicants.
Legislation was enacted that established
the State Credit Report Protection Act. The
Act excludes the release of data to certain
Federal, State, and local government entities
and stipulates that employers shall not publicly post or publicly display, in any manner,
more than the last four digits of an employee’s
Social Security number. Specifically proscribed by the Act is intentionally communicating more than the last four digits of the
Social Security number or otherwise making
available more than the last four digits to the
general public or to an employee’s coworkers.
Nor may employers require an employee to (1)
transmit more than the last four digits over
the Internet, unless the connection is secure
or the information is encrypted; (2) use more
than the last four digits to access an Internet
Web site, unless a password, unique personal
identification number, or other identification
device is also required for access; or (3) use the
last four digits as an employee number for any
type of employment-related activity.
Nevada
Hours worked. The State has revised the definition of “intrastate driver.” Under the State
Revised Statutes, the term now excludes drivers who work for a public utility. In addition,
the exemption for commercial intrastate drivers from the hours-of-service limitations in
certain emergencies was repealed.
Minimum wage. As a result of a ballot measure vote, the State minimum wage was increased on November 28, 2006, to $6.15 per
hour if the employer does not provide health
benefits or $5.15 per hour if the employer
provides health benefits at a total cost for
premiums to the employee of not more than
10 percent of the employee’s gross taxable income from the employer. A 2007 amendment
to State law now requires that these wage
rates be adjusted by the amount of increases
in the Federal minimum wage that exceed
$5.15 per hour or, if greater than $5.15 per
hour, by the cumulative increase in the cost
of living. The increase in the cost of living
shall be measured by the percent increase as
of December 31 in any year, over the level as
of December 31, 2004, of the Consumer Price
Index, as published by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, or of the successor index of that
same Federal agency. No Consumer Price
Index adjustment for any 1-year period may

be greater than 3 percent. Tips or gratuities
received by employees shall not be credited as
being any part of, or offset against, the wage
rates required by the State law.
Because of previously passed legislation
calling for increases in the cost of living, the
minimum wage in the State was increased to
$6.33 per hour for employees without a qualified health plan as defined by the State. For
those employees whose employer has offered
them a qualified health plan, the basic hourly
rate is set at $5.30 per hour.
With regard to State statutes and State
constitutional provisions governing the minimum wage paid to an employee, two types of
relationships do not constitute employment
relationships and are therefore not subject
to those minimum-wage provisions. The first
type is a relationship between a rehabilitation
facility or workshop established by the State
Department of Employment, Training, and
Rehabilitation under the statutes and a handicapped individual participating in a training
or rehabilitative program of such a facility or
workshop. The second type is the relationship
between a community-based training center
that has been issued a certificate of qualification by the State Department of Health and
Human Services, Division of Mental Health
and Developmental Services, and an enrollee
participating in a training or rehabilitative
program of such a center.
Time off. The issue of employees having
to use leave to serve time on jury duty was
amended in the State Revised Statutes. If a
person is summoned to appear for jury duty,
the employer and any employee, agent, or officer of the employer shall not, as a consequence
of the person’s service as a juror or prospective
juror, require the employee to use sick leave or
vacation time. Nor shall the employer require
the employee to work (1) within 8 hours before the time at which the employee is to appear for jury duty or (2) between 5 p.m. on the
day of the employee’s appearance for jury duty
and 3 a.m. the following day if the employee’s
service has lasted for 4 or more hours (including the time taken to go to and return from
the place where court is held) on the day of
his or her appearance for jury duty. Persons
who violate these revised statutes are guilty of
a misdemeanor.
Worker privacy. The exceptions that authorize
the release of the home address of a peace officer by a law enforcement agency in certain circumstances were amended. The home address
of a peace officer may be released if the officer
has been arrested and the home address is included in any of the following: (1) a report of
a 911 call; (2) a police report, an investigative
report, or a complaint that a person has filed
with a law enforcement agency; (3) a statement made by a witness; (4) a report prepared

pursuant to specific State Revised Statutes by
an agency that provides child welfare services
when such report details a plan for the placement of a child.
The destination for the release of information about past and present employees by
both public and private employers is no longer
restricted to a law enforcement agency. The
information may now be released to a public
safety agency if the past or present employee
is an applicant for the position of either firefighter or peace officer.
New Hampshire
Child labor. No youth 16 or 17 years of age,
except such a youth who has graduated from
high school or obtained a general equivalency
diploma, shall be employed by an employer,
unless the employer obtains and maintains
on file a signed, written document from the
youth’s parent or legal guardian permitting
the youth’s employment. Employers who violate this requirement may be fined an amount
not to exceed $2,500 for each violation.
Minimum wage. The State minimum wage
was increased to $6.50 per hour on September
1, 2007. The rate is scheduled for a subsequent
increase, to $7.25 per hour, on September 1,
2008. If, at any time, the Federal minimumwage rate is higher than the State minimumwage rate, then the employer shall pay the
greater rate. Employees of a restaurant, hotel,
motel, inn, or cabin who customarily and
regularly receive tips must now earn at least
$30 per month to be considered a tipped employee. Employers of tipped employees must
pay the employees at least 45 percent of the
applicable minimum wage.
Overtime. Legislation was enacted regulating
mandatory overtime for nurses and assistants
and providing penalties for violations thereof.
With certain exceptions, a registered nurse,
licensed practical nurse, or licensed nursing
assistant licensed under State statutes shall
not be disciplined or lose any right, benefit,
or privilege for refusing to work more than
12 consecutive hours. The exceptions are
(1) nurses participating in surgery, until the
surgery is completed; (2) nurses working in
critical care units, until another employee
beginning a scheduled work shift relieves the
nurse; (3) nurses working in home health care
settings, until another qualified nurse or customary caregiver relieves the nurse; (4) nurses
working to meet a public health emergency;
and (5) nurses covered by collective bargaining agreements containing provisions addressing the issue of mandatory overtime. A
nurse may be disciplined for refusing to work
mandatory overtime in any of the preceding
five situations. Any nurse who is mandated
to work more than 12 consecutive hours, as

permitted by the statute, shall be allowed at
least 8 consecutive hours of off-duty time
immediately following the overtime hours
worked. Employers who willfully violate State
statutes regarding this issue shall be subject to
civil penalties.
Wages paid. The list of reasons for which
employers are authorized to withhold wages
was expanded. Employers are required or authorized, by State or Federal law, to withhold
wages for the purpose of paying payroll taxes;
paying union dues; making health welfare,
pension, and apprenticeship contributions;
making voluntary contributions to charities;
paying for housing and utilities; paying into
savings funds held by someone other than
the employer; paying voluntary rental fees for
nonrequired clothing; paying for voluntary
cleaning of uniforms and nonrequired clothing; paying for the employee’s use of a vehicle
under State statutes; paying for medical, surgical, hospital, or other group insurance benefits without financial advantage to the employer when the employee has given his or her
written authorization and deductions are duly
recorded; and paying for required clothing not
covered by the definition of a uniform.
Employers in the State are now permitted
to pay employees by payroll card. In doing
so, the employer shall provide the employee
at least one free means of withdrawing up to,
and including, the full amount of the balance
in the employee’s payroll card or payroll card
account during each pay period at a financial
institution or other location convenient to the
place of employment. None of the employer’s
costs associated with a payroll card or payroll
card account shall be passed on to the employee. Employers may initiate payment of wages
to an employee by electronic fund transfer to
a payroll card account only after the employee
has voluntarily consented in writing to that
method of payment. Consent to payment of
wages by electronic fund transfer to a payroll
card account shall not be a condition of either
hiring or continued employment. The written
consent signed by the employee shall include
the terms and conditions of the payroll card
option. Employers also must offer the employee the option to discontinue receipt of
wages by a payroll card or payroll card account
at any time, without penalty to the employee.
Worker privacy. The commissioner of the
State Department of Employment Security
may enter into a reciprocal electronic dataexchange agreement with the Social Security
Administration. The exchange of such information is permitted so long as the information is limited to detecting and preventing
fraud, waste, and abuse in Social Security Administration programs and in the entitlement,
eligibility, and benefit payment amounts of
individuals under specific titles of the Social
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 19

State Labor Laws, 2007

Security Act. Authorized Federal employees
shall be granted access by State statute on a
case-by-case basis. The information shall be
provided only upon a finding by the commissioner that sufficient guarantees of continued
confidentiality are in place.
New Jersey
Employment agencies. Legislation was enacted
that regulates the use of certain transportation
services utilized in connection with the placement of individuals in employment by temporary-service firms. The legislation requires
employees to obtain transportation services
to get to or from the site of work. When the
firm provides transportation services with any
vehicle owned, leased, or otherwise under its
control, the firm is responsible for compliance
with the relevant laws regarding the vehicle
and its use and with recordkeeping as required
by the attorney general. If the firm does not
provide transportation services, but refers,
directs, or requires the individuals to use any
other provider of transportation services, or
offers no practical alternative to the use of the
services of the provider, the firm is required
to obtain and keep on file documentation
that each provider is in compliance with the
relevant laws. Such firms may not require the
individuals to use transportation provided by
the firm or another provider of transportation
services if those individuals have other transportation available. Firms failing to comply
with this legislation on more than one occasion may have their registration as a temporary-help service firm suspended or revoked
by the State attorney general. This regulatory
requirement does not apply (1) if the firm
requires the employees to use their own vehicles or other transportation of their choice
to and from work or (2) if public transportation is available at the times needed and the
firm permits the employees to use the public
transportation.
Prevailing wage. The prohibition against any
contractor or subcontractor who has been
debarred from public work due to violations
of the prevailing-wage law by having used a
firm, corporation, or partnership in which the
contractor had an interest has been strengthened by legislation. The legislation provides
that when certain conditions are met, a rebuttable presumption may arise asserting that a
contractor or subcontractor who is debarred
from prevailing-wage work has an interest in
another firm, corporation, or partnership. The
presumption shifts the burden of proof from
the State Department of Labor and Workforce
Development to the individual contractor to
prove otherwise under certain circumstances.
The department is permitted to immediately
suspend a contractor’s registration prior to a
formal hearing on the matter if the director of
20

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

the State Division of Wage and Hour Compliance determines that an immediate suspension is in the public interest. The contractor
must be afforded an opportunity to contest
the immediate suspension.
The State requirements for prevailing
wages to be paid for construction work on
State-owned properties were amended. Every contract in excess of the prevailing-wage
contract threshold amount for any public
work to which any public body is a party, or
for public work to be done on property or
premises owned by, leased to, or leased by a
public body, shall contain a provision stating
the prevailing-wage rate that can be paid to
the workers employed in performance of the
contract. Such a contract shall also contain
a provision whereby, if it is found that any
worker employed by the contractor or any
subcontractor covered by such contract, then
the public body, the lessee to whom the public
body is leasing a property or premises, or the
lessor from whom the public body is leasing
or will be leasing a property or premises may
terminate the contractor’s or subcontractor’s
right to proceed with the work. The contractor
and his or her sureties shall be liable for any
excess costs occasioned thereby to the public
body, to any lessee to whom the public body is
leasing a property or premises, or to any lessor
from whom the public body is leasing or will
be leasing a property or premises.
Employers in the construction industry
who improperly classify employees as independent contractors not only deprive these
workers of Social Security and other benefits
while reducing the employers’ State and Federal tax withholdings and related obligations,
but also make other businesses bear higher
costs for complying with employment law at
a competitive disadvantage. Accordingly, an
employer, or any officer, agent, superintendent, foreman, or employee of the employer,
who fails to properly classify an individual as
an employee for purposes of the State Prevailing Wage Act and other State statutes, and
who fails to pay wages, benefits, taxes, or other
contributions required by those acts, shall
be guilty of a disorderly person’s offense and
shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than
$100 or more than $1,000, or be imprisoned
for not less than 10 or more than 90 days, or
both. Each week during any day of which an
employee is misclassified, and each employee
so misclassified, shall constitute a separate offense. Any knowing violation is a crime of the
second degree if the contract is for $75,000
or more, a crime of the third degree if the
contract is between $2,500 and $75,000, and
a crime of the fourth degree if the contract
is for $2,500 or less. Any violation, even if
not done knowingly or willfully, renders the
violator guilty of a disorderly person’s offense
and may, in addition, subject the violator to
administrative penalties for up to $2,500 for a

first violation and up to $5,000 for each subsequent violation.
Wages paid. State legislation was enacted that
made it an unlawful practice for a temporaryhelp service firm to willfully withhold or divert
wages for any purpose not expressly permitted
by statute. In addition to imposing a fine or
a penalty, the attorney general may refuse to
issue or renew, and may suspend or revoke, a
firm’s registration to operate as a temporaryhelp service firm. No refusal, suspension, or
revocation shall be made, except upon reasonable notice to, and the opportunity to be heard
by, the applicant or registrant.
Workplace security. The State Department of
Law and Public Safety shall perform criminal history record background checks on any
applicants employed by, or applicants to be
employed by, independent contractors in a
critical position at a designated facility. The
State attorney general, in consultation with
the State director of the Office of Homeland
Security and Preparedness, the State commissioner of environmental protection, and
industry representatives, shall determine the
titles and qualifications for all positions that
shall be designated as critical positions. The
department shall perform a thorough identity
verification check on these applicants, to include, at a minimum, a credit investigation, an
examination of the applicant’s Social Security
number to detect informational inconsistencies, and a cross-referencing of all applicants
against appropriate law enforcement advisories and terror watch lists. The information
obtained cannot be released to any noncriminal justice agency, unless authorized by
the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Criminal
history background checks and all identity
verification checks shall be repeated for previously qualified employees at least once every 5
years, for as long as they are employed by an
independent contractor in a critical position.
New Mexico
Child labor. A child under the age of 16 may
be employed without obtaining a work permit
and without any restrictions on the age of the
child or time of employment if the child is
employed by a parent in an occupation other
than manufacturing, mining, or any other occupation found to be particularly hazardous
or detrimental to the health of the child; or
is employed as an actor or performer in motion picture, theatrical, radio, or television
productions; or is employed to sell or deliver
newspapers, with the parent’s consent, during
the school term or during vacation. The child
must be attending school as required and may
not engage in such employment except at
times when he or she is not required at school.
The employer of a child employed in one of

the aforementioned activities is not required
to obtain and preserve a work permit in accordance with other sections of the Child
Labor Act. A performer under 18 years of age
who is participating in the performing arts,
including motion picture, theatrical, radio, or
television products, is considered a child subject to the State Child Labor Act, unless the
performer (1) has satisfied the compulsory
education laws of the State, (2) is married,
(3) is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces,
or (4) is legally emancipated. Such child may
not begin work earlier than 5:00 a.m., and the
workday must end no later than 10:00 p.m.
on evenings preceding school days and 12:00
a.m. on mornings of nonschool days. A child
performer’s working hours are restricted as
follows: under 6 years of age, the child shall
work for no more than 6 hours in 1 day; over
6 years of age and under 9 years of age, the
child shall work for no more than 8 hours in
1 day; (c) over 9 years of age and under 16
years of age, the child shall not work for no
more than 9 hours in 1 day; and (d) between
16 years of age and under 18 years of age, the
child shall work for no more than 10 hours in
1 day. No child under 14 years of age shall be
employed or permitted to labor at any gainful occupation unless otherwise provided for
in the Child Labor Act. No child over 14
years of age and under 16 years of age shall be
employed or permitted to labor at any gainful occupation without procuring and filing a
work permit, unless otherwise provided for in
the Child Labor Act. Employers who employ
a child in violation of the State Child Labor
Act are guilty of a petty misdemeanor for a
first violation and a misdemeanor for second
or subsequent convictions.
Drug and alcohol testing. A new section was
added to the State Motor Carrier Safety Act.
A motor carrier (a vehicle that carries freight
or passengers) is now required to have an inhouse drug and alcohol testing program or
be a member of a consortium which provides
testing that meets Federal requirements. At
the time of registration or renewal of registration of a commercial motor vehicle, a motor
carrier shall certify to the State Department
of Motor Vehicles and to the Motor Vehicle
Division of the State Taxation and Revenue
Department that the motor carrier is in compliance with the testing protocol. If the motor carrier is a member of a consortium, the
carrier shall provide the names of the persons
who operate the consortium. When a medical
review officer of either the motor carrier’s or
the consortium’s testing program determines
that a positive test result is valid, the officer
shall report the findings to the Motor Vehicle
Division of the State Taxation and Revenue
Department. The division shall then enter the
positive test results into the commercial driver’s license information system pursuant to

the State Commercial Driver’s License Act.
Minimum wage.
Legislation was enacted
that increased the State minimum wage in
two stages. The first increase, effective January
1, 2008, raises the minimum wage to $6.50
per hour. The second increase, effective on
January 1, 2009, raises the minimum wage to
$7.50 per hour. Tipped employees must still
receive at least $2.13 per hour in cash wages.
Employers may consider tips as part of wages,
but the total of the tips and the employer’s
cash wage shall not equal less than the minimum-wage rates just mentioned. Agricultural
employers who furnish food, utilities, supplies,
or housing to an employee engaged in agriculture may deduct the reasonable value of such
furnished items from any wages due the employee. For a period of 2 years, cities, counties,
home-rule municipalities, and other political
subdivisions of the State shall neither adopt
nor continue in effect any law or ordinance
that would mandate a minimum wage higher
than the wage set forth in the State Minimum
Wage Act. This prohibition expires on January 1, 2010. A local law or ordinance, whether
advisory or self-executing, that is in effect on
January 1, 2007, and that provides for a higher
minimum-wage rate than the rate set forth in
the State Minimum Wage Act shall continue
in full force until repealed.
Time off. Nursing mothers have a right to use
a breast pump in the workplace and to have a
flexible break time in which to use it. Certain
stipulations are contingent upon this right of
the nursing mother who is an employee, and
the employer shall provide a clean, private
space near the employee’s workspace, and not
a bathroom, for using the breast pump. The
employer is not liable for storage or refrigeration of breast milk, payment for a nursing
mother’s break time in addition to established
employee breaks, or payment of overtime while
a nursing mother is using a breast pump.
New York
Child labor. The legislature enacted legislation to amend the State Labor Law, the State
Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, and the State
General Business Law in relation to certain
dancers. It is now unlawful for any person to
employ, use, or exhibit any person under 18
years of age as a dancer or performer in any
portion of a facility open to the public wherein performers appear and dance or otherwise
perform unclothed. Any operator of such a
facility who knowingly violates the provisions
of the State statutes shall be subject to a civil
penalty of up to $500.
Human trafficking. The definition of human
trafficking includes the victims of sex trafficking and labor trafficking as defined by State

statutes. A person is guilty of labor trafficking
if he or she compels or induces another person
to engage in labor or recruits, entices, or harbors another person by, among other activities, (1) requiring that the labor be performed
to retire, repay, or service a real or purported
debt that the actor has caused by a systematic ongoing course of conduct to defraud
such person; (2) withholding, destroying, or
confiscating any actual or purported passport,
immigration document, or other actual or
purported government identification document of another person with intent to impair
said person’s freedom of movement; or (3)
using force or engaging in any scheme, plan,
or pattern to compel or induce such person to
engage, or continue to engage, in labor activity by means of instilling fear in such person
that if the demand is not complied with, the
actor or another person will perform one or
more of certain types of actions, including,
but not limited to, (a) causing physical injury,
serious physical injury, or death to a person;
(b) causing damage to property, other than
the property of the actor; (c) engaging in
other conduct constituting a felony or unlawful imprisonment in the second degree; and
(d) causing criminal charges or deportation
proceedings to be instituted against a person.
Labor trafficking is a Class D felony, while sex
trafficking is a Class B felony. The State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
may coordinate with and assist law enforcement agencies and district attorney’s offices
to access appropriate services for victims of
human trafficking.
Prevailing wage. The State Prevailing Wage
Law was amended to require contractors and
subcontractors to provide written notice to all
laborers, workers, or mechanics of the prevailing wage for their particular job classification
on each pay stub and, on a biannual basis, to
provide the telephone number and address of
the State Department of Labor. The biannual
notice must also contain a statement asserting
that it is the laborer’s, worker’s, or mechanic’s
right to contact the department or some other
representative if the laborer, worker, or mechanic is not receiving the proper prevailing
rate of wages or supplements for his or her
particular job classification. Failure to comply
shall result in the assessment of a civil money
penalty of $50 for the first violation, $250 for
a second violation, and $500 for each subsequent violation.
Time off. The definition of an employer under State labor law, wherein an employer is
defined as a person or entity that employs 20
or more employees at at least one site, was
amended to now include the State itself, in
addition to counties, towns, cities, school districts, public authorities, or other governmental subdivisions of any kind, as an employer.
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 21

State Labor Laws, 2007

An employer must grant 3 hours of leave
of absence in any 12-month period to an employee who seeks to donate blood. The leave of
absence may not exceed 3 hours, unless otherwise agreed to by the employer, and must
comply with appropriate requirements of notice. An employer may not retaliate against an
employee for requesting or obtaining a leave
of absence. The employer is not prevented
from providing leave for blood donation in
addition to any leave allowed under this law,
which does not affect an employee’s rights to
any other employee benefit.
Wages paid. State law relating to the payment of wages and penalties for violations
was amended. The phrase “clerical and other
workers” includes all employees, except commission salespersons and any person employed
in a bona fide executive, administrative, or
professional capacity whose earnings exceed
$900 per week. The agreed-upon terms of
employment of a salesperson shall be reduced
to writing, signed by employer and employee,
kept on file by the employer for not less than 3
years, and made available to the commissioner
of labor upon request. The failure by an employer to produce such written terms of employment upon request by the commissioner
shall give rise to a presumption that the terms
of employment presented by the commissioned salesperson are the agreed-upon terms
of employment. If an employer has violated a
provision of the State statutes regarding the
day of rest or of meal periods, the commissioner may issue an order directing the payment of a civil penalty in an amount not to
exceed $1,000 for a first violation, $2,000 for
a second violation, and $3,000 for a third or
subsequent violation.
Worker privacy. An employer shall provide
reasonable unpaid break time or permit an
employee to use paid break time or meal time
each day to allow the employee to express
breast milk for her nursing child for up to 3
years following the child’s birth. The employer
shall make reasonable efforts to provide a
room or other location, in close proximity to
the work area, where the employee can express
milk in privacy. No employer shall discriminate
in any way against an employee who chooses
to express breast milk in the workplace.
North Carolina
Agriculture. The State commissioner of labor has the power and duty (1) to delegate,
to the State director of the Agriculture Safety
and Health Bureau, the power and duties
necessary to ensure safe and healthy migrant
housing conditions; (2) to supervise the director; (3) to issue preoccupancy certificates to
certify that housing for migrant workers has
been found to be in compliance with the law;
22

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

and (4) to conduct postoccupancy inspections
of migrant housing in accordance with the
provisions of the State General Statutes. If an
operator receives a preoccupancy inspection
rating from the State Department of Labor
of 100-percent compliance for a particular
migrant housing unit for 2 consecutive years,
then, in the third year, the operator shall
have the right to conduct the preoccupancy
inspection for that particular migrant housing unit for him- or herself. Such operators
must register the migrant housing with the
State Department of Labor 45 days prior to
occupancy and must notify, in writing, the appropriate local health department, which shall
then inspect the housing for compliance with
specific State General Statutes. Such operators also shall request a preoccupancy inspection in the year following a year in which the
operator conducted a self-inspection.
Drug and alcohol testing. Upon receipt of a
notice of a positive drug or alcohol test, or of a
refusal to participate in a drug or alcohol test,
the State Division of Motor Vehicles, pursuant to State General Statute 20–37.19, must
disqualify a commercial driver’s license holder
from operating a commercial motor vehicle
until receipt of proof of successful completion
of assessment and treatment by a substance
abuse professional in accordance with 49
Code of Federal Regulations Section 382.503.
Employers of employees or applicants for employment who test positive, or employers of
any employee who refuses to participate, in a
drug or alcohol test required under 49 Code
of Federal Regulations Parts 382 and 655
must notify the division, in writing, within 5
business days following the employer’s receipt
of confirmation of a positive drug or alcohol
test or of an employee’s refusal to participate
in the test. The notification must include the
driver’s name, address, driver’s license number,
and Social Security number, as well as the results of the drug or alcohol test or documentation from the employer of the refusal by the
employee to take the test.
Inmate labor. The State General Statutes were
amended to permit the State Department of
Correction to establish work assignments
for inmates or allow inmates to volunteer in
service projects that benefit units of State or
local government (or tax-exempt) entities that
serve the citizens of the State. Such work assignments may include the use of inmate labor and the use of department resources in the
production of finished goods. Any products so
produced may be donated to the government
unit or tax-exempt organization at no cost. An
additional amendment to the statutes struck
the exclusion of female convicts from working
on public roads or streets and the restriction
of male prisoners from working in any buildings utilized by any State department, agency,

or institution where women are housed or
employed. Proper supervision by a duly designated custodial agent assigned by the State
secretary of corrections allows for more flexibility in the kinds of inmate placements.
Worker privacy. Information contained in
personnel files and that is relevant to possible
criminal misconduct may be made available
to law enforcement and the district attorney
in order to assist in the investigation of (1) a
report made to law enforcement pursuant to
State statutes or (2) any report to law enforcement regarding an incident of arson, attempted arson, destruction of, theft from, theft of,
embezzlement from, or embezzlement of any
personal or real property owned by the local
board of education. Employees shall be given
5 working days’ prior written notice of any
disclosure under State statute, to permit the
employees to apply to the district attorney for
an in-camera review prior to the date of disclosure to determine whether the information
is relevant to the possible criminal misconduct.
Failure of the employee to apply for a review
shall constitute a waiver by the employee of
any relief under the State statute.
Notwithstanding any other law relating to
the privacy of personnel records, the Retirement Systems Division of the Department of
State Treasurer shall furnish the State Fiscal
Records Division direct online read-only access to information on active and retired members or to records maintained by the division
in online information systems. Direct online
read-only access shall not include access to
medical records of individual members.
Local boards of education shall maintain
records of each of their employees, showing the
following: name; age; date of original employment or appointment; terms of the contract
by which the employee is employed, whether
written or oral, past and current, to the extent
that the board has the written contract or a
record of the oral contract in its possession;
current position; title; current salary; date and
amount of most recent increase or decrease in
salary; date of most recent promotion, demotion, transfer, suspension, separation, or other
change in position classification; and office or
station to which the employee is currently assigned. These records are subject only to rules
and regulations for their safekeeping adopted
by the local board of education, and every person having custody of the records shall permit
them to be inspected and examined by any
person during regular business hours. Persons
denied access to any record for the purpose of
inspecting, examining, or copying the record
shall have the right to compel compliance by
application to a court of competent jurisdiction for a writ of mandamus or other appropriate relief.
Workplace security. The State chief informa-

tion officer may require background investigations of any employee or prospective employee, including a criminal history record
check, which may include a search, based
on a person’s fingerprints, of the State and
National Repositories of Criminal Histories.
The background report is not a public record
under the State General Statutes. The State
Department of Justice may provide, to the
State Office of Information Technology Services, the criminal history, from the State and
National Repositories of Criminal Histories,
of any current or prospective employee, volunteer, or contractor consenting to the criminal
record check and the use of fingerprints and
other identifying information required by
the State and National Repositories, as well
as any additional information required by the
State Department of Justice. The State Office
of Information Technology shall keep all such
information that it receives confidential.
North Dakota
Equal employment opportunity. The definition of the term “discriminatory practice” in
the State Century Code was amended. A discriminatory practice is now defined as an act
or attempted act that, because of race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or
mental disability, status with regard to marriage or public assistance, or participation in
lawful activity off the employer’s premises
during nonworking hours that is not in direct
conflict with the essential business-related interests of the employer, results in the unequal
treatment, separation, or segregation of any
persons or denies, prevents, limits, or otherwise adversely affects, or, if accomplished,
would deny, prevent, limit, or otherwise adversely affect, the benefit of enjoyment by any
person of employment, labor union membership, public accommodations, public services,
or credit transactions.
The State Century Code pertaining to the
duties and powers of the State Department of
Labor, as related to human rights enforcement,
was amended. Upon receiving and investigating complaints alleging violations of the code,
the department shall emphasize conciliation
to resolve the complaints. During the process
of thoroughly investigating a complaint, the
department may require the attendance of a
witness and the production of certain records
or objects at any hearing or with reference to
any matter the department has the authority
to investigate. If a witness fails to appear or
refuses to produce the records or objects in
question, the department may issue a subpoena to compel the witness to appear, or a
subpoena duces tecum to compel the witness to
appear and produce a relevant book, record,
document, data, or other object. If a person
refuses to obey a subpoena, the district court,
upon application by the department, may is-

sue an order to the person requiring him or
her to appear and give evidence, or otherwise
produce documentary evidence, requested by
the department regarding the matter under
investigation.
Minimum wage. The State legislature enacted
a series of minimum-wage increases, effective
the same dates as the effective dates for the
anticipated increases in the Federal minimum
wage. When the Federal minimum-wage rate
rose on July 24, the State minimum-wage rate
was increased from $5.15 per hour to $5.85
per hour. The next State increase, set at $6.55
per hour, is scheduled for implementation 1
year after the first, and the final increase in
the series, set at $7.25 per hour, is scheduled
for implementation 1 year after the second
increase.
Worker privacy. Employee retirement records
are now confidential. A contributor to a State
retirement program may purchase up to 5 years
of service credit with either pretax or after-tax
monies, at the Public Employees Retirement
System Board’s discretion. If an employer has
purchased service credit for an employee, the
following elements, and only the following
elements, of information may be obtained
from the employer: the employee’s and employer’s names, the name of the retirement
program in which the employer participates,
the amount of service credit purchased by the
employer, and the total amount expended by
the employer for that purchase of the service
credit.
Ohio
Prevailing wage. By law, threshold amounts
for contract coverage under the State prevailing-wage law are adjusted every 2 years in
accordance with the change in the Census
Bureau’s Implicit Price Deflator for Construction, provided that no increase exceeds 6
percent for the 2-year period. As a result, effective January 1, 2008, the threshold amount
for new construction rose from $69,853 to
$73,891, and the threshold amount for reconstruction, remodeling, or renovation increased
from $20,955 to $22,166.
Worker privacy.
Public records are those
records defined as being kept by any public
office, such as the State, county, city, village,
township, and school district units. Public
records pertaining to the delivery of educational services by an alternative school in the
State and kept by a nonprofit or for-profit
entity operating alternative schools were the
focus of a legislative amendment. The law
was expanded to provide parole officers, prosecuting and assistant prosecuting attorneys,
and certain correctional and youth services
employees with the same options as peace

officers with respect to the confidentiality of
certain personnel information. The legislation
expanded the materials excluded from the
definition of “public record.” Now excluded
are photographs of a peace officer who holds
a position or has an assignment that may include undercover or plainclothes positions.
Also excluded are the individual’s home address, Social Security number, and personal
telephone number; bank account, debit card,
and charge card or credit card numbers; the
name of any beneficiary of employment benefits; the identity of any charitable organizations to which the person contributes and the
amounts of the contributions thereto; and
the identity and amounts of any employment
benefit deductions.
Oklahoma
Drug and alcohol testing. The sections of the
law relating to the State Employment Security Act of 1980 and the State Standards for
Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Act
were amended. In any claim for compensation brought by a discharged employee, a
copy of the results of the drug or alcohol test
undergone by the employee shall be accepted
as prima facie evidence of the administration
and results of the test. No employer may request or require an applicant or employee to
undergo drug or alcohol testing, unless the
employer has first adopted a written, detailed
policy setting forth the specifics of the testing program, which employees are subject to
testing, and the circumstances under which
testing may be requested or required. It shall
be sufficient for the employer to state in the
written policy that the substances tested for
shall be drugs and alcohol, as defined in the
Standards for Workplace Drug and Alcohol
Testing Act, including controlled substances
approved for testing by the State commissioner of health. The employer’s drug-testing
policy must explain the testing methods and
collection procedures, the consequences of
refusing to undergo testing, and the potential adverse personnel actions ensuing upon
a positive result. An applicant or employee
has the right to have explained, in confidence,
the test results; his or her rights to obtain information and records related to the testing;
confidentiality requirements; and all appeal
procedures, remedies, and sanctions. Any employer implementing a drug-testing policy for
the first time or implementing changes in an
already existing policy shall provide at least 30
days’ notice prior to the implementation. The
policy shall be prominently posted and shall
be given in written form to each employee,
as well as to each applicant upon receipt of a
conditional offer of employment.
Immigrant protections. The State Taxpayer
and Citizen Protection Act of 2007 was enMonthly Labor Review • January 2008 23

State Labor Laws, 2007

acted. Under the Act, after July 1, 2008, no
public employer shall enter into a contract for
the physical performance of services within
the State, unless the contractor registers and
participates in the Federal Status Verification
System to verify the work eligibility of all of its
new employees. In addition, after July 1, 2008,
no contractor or subcontractor who enters
into a contract with a public employer shall
enter into such a contract or subcontract in
connection with the physical performance of
services within the State, unless the contractor or subcontractor registers and participates
in the Federal Status Verification System to
verify information on all of its new employees. Under the law, it shall be a discriminatory
practice for an employing entity to discharge
an employee working in the State who is a
United States citizen or permanent resident
alien while retaining an employee who the
employing entity knows, or reasonably should
have known, is an unauthorized alien hired
after July 1, 2008, and who is working in the
State in a job category which requires skill, effort, and responsibility equal to that possessed
by the discharged employee and which is
performed under working conditions similar
to those of the job category held by the discharged employee, as defined by 29 U.S.C.,
Section 206 (d)(1).
Oregon
Agriculture. The commissioner of the State
Bureau of Labor and Industries, or any other
person, may bring suit in any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin any person from
using the services of an unlicensed farm labor
contractor or to enjoin any person acting as a
farm labor contractor from violating certain
State statutes or rules promulgated pursuant
thereto. The court may award costs and disbursements, as well as reasonable attorneys’
fees, to the prevailing party. In addition, the
amount of damages recoverable from a person
acting as a farm labor contractor and who violated certain State statutes is actual damages
or a now-increased amount of $2,000, whichever is greater.
The section of the State Revised Statutes
concerning the issue of service of process on a
farmworker camp operator was amended. During the course of any action arising out of the
activities of a farmworker camp operator who
is operating an unregistered farmworker camp
within the State and who is not in the State
or is otherwise unavailable to accept service of
process in the State, the operator may be served
by other means—specifically, by mailing a certified true copy of the summons and complaint
to (1) the State commissioner of the Bureau of
Labor and Industries; (2) the last known address, if any, of the farmworker camp operator;
and (3) any other address, the use of which the
plaintiff knows or, on the basis of reasonable
24  Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

inquiry, has reason to believe is most likely to
result in actual notice.
State Department of Labor. The commissioner
of the State Bureau of Labor and Industries
shall adopt rules regarding meal periods for
employees who serve food or beverages, receive tips, and report the tips to the employer.
In rules adopted by the commissioner, the
commissioner shall permit an employee to
waive a meal period. However, an employer
may not coerce an employee into waiving a
meal period. In addition to prescribing any
other penalty provided by law, the commissioner may assess a civil penalty not to exceed
$2,000 against an employer that the commissioner finds has coerced an employee into
waiving a meal period in violation of State
statutes. Each violation is a separate and distinct offense. In the case of a continuing violation, each day’s continuance is a separate and
distinct violation.
The State commissioner of the Bureau of
Labor and Industries may conduct investigations, issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces
tecum, administer oaths, obtain evidence, and
take testimony in all matters relating to the
commissioner’s duties when the information
sought is relevant to a lawful investigative
purpose and reasonable in scope. The commissioner shall adopt rules for gathering information through subpoenas or testimony. If,
after being served with a subpoena, a person
refuses, without reasonable cause, to be examined, to answer any question, or to produce
any document or other thing as required by
the subpoena, the commissioner may petition
the circuit court in the county in which the
investigation is pending for an order directing
the person to show cause why the person has
not complied with the subpoena and should
not be held in contempt.
Discharge. Employers may not discharge or
in any other manner discriminate against an
employee because (1) the employee has made
a wage claim or has discussed, inquired about,
or consulted an attorney or agency about a
wage claim; (2) the employee has caused wage
proceedings under or related to specific State
statutes to be instituted; or (3) the employee
has testified or is about testify in any such
wage claim proceedings. A violation of the
State Revised Statute prohibiting such discharge or discrimination as a result of wage
claim issues is an unlawful employment practice. Persons unlawfully discriminated against
in this manner may file a complaint with the
State commissioner of the Bureau of Labor
and Industries. Employees aggrieved by such
a practice also may file a civil action in circuit
court. The court may award compensatory
damages or $200, whichever is greater, and
punitive damages, in addition to the relief authorized by the statutes.

Equal employment opportunity. The State’s
Revised Statutes regarding discrimination
were amended by the addition of various
prohibited types of discrimination. Employers are now prohibited from refusing to hire
or employ an individual or from barring or
discharging the individual from employment
because of the individual’s color or sexual
orientation. However, discrimination is not
an unlawful employment practice if it results
from a bona fide occupational qualification
reasonably necessary to the normal operation
of the employer’s business.
Family issues. State law was amended to prohibit covered employers from reducing the
amount of an employee’s available family leave
when the employee is unable to work because
of a disabling compensable injury.
Employees in the State who take family
leave are now entitled to use any paid accrued
sick leave, in addition to any paid accrued vacation leave, during a period of family leave or
to use any other paid leave that is offered by
the employer in lieu of vacation leave during
the period of family leave.
The State’s Revised Statutes relating to
family leave were amended. The definition of
“family member” was expanded and now includes the grandparent or grandchild of the
employee. In addition, it is an unlawful practice for an employer to deny family leave to
which an eligible employee is entitled under
the aforesaid statutes. It is also unlawful for an
employer to retaliate or in any way discriminate against an individual with respect to hiring, tenure, or any other term or condition of
employment because the individual inquired
about the provisions of family leave, submitted a request for family leave, or invoked any
provisions of the State’s Revised Statutes regarding family leave.
Human trafficking.
The State’s Revised
Statutes were amended by the creation of
new provisions relating to the trafficking of
persons and involuntary servitude. A person
commits the crime of human trafficking, a
Class B felony, if the person (1) knowingly
performs actions or attempts to perform actions aimed at recruiting, enticing, harboring,
transporting, providing, or obtaining by any
means another person, knowing that the other
person will be subjected to involuntary servitude as described by the statute, or (2) benefits financially or receives something of value
from participation in a venture that involves
acts prohibited by the statute. A person commits the crime of subjecting another person
to involuntary servitude in the first degree,
also a Class B felony, if the person knowingly and without lawful authority forces or
attempts to force the other person to engage
in services by causing or threatening to cause
death or serious physical injury to a person

or by physically restraining or threatening to
physically restrain a person. A person commits the crime of subjecting another person
to involuntary servitude in the second degree,
a Class C felony, if the person knowingly and
without lawful authority forces or attempts to
force the other person to engage in services
by (1) abusing or threatening to abuse the law
or the legal process; (2) destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating, or possessing an
actual or purported government identification document of a person; (3) threatening
to report a person to a government agency
for the purpose of arrest or deportation; (4)
threatening to collect an unlawful debt; or (5)
instilling in the other person a fear that the
actor will withhold from the other person the
necessities of life, including, but not limited
to, lodging, food, and clothing. Irrespective of
any criminal prosecution or of the result of
any criminal prosecution, a person injured by
a violation of the kind described in this paragraph may bring a civil action for damages
against a person whose actions are unlawful
under the statute.
Minimum wage. On the basis of previously
enacted legislation that called for cost-of-living increases, the minimum wage in the State
for calendar-year 2008 was increased to $7.95
per hour.
Plant closing. Under a State Department of
Aviation rule, a person responsible for the
operation of a public-use airport shall notify
the department of the planned closure of the
airport at least 180 days before its permanent
closure.
Preference. Public employers shall grant a
preference to veterans (including disabled
veterans) who successfully complete an initial application screening or an application
examination or who successfully complete a
civil service test the employer administers to
establish eligibility for a vacant civil service
position. Different amounts of preference
points are to be added by the employer to
the veterans’ scores. Public employers shall
appoint an otherwise qualified veteran (who
may be a disabled veteran) to a vacant civil
service position if the results of the veteran’s
application examination, combined with the
preference points awarded such individuals,
are equal to or higher than the results of an
application examination for a nonveteran. If
a public employer does not appoint a veteran
(who may be a disabled veteran) to a vacant
civil service position, then, upon written request of the veteran, the employer shall provide, in writing, the employer’s reasons for his
or her decision. The employer may base a decision not to appoint the veteran (who may be a
disabled veteran) solely on the veteran’s merits
or qualifications with respect to the vacant

civil service position.

the commissioner may do so.

Prevailing wage. The State prevailing-wage
law was amended. When the prevailing rates
of wages required are available electronically
or are accessible on the Internet, the rates may
be incorporated into a project’s specifications
by reference to the electronically accessible or
Internet-accessible rates and by the provision
of adequate information about how to access
the rates. The commissioner of the State Bureau of Labor and Industries shall determine
the site of a public works project in accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act, as well as
on the basis of whether workers transporting materials and supplies to and from the
site are subject to the Act and are entitled to
be paid the prevailing wage. When a public
works project is subject to the Davis-Bacon
Act and a public agency fails to include the
State and Federal prevailing rates in the specifications for the contract or fails to include
information showing which rate is higher
for workers in each trade or occupation, the
public agency is liable to each affected worker
for the worker’s unpaid minimum wages,
including fringe benefits, in an amount that,
for each hour worked, equals the difference
between the applicable higher rate and the
lower rate and an additional amount equal
to the amount of unpaid minimum wages as
liquidated damages. The commissioner shall,
by rule, establish a fee to be paid by the public
agency that awards a public works contract.
Such fee shall be used to pay the costs of (1)
conducting surveys to determine the prevailing rates of wages, (2) administering and
providing investigation under State statutes,
and (3) providing educational programs on
public contracting law under the State Public
Contracting Code. Fees shall be set at 0.1
percent of the contract price. However, in no
event may the fees be more than $5,000 or
less than $100.
The State’s Revised Statutes were amended by the addition of three sections to the
discussion of public contracts. Upon the request of a public agency or other interested
person, the State commissioner of the Bureau
of Labor and Industries shall now make a determination about whether a project or proposed project is or would be a public work on
which payment of the prevailing wage is or
would be required under State statute. The requester shall provide the commissioner with
the information necessary to make the determination. The commissioner shall make the
determination within 60 days after receiving
the request or 60 days after the requester has
provided the commissioner with the information necessary to enable the commissioner
to make the determination, whichever is later.
The commissioner may take additional time
to make the determination if the commissioner and the requester mutually agree that

Wages paid. Persons engaged in a business or
enterprise of any kind in the State may not
issue any order, check, memorandum, or other
instrument of indebtedness in payment of, or
as evidence of, indebtedness for wages due an
employee, unless the instrument is negotiable
and payable without discount in cash on demand at some bank or other established place
of business in the county where the employee
lives or works and where sufficient funds are
available for payment of the instrument. An
employer and employee may agree that the
employer may pay wages through a direct-deposit system, automated teller machine card,
payroll card, or other means of electronic
transfer if the employee may (1) make an initial withdrawal of the entire amount of net pay
without cost to the employee and (2) choose
to use another means of payment of wages
that involves no expense to the employee.
The agreement must be in the language that
the employer principally uses to communicate with the employee. To revoke such an
agreement, except in specific circumstances,
the employee shall give the employer written
notice of its revocation. Unless agreed to otherwise, the agreement is revoked 30 days after
the date the notice is received by the employer. Seasonal farmworkers may provide notice
of revocation of an agreement either orally or
in writing, and unless agreed to otherwise, the
agreement is revoked 10 days after the notice
is received by the employer.
If an employer has received notice that an
employee has not been paid the full amount
the employee is owed on a regular payday and
there is no dispute between the employer and
the employee regarding the amount of the
unpaid wages, then (1) if the unpaid amount
is less than 5 percent of the employee’s gross
wages due on the regular payday, the employer
shall pay the employee the unpaid amount not
later than the next regular payday; or (2) if the
unpaid amount is 5 percent or more of the employee’s gross wages due on the regular payday,
the employer shall pay the employee the unpaid amount within 3 days after the employer
has received notice of the unpaid amount, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
When an employer deducts an amount
from an employee’s wages as required or authorized by law or agreement, the employer
shall pay the amount deducted to the appropriate recipient as required by the law or
agreement. The employer shall pay the amount
deducted within the time required by the law
or the agreement or, if the time for payment is
not specified by the law or agreement, within
7 days after the date the wages from which
the deductions are made are due. Failure to
pay the amount as required constitutes an
unlawful decision, which may be penalized
under penalty provided by law, where the
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 25

State Labor Laws, 2007

State commissioner of the Bureau of Labor
and Industries may assess a civil penalty not to
exceed $1,000 against any person who commits such an act.
Worker privacy. Confidential employment information secured by the State Employment
Department may be provided to the State
Department of Transportation to assist that
department in carrying out its duties relating
to the collection of delinquent and liquidated
debts, including taxes, due under the State’s
Revised Statutes and the State Vehicle Code.
The information provided may include names
and addresses of employers and employees, as
well as payroll data. The information provided
is confidential and may not be released by the
State Department of Transportation in any
manner that would identify any employing
unit or employee, except to the extent necessary to carry out the department’s duties or
in auditing or reviewing any report or return
required to permitted to be filed under the
revenue and tax laws administered by the
department. The information may not be disclosed to any private collection agency.
The worker privacy issue regarding school
employees has been amended under the State’s
Revised Statutes. If a former school employee
is convicted of a crime under specific statutes,
the education provider that was the employer
of the former employee when the crime was
committed shall disclose the disciplinary records of the former employee to any person
upon request.
The State’s Revised Statutes regarding
mediation were amended. If the only parties
to mediation are public bodies, then communications or agreements made during the
mediation are not confidential, except to the
extent that those communications or agreements are exempt from disclosure. Mediation
of workplace interpersonal disputes between
employees of a public body is not subject to
disclosure under the statute and is therefore
confidential. If two or more public bodies
are parties to a mediation in which a private
person is also a party, then mediation communications are not confidential if the policies governing confidentiality of mediation
communications for at least one of the public
bodies provide that those communications
are not confidential. Finally, if two or more
public bodies are parties to a mediation in
which a private person is also a party, then any
communications made during the mediation
are not confidential if the policies governing
confidentiality for at least one of the public
bodies provide that those communications are
not confidential.
The State’s Revised Statutes relating to
personnel records were amended. Personnel
records no longer include records relating to
the conviction, arrest, or investigation of individuals for conduct constituting a violation of
26  Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

the criminal laws of this State, another State,
or the United States; confidential reports from
previous employers; or records maintained in
compliance with State statutes. Upon receipt
of a request from an employee, the employer
shall provide, within 45 days, a reasonable
opportunity for the employee to inspect the
employee’s personal records that have been
used to determine the employee’s qualification for employment, promotion, additional
compensation, termination, or some other
disciplinary action. Employers shall keep a
terminated employee’s personnel records for
not less than 60 days. Upon an employee’s
request, copies must be furnished within 45
days. If the records are not readily available,
the employer and the employee may agree to
extend the time within which the employer
must provide the records to the employee.
Any employee returning to work after a
pregnancy leave must provide reasonable notice to the employer that the employee intends
to express milk for a child who is 18 months
of age or younger. Unless otherwise agreed to
by the employer and employee, the employer
shall provide the employee with a 30-minute
rest period to express milk during each 4-hour
work period or during the major part of a 4hour work period, to be taken by the employee
approximately in the middle of the work period. The employee shall, if feasible, take the rest
periods to express milk at the same time as that
provided to other employees for their rest or
meal periods. When an employer’s contribution to the employee’s health insurance is influenced by the number of hours the employee
works, the employer shall treat any unpaid rest
periods used by the employee to express milk
as paid work time for the purpose of measuring the number of hours the employee works.
An employer is not required to provide rest
periods as a result of this legislation if doing
so would impose a hardship on the employer’s
business operation. This employee entitlement
applies only to employers who employ 25 or
more employees in the State during each of
the calendar workweeks of the year in which
the rest periods are to be taken or of the year
immediately preceding the year in which the
rest periods are to be taken.
Workplace violence. Employers covered by
State law shall allow an employee to take
reasonable leave from employment for any of
the following reasons: (1) to seek legal or law
enforcement assistance or remedies to ensure
the health and safety of the employee or the
employee’s minor child or dependent, including preparing for and participating in protective order proceedings or other civil or criminal
legal proceedings related to domestic violence,
sexual assault, or stalking; (2) to seek medical treatment for, or to recover from, injuries
caused by domestic violence or sexual assault
to, or stalking of, the eligible employee or the

employee’s minor child or dependent; (3) to
obtain, or to assist a minor child or dependent
in obtaining, counseling from a licensed mental health professional for the effects related
to an experience of domestic violence, sexual
assault, or stalking; (4) to obtain services from
a victim services provider for the eligible employee or the employee’s minor child or dependent; and (5) to relocate or to take steps
to secure an existing home in order to ensure
the health and safety of the eligible employee
or the employee’s minor child or dependent.
A covered employer may limit the amount of
leave an eligible employee takes for the aforesaid activities if the employee’s leave creates
an undue hardship on the employer’s business.
It is unlawful for a covered employer to deny
leave to an eligible employee or to discharge,
threaten to discharge, demote, suspend, or in
any manner discriminate or retaliate against
an employee with regard to promotion, compensation, or other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because the employee
takes such leave.
Pennsylvania
Minimum wage. As a result of legislation enacted in previous years, the minimum wage in
the State was increased to $7.15 per hour on
July 1, 2007.
Rhode Island
Hours worked. In order to pursue the health,
efficiency, and general well-being of employees, as well as the health and general well-being of the persons to whom those employees
provide services, the State declared a public
policy that established a maximum workday
for certain hourly-wage employees beyond
which the employees cannot be required to
perform overtime work. Health care facilities
may not require employees to work overtime
in excess of an agreed-upon, predetermined
scheduled work shift of 8, 10, or 12 hours,
except in unforeseeable circumstances. In
no case shall a health care facility require an
employee to work in excess of 12 consecutive
hours. The refusal of any employee to accept
such overtime work shall not be grounds for
discrimination, dismissal, discharge, or any
other penalty or employment decision adverse
to the employee. Voluntary overtime in excess
of these limitations is not to be construed as
prohibited.
Human trafficking. The State General Law
titled “Criminal Offenses” added a new chapter titled “Trafficking of Persons and Involuntary Servitude.” Language within the chapter
established and defined both the trafficking of
persons and involuntary servitude as criminal
offenses related to the activities of intimidation; forced labor; commercial sexual activity;

and knowingly destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating, or possessing any actual
or purported passport or other immigration
document. Fines and penalties for conviction
of involuntary servitude may range from 20
years’ imprisonment and $20,000 in fines to
40 years’ imprisonment and $40,000 in fines,
depending upon the age of the victim(s). Human trafficking may result in penalties of 20
years’ imprisonment and $20,000 in fines.
Independent contractor. The section of the
State General Laws entitled “Causes of Action” was amended. A section dealing with
misclassification of employees was added to
the laws. Any person, firm, or corporation
that suffers damages as a result of a competitive bid for a contract not being accepted due
to another person, firm, or corporation knowingly misclassifying employees as independent subcontractors may bring an action for
damages in the appropriate district or superior court. For the purposes of these actions,
an employee’s status shall be determined by
the applicable provisions of the appropriate
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any subsequent corresponding Internal Revenue Code
of the United States, as amended from time
to time.
Overtime. State law requires that work performed by employees on Sundays and holidays
be paid for at a rate at least time-and-one-half
the normal rate for the work, provided that an
employee’s refusing to work on any Sunday
or holiday enumerated by State statute is not
grounds for discharge or meting out any other
penalty upon the employee. Any manufacturer that operates for 7 continuous days per
week is exempt from this requirement. Thus,
any and all employees of a chauffer-driven
limousine or taxicab company that operates
7 continuous days per week, 24 hours per day,
are newly listed as exempt from the State-required time-and-one-half provisions. In addition, any car rental company that operates a
car rental agency at T. F. Green Airport and is
required, pursuant to its lease agreement with
the State Airport Corporation, to operate
on Sundays and/or holidays is exempt from
overtime provisions for Sunday and holiday
work with respect to work performed at that
airport location.
Prevailing wage. Contractors in the State
who are awarded a public works contract are
now required to contact the Department of
Labor and Training on or before July 1 of each
year for the duration of the contract, in order
to ascertain the prevailing rate of wages on
an hourly basis and the amount of payment
or contributions paid or payable on behalf of
each mechanic, laborer, or worker performing the work contracted to be done each year.
Every July 1, the contractor shall make any

necessary adjustments to the prevailing rate
of wages and to the payment or contributions
paid or payable on behalf of each employee.
South Dakota
Minimum wage. The State minimum-wage
law was amended. On the effective date,
July 24, 2007, of the increase in the Federal
minimum wage under the Federal Fair Labor
Standards Act, the State minimum wage was
increased to $5.85 per hour for every employer. Twelve months later, the State minimum
wage will be increased to $6.55 per hour, and
effective 12 months after that, the State minimum wage will be increased to $7.25 per hour.
Employers in violation of the requirement for
the payment of these minimum wages are
guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.
Workplace security. Each person hired in any
capacity by the Division of Banking of the
State Department of Revenue and Regulation shall agree to submit to a background
investigation by means of fingerprint checks
performed by the State Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. Completed fingerprint cards
shall be submitted to the division before the
prospective new employee enters into service.
If no disqualifying record is identified at the
State level, the fingerprints shall be forwarded
by the division to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check. Any person whose employment is
contingent on satisfying this requirement may
enter into service on a temporary basis pending receipt of the results of the background
investigation. The division may, without liability, withdraw its offer of employment or terminate the temporary employment without
notice if the report reveals that the person has
been convicted of any financial crime or any
crime that otherwise reveals circumstances
which reasonably suggest that the person
should not be employed by the division.
Tennessee
Drug and alcohol testing.
For-hire motor
carriers providing passenger transportation
service in a motor vehicle or motor vehicles
designed or constructed to accommodate and
transport eight or more passengers, exclusive
of the driver, shall conduct a program of mandatory random drug testing for the operators
of their motor vehicles in accordance with
regulations promulgated by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Equal employment opportunity. Most fire stations in use today were planned and built with
a single-sex workforce in mind. Many of these
buildings are now being used by a workforce
that includes both men and women. Any fire

station constructed after June 26, 2007, is
encouraged to have separate restroom facilities, showers, and locker rooms for men and
women. Each municipal or county fire department and each volunteer fire department or
company are urged to develop plans that, to
the greatest extent possible, will create gender-friendly conditions in existing facilities.
Existing facilities that cannot be upgraded to
gender-friendly stations should be made gender friendly to the greatest extent possible.
Immigrant protections. No person in the State
is permitted to accept an individual taxpayer
identification number as a form of identification. Any person, including any contractor, in
the State who is presented with an individual
taxpayer identification number by a potential
employee or subcontractor as a form of identification or to prove immigration status shall
reject such number and request the lawful resident verification information that the person
is required to obtain pursuant to Federal law.
The phrase “lawful resident verification information” is defined as the documentation required by the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security in completing the employment eligibility verification form commonly referred to
as the Federal “Form I-9.”
Worker privacy. The State Code Annotated
was amended by treating additional types
of personal information as confidential. The
residential address, as well as the personal
telephone and cell phone numbers, of any
State, county, municipal, or other public law
enforcement officer shall now be treated as
confidential and not open for inspection by
members of the public.
Texas
Child labor. The State Child Labor Code
does not apply to the employment of a minor 16 years of age or older who is engaged
in the direct sale of newspapers to the general
public.
Prevailing wage. Any contract for a public
work project awarded by a political subdivision of the State shall follow the general prevailing rate of per diem wages in the locality
in which the public work is to be performed,
for each craft or type of worker needed to
execute the contract, and shall also follow
the prevailing rate for legal holiday and overtime work. Those rates are established by (1)
conducting a survey of the wages received by
classes of workers employed on projects of a
character similar to the contract work in the
political subdivision of the State in which the
public work is to be performed or (2) using
the prevailing wage rate as determined by the
U.S. Department of Labor in accordance with
the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. Section 27a
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 27

State Labor Laws, 2007

et seq.) and its subsequent amendments. There
no longer exists a State requirement that the
prevailing wage rate must have been determined by a survey conducted no more than 3
years earlier by the Department of Labor.
Whistleblower. A school district grievance
policy must permit a school district employee
to report a grievance against a supervisor that
alleges a violation of the law in the workplace
or the supervisor’s unlawful harassment of the
employee to a supervisor other than the supervisor against whom the employee intends
to report the grievance.
Worker privacy. Two categories of employees were added to the group of employees
about whom information such as the home
address, home telephone number, or Social
Security number of the person or information that reveals whether the person has family members is not required to be placed into
the public domain. The categories added are
those officers and other employees who conduct presentence investigations, supervise and
rehabilitate defendants placed on community
supervision, and enforce the conditions of
community supervision and staff community
corrections facilities.
Peace officers of the State Department of
Public Safety are now entitled to the same
protection provided to peace officers who operate under a civil service system of the State
Local Government Code, which renders the
personnel records of the civil-service peace
officers confidential, except for information
relating to commendations, confirmed complaints, disciplinary actions, and details about
basic employment. In addition, a release of exempted information does not waive the right
to assert in the future that the information is
excepted from required disclosure.
The State Workforce Commission shall remove the home address of a judge or justice
from a financial statement filed under State
requirements before permitting a member of
the public to view the statement or providing
a copy of the statement to a member of the
public.
Workplace security. The State Department of
Public Safety may require a commissioned or
noncommissioned officer or employee of the
department to submit to the administration of
a polygraph examination administered by the
polygraph examiner if (1) the officer or employee is assigned to a position that requires
him or her to work with a Federal Agency on
national security issues and (2) the Federal
Agency requires that the officer or employee
submit to a polygraph examination. If an officer of the department does not submit to
a polygraph examination as required by the
department, the department may (1) assign
28

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

the officer or employee to another position or
(2) refuse to assign the officer or employee to
the position in question that requires working
with a Federal Agency on national security
issues.
Utah
Inmate labor. When an inmate is incarcerated
in a county jail or in a detention facility, the
custodial authority may allow the inmate to
work outside of the jail or facility as part of a
supervised work detail, to seek employment,
or to attend an educational institution. This
proviso is contingent upon whether or not
the offense the inmate has committed (1) is
an offense for which the State prohibits the
inmate’s release or (2) is for a misdemeanor
and the sentencing judge has not entered an
order prohibiting the inmate’s release. Any
inmate so employed may be released from
jail during those hours which the custodial
authority deems reasonable and necessary to
accomplish the objectives of the employment,
the seeking of employment, attendance at an
educational institution, the obtaining of necessary medical treatment, or any other reasonable purpose. All prisoners so released are in
the custody of the custodial authority and are
subject to being returned to jail at any time.
The judge may order that the prisoner pay
monies earned from employment during the
jail term to those persons he or she is legally
responsible for supporting and may order the
inmate to retain sufficient money to pay the
costs of transportation, meals, and other incidental and necessary expenses related to his or
her special release.
Wages paid. The State Sales Representative
Commission Act was amended to indicate
that if a business relationship between a principal and a sales representative terminates,
the principal shall pay the sales representative
all commissions due within 30 days after the
day on which the termination is effective and
within 14 days after the day on which a commission becomes due if said commission is
due after the day on which the termination is
effective. The acceptance by a sales representative of a partial commission payment from
the principal does not constitute a release as to
the balance of any commission that the sales
representative claims is due because of the
business relationship. If a principal makes a
revocable offer of a commission to a sales representative and the principal revokes the offer
of commission, then the sales representative is
entitled to the commission agreed upon under
the business relationship if (1) the sales representative establishes that the revocation is for
the purpose of avoiding payment of the commission or (2) the revocation occurs after the
principal obtains an order for the principal’s
product or service through the efforts of the

sales representative, and the order is paid for
by a customer. When the employer fails to pay
the commission, the sales representative may
bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction against a principal for failure by the
principal to comply with the provisions of the
agreement. If a principal is found liable, the
principal is liable for 3 times the amount of
the unpaid commission, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs, minus monies owed
by the sales representative to the principal.
Workplace security. A concurrent resolution
was passed by the legislature and signed by the
Governor urging the U.S. Congress to pass
legislation to resolve Federal identity theft
and fraud issues. The resolution urged that
the legislation include increased and effective
verification requirements by companies, accompanied by the tools and resources necessary to verify whether a Social Security number is fraudulent, and also include increased
penalties for individuals who intentionally use
fraudulent Social Security numbers to obtain
employment, to avoid child support obligations, or for other personal gain. In addition,
the resolution urged that the legislation include increased penalties on companies that
repeatedly report wages of employees with
fraudulent Social Security numbers.
Vermont
Minimum wage. On account of previously
enacted legislation, the State minimum wage
was increased to $7.68 per hour on January
1, 2008.
An employer in a hotel, motel, tourist attraction, or restaurant industry shall not employ a service or tipped employee at a basic
wage rate less than $3.65 an hour, and beginning January 1, 2008, and on each January 1
thereafter, this basic tip rate shall be increased
by the same percentage as the minimum-wage
rate. A “service or tipped employee” is defined
as an employee of a hotel, motel, tourist place,
or restaurant who customarily and regularly
receives more than $120 per month in tips for
direct and personal service.
Time off. Upon request, any duly qualified
member of the “Reserve components of the
Armed Forces,” of the Ready Reserve, or of an
organized unit of the National Guard, shall
be entitled to leaves of absence for a total of
15 days in any calendar year for the purpose
of engaging in military drill, military training,
or some other temporary duty under military
authority. A leave of absence shall be with or
without pay, as determined by the employer.
Upon completion of the military drill, training, or other temporary duty under military
authority, a permanent employee shall be reinstated in that same position, with the same
status, pay, and seniority, including seniority

that accrued during the period of absence.
Virginia
Child labor. The State Code relating to child
labor was amended to specify that no child
under 18 years of age shall be employed, permitted, or suffered to work in any capacity
in the manufacturing of paints, colors, white
lead, brick tile, or kindred products, or in any
place where goods of alcoholic content are
manufactured, bottled, or sold for consumption on the premises, except farm wineries. In
these instances, the alcoholic beverages (containing 18 percent or less alcohol by volume)
may be sold for on-premises consumption
and in closed containers for off-premises consumption; however, no child employed at the
farm winery shall serve or dispense alcoholic
beverages.
The State Code was amended to stipulate
that any person who employs, procures, or,
having under his control, permits a child to
be employed, or who issues an employment
certificate that results in the child being seriously injured or dying in the course of that
employment, shall be subject to a civil penalty
not to exceed $10,000 for each violation. The
determination by the State commissioner of
labor and industry shall be final, unless, within
15 days after receipt of such notice, the person
charged with the violation notifies the commissioner by certified mail that he or she intends to contest the proposed penalty before
the appropriate general district court.
Human trafficking. The portion of the State
Code relating to the extortion of immigrants
was amended by the addition of a type of action to a previous listing of prohibited actions
and by a definition of the seriousness of such
an action. Any person who threatens another
person with injury, accuses another person
of an offense, or confiscates, withholds, or
threatens to withhold any actual or purported
passport, immigration document, or other
government identification document, and
thereby extorts money, property, or pecuniary
benefit or any note, bond, or other evidence of
debt from another person, is guilty of a Class
5 felony.
Minimum wage. The State Minimum Wage
Act was amended through a redefinition of the
term “employee.” Persons who have reached
their 65th birthday are no longer automatically considered nonemployees.
Offsite work. The State secretary of administration, in conjunction with the heads of
each State agency, established a telecommuting and alternative-work policy outlining the
types of employees eligible, the broad categories of positions determined to be ineligible
for telecommuting, and the justifications for

exclusion. The policy encourages the use of alternative work locations that are separate from
the agency’s central workplace. The policy also
promotes the use of Commonwealth information technology assets where feasible, but may
allow eligible employees who telecommute to
use computers, computing devices, or related
electronic equipment not owned or leased by
the Commonwealth. This aspect of the policy
requires technical and economic feasibility,
and the telecommuting sites must meet information security standards established by the
State Information Technologies Agency or
must receive an exception from the State chief
information officer of the Commonwealth or
his or her designee.
Time off. The State Code regarding reemployment rights for members of the State
National Guard, the State Defense Force, and
the Naval Militia called to State active duty or
military duty pursuant to Title 32 of the U.S.
Code was amended. Upon honorable release
from State active duty or military duty pursuant to Title 32 of the U.S. Code, a member
of any of the aforementioned bodies shall
make written application to his or her previous employer within 14 days of release from
active duty or from hospitalization following
release. The employee’s restoration rights to a
previously held position, to a position of like
seniority, status, and pay, or to a comparable
vacant position shall not apply when the cumulative length of the absence and of all
previous absences from a position of employment with the employer in question exceeds
5 years by reason of service in the uniformed
services.
Every employer shall allow an employee
who is a victim of a crime to leave work to
be present at all criminal proceedings relating to the crime. The employee must have
provided the employer with a copy of the
form furnished to the employee by the law
enforcement agency and, if applicable, with a
copy of the notice of each scheduled criminal
proceeding, such copy also provided to the
employee-victim. An employer may limit the
leave granted if the employee’s leave creates
an undue hardship on the employer’s business.
An employer shall not dismiss an employee
who is a victim of a crime because the employee exercises the right to leave work. The
employer is not required to compensate an
employee for the time off. Finally, an employer
shall not refuse to hire or employ, shall not
bar or discharge from employment, and shall
not discriminate against an individual in compensation or any other terms of employment
because the individual leaves work to attend
a criminal proceeding involving an employeevictim.
Worker privacy. The State Code concerned
with the release of criminal history record in-

formation was amended. An additional entity
is now entitled to receive such information
either directly or through an intermediary.
The State Department of Medical Assistance
Services or its designee is entitled to receive
criminal history record information in the
circumstances described for the purpose of
screening individuals who, through contracts,
subcontracts, or direct employment, volunteer,
apply for, are offered, or have accepted a position related to the provision of transportation
services to enrollees in the Medicaid Program,
the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Program, or any other program administered by the State Department of Medical
Assistance Services.
It shall be unlawful for any person to
publish the name or photograph of a law
enforcement officer, along with identifying
information, including the officer’s primary
residential address, with the intent to utilize that information in order to coerce, intimidate, or harass the officer. A person who
violates this amended section of the State
Code is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. If
the violator knew or had reason to know that
the person about whom the information was
being printed was a law enforcement officer,
then the violator shall be guilty of a Class 6
felony with a mandatory minimum term of
confinement of 6 months.
Washington
Child labor. The State Revised Code asserts
that every person who shall employ, and every parent, guardian, or other person having
the care, custody, or control of such child,
who shall permit to be employed, by another,
any child under 14 years of age at any labor
whatever, in or in connection with any store,
shop, factory, mine, or any inside employment
not connected with farmwork or housework,
without the written permit thereto of a judge
of a superior court of the county wherein such
child may live shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. This prohibition does not apply to youth
soccer referees who have been certified by a
national referee association.
Equal employment opportunity.
The State
Revised Code was amended to direct the
director of the State Department of Personnel to adopt rules establishing guidelines for
policies, procedures, and mandatory training
programs on sexual harassment for State employees. The amended Code also (1) directed
State agencies to adopt the rules pertaining
to compliance with the department’s policies
and procedures and (2) established reporting
requirements for State agencies regarding such
compliance. All agencies and units of State
government shall develop and disseminate,
among all agency employees and contractors,
a policy that (1) defines and prohibits sexual
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 29

State Labor Laws, 2007

harassment in the workplace, (2) includes
procedures that describe how the agency will
address concerns of employees who are affected by sexual harassment in the workplace, (3)
identifies appropriate sanctions and disciplinary actions, and (4) complies with guidelines
adopted by the director. The agencies shall also
(1) respond promptly and effectively to sexual
harassment concerns, (2) conduct training
and education for all employees in order to
prevent and eliminate sexual harassment in
the organization, (3) inform employees of
their right to file a complaint with the State
human rights commission, and (4) report to
the director of personnel regarding their compliance with the requirements.

either employment or continued employment.
This restriction does not apply if the person
is applying for employment with any law enforcement agency or with the juvenile court
services agency or if the person is returning to
work after a break of more than 24 consecutive months in service as a fully commissioned
law enforcement officer. Nor does the restriction apply to either the initial application for
employment or the continued employment
of persons who manufacture, distribute, or
dispense controlled substances or who hold
sensitive positions directly involving national
security. Psychological tests are permitted.

Family issues. Effective October 1, 2009, a
new family leave insurance or partial wage
replacement program is established by the
State. An individual employee is eligible to
receive benefits if he or she has worked 680
hours in employment covered by unemployment compensation during the first four of
the last five calendar quarters or during the
last four calendar quarters completed before
beginning family leave. An employer or a selfemployed person not mandatorily covered
may elect coverage. The amount of the weekly
benefit is $250 for a maximum of 5 weeks for
an individual who was regularly working 35
or more hours per week and is on leave for the
same number of hours. Benefits are prorated
for an individual who was regularly working
fewer than 35 hours per week and is on leave
for fewer hours per week than he or she was
regularly working. Individuals are entitled to
be restored to a position of employment in
the same manner that an employee entitled
to leave under the State Family Leave Law is
restored to a position of employment. However, to be reinstated, the individual must have
worked for an employer with more than 25
employees for a total of at least 12 months and
for at least 1,250 hours over the 12 months
prior to the reinstatement.

Immigrant protections. Effective January 1,
2008, no wages or remuneration of $600 or
more per annum for services paid to an unauthorized worker may be claimed and allowed as a deductible business expense for
State income tax purposes by a taxpayer if the
employer has been convicted under this article
for employing, hiring, recruiting, or referring
the unauthorized worker. Under State law, the
commissioner of labor shall notify the State
Department of Revenue of any conviction of
an employer regarding the aforementioned
activities, and the department is to take the
appropriate action against the taxpayer. If,
upon examination of the record or records
of convictions, the commissioner determines
that an employer has been convicted of a third
or subsequent offense under the State Code,
the commissioner may enter an order to (1)
permanently revoke, or file an action to revoke, any license held by the employer or (2)
suspend, or move for a suspension, for a specified time, of any license held by the employer.

Prevailing wage. As amended, the Revised
Code of the State now authorizes port districts, either individually or jointly with any
other municipality, person, or any combination thereof, to acquire and operate tourism-related facilities. Such port district, or
such municipality or other entity involved in
a joint venture or project with a port district,
shall comply with the provisions of Chapter
39.12 of the Revised Code of the State—that
is, those dealing with prevailing-wage requirements.
Worker privacy. It shall be unlawful for any
person, firm, or corporation to require, either
directly or indirectly, that any employee or
prospective employee take or be subject to any
lie detector or similar test as a condition of
30

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

West Virginia

Inmate labor. The executive director of the
State Regional Jail and Correctional Facility
Authority is authorized to establish guidelines
and qualifications to allow inmates at each
regional jail facility to be gainfully employed
with local businesses and governmental entities in a work program and to establish an
inmate trustee account. The executive director
of the State Division of Corrections or a designee thereof shall determine the eligibility
of each inmate for participation in the work
program and shall consent to the participation of eligible inmates. An inmate convicted
of a sexual offense or a violent felony is disqualified from the program. The administrator or designee of each regional jail facility
shall receive and take charge of all money
earned by the inmates as compensation for
work performed, shall credit the money and
earnings to the entitled inmate, and shall keep
an accurate account of all monies received. At
least 10 percent of all monies earned during
the inmate’s incarceration shall be paid to the
inmate at the time of release, and the inmate

may withdraw money from his or her mandatory savings for the purpose of preparing for
reentry into society. The participating inmate
shall reimburse the Authority toward the
cost of his or her incarceration in accordance
with the inmate’s ability to pay, the nature
and extent of the inmate’s responsibilities
to dependents, and any other court-ordered
financial obligations.
Overtime. The State Code was amended
in order to modify the Nurse Overtime and
Patient Safety Act. Hospitals are now required to designate an anonymous process
for patients and nurses to register complaints
related to safety. In addition, hospitals are
required to post, in one or more conspicuous
places where notices to employee nurses are
customarily posted, a notice, in a form approved by the commissioner of labor, setting
forth nurses’ rights under the amended Act.
The State commissioner of labor is to keep
each complaint anonymous until he or she
finds that the complaint has merit. The commissioner shall establish a process for notifying a hospital of a complaint and shall also
establish an appeals procedure and a notification procedure, including any signs that must
be posted by the facility.
Plant closing. Any hospital, any extendedcare facility operated in connection with a
hospital, any ambulatory health care facility, or any ambulatory surgical facility, either
freestanding or operated in connection with a
hospital, that intends to terminate operations
shall provide at least 3 weeks’ notice of such
intent to the public prior to its termination
of operations. In addition, at least 3 weeks
prior to the date of termination of services,
the hospital or health care facility shall place
a Class III legal advertisement in all qualified
newspapers of general circulation where the
operation is geographically located.
Wisconsin
Prevailing wage. On January 1, 2007, the
prevailing-wage threshold amount for coverage under the State prevailing-wage laws for
State and municipal contracts was changed
administratively from $209,000 to $216,000
for contracts in which more than one trade
is involved and from $43,000 to $44,000 for
contracts in which a single trade is involved.
On January 1, 2008, these amounts were
changed administratively to $221,000 for
contracts in which more than one trade is involved and $45,000 for contracts in which a
single trade is involved.
Wyoming
Equal employment opportunity.
The State
statutes regarding discriminatory or unfair

employment practices were amended. It is a
discriminatory or unfair employment practice
for an employer to refuse to hire, to discharge,
to promote or demote, or to discriminate
against a qualified disabled person, or any persons otherwise qualified, due to age, sex, race,
creed, color, national origin or ancestry, and
(the newest category) pregnancy in matters
of compensation or in the terms, conditions,
or privileges of employment. This statutory
amendment became effective July 1, 2007.
Prevailing wage. The prevailing-wage threshold for State construction contracts was increased to $100,000 for the entire State, with
the exception of any area defined as a metropolitan statistical area pursuant to 44 U.S.C.
3504(e)(3)and 31 U.S.C. 1104(d). Upon a
complaint of a violation of the prevailingwage act, or upon a reasonable suspicion that
a violation of this act has occurred, the director of the State Department of Employment
shall investigate and shall institute actions
for penalties for proven violations that he or
she considers intentional and willful in nature. When reviewing bids for public works
contracts, the public body reviewing the bids
shall award a bid preference, in the percentage

specified by State statutes and for the period
applicable to the contract being awarded, only
to those prospective contractors who participated, as certified by the department, in the
department’s wage survey. All others are precluded from bidding.
Workplace security. The State Department of
Transportation shall not issue, renew, upgrade,
or transfer a hazardous-materials endorsement for a commercial driver’s license to any
person, unless the U.S. Transportation Security Administration has completed a security
threat assessment of the person seeking the
endorsement and determined that the person
does not pose a security risk warranting denial
of the endorsement.
The State Statutes were amended to require
that criminal history record information shall
now be disseminated by criminal justice agencies in the State, either directly or through an
intermediary, to the State Military Department.
The department is now entitled to receive such
information if, as a condition for employment,
the department requires prospective employees
or volunteers, or both, to submit to fingerprinting in order to obtain State and national criminal
history record information.

Puerto Rico
Worker privacy. Legislation was enacted that
prohibits employers of private enterprises or
public corporations of the Commonwealth
from showing or displaying the Social Security number of an employee on the employee’s
identification card, regardless of the nature
of the employee’s position or appointment.
In addition, the number may not be shown
or displayed in a place visible to the general
public or in a document of general circulation.
Finally, the number may not be included in
any personnel directory or in any similar list
made available to persons who have no need
or authority to access such data.
Notes
1
For a listing of the current State minimumwage requirements that were effective on January
1, 2008, visit www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.
htm.
2
For a definition of “Housing with Services
Establishment,” visit http://www.state.mn.us/
license/content.do?mode=license&LicenseID
=4791.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 31

Unemployment Insurance, 2007

Changes in State unemployment insurance
legislation in 2007
State enactments include provisions that relate to confidentiality and disclosure
of unemployment compensation information, exclude “services” from the
definition of employment, change rate schedules, address fraud and nonfraud
benefit overpayments, provide for noncharging employers’ accounts for benefits
paid, and address requirements for filing and reporting contributions
Loryn Lancaster

Loryn Lancaster is an
unemployment insurance program specialist
in the Division of Legislation, Office of Workforce
Security, Employment
and Training Administration, U.S. Department of
Labor. E-mail: lancaster.
loryn@dol.gov

32

T

o meet Federal requirements, some
States enacted conforming legislation in 2007 relating to confidentiality and disclosure of unemployment
compensation information. In 2006, the
Department of Labor issued a final rule
governing the confidentiality and disclosure of State unemployment compensation
information. This rule, which became effective October 27, 2006, requires that State
laws meet the confidentiality requirements,
if necessary by enacting new legislation or
modifying rules and practices. States have
2 years to make any necessary conforming
changes.
During 2007, two Federal legislative
enactments affected the Federal-State unemployment compensation program. First,
the Revised Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2007 (P.L. 110–5) amended the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (a) to
transfer Federal equity in State employment security real property to the States,
(b) to provide that such property and proceeds from their sale may be used only for
unemployment insurance (UI), employment
service (ES), or Workforce Investment Act
(WIA) activities, and (c) to provide that

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

States may no longer use UI, ES, or WIA
funds to amortize costs of future real
property purchases. Second, the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007
(P.L. 110–140) included a 1-year extension of the 0.2-percent Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) surtax through
2008.
The Department of Labor issued a
final rule (effective February 15, 2007)
specifying that only unemployed individuals who are “able and available” to work
are eligible for unemployment compensation. Among other issues, the final rule
addresses the meaning of “able and available” in relation to local labor markets and
an individual’s temporary unavailability
for work because of injury, illness, jury
duty, or involvement in job training. Another relevant part of the rule states that
active search for work is not required, but
that individuals whose actions indicate a
“withdrawal” from the labor market are
not eligible for unemployment compensation.
Following is a summary of some significant changes in State UI laws that occurred during 2007:

Arizona
Appeals. All appeal tribunal hearings must be
recorded, and the tribunal is allowed to secure
a court reporter or an electronic means to
create a clear and accurate record of the proceeding at the Department’s expense. Hearings will be transcribed at the Department’s
expense when an application for appeal to the
court of appeals has been made. A scheduled
hearing date may be postponed or advanced
if the parties agree to do so or upon showing
of good cause. (Previously, postponement was
granted if requested at least 5 calendar days
prior to the hearing for the first request or
upon showing of good cause.)
Arkansas
Financing. An employer who discharges an
individual for testing positive for an illegal
drug screen will not be charged for benefits
paid to the individual if the benefits are based
upon wages prior to the discharge. The Arkansas Revenue Stabilization Law provides that
the Employment Security Special Fund will
also consist of unemployment compensation
contribution interest and penalty payments
collected as a result of State Unemployment
Tax Act (SUTA) dumping.
Nonmonetary eligibility.
Individuals discharged for misconduct as a result of testing
positive for an illegal drug will be disqualified from the date of filing the claim until
they have worked 10 weeks and in each week
earned wages equal to their weekly benefit
amount and until they pass a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)-qualified drug
screen by testing negative for illegal drugs.
An individual applying for benefits after
March 27, 2007, who was rejected for offered
employment for failing to appear for a U.S.
DOT-qualified drug screen after receiving a
bona fide job offer of suitable work subject to
passage of the drug screen, or who fails to pass
a U.S. DOT-qualified drug screen by testing
positive for an illegal drug after having received a bona fide job offer of suitable work, is
disqualified for benefits. The disqualification
must continue until a U.S. DOT-qualified drug
screen is passed.
Colorado
Administration. An individual applying for UI
benefits through an interstate agreement who
is not a Colorado resident and is unable to
produce a Colorado driver’s license or identification card (ID) must produce one of the other
documents required by law or a valid driver’s
license or State ID issued in another State, or
in the case of individuals residing in Canada,
a valid Canadian ID or valid Canadian driver’s

license, and execute an affidavit stating that he
or she is a U.S. citizen, a legal permanent resident, or otherwise lawfully present in the U.S.
pursuant to Federal law (applicable to claims
filed on or after August 8, 2007).
Financing. For purposes of determination
of employment-based tax credits, such as
economic development, enterprise zone, development zone, and other such economic
incentives provided by the State or any other
governmental entity, work-site employees will
be deemed employees solely of the work-site
employer.
Connecticut
Monetary entitlement. The alternative base
period, which was to expire on December 31,
2007, is now permanent.
Florida
Coverage. New law provides that employment by a public employer is not subject
to the Florida UI law if the service is performed by an individual in a position that,
under State law, is designated as a major
nontenured policy making or advisory position, including any major nontenured policy
making or advisory position in the Senior
Management Service, or a policy making or
advisory position for which the duties do not
ordinarily require more than 8 hours of work
per week.
Hawaii
Coverage. An individual on work furlough is
considered an employee or employed. Services
performed by an inmate or any person committed to a penal institution will not be considered employment.
Iowa
Administration. The Department must hold
confidential UI information received by the
Department from an UI agency of another
State.
A public official or an agent or contractor
of a public official who receives unemployment
information, or a third party other than an agent
acting on behalf of a claimant or employer and
who violates the confidentiality requirements,
is guilty, upon conviction, of a serious misdemeanor. For purposes of this provision, “public
official” means an official or employee within the
executive branch of Federal, State, or local government, or an elected official of Federal, State,
or local government. (Previously, this provision
applied to an employee of the Department, an
administrative law judge, or a member of the appeal board.)

Kansas
Coverage. The definition of “employment”
excludes service performed by an owner-operator of a motor vehicle that is leased from
a licensed motor carrier, provided that under
the terms of the lease agreement, the owneroperator is not treated as an employee under
Federal law. Additionally, the employees
or agents of the owner-operator will not be
considered employees of the licensed motor
carrier.
The definition of “employment” excludes
service performed by an owner-operator of a
motor vehicle that is leased or contracted to a
licensed motor carrier with the services of a
driver and is not treated under the terms of the
lease agreement or contract with the licensed
motor carrier as an employee for purposes of
certain Federal law provisions; employees or
agents of the owner-operator must not be
considered employees of the licensed motor
carrier for purposes of employment security
taxation or compensation.
Kentucky
Financing. An application must contain a
certificate from the Division of UI reciting
that all employer contributions, interest, penalties, and service capacity upgrade fund assessments have been paid before a corporation
can be reinstated. The deadline for recovery of
contributions, interest, or penalties has been
extended from 5 years to 10 years. The time
limit (within a worker’s benefit year) to make
determinations of a worker’s eligibility for
benefits based on new information, or due to
clerical error in the case of determining the
insured status of a worker, has been removed.
The deadline for commencing proceedings
to collect contributions, interest, or penalties
via levy has been extended from 5 years to 10
years.
Louisiana
Administration. The Secretary may require
certain employers to file both contribution
and wage reports on magnetic media or by
other electronic means according to the following: (a) employers employing 250 or more
employees for contribution and wage reports
due after January 31, 2008; (b) employers employing 200 or more employees for contribution and wage reports due after January 31,
2010; (c) employers employing 100 or more
employees for contribution and wage reports
due after January 31, 2012; and (d) employers employing fewer than 100 employees for
contribution and wage reports due after January 31, 2014. The Secretary may prescribe the
types of media and record layout to be used in
the submission of these reports. The reporting
Monthly Labor Review • January  2008

33

Unemployment Insurance, 2007

requirements may be waived by the Secretary
if the employer is able to show hardship in a
request for a waiver.
Financing. The administrator must establish
by October 14 of each year the amount to be
collected for the Incumbent Worker Training
Account. The administrator must notify employers by December 31 of each year of their
contribution rate for the subsequent year.
Maine
Coverage. The definition of “employment” excludes service performed by an individual in
the employ of that individual’s son, daughter,
or spouse, and service performed by a child
under the age of 18 in the employ of that
child’s father or mother, except for periods of
such service for which UI contributions are
paid.
Financing. The provision stating that a successor employer’s contribution rate must remain as previously determined prior to the
acquisition until the end of the current rate
period to conform with requirements of the
SUTA Dumping Prevention Act of 2004 has
been repealed.
Maryland
Administration. The Joint Committee on
UI Oversight has been reestablished, and
the membership and staffing of the Committee have been established. The committee must examine the condition of the UI
system as a result of the implementation of
the 2005 amendments to Chapter 169 and
the examination of additional alterations, including charging and taxation provisions and
the eligibility and benefit provisions that are
allowed. The committee must report its findings and recommendations on December 31
of each year. The committee will dissolve on
December 31, 2007, unless it is reestablished
by action of the General Assembly.
Financing. The definition of the “taxable
wage base” has been modified to include the
first $8,500 in wages that (a) an employing unit pays to each employee for covered
employment in this State and another State
during a calendar year, if the employee was
continuously employed immediately before
and after a transfer of a business from another
State during a calendar year; (b) a reorganized
employer pays to each employee for covered
employment if the employee was continuously employed immediately before and after the
reorganization in a calendar year and if the
contribution rate of the reorganized employer
is based on the experience with payrolls and
benefit charges of the employing unit before
the reorganization; or (c) an employing unit
34

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

or predecessor employer or combination of
both pays to each employee for covered employment during a calendar year if the payrolls
and benefit charges of the predecessor employing unit are transferred to the successor
employing unit.
Monetary entitlement. The maximum weekly
benefit amount increased from $340 to $380;
the minimum qualifying wages needed in the
base period to qualify for the maximum weekly benefit amount increased from $12,240 to
$13,680; and the high quarter wages needed
in the base period to qualify for the maximum weekly benefit amount increased from
$8,136.01 to $9,096.01 (applicable to claims
filed establishing a new benefit year on or after October 7, 2007).
Minnesota
Administration. The UI telephone system
now must have an option available to any
individual calling in to the system to allow
them to speak to an UI specialist who can
provide direct assistance or can direct the
caller to the person or office that is able to
respond to the caller’s needs.
Financing. The special assessment due from
contributing employers will be levied at the
rate of 0.10 percent per year on all taxable
wages. Previously, the rate was 0.10 percent
for calendar years 2006 and 2007, and 0.085
percent beginning January 1, 2008.
Missouri
Extensions and special programs. The definition of “war on terror veteran” has been
modified by limiting the term to Missouri
residents—that is, members of the Missouri
National Guard or U.S. Armed Forces reserve
units officially domiciled in Missouri before
deployment—who, as found by a Missouri
court or U.S. district court in Missouri, were
discharged or laid off from their regular jobs
while they were deployed. Erroneously paid
benefits to war on terror veterans must be collected.
Montana
Administration. Effective October 1, 2007, a
“licensed and practicing health care provider”
is defined as a health care provider who is primarily responsible for the treatment of a person seeking UI benefits and who is licensed to
practice in Montana as one of the following:
a physician, a dentist, an advanced practice
registered nurse who is recognized as a nurse
practitioner or certified nurse specialist by the
board of nursing, a physical therapist, a chiropractor, a clinical psychologist, or a physician
assistant; or with respect to a person seeking

benefits who resides outside of Montana,
a health care provider licensed or certified as
a member of one of the aforementioned professions in the jurisdiction where the person
seeking the benefit lives.
Effective October 1, 2007, in the aftermath
of a disaster, the Department may waive, suspend, or modify its rules concerning the filing
of a claim for benefits, filing continued claims,
registering for work, or searching for work if
the following conditions are met: the President of the United States declares a disaster
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 5170, et seq.; and the
Governor issues an executive order directing
the Department to waive, suspend, or modify
rules relating to claims. In the aftermath of
a disaster that meets these conditions, the
Department may waive, suspend, or modify
its rules relating to claims in portions of the
State named by the Department as appropriate to address the nature of the disaster and
for the purposes of UI laws (effective October
1, 2007).
UI

Coverage.
Effective January 1, 2008, the
definition of “employment” has been modified
to mean service—including service in interstate commerce—by an individual, a manager or member of a limited liability company
treated as a corporation pursuant to the UI law,
or an officer of a corporation performed for
wages or under any contract of hire, written
or oral, express or implied. Effective January
1, 2008, the exclusions from the definition of
“employment” for service performed by sole
proprietors, working members of a partnership, members of a limited liability company
treated as a partnership or sole proprietorship
pursuant to the UI law, or partners in a limited
liability partnership that has filed with the
Secretary of State also have been modified.
Extensions and special programs. The extended
benefits provision has been modified. The
total extended benefit amount payable to an
eligible individual with respect to that individual’s applicable benefit year must be the
least of the following three amounts (formerly
the first two amounts): 50 percent of the total
amount of regular benefits that were payable
to the individual in the individual’s applicable
benefit year; 13 times the individual’s weekly
benefit amount that was payable to the individual for a week of total unemployment in
the individual’s applicable benefit year; or 39
times the individual’s weekly benefit amount,
less the amount of regular benefits paid or
considered paid during the individual’s applicable benefit year.
Financing. Effective October 1, 2007, the UI
administration account will no longer consist
of all money appropriated by the State from
the general fund for the purpose of administering the UI law; all money, trust funds,

supplies, facilities, or services furnished, deposited, paid, and received from: the State
of Montana or any agency of the State; any
other State or any of its agencies; political
subdivisions of the State; or any other source
for administrative expense and purpose.
The provision for giving a bond in connection with the UI administration account and
payment for the bond from money in such
account has been removed, effective October
1, 2007.
Effective July 1, 2007, an employer’s account will not be charged for benefits paid to
an employee who is laid off as a result of the
return to work of a permanent employee who
was called to military service, and had completed 4 or more weeks of military service
and exercised certain reemployment rights.
The corporate bankruptcy provisions have
been modified to provide that the liability
imposed upon an individual remains unaffected by the bankruptcy of a business entity
to which a discharge cannot be granted under Federal law, and the individual is liable
for the unpaid amount of taxes, penalties and
interest, effective January 1, 2008.
Effective January 1, 2008, the liability
provisions are modified to provide that in the
case of a limited liability company treated as
a partnership pursuant to the unemployment
law, the liability for UI taxes, penalties, and
interest owed extends jointly and severally
to each member; not treated as a partnership
pursuant to the unemployment law, liability
for UI taxes, penalties, and interest owed extends jointly and severally to the managers
of the limited liability company. In addition,
effective October 1, 2007, the contribution
rate schedule IX has been modified to add
(.0025) as the minimum ratio of fund to total wages. Benefits paid are not chargeable to
the employer’s account when an individual
leaves employment because of the mandatory military transfer of spouse.
Effective January 1, 2008, the provisions
relating to assessments for administrative
expenses have been revised by providing that
the following assessments must be levied
against and paid by the indicated employers:
beginning January 1, 2008, 0.13 percent of
all taxable wages paid by employers assigned
a rate class 1, Schedules I and II, and rate
class 2, schedule I, contribution rate; 0.18
percent of all taxable wages paid by employers assigned a contribution rate other than
rate class 1, Schedules I and II, and rate
class 2, schedule I; 0.18 percent of all taxable
wages paid by employers assigned an industrial rate; 0.08 percent of total wages paid by
all employers; beginning July 1, 2008, 0.09
percent of total wages paid by all employers.
(Formerly, the law provided that an assessment equal to 0.13 percent of all taxable
wages provided and 0.05 percent of total
wages paid by employers not covered by an

experience rating must be levied against and
paid by all employers.)
Effective January 1, 2008, all assessments
and investment income must be deposited in
the employment security account. In addition, effective January 1, 2008, the following
assessments and investment income from
those assessments are designated to be used
for the administration of the UI program: 0.05
percent of all taxable wages paid by all employers; 0.05 percent of all taxable wages paid
by employers assigned an industry rate; 0.03
percent of total wages paid by all employers;
and beginning July 1, 2008, 0.04 percent of
total wages paid by all employers.
Effective January 1, 2008, if UI funding
sources exceed the needs of the UI program,
all or a portion of the excess may be appropriated and used for other specific expenses. Effective October 1, 2007, money is permitted
to be deposited in the employment security
account to be appropriated for payment of
expenses incurred in the administration of the
UI program. Effective July 1, 2008, the language concerning payments of contributions
specific to newly covered governmental entities and that currently requires all governmental entities to make payments at the median
rate will be removed. Effective July 1, 2008,
the minimum rate for experience-rated governmental entities may not be less than 0.06
percent (previously, 0.1 percent).
Effective January 1, 2008, the ratios that
are used to calculate UI contribution rates have
been revised, resulting in the following rates:
for eligible employers, the most favorable
rates range from 0.00 percent to 1.42 percent.
The least favorable rates for eligible employers range from 1.62 percent to 3.42 percent.
For deficit employers, the most favorable
rates range from 2.92 percent to 6.12 percent.
The least favorable rates for deficit employers
range from 4.92 percent to 6.12 percent. Also
effective January 1, 2008, the provisions for
determining uncollectible debts, transferring
debts to the Department of Revenue for collection, collection fees and costs, and debtor
liability for repayment of debt, the costs and
fees will be removed.
Monetary entitlement. The maximum weekly
benefit amount increases from 66.5 percent to
67.5 percent of the average weekly wage and
the minimum weekly benefit amount increases
from 19 percent to 20 percent of the average
weekly wage during years the UI contribution
schedule I is in effect. An individual may not
be disqualified for benefits if the individual
leaves employment because of the mandatory
military transfer of his or her spouse.
Nonmonetary eligibility. The provision for
disqualification for failure to apply for or to
accept suitable work has been modified such
that an individual is disqualified for benefits

if he or she fails without good cause to accept
an offer from a former employer or a new employer of suitable work that the individual is
physically able and mentally qualified to perform, effective October 1, 2007. In addition,
effective October 1, 2007, the provision that
an individual is disqualified for benefits for
any week with respect to which the individual
receives payment in the form of compensation for disability under the Social Security
disability law has been removed.
Nebraska
Administration. An employee of the Commission who violates any provision concerning information obtained and disclosed under
certain circumstances and any person who
receives certain information that has been disclosed to them and rediscloses such information for any purpose other than the purpose for
which it was originally obtained, is guilty of a
class III misdemeanor. Confidential information obtained under certain circumstances, not
limited to but including, the following may be
disclosed: for the proper presentation of the
contest of an unemployment benefit claim
or tax appeal to any claimant or employer or
representative of a claimant or employer, as
a party before an appeal tribunal or court; in
appeals records and decisions on coverage of
employers, employment, wages, and benefit
eligibility if all Social Security numbers have
been removed and such disclosure is otherwise consistent with Federal and State law; or
to public officials or their agent/contractor for
use in the performance of their official duties.
Confidential information obtained about
an individual or employer may be disclosed
under certain conditions to certain agents
acting for the individual or employer, including elected officials, attorneys, a third party or
its agent. Confidential information obtained
may be disclosed under the following circumstances: information about an individual or
employer must only be disclosed to the respective individual or employer; to a local State or
Federal governmental official; disclosures to
a Federal official for purposes of unemployment compensation program oversight and
audits, including disclosures under certain
Codes of Federal Regulations, as they existed
on January 1, 2007. Costs must be recovered
for providing information unrelated to the
administration of the Employment Security
Law or the UI compensation program prior
to providing the information, unless costs
are nominal or the entity is a governmental
agency that provides reciprocal service.
Financing. The term “wages” has been redefined for purposes of service performed in
employment in agricultural labor to mean
cash remuneration and the cash value of commodities not intended for personal consumpMonthly Labor Review • January  2008

35

Unemployment Insurance, 2007

tion by the worker and his or her immediate
family for such services. The Commissioner is
permitted to assess a fee to recover payments
for returned check charges and electronic payments not accepted. The provision has been
removed that stated that if the State’s reserve
ratio on September 30, 2008, or September 30, 2009, is less than 0.4 percent and an
emergency solvency surcharge is imposed for
such year, then the maximum weekly benefit
amount for the following calendar year will
not be increased over the then current maximum weekly benefit amount.
The law has been modified to provide that
for any employer who has not been subject to
the payment of contributions during each of
the two 4-calendar-quarter periods ending
on September 30 of any year, but has been
subject to the payment of contributions in any
two 4-calendar-quarter periods regardless of
whether such 4-calendar quarter periods are
consecutive, such employer’s combined tax
rate for the following tax year must be one
of the following: the highest combined tax
rate for employers with a positive experience
account balance if the employer’s experience
account balance exhibits a positive balance as
of September 30 of the year of rate computation; or the standard rate if the employer’s
experience account exhibits a negative balance
as of September 30 of the year of rate computation.
(The law previously provided that for any
employer who has been subject to the payment of contributions for any eight preceding
calendar quarters, regardless of whether such
calendar quarters are consecutive, and whose
experience account exhibits a negative balance
as of September 30 of the year of rate computation, the rate on its annual payroll must
be equal to or greater than the highest combined tax rate for employers whose experience
account balance is positive—but not greater
than the standard rate—until such time as
the experience account exhibits a positive balance.)
The experience factor has been changed
from 0.15 to 0.00 for eligible experience-rated
employers in the lowest rate category, making
the minimum rate 0.00 percent. The experience factors for categories 15, 16, and 17 also
were changed. Employers delinquent in filing
their combined tax reports as of October 31
of any year must be assigned to category 20
for the following calendar year unless the delinquency is corrected prior to December 31
of the year of rate calculation. All voluntary
contributions must be received on or before
January 10 (previously March 10) of any year
to be considered as paid at the beginning of
the calendar year. An individual employer,
partner, corporate officer, or member of a limited liability company or limited liability partnership who willfully fails or refuses to make
any combined tax payment must be jointly
36

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

and severally liable for the payment of such
combined tax and any penalties and interest
owed.

case basis upon a finding by the Commissioner that sufficient guarantees of continued
confidentiality are in place.

Overpayments. Individuals liable to repay an
overpayment of benefits because they willfully fail to disclose amounts earned at the
same time benefits are claimed, or because
they willfully fail to disclose or have falsified
facts, and who fail or refuse to repay such
overpayment within 12 months after the final determination may be subject to a levy on
their salary, wages, or other regular payment
either due to or received by them; the levy
will be continuous from the date the levy is
served until the amount of the levy is satisfied.
The law provides for appeal of a levy, and it
provides that any person failing or refusing to
honor the levy without cause may be held liable for the amount of the levy up to the value
of the total assets of the person liable to repay
the overpayment.

Financing. Effective April 1, 2007, each contributing employer’s rate will be reduced by
two-tenths of 1 percent (previously one-tenth
of 1 percent) beginning in the second quarter
of 2007. All employers are required to pay
an administrative contribution equal to the
amount of this reduction. Also effective April
1, 2007, the provision has been removed that
stated that in the event the unemployment
compensation trust fund fails to equal or exceed $275,000,000 throughout the preceding
calendar quarter, the administrative contribution funds will not be deposited quarterly in
the training fund as required, but shall be deposited in the contingent fund and expended
only as needed for the contingent fund purposes and not for any other purposes.

Nevada
Appeals. The Administrator (formerly, the
Board of Review) is required to (a) appoint one
or more impartial Appeal Tribunals consisting
in each case of a selected salaried examiner;
or (b) enter into an interlocal agreement with
another public agency for the appointment of
a single hearing officer to hear and decide appealed claims. The option of having an Appeal
Tribunal consisting of three members has been
eliminated. The position of the Chairman of
the Appeal Tribunal has been removed. The
provision stating that, while engaged in the
business of the tribunal, each tribunal member is entitled to receive the per diem allowance and travel expenses has been removed.
The provision requiring the Administrator to
provide the Board of Review and the Appeal
Tribunal with proper facilities and assistants
for the execution of their functions also has
been removed.
Financing. If a claimant leaves his last or next
to last employer (previously, “an employer”) to
take other employment and leaves or is discharged by the latter employer, benefits paid
to him must not be charged against the record
for experience rating of the former employer.
New Hampshire
Administration. The Social Security Administration and the Department of Unemployment Security are permitted to establish a reciprocal electronic data exchange agreement,
provided that data exchanged through this
agreement are used for establishing and verifying eligibility and payment amounts and for
preventing and detecting waste, abuse, fraud
and identity theft. Access will be granted to
authorized Federal employees on a case-by-

New Jersey
Nonmonetary eligibility. Unemployment benefits will not be reduced if there has been an
eligible rollover distribution from a qualified
trust to an eligible retirement plan within 60
days of receipt. Any distributions subject to
Federal income tax will require reduction in
unemployment benefits by the amount of the
distribution.
New Mexico
Administration. The New Mexico Workforce
Solutions Department replaces the (New
Mexico) Department of Labor. The title of
the Secretary of the Department of Labor has
been changed to the Secretary of Workforce
Solutions. The Employment Security division
is renamed the Workforce Transition Services
division. The Department will have access to
all records, data and information of other departments, and agencies and institutions not
specifically held confidential by law.
New York
Administration. The New York Department of
Labor is allowed to receive and redisclose UI
information from quarterly combined withholding, wage reporting, and UI returns filed
by employers for the administration of the UI
program, the employment services program,
and Federal and State employment and training programs, employment statistics and labor
market information programs, worker protection programs, other Federal programs for
which the Department of Labor has responsibility, or other purposes deemed appropriate by the Commissioner of Labor. (The law
previously allowed the disclosure of such information for employment security programs,
evaluation of employment and training pro-

grams, reporting, and monitoring.) Information is allowed to be used in court in actions
pursuant to disclosures to Federal, State, or
local agencies, or to adjudicate a claim for
benefits. Information must be disclosed upon
request to any Federal, State, or local agency
entitled to such information under the Social
Security Act or any other Federal law in the
manner prescribed by such law or its implementing regulations.
The Commissioner is allowed to require
written agreements with requesting Federal,
State, or local agencies consistent with Federal regulations—including the regulation
concerning the confidentiality and disclosure
of State unemployment compensation information—and assurances that the requesting
agency has adequate security safeguards in
place. Information is allowed to be disclosed
to Federal, State, or local agencies for the following legitimate governmental purposes: investigation of fraud or misuse of public funds;
programmatic purposes of workforce agencies,
workforce investment boards and their agents,
one-stop operating partners; U.S. Department
of Labor requirements for receipt of Federal
administrative funding; carrying out statutory
functions of State and local economic development agencies; and determining coverage
compliance of the Worker’s Compensation
Board, the State Insurance Fund, and the
State Insurance Department.
Wage reporting information obtained
from the Department of Taxation and Information from quarterly combined withholding, wage reporting, and UI returns filed by
employers must be confidential and must be
used for the administration of the UI program,
the employment services program, Federal
and State employment and training programs,
employment statistics and labor market information programs, employer services program,
worker protection programs, other Federal
programs for which the Department of Labor
has responsibility, or other purposes deemed
appropriate by the Commissioner of Labor.
North Dakota
Administration. Employers with more than 99
employees at any time must file contribution
and wage reports via an electronic method approved by the North Dakota Department of
Labor beginning with the calendar quarter in
which the 99-employee requirement is met.
Employers not complying with the electronic
filing of reports requirements are deemed to
have failed to submit their contribution and
wage reports. All payers making payments on
behalf of more than one employer must make
all payments electronically.
Financing. The calculation of the tax rate
necessary to generate the amount of income
needed to reach a solvency balance has been

modified by adding that the negative rate arrays must have a minimum multiplier of 100
percent. Appropriation for the Federal advance interest repayment fund will continue
to be provided, and use of monies in this fund
is authorized for the purposes of reemployment programs to ensure the integrity of the
UI program.
Design and engineering firms connected
with construction projects estimated at a cost
of at least $50 million planned for completion
or discontinuance within a 7-year period are
excluded from posting a bond or an irrevocable letter of credit. The computations of the
amount of bond or irrevocable letter of credit,
the estimation of contributions expected, and
the estimation of benefits paid have been
changed. The general or prime contractor, or
the owner when there is no general or prime
contractor, must remain liable for any amount
of benefits paid to the employees working on
the project that exceeds the amount of contributions collected from the employers who
worked on the project and not covered by the
amount of the bond or irrevocable letter of
credit.
The provision on determination of rates
has been modified by providing that the positive employer minimum rate in the first rate
schedule is 0.01 percent and in each subsequent rate schedule the rate is the previous
rate schedule’s positive employer minimum
rate plus 0.01 percent; the negative employer
minimum rate required to generate the
amount of income needed to pay benefits is
the positive employer minimum (previously
maximum) rate plus 6 percent (previously
5.1 percent); the positive employer minimum (previously maximum) rate necessary
to generate the amount of income needed
to pay benefits must be set so that all rates
combined generate the average required rate
for income needed to pay benefits; and new
employers must be assigned a rate that is 90
percent (previously 150 percent) of the positive employer maximum rate or a rate of 1
percent, whichever is greater, unless classified
in construction services.
The provisions on how the variations in
standard rate of contributions are determined
have been amended to provide that in the
schedule of positive employer rate groups,
each successive rate group for positive employers must be assigned a rate equal to 120
percent of the previous group’s rate, with a
minimum increase of 0.1 percent and a maximum increase of 0.4 percent; there must be 10
rate groups in the positive employer schedule;
after assigning rates on the basis of ranking
employers with the highest reserve ratio, each
successively ranked positive employer must be
assigned to a rate such that the first rate in the
schedule is assigned 60 percent of the positive
employer’s prior year’s taxable wages and each
of the remaining nine rates within the rate

schedule are assigned the same proportion of
the remaining 40 percent of the positive employer’s prior year’s taxable wages (previously
the rates in the schedule were assigned in the
same proportion); and an employer with a
quarterly taxable payroll in excess of $50,000
and at least 3 times its established average
annual payroll or the average annual payroll
is zero, the employer’s cumulative lifetime reserve balance is positive, then the employer’s
tax rate is 90 percent (previously 150 percent)
of the positive employer maximum rate in effect that year or a rate of 1 percent, whichever
is greater, beginning the first day of the calendar quarter in which it occurred and for the
remainder of the calendar year.
Oklahoma
Administration. Information may be released
to any State or Federal law enforcement authority when necessary in the investigation
of any crime of which the Commission is a
victim. Confidential information will be held
confidential by the law enforcement authority unless and until it is required for use in
court in the prosecution of a defendant in a
criminal prosecution. A representative from
the Oklahoma Department of Career and
Technology Education has been added to the
Worker Safety Policy Council. This representative will be appointed by the Commissioner
of Labor and will serve at the pleasure of the
Commissioner.
Appeals. If an employer fails to file an appeal
to the district court within the time allowed,
the order will be final and no further appeal
will be allowed for determinations on any aspect of an employer’s account. If a Petition for
Review is not filed within the time allowed by
law, the administrative order, ruling or finding
will become final and the district court will
not have jurisdiction to consider the appeal.
Financing. An employer’s account will not be
charged if the Commission receives a notice
of amounts paid as benefits by another State
under a reciprocal agreement, and the notice
is received after 3 years from the effective date
of the underlying benefit claim. The employer
will be relieved of the charge when the facts
are brought before the commission, if a charge
is made based on such notice. The Commission will make its assessments or amend its
assessments for payments in lieu of contributions within 3 years of the ending date of the
calendar quarter to which the assessment or
amendment applies.
Nonmonetary eligibility. An individual’s receipt of payments from a pension, retired or
retirement pay, annuity, or other similar payment plan that the employee contributed to
in any amount will not result in a reduction in
Monthly Labor Review • January  2008

37

Unemployment Insurance, 2007

his or her weekly benefit amount.
If a person filing a claim was discharged for
misconduct by his or her employer after testing
positive for an illegal drug or for alcohol, a copy
of the drug or alcohol test will be accepted as
prima facie evidence of the administration and
results of the drug or alcohol test. The employer’s written drug or alcohol testing policy on
the substances tested for need only state that
the substances tested for are drugs and alcohol as defined in the Standards for Workplace
Drug and Alcohol Testing Act, including controlled substances approved for testing by rule
by the State Commissioner of Health.
Oregon
Administration. The Oregon Department of
Labor may provide confidential information,
including names and addresses of employers
and employees and payroll data to the Department of Transportation in order to assist
in debt collection, including unpaid taxes. The
Department of Transportation is proscribed
from releasing such information in any manner that would identify any employing unit or
employee except as required to carry out Department of Transportation duties; disclosing
this information to any private collection
agency also is prohibited.
The circumstances under which the director may reconsider a determination of
employer subjectivity, tax rate, or tax assessment is expanded to include determinations
when there is evidence of computation errors,
clerical errors, misinformation provided to a
party by the Employment Department, facts
not previously known to the Department, or
errors by the Department caused by misapplication of the law.
Coverage. The term “employer” is redefined to
mean any employing unit that employs one
or more individuals employed in each of 18
separate weeks during any calendar year, or in
which the employing unit’s total payroll during any calendar quarter amounts to $1,000 or
more (previously, $225). In addition, the term
“services excluded from employment” is redefined to exclude service not in the course of
the employer’s trade or business that does not
promote or advance the trade or business of
the employer, unless the service is performed
in each of 18 weeks in a calendar year or total payroll for the service during any calendar
quarter is $1,000 or more (previously, $225).
Financing. The provision that specifies that
a business entity that has a single owner and
is disregarded as an entity separate from its
owner for Federal tax purposes and is deemed
to be the same employing unit as its owner for
unemployment compensation tax purposes
has been repealed.
38

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

Nonmonetary eligibility. New legislation
modifies the conditions under which an individual may be eligible for UI benefits when
the individual is unemployed due to a lockout
resulting from a labor dispute. (This applies to
UI claims made on or after June 26, 2007.)
South Dakota
Financing. As of January 1, 2006, new legislation excludes from the definition of “wages”
the employer’s contributions to retirement or
pension payments, if the payment is made to
certain qualified plans provided by Federal law
(other than certain elective contributions).
Texas
Administration. An offense of the law pertaining to disclosure of information is now a class
A misdemeanor; previously, the penalty was a
fine of $20 to $200 or 90 days in jail (or both).
The term “unemployment compensation information” is defined as records of the Commission that pertain to the administration of
the unemployment compensation program,
including all information collected, received,
developed, and maintained in the administration of both the unemployment compensation
benefits and tax systems.
The Commission must adopt and enforce
reasonable rules governing the confidentiality, custody, use, preservation, and disclosure
of unemployment compensation information
consistent with Federal law. These rules must
include safeguards to protect the confidentiality of identifying information regarding any
individual or any past or present employer or
employing unit contained in unemployment
compensation information. Unemployment
compensation information is not public information. A person has committed an offense
if the person solicits, discloses, receives, uses,
authorizes, permits, participates in, or acquiesces in another person’s use of unemployment compensation information if doing so
reveals identifying information regarding any
individual or any past or present employer, or
if the information could be paired with other
publicly available information that could reveal identifying information regarding any
individual or past or present employer or employing unit.
Financing. Benefits computed on benefit
wage credits of an employee or former employee may not be charged to the account of
an employer if the employee’s last separation
from the employer before his or her benefit
year resulted from the employee leaving his
or her workplace to care for the employee’s
terminally ill spouse, as evidenced by a physician’s statement or other medical documentation—but only if no reasonable alternative

care was available.
Nonmonetary eligibility. Specific information
is required in a physician’s statement or other
medical documentation for it to be considered
evidence that an individual left the workplace
to protect the individual from family violence
or stalking, in which case the individual would
not be disqualified from benefits. The law now
stipulates that an individual is not disqualified from benefits if the individual leaves the
workplace to care for the individual’s terminally ill spouse as evidenced by a physician’s
statement or other medical documentation,
but only if no reasonable, alternative care was
available.
Utah
Administration. The State agency may require
employers to file contribution reports on electronic media as well as on magnetic media or
in other machine-readable form. Rules must
be prescribed to provide standards for determining which contribution reports must be
filed on electronic media. An employer may
not be required to file contribution reports on
magnetic or electronic media unless the employer is required to file wage data on at least
250 employees during any calendar quarter or
is an authorized employer representative who
files quarterly tax reports on behalf of 100 or
more employers during any calendar quarter.
The Department of Workforce Services
may disclose to an individual the suspected
misuse of the individual’s personal identifying
information and report suspected abuse to appropriate law enforcement agencies responsible for investigating identity fraud violations.
An employee of Workforce Services who
makes a disclosure of information obtained
from an employing unit or individual or uses
the list of applicants for work or claimant information for political purposes has committed a violation under a class C misdemeanor
instead of a violation under class A.
Financing. The provision that employers not
be charged for benefits paid due to the 50percent Social Security benefits offset to an
individual’s weekly unemployment benefit
amount has been removed. The provision that
these costs be funded from Federal Reed Act
money also has been removed.
Nonmonetary eligibility. The disqualification
provisions related to unreported or underreported work or earnings have been clarified.
If a fraud determination is based solely on a
claimant’s unreported or underreported work
or earnings and the claimant would have been
eligible for benefits that week, the claimant
does not lose eligibility for that week, but
is liable for the overpayment and subject to

disqualification of benefits for subsequent
weeks.
Virginia
Administration. Employers who report 100 or
more employees in any calendar quarter must
file quarterly reports on an electronic medium
in a format prescribed by the Commissioner
beginning January 1, 2009. A penalty of $75
will be imposed for failure to file electronically
without good cause for employers who do not
obtain a waiver. Penalties collected must be
paid to the Special Unemployment Compensation Administration Fund.
Financing. Payroll and tax reports and payment of taxes may be filed annually if the
employment is exclusively domestic service
in a private home and quarterly payroll does
not exceed $5,000, regardless of the number
of persons providing such service.
Monetary entitlement. The maximum weekly
benefit amount increased from $347 to $363,
effective July 1, 2007.
Washington
Administration. The Department of Labor
of the State of Washington must provide to
new employers printed material of all recommended or required postings and a copy
of any printed material that has substantive
changes to each employer. Churches, church
conventions and associations, and organizations operated primarily for religious purposes
must provide written notification, at the time
of hire, to each individual performing services
exempt from the definition of “employment”
that they may not be eligible to receive unemployment benefits based upon such services.
In addition, the employer must display a poster, as provided by the Employment Security
Department, giving notice of the exclusion.
Coverage. A corporation that is a public
company (other than nonprofit, governmental, or tribal) may exempt from coverage an
officer who is voluntarily elected or appointed,
consistent with articles of incorporation or
bylaws; is a shareholder; exercises substantial control in daily management; and whose
primary responsibilities do not include the
performance of manual labor. In a nonpublic company, the law allows a corporation to
exempt from coverage eight or fewer officers
who agree to be exempted, are voluntarily
elected or appointed, and who exercise substantial control in the daily management of
the company without regard to performance
of manual labor if the officer is a shareholder.
It may also exempt from coverage any number
of officers if all of the exempted officers are

related by blood within the third degree or by
marriage.
The requirements for corporations to file
exemptions from or reinstatements of coverage for corporate officers have been defined.
In addition, personal services provided by
corporate offices are not considered services in
employment unless the corporation registers
and elects to provide coverage. An officer or
family member who owns 10 percent or more
of company stock and whose claim for benefits
is based on wages with the corporation is not
considered unemployed in any week during
the individual’s term of office or ownership,
but the officer is considered unemployed upon
dissolution of the corporation or if the officer
resigns or is permanently removed from his or
her appointment.
Extensions and special programs. A self-employment assistance (SEA) program has been
established. Unemployed individuals are eligible to participate in the SEA program if they
are otherwise eligible for regular benefits; likely to exhaust regular unemployment benefits
under a profiling program; and enrolled in an
SEA program approved by the Commissioner.
Individuals participating in an SEA program
are eligible to receive regular unemployment
benefits. The requirements relating to availability for work, active search for work, and
refusal to accept suitable work are not applicable for the first 52 weeks of an individual’s
participation in the program.
Failure to participate in an approved SEA
program disqualifies the individual from continuation in the program. Individuals completing the program may not compete with their
separating employer for a period of up to 1
year based on identified factors. The Commissioner is not obligated to expend funds for the
operation of the SEA program unless specific
funding is provided through Federal or State
appropriation. Individuals enrolled in a course
of study of 12 or more hours per week in an
approved SEA program are not disqualified
from receiving benefits. The Department must
report to the House and Senate Committees
by December 1, 2011, on the performance of
the SEA program, including an analysis of the
self-employment impacts, wage and salary
outcomes, benefit payment outcomes, and a
cost-benefit analysis. The program is effective
January 1, 2008, and expires July 1, 2012.
Financing. Employers must register, obtain
an employment security account number, and
provide specific information to the Department. Any changes in owners, partners, members or corporate officers must be reported to
the Department at intervals prescribed by the
Commissioner. New requirements for employer reports have been added to include the
full names, Social Security numbers and total

hours worked for each worker. Benefits paid
using computed hours are not considered an
overpayment and are not subject to collection
when the correction of computed hours results
in an invalid or reduced claim. However, contribution paying employers who fail to report
the number of hours worked will have their
experience rating account charged based on
the number of computed hours, and reimbursing employers who fail to report the number
of hours worked will have to reimburse the
trust fund for benefits paid based on the number of hours computed. When a benefit claim
becomes invalid due to an employer failing to
report or inaccurately reporting hours worked,
remuneration paid, or both, the employer will
be charged or reimbursed based on the originally filed incomplete or inaccurate report.
A penalty of $25 per violation will be imposed for an employer who fails to file timely
reports. (Previously, the imposed penalty was
up to the lesser of $250 or 10 percent of the
employer’s quarterly contribution.) New penalties have been added for employers who file
incomplete or incorrectly formatted tax and
wage reports as follows: for the first occurrence,
the employer must receive a warning letter; for
subsequent occurrences within 5 years of the
last occurrence, the penalties, when no contribution is due, will result in increasing penalties
(second, $75; third, $150; and fourth and each
occurrence thereafter, $250). When contributions are due, the penalties are as follows: for a
second occurrence, 10 percent of the quarterly
contribution due (not less than $75 and not
more than $250); for third, 10 percent (not less
than $150 or more than $250); and for fourth
and each occurrence thereafter, $250. Penalties
may be waived for good cause if the employer
is not at fault.
Definitions for a professional employer organization, client employer, covered employee,
professional employer services, co-employment
relationship, and professional employer agreement have been added. Professional employer
organizations must register; provide the Department with specific information regarding
client employers; notify the Department within
30 days each time it adds or terminates a relationship with a client employer; provide proof
it is authorized to act on behalf of the client
employer for UI purposes; ensure separate and
distinct information for each client employer is
filed in quarterly wage and contribution reports;
and maintain and make available for review accurate payroll records for each client employer.
A professional employer organization’s authority may be revoked if it fails to comply with
these requirements. Each client employer is assigned its individual contribution rate based on
its own experience and is liable for payment of
any taxes, interest, or penalties due. Professional
employer organizations may collect and pay
taxes for client employers. Collection proceMonthly Labor Review • January  2008

39

Unemployment Insurance, 2007

dures for late payments have been specified.
The definition of a temporary staffing services company has changed. The temporary
staffing services company is now considered
the employer. The employee leasing agency
definition has been removed. The services referral agency definition has changed. A definition for third-party payers has been added.
A definition for common paymasters has been
added, and the common paymaster is not
considered the employer. Joint accounts may
not be established for professional employer
organizations or third-party payers and their
clients.
Any officer, member, or owner of a company that is dissolved who willfully evades
contributions, willfully destroys or falsifies
any record, or fails to account truthfully for
the condition of the company is personally liable for any unpaid contributions and interest
and penalties on those contributions. A limited liability company has been added to the
definition of employer. A corporation is not
an employing unit when all personal services
are performed only by bona fide corporate
officers, unless the corporation registers and
elects to provide coverage. The Department
must report on the impact of this act on professional employer organizations, small businesses, and the integrity of the UI system by
December 1, 2010.
The language has been removed that formerly required that all penalties and interest
collected for State Unemployment Tax Act
(SUTA) dumping activities be expended solely
for prevention, detection, and collection activities related to evasion of the successorship
provisions, and for no other purposes. The
Commissioner must engage in prevention,
detection, and collection activities related to
evasion of the successorship provisions.
The provision has been modified that
formerly required that any amount of contributions payable to finance the Employment
Security Department’s administrative account
in the administrative contingency fund that

40

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

exceeded the amount that would have been
collected at a rate of 0.004 of 1 percent be deposited into the unemployment compensation
trust fund by requiring the excess instead to
be deposited in the account that finances the
special programs to assist the unemployed.
The requirement for using the 1 percent
interest penalty imposed for failing to repay
an overpayment assessment or arranging for
repayment terms for fully funding either Social Security number cross match audits or
other more effective activities, and to fund
other detection and recovery of overpayment
and collection activities, but that requires the
Department to continue to conduct such activities has been removed.
Overpayments. Effective January 1, 2008, the
former disqualification provision for individuals who knowingly made a false statement
or representation involving a material fact or
knowingly failed to report a material fact and
obtained or attempted to obtain benefits has
changed as follows: the first time an individual
is disqualified, he or she is disqualified for an
additional 26 weeks; the second time an individual is disqualified, he or she is disqualified
for an additional 52 weeks and is subject to an
additional penalty of 25 percent of the benefits overpaid; in subsequent disqualifications,
the individual is disqualified for an additional
104 weeks and is subject to an additional
penalty of 50 percent of the benefits overpaid.
(Previously, the disqualification was for an additional 26 weeks, but not applicable after 2
years from the date of mailing of the disqualification determination.) All penalties must be
collected, and collected penalties must be used
for UI administration.
Wyoming
Financing. The Department must by rule
and regulation establish an additional formula to apportion the positive fund balance
adjustment factor between employers whose

accounts have incurred a benefit ratio of zero
and employers whose accounts have incurred
a benefit ratio that is greater than zero. For
purposes of the apportionment, employers
who have no established experience period
must be treated the same as employers whose
accounts have incurred a benefit ratio that is
greater than zero. The apportionment formula
must reflect the proportion of contribution
revenue received from each of the two groups
of employers during the previous calendar
year and an additional surcharge for employers whose accounts have incurred a benefit
ratio that is greater than zero.
The provision concerning delinquent rates
has been modified to provide that an employer
satisfies his or her delinquent account by paying all contributions, interest, and penalties
due and submitting all contribution reports
that are due. The estimated construction cost
of any project in Wyoming that requires incremental bond payments for impact industries has increased from at least $25,000,000
to at least $100,000,000.
Overpayments. The overpayment provisions
have been modified to provide permit recoupment, without civil action, of benefits liable
for repayment by offsetting against future
benefits within 5 years from the effective date
of the claim resulting in the overpayment, if
the claim was nonfraudulent; the provisions
now state that the limitation on recoupment extends beyond the 5-year limitation,
if the claim resulting in the overpayment was
fraudulent; and they permit the cancellation
of amounts of overpayments or penalty due
on any overpayments after the expiration of
the aforementioned time period, when the
individual cannot be located. (Previously,
cancellation of amounts of overpayments or
penalty due on any overpayments were permitted 5 years after the effective date of the
claim resulting in an overpayment, when the
individual could not be located within the
State of Wyoming.)

Older Workers

Older workers: increasing their labor
force participation and hours of work
Over the past dozen or so years, older men—especially those
65 years or older—have increased their labor force participation
and full-time employment, thereby reversing long-run
declines; increases for older women also have occurred
and have been proportionately greater
Murray Gendell

Murray Gendell is
Professor Emeritus
of Demography,
Georgetown University,
Washington, DC. E-mail:
Murray@Gendell.com

M

ajor changes in the movement of
labor force participation rates and
full-time employment of older
workers have occurred during the past dozen
years. A closer examination of available data
reveals different trends in the labor force
participation rates between workers aged 60
and older and workers aged 50–59, as well as
varied trends by gender.
This article updates two time series of data
on the average age at retirement of men and
women aged 50 years or older. One series
uses the median age at exit from the labor
force (hereafter, median age at exit), and the
other uses the mean age at initial receipt of
the retirement or disability benefit provided
by the Social Security Administration (hereafter, the Social Security mean). The addition of the most recent 5-year period in the
series, 2000–05, provides a 50-year perspective. The latest data show a continuation of
the leveling off of the Social Security average
age, but a further drop in the median age at
exit. The reason for this decline is the same
as it was for the decline between 1990–95
and 1995–2000, namely, that workers aged
60 years or older withdrew from the labor
force at a lower rate than workers 50–59
years old, shifting the age distribution of the
estimated number of net exits toward the
younger ages. The reason for this difference
in exit rates is that the labor force participation rates of men and women aged 60 years

or older have increased considerably since at
least 1994, while there has been little or no
change at ages 50–59. For workers 60 years
or older, the increases are a major reversal of
men’s long-run decline and a marked change
from the previously flat trend among women. Furthermore, not only have these workers’ participation rates risen impressively, but
this age group also has been increasingly
working full time—and doing so throughout the year.
The sections that follow update the
two time series, as well as the estimates of
changes in the duration of postwork retirement, and provide an analysis of the changes
that have occurred in the 50-year history of
the median age at exit. But the main objective of the article is to present the findings
concerning the substantial increase in the
labor force engagement of men and women
60 years or older, as well as the reasons for
its occurrence. The article closes with comments about some of the implications of
the increase, the likelihood of its continuation, and associated issues that need further
study.

Data and methods
Every year, the Social Security Administration publishes the mean age of men and
women initially awarded their retirement
benefit or their disability benefit, along with
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 41

Older Workers

the number of awardees and a frequency distribution of
their ages.1 To obtain the combined mean age of these
two types of beneficiaries, first the mean age of the disability awardees aged 50–64 years was calculated (at age
65, their award is converted to the retirement benefit), and
then the weighted average of that mean and the retirement mean was computed. This weighted average was obtained for every fifth year of data from 1960 to 2004, the
latest year for which data were available at the time this
article was written. (Because disability data were first reported in 1957, the averages shown in table 1 for 1950–55
are limited to the mean of the retirement awards.) Then
the weighted average of the means at the beginning and
end of each 5-year interval was calculated to obtain the
average for the interval. The last interval is limited to the
period 2000–04.
The median age at exit of workers aged 50 years or older
is calculated from annual averages of the number in the
labor force and of the labor force participation rate derived
from the monthly Current Population Survey, for every fifth
Table 1.

year from 1950 through 2005, arrayed in 5-year age groups
from 45–49 years through 75 years or older (used as a proxy
for 75–79 years). Estimates of the number of net withdrawals from the labor force for reasons other than death during
each 5-year interval are given by the equation:

W = L1 (1 −

R2
) s,
R1

(1)

where L1 is the number in the labor force at the beginning
of the interval, R1 is the labor force participation rate of
a birth cohort at the beginning of the interval, R2 is the
labor force participation rate of the same cohort at the
end of the interval (hence, 5 years older), and S is the survival rate of the cohort during the interval. (Survival rates
are calculated from the official national life tables.2) The
equation applies to each of six cohorts aged 45–49 years
through 70–74 years at the beginning of each interval and
50–54 years through 75–79 years at the end of the interval. In order to calculate the median, this analysis converts

Estimated average age of retirement and expected years of postwork retirement, by gender, for selected
periods, 1950–2005 and projected 2005–10

Social Security data1

Labor force data2

Expected years of
postwork retirement3

Period
Men

4
1950–55...................................................................
68.5 	
1965–70 …………....................................................
63.4
1980–85 …………....................................................
62.9
1985–90 …………....................................................
62.8
1990–95 …………....................................................
62.7
5
1995–2000 ..............................................................
62.6
5
2000–05 ..................................................................
62.6
2005–107..................................................................
(8)
	   
1
Mean age at initial award of benefit for disability or retirement,
calculated as the weighted average of the mean ages of those
receiving awards for retirement and disability. The mean for
individuals awarded disability benefits is limited to those 50 to 64
years of age.
2
Median age at exit from the labor force of 5-year cohorts aged
50–54 years through 75 or older for reasons other than death.
3
Average remaining life expectancy at the median age at exit
from the labor force.
4
Age data for disability awards are not available. If they were, the
means would be lower.
5
The mean retirement age for women in 1997 was 65.4, much
higher than the means since the 1960s or in 1998 or 1999. It was,
therefore, regarded as an anomaly and disregarded. The data for
both women and men is limited to the period 2000–04, the latest
period available.
6
Calculated from data for 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010 which
were adjusted to the levels prior to the 1994 revision of the Current

42

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

Women

67.9 	
64.3
62.8
62.8
62.6
5
62.6
5
62.5 	
(8)
4

Men

66.9
64.2
62.8
62.6
6
62.4
6
62.0 	
6
61.6 	
6
61.6 	

Women

Men

Women

67.6  	
64.2
62.7
62.8
6
62.3
6
61.4
6
60.5
6
62.0

12.0
13.5
16.0
16.3
17.2
18.0
19.0
18.6

13.6
16.7
20.5
20.3
21.3
22.0
23.1
21.6

Population Survey. For information about the adjustment, see Murray
Gendell, “Retirement age declines again in 1990s,” Monthly Labor
Review, October 2001, pp. 12–21.
7
Data for 2010 were projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in
2007. See Monthly Labor Review, November 2007, for a description
of the projection. More detailed age data than those in the published
report were provided to the author by BLS.
8
Not available.
SOURCE: Gendell, Monthly Labor Review, October 2001, p. 20,
endnote 6 and table 1; Life expectancy estimates calculated from
national life tables for 1952, 1967, 1982, 1997, and 2002. Estimates
for 2007 obtained by linear interpolation between life expectancies
at specified ages for 2000 and 2010 in Life Tables for the U.S. Social
Security Area 1900–2100, Actuarial Study No. 116, Social Security
Administration, Office of the Chief Actuary, August 2002, table 6.
Annual Statistical Supplement to the Social Security Bulletin, 2005,
tables 6.B5 and 6.C2.						

the cohorts (for example, 45-49 becoming 50–54, 50–54
becoming 55–59, and so forth) to age groups (50–54 years,
55–59 years, and so forth). The conversion was done with
the use of the Karup-King third-difference formula for
osculatory interpolation.3

Findings
Average age at retirement and duration of postwork
retirement. The Social Security mean (for those aged
50–64) has been essentially flat for both men and women
since the early 1990s at about 62.5 (table 1). However, the
median age at exit fell in the 1990s and continued to drop
in the 2000–05 period, after flattening in the 1980s, with
the decline greater for women than men. In the 2000–05
period, the median age at exit was 61.6 for men and 60.5
for women, a decline from the medians in the 1995–2000
period of 0.4 and 0.9 for men and women, respectively.
Since the 1995–2000 interval, the median age at exit has
been notably lower than the Social Security mean. With
more than 80 percent of these Social Security beneficiaries
receiving retirement awards, the minimum age for which
is 62, it is much more difficult for this measure to decline
from a level (aged 62.5) close to this minimum than for
the median age at exit to do so.
The median age at exit estimated for the 2005–10 period, based on the labor force data for 2010 projected by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2007, indicates
no change for men, but a large reversal for women (from
age 60.5 to age 62.0). Whether this will in fact happen is
uncertain. For example, the BLS 1999 projection for 2005
implied a similar reversal of the declines of the 1990s,
but this did not occur.4 The cohort-specific labor force
net withdrawal rates prior to 2000–05 had declined more
among the older cohorts than the younger ones, lowering the median age at exit. The 1999 projection of labor
data for 2005 implied a reversal of this pattern, but it did
not occur.5 The 2007 projection for 2010 implies a similar
reversal in the pattern of changes in the net withdrawal
rates.
Even as the median age at exit fell between 1995 and
2000 and 2000 and 2005, longevity continued to rise.
Consequently, the duration of post-work retirement
lengthened, increasing by a year for men, from 18.0 to
19.0 years, and by scarcely more for women, from 22.0
to 23.1 years. Compared with the estimates for 1950–55,
these gains mean that the duration of post-work retirement has increased over the past half century by 7 years
for men, a rise of 58 percent (19.0/12.0), and 9.5 years
for women, a gain of 70 percent (23.1/13.6). However, if

the median ages at exit implied in the 2010 projection do
occur, there will be a decline in the length of post-work
retirement, especially among women.
Changes in the median age at exit are mainly the result of the pattern of changes in the cohort-specific net
withdrawal rates. Table 2 presents the pattern of the
actual change between 1995–2000, 2000–05, and projected 2005–10. It also shows the pattern of the projected
change between 2000–05 and 2005–10 as measured by
the cohort-specific ratios of the later to the earlier period.
Starting with the actual change, we see that the ratios are
less than 1.00 for all cohorts but the youngest, indicating declines in the net withdrawal rates. The patterns are
somewhat irregular, but there is a tendency for the declines
to be greater among the older than the younger cohorts,
more so for the women than the men, which is why the
women’s median age at exit fell more than the men’s. The
exception to this pattern of declines, namely, the increases
experienced by the youngest cohort, reinforces the effect
of the differential decline.
As for the projected change, the pattern among women
is a clear reversal of the pattern described in the preceding
paragraph: the ratios are smaller among the younger than
the older cohorts, indicating a greater decline in net exits
from the labor force in the younger cohorts. This pattern
of differences is the main reason for the large rise of 1.5
years projected for women’s median age at exit. Among
men, however, the slightly greater decline in net withdrawal rates in the two oldest cohorts than in the younger
cohorts is not enough to produce a change in the median age. The impact of changes in the withdrawal rates
in cohorts aged 65–69 and 70–74 at the beginning of the
5-year interval is small because the numbers in the labor
force at those ages are comparatively little. As noted earlier, there is no assurance that the projected reversal of the
pattern of changes in the net withdrawal rate will actually
take place.
It is instructive to put these recent changes in the median age at exit and the net withdrawal rate in the context of
the longer run changes. Table 3 presents these changes for
three 15-year periods from 1950–55 through 1995–2000.
As in table 2, the changes in the net withdrawal rates are
shown as ratios of the later to the earlier net withdrawal
rate. With only minor exceptions among the two oldest
male cohorts in the first 15-year interval, the ratios exceed
1.00, indicating increases in the net withdrawal rates, during the first 30 years. However, the increases were smaller
during the second than the first interval, indicating a
deceleration in the rate at which older men and women
were leaving the labor force. In addition, with only minor
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 43

Older Workers

Table 2.

Changes in the 5-year cohort net withdrawal rates from the labor force for reasons other than death, by
gender, 1995–2000, 2000–05, and projected 2005–10

Net withdrawal rates1

Ratios of net withdrawal rates

Cohort
1995–2000

2000–05

2005–102

2000–05
divided by
1995–2000

2005–10
divided by
2000–05

Men   
45–49 to 50–54 ……….............................................
50–54 to 55–59 …....................................................
55–59 to 60–64 .......................................................
60–64 to 65–69 .......................................................
65–69 to 70–74 .......................................................
70–74 to 75–793.......................................................

0.0433
.1096
.2813
.4501
.3081
.4585

0.0479
.1070
.2393
.4139
.2940
.4235

0.0440
.0991
.2191
.3994
.2097
.3655

1.11
.98
.85
.92
.95
.92

0.92
.93
.92
.96
.71
.86

.0390
.1566
.3182
.5007
.4099
.5629

.0634
.1413
.2499
.4304
.3247
.5051

.0245
.1012
.2341
.4309
.3654
.5128

1.63
.90
.79
.86
.79
.90

.39
.72
.94
1.00
1.13
1.02

	                                   Women
45-49 to 50–54.........................................................
50–54 to 55–59........................................................
55–59 to 60-64.........................................................
60–64 to 65–69........................................................
65–69 to 70–74........................................................
70–74 to 75–793.......................................................

      1The labor force participation rates used to calculate the net
withdrawal rates [(1-R2/R1)√S; see equation (1) in text] have been
adjusted to pre-1994 levels because of a revision of the Current
Population Survey introduced in 1994.
2
The 2010 labor force participation rates are from the 2007

deviations, in both periods, the younger the cohort, the
greater the change in the net withdrawal rate. This pattern is the main reason for the declines in the median age
at exit during these two periods. The range of variation
was greater in the first 15-year interval than in the second
period, causing a drop in the median age at exit about
twice as great in the first as in the second period. In the
third interval, however, most of the ratios were less than
1.00, indicating declines in the net withdrawal rates, a big
change from the preceding 30 years. Yet, the median age
at exit continued to fall, even if more slowly, because the
declines in men’s net withdrawal rates were greater in the
older men than in the younger cohorts. Among women,
the net withdrawal rates of the younger cohorts continued to rise even as the net withdrawal rates of the older
cohorts fell.
Impact of older workers leaving the labor force. Did the
decline in the net withdrawal rates after 1980–85 reduce
the impact of the net withdrawals of older workers on the
size of the labor force? Again, it is helpful to consider this
issue in the context of the trend since the early 1950s. In
addition, it is useful to take into account the relative number of older workers in the labor force. Table 4 presents
44

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

Bureau of Labor Statistics projection.
3
Age 75 or more is used as an approximation of age 75–79.
SOURCE: Calculated by the author from published BLS data
and unpublished 5-year age-specific labor force participation rates
for 2010 projected in 2007 and supplied to the author by BLS.

the data. (The numbers in the labor force were published
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the number of net
exits were estimated by the author. The latter should be
regarded as approximations.)
The number of net exits increased rapidly during the
first two 15-year intervals, especially among women. The
number of women in the labor force in the early 1950s
was less than half that of men and the number of female
workers aged 50 years or older was a third of that of men.
In addition, the net withdrawal rates of these women at
that time were substantially lower than those of the men,
except among the two oldest cohorts. It is, therefore, not
surprising that the number of net exits of older women
was much smaller in the early 1950s than that of older
men. From this low level, however, the increase in the
number of net exits was much more rapid among women
than men, an eight-fold rise by 1980–85 versus a doubling
among the men. Thereafter, the numbers have been much
more similar, in line with the more rapid increase of the
numbers in the labor force among women than among
men.
The ratio of net exits to the total labor force in 1950–55
was twice as large among men as among women because
both their relative number of net withdrawals among

Table 3.

Changes in the 5-year cohort net withdrawal rates from the labor force for reasons other than death
over 15-year intervals, by gender, 1950–55 through 1995–2000

Ratios of net withdrawal rates
Cohort

1965–70
divided by
1950–55

1980–85
divided by
1965–70

1995–2000
divided by
1980–85

                                    Men
45–49 to 50–54 .......................................................
50–54 to 55–59 .......................................................
55–59 to 60–64 .......................................................
60–64 to 65–69 .......................................................
65–69 to 70–74 .......................................................
70–74 to 75–792.......................................................

3.91
2.20
2.08
1.48
.99
.93

1.54
1.87
1.92
1.30
1.18
1.22

0.89
1.05
.92
.81
.71
.87

Decline in median age at exit from the labor force
		(in years).................................................................

2.7

1.4

.8

 	45–49 to 50–54 .......................................................
50–54 to 55–59 .......................................................
55–59 to 60–64 .......................................................
60–64 to 65–69 .......................................................
65–69 to 70–74 .......................................................
70–74 to 75–792.......................................................

(3)  	
8.00
9.97
1.97
1.19
1.29

(3)
5.94
1.34
1.21
1.05
1.21

1.88
1.22
1.05
.87
.87
.86

Decline in median age at exit from the labor force
		(in years)....................................................................

3.4

1.5

1.3

                                   Women

1
Calculated from labor force participation rates adjusted to pre1994 levels. Data for 2000 are based on 2000 census population
controls.
2
The age group, 75 and older is used as an approximation of the

workers aged 50 years and older and the percentage of
workers of this age group in the labor force were considerably greater. By 1965–70, however, these ratios were essentially the same among women and men, and they have
remained quite similar since then. The ratio of net exits
to the total labor force peaked around 1980–85 at about
6.5 percent to 7.0 percent and then declined to between
5 percent and 6 percent. BLS labor force projections for
2005–10 indicate an increase to about 6 percent among
women.6 The fluctuations in this ratio after the early 1950s
have been similar for men and women.
The data for the three periods after 2000–05 shown in
table 4 are based on projections of the numbers in the
labor force made by the BLS in 2007. (Footnote 3 in table
4 describes how the numbers of net exits for these periods
were estimated.) The data show the continued aging of the
labor force (the fraction of persons in the labor force aged
50 years and older increased from about one-fifth in 1995
to about one-fourth in 2005 and is then projected to reach
about one-third by 2015) after 2005, especially among
women, as the baby-boom cohorts reach these ages. Since
the ratio of net exits to the total labor force is the product

age group, 75–79.
3
Net accession.
SOURCE: Calculated by the author from published Bureau of Labor
Statistics data and estimates of pre-1994 adjustment factors.

of the other two ratios, the increased aging of the labor
force, other things equal, will raise the ratio of net exits to
the labor force. To get some sense of the numerical impact
of the aging effect, it has been assumed that the percentage of net exits in the elderly labor force estimated for the
period 2005–10 would remain unchanged thereafter. By
2015–20, the ratio of net exits to the labor force rises 1.2
percentage points among men and 1.9 percentage points
among women, reaching levels of approximately 7 percent
to 8 percent, which exceeds the previous peak of 6 percent to 7 percent in the 1980–85 period. The greater rise
among women than men in this exercise is mainly because
of the greater increase in the number of older workers
among women (about 80 percent between 2000–05 and
2015–20) than among men (about 60 percent). The rise
in the number of all workers in the total labor force is the
same for women as for men (14.5 percent).
These specific results are hypothetical and should not
be taken literally. However, it is highly likely that the labor
force will become older, more so among women than men.
But the extent to which this will take place is uncertain.
The aging of the labor force will cause the ratio of net
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 45

Older Workers

Table 4.

Estimated number and percentage of net exits from the civilian labor force, by gender, 1950–55 through
2000–05 and projected 2005–2020

[Number in thousands]
Ratios in percent
Period

Net exits
(1)

In civilian labor force1
Age 50 and
older
(2)

All ages
(3)

Column 1
divided by
column 2

Column 2
divided by
column 3

Column 1
divided by
column 3

Men  
1950–55 ..................................................................
1965–70...................................................................
1980–85...................................................................
1995–20002..............................................................
2000–052…………....................................................
2005–102…………....................................................
2010–153…………....................................................
2015–203…………....................................................

1,942
2,888
4,332
3,672
4,028
4,490
5,368
5,979

12,145
13,699
14,101
14,212
17,584
21,114
25,204
28,072

43,819
48,255
61,453
71,360
76,280
80,033
84,633
87,344

16.0
21.1
30.7
25.8
22.9
21.3
21.3
21.3

27.7
28.4
22.9
19.9
23.1
26.4
29.8
32.1

4.4
6.0
7.0
5.1
5.3
5.6
6.3
6.8

	                                   Women  
1950–55...................................................................
1965–70...................................................................
1980–85...................................................................
1995–20002…………................................................
2000–052…………....................................................
2005–102…………....................................................
2010–153…………....................................................
2015–203..................................................................

371
1,557
2,968
3,500
3,725
4,201
5,282
6,059

3,921
7,256
9,395
11,451
14,566
18,119
22,768
26,115

18,389
26,200
45,487
60,944
66,303
69,288
73,062
75,950

9.5
21.5
31.6
30.6
25.6
23.2
23.2
23.2

21.3
27.7
20.7
18.8
22.0
26.2
31.2
34.4

2.0
5.9
6.5
5.7
5.6
6.1
7.2
8.0

The civilian labor force at the beginning of each 5-year period.
Data adjusted to pre-1994 levels.
3
Numbers in the labor force after 2005 projected by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics in 2007, but not adjusted to pre-1994 levels. The
terminal date of the projection is 2015. It is assumed that the ratio of
net exits to the labor force age 50 and older does not change after
2005–2010. The number of net exits in 2010–2015 and 2015–2020
1
2

exits to the total labor force to rise, unless there is a decline in the ratio of net exits to the elderly labor force
large enough to offset the aging effect. The future course
of the latter ratio depends greatly on the future trajectory
of the age-specific labor force participation rates of elderly
men and women. To judge what that trajectory might be,
this study examines the major changes in the elderly labor force participation rates since 1994. This part of the
analysis starts by examining the nature and magnitude of
these changes over several years. Afterwards, the discussion section reviews what appears to have brought about
those changes.
Trends in the labor force participation rates. It is helpful to see what has happened during the past 50 years.
Starting with the trends of elderly men, we see in table
5 that there were declines in the labor force participation
rates at all the ages from ages 45–49 to ages 75 and older,
between 1955 and 1985, and that the magnitude of the
46

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

is the product of the ratio of net exits to the labor force age 50 and
older and the projected number of the latter.
SOURCE: Numbers in the labor force, 1950–2005 from BLS
publications. Numbers of net exits 1950–2005 estimated by the
author. Footnote 3 describes how the numbers for 2010–2015 and
2015–2020 were obtained.

proportional declines increased from small to very large
as the age groupings increased. At ages 65 and older, they
were about 60 percent in 1955. Around 1985, the pace of
these declines slowed greatly, except at ages 45–49, until
about the mid-1990s. Thereafter (1994–2007), there were
marked reversals of the declining trend at ages 60–64 and
older. The percentage rise in the rates was especially pronounced at ages 65–69 (28 percent) and 70–74 (34 percent). At ages below 60, the changes since 1994 have been
very small and gradual, with a persistent decline at ages
45–49 and 50–54.
The trend of older women’s labor force participation
rates has been quite different than that of older men.
Between 1955 and 1985, the rates for women aged 45
through 59 increased by more than 40 percent. There was a
much more modest gain (15 percent) among women aged
60–64. At ages 65–69 and older there were substantial
percentage declines from very low levels. However, these
declines ended around 1985 and rates rose subsequently.

Table 5.

Change in the labor force participation rates of older workers, by age and gender, selected years
and periods, 1955–2007
Labor force participation rates, by age group
Year

45–49

50–54

55–59

60–64

65–69

70–74

Men
1955 ………………...................................................
1985 ………………...................................................
1993 ………………...................................................
19941........................................................................
2007.........................................................................

97.1
93.3
91.7
91.0
89.8

95.7
88.6
88.1
86.7
86.4

92.5
79.6
78.2
76.9
77.8

82.6
55.6
54.1
52.8
59.2

57.0
24.5
25.4
26.8
34.3

37.1
14.9
14.7
15.8
21.2

19.4
7.0
6.9
8.6
10.0

                                Women  
1955 ………………...................................................
1985 ………………...................................................
1993 ………………...................................................
19941........................................................................
2007.........................................................................

45.8
67.8
76.5
77.6
77.2

41.5
60.8
69.9
70.7
74.7

35.6
50.3
57.1
59.2
66.6

29.0
33.4
37.1
37.8
47.9

17.8
13.5
16.1
17.9
25.7

9.2
7.6
7.9
8.7
14.0

4.0
2.2
2.8
3.5
4.8

	                                  Period                                                 
                                      Men    
1955–85...................................................................
1985–93...................................................................
1994–2007………….................................................

75 and older

Percentage change in labor force participation rates

–3.9
–1.7
–1.3

–7.4
–.6
–.3

–13.9
–1.8
1.3

–32.7
–2.7
12.1

–57.0
3.7
28.0

–59.2
–1.3
34.2

–63.9
–1.4
11.6

48.0
12.8
–.5

46.5
15.0
5.7

41.3
13.5
12.5

15.2
11.1
26.7

–24.2
19.3
43.6

–17.4
3.9
60.9

–45.0
27.3
37.1

		                                 Women
1955–85...................................................................
1985–93...................................................................
1994–2007………….................................................

1
The revision of the Current Population Survey (CPS) in 1994
raised the labor force participation rates relative to those obtained
before 1994 by an estimated 4.3 percent for women age 55–64 and
10.6 percent for women 65 or more. Similarly, it raised the rate 8.4
percent for men 65 or more. The data for 1994 and 2007 have not

At ages under 60, the pace of increases accelerated relatively more between 1985 and 1993. After 1993, there was
no further gain at ages 45–49, a small rise among those
50–54, and successively larger percentage increases with
age, through ages 70–74, peaking at about 60 percent.
Full-time employment. Another important finding is
that, in addition to the notable increases in the labor force
participation rates of men and women at ages 62 and older,
there were striking gains at these ages between 1994 and
2007 in the percentage of employed workers who worked
full-time (table 6). The percentage increases rose with age
through ages 66–69. There were double-digit percentage
gains among men aged 65 and older and among women
aged 62 and older. The rise in women’s full-time employment was greater than for men.

been adjusted to pre-1994 levels because the intervals in which the
percentage changes are shown are either pre-1994 or post-1993.
SOURCE: Annual average
Labor Statistics.

CPS

data published by the Bureau of

The source of these data (in table 6) does not provide
information on full-time employment prior to 1994, perhaps because of the 1994 revision of the Current Population Survey. However, there is evidence that full-time
employment declined among older workers from about
1970 to 1993. From the March CPS data files, Franco
Peracchi and Finis Welch calculated the change between
1968–71 and 1987–90 in the full-time “participation” of
older men and women at ages 55, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65 and
68.7 There were declines at every age except among women aged 55 years. The declines were much larger for men
than women, especially at ages 60–65. In another study,
Philip L. Rones and others calculated the average annual
percentage distribution of nonagricultural wage and salary workers by weekly hours, by age and gender, in 1976,
1985, 1989 and 1993.8 Among those 55 years of age and
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 47

Older Workers

Table 6.

Percentage of employed older workers employed full time, by age and gender, selected years and periods,
1994–2007
Percentage employed full-time, by age group
Year

55–61

62–64

91.4
92.3
92.3
92.0
73.7
77.2
77.9
79.2

65

66–69

65–69

70 and older

77.0
79.1
80.0
82.2

62.3
65.4
69.6
76.1

52.4
54.6
57.2
67.6

54.9
57.3
60.4
70.1

47.5
46.0
48.5
55.1

59.3
60.0
61.4
68.4

48.4
47.2
50.8
63.7

36.0
42.6
42.5
49.2

39.4
43.7
44.7
53.3

34.7
32.6
35.7
40.9

                                       Men   
1994 ………………...................................................
1999 ………………...................................................
2000 ………………...................................................
2007.........................................................................
		                                   Women
1994 ………………...................................................
1999 ………………...................................................
2000 ………………...................................................
2007.........................................................................
                                       
                                        Period
                                       
                                         Men
1994–99...................................................................
1999–2000 ..............................................................
2000–07 ..................................................................
1994–2007 ..............................................................
                                     Women
1994–99...................................................................
1999–2000  .............................................................
2000–07  .................................................................
1994–2007  .............................................................

Percentage change in percentage employed full-time
1.0
.0
–.3
.7

2.7
1.1
2.8
6.8

5.0
6.4
9.3
22.2

4.2
4.8
18.2
29.0

4.4
5.4
16.1
27.7

–3.2
5.4
13.6
16.0

4.7
.9
1.7
7.5

1.2
2.3
11.4
15.3

–2.5
7.6
25.4
31.6

18.3
–.2
15.8
36.7

10.9
2.3
19.2
35.3

–6.1
9.5
14.6
17.9

SOURCE: Calculated by the author from unpublished annual average Current Population Survey single-year-of-age data provided by

older, the percentage working 35 hours or more (that is,
full-time work) declined slowly but steadily. Therefore, the
increases in the full-time employment of elderly workers
since 1994 constitute a notable reversal of the trend during at least the preceding two decades or so.
In addition, the prevalence of full-time work for the
full year (defined by BLS as 50–52 weeks) has also gone
up substantially among older workers since at least 1994.
(See table 7.) The patterns in this table are similar to those
in table 6: declining prevalence with age within the year or
period, the relative gains over time become greater as age
increases, and larger increases among older women than
among older men. The increase was especially large among
women aged 65 and older. It is also striking that only at
ages 65–69 were the gains between 2000 and 2005 much
larger than the gains between 1994 and 2000. Among
men, 74 percent of the total increase of 10.2 percentage points between 1994 and 2005 occurred after 1999.
Among women, the comparable figure is 64 percent. A
likely reason for the accelerated pace is the elimination
48

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

in 2000 of the Social Security earnings test between the
normal retirement age (then 65) and age 70.9
Given these increases in full-time work for 50 to 52
weeks, the average number of hours worked rose between
1994 and 2006 at ages 55–64 among women and at ages
65–69 and 70–74 among women and men. (See table 8.)
The gains were greater at ages 65–69 and 70–74 than at
ages 55–64. There were no increases in the averages among
those who usually worked full time. The gains in average
hours usually worked part time were offset to at least some
extent by the decline in the percentages employed part
time. Hence, the increases in the average hours worked
must be largely the result of the increases in the percentage working full time.
Another indication of the strengthened commitment
to labor market activity among older workers is the increase between 1994 and 2006 in the percentage of the
employed that were at work. (See table 9.) Despite the
already high level (over 90 percent) reached in 1994,
there were further gains of between 0.8 and 2.0 percent-

Table 7.

Annual average percentage and percent change of older workers employed full-time for 50–52 weeks of the
year, by age and gender, selected years, 1994–20051
Age group
Year

45–54

55–59

60–61

		2000 . .....................................................................
		2005 . .....................................................................
		2005/1994 (percent)...............................................

83.6
86.0
84.9
1.6 	

77.6
81.3
80.4
3.6 	

69.1
75.7
77.4
12.0 	

58.4
63.6
67.9
16.3 	

44.0
46.7
54.2
23.2 	

30.6
35.3
37.3
21.9

	                                    Women
 		1994 . .....................................................................
		2000 . .....................................................................
		2005 . .....................................................................
		2005/1994 (percent)...............................................

63.0
69.7
70.0
11.1 	

59.4
66.5
68.2
14.8 	

57.2
59.7
61.6
7.7 	

42.3
51.7
54.8
29.6 	

27.0
32.7
42.5
57.4 	

18.4
23.8
30.8
67.4

Men   

		 1994 . .....................................................................

1
These data are from the March Current Population Survey of the
following year. Respondents are asked about their work experience
during the preceding year.
SOURCE: Calculated by the author from unpublished annual

Table 8.

62–64

75 and older

65–69

average Current Population Survey work experience data, by number
of weeks of employment. These data were provided by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics on request from cpsinfo@bls.gov.

Average hours worked by older persons at work by actual hours of work during the reference week, by age
and gender, 1994–2006

Ages 55–641

Ages 65–69

Ages 70–74

Year
Total at
work

Usually
full time2

Usually
part time2

Total at
work

Usually
full time2

Usually
part time2

Total at
work

Usually
full time2

Men
1994 ..........................................
2000 ..........................................
2006 ..........................................

41.9
42.6
42.1

44.6
44.8
44.4

20.3
21.0
21.4

31.8
33.7
35.9

42.4
42.9
42.9

18.5
19.4
19.6

29.5
30.9
32.7

42.2
42.8
42.3

17.6
19.3
19.1

2006/1994 (percent)...................

.5

–.4

5.4

12.9

1.2

5.9

10.8

.2

8.5

                   Women
1994 ..........................................
2000 ..........................................
2006 ..........................................

34.8
36.4
36.6

40.7
41.4
40.9

20.2
20.6
21.3

26.6
28.5
30.1

39.9
40.4
40.0

17.5
18.7
19.1

24.7
26.1
27.6

41.2
39.3
39.7

16.8
18.1
18.5

2006/1994 (percent)...................

5.2

.5

5.4

13.2

.3

9.1

11.7

–3.6

10.1

1
This age group is not disaggregated in the source table into
smaller age categories.						
     2 “In order to differentiate a person’s normal schedule from his or
her activity during the reference week, persons also are classified
according to their usual full- or part-time status.” From Employment

Usually
part time2

and Earnings, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2006, p. 184, on
the Internet at www.bls.gov/cps/eetech_methods.pdf.
SOURCE: Unpublished Current Population Survey data on persons
at work by actual hours at work at all jobs during the reference week.
Percentage change calculated by the author.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 49

Older Workers

age points. It is also worth noting that during this period,
there were large increases in the numbers employed and
at work (table 9). The gains at ages 55–64 were larger than
at ages 65–74 because the younger group contained the
leading edge of the baby boom. There will be, of course,
even greater increases as the rest of the larger baby-boom
birth cohorts reach these ages. Thus, men and women in
their fifties, sixties, and perhaps their seventies also, will be
in a position to make an even more substantial contribution to the American economy than they have since 1994,
especially if their increases in labor force participation
rates and full-time employment continue.
Social Security retirement awards. Since the mid-1990s,
the increases in the labor force participation rates and
full-time employment of older workers, especially at ages
65–69, have been accompanied by a large shift in the incidence of Social Security retirement awards away from
ages 62–64 to those ages 65 and 66. (See table 10.) To get
a clear picture of these shifts, this analysis examines just
Social Security awards and eliminates from the published
award data (as much as is feasible) the number of beneficiaries of other types of awards who have, at various times,
had their benefits converted to a retired-worker award.
For decades, the number of disability beneficiaries, who
Table 9.

are automatically converted at age 65, has been recorded,
so it has been easy to isolate those data. However, from
1997 through 2003, many beneficiaries of nondisabled
widows’ or widowers’ benefits were converted to higher
retirement awards, but the Social Security Administration
has not been able to ascertain their number and ages. The
published data suggest that there were more than 100,000
widow conversions in 1997 and about 30,000 in 1998,
preponderantly at ages 68, 69, and 70 years and older,
with smaller numbers in subsequent years. The number of
widower conversions has been negligible. Consequently,
the data in table 10 are more approximate for women than
for men.
What do these data tell us? There were fairly steady
declines between 1995 and 2005 in the award rates at
ages 62, 63, and 64 of about 20 percent to 25 percent. In
2000, there were large increases in the rates at ages 65
through 69, very likely in response to the elimination of
the earnings test (which reduced benefits by 1 dollar for
every 3 dollars earned above a modest specified limit) for
beneficiaries between the normal retirement age, then 65,
and 69. (The test had already been eliminated for beneficiaries aged 70 and older, but not for those aged 62–64.)
For the next 3 years, the impact of this legislative change
appears to have been mainly at age 65. By then (2003), the

Percentage of the employed at work in the reference week and percentage increase in the number of older
workers employed and at work, by age and gender, 1994–2006

Age group
Year
55–64

65–69

70–74

                                    Men
1994 ........................................................................
2006 ………………...................................................

94.4
95.5

92.9
94.5

92.4
93.4

                                   Women  
1994 ………………...................................................
2006 ………………...................................................

92.7
94.0

91.6
92.4

90.8
92.8

		                                                                                                                
Percentage increases in the number
                                  
                                                                 
Gender
                                                                                                                   Employed	                                                         At work

				 			

55–64

65–69

70–74

55–64

65–69

70–74

Men .........................................................................
Women.....................................................................

66
81

42
40

41
45

68
83

45
42

42
49

      SOURCE: Calculated by the author from unpublished annual
average Current Population Survey data provided by the Bureau of

50

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

Labor Statistics.

Table 10.

Retired worker awards as a percentage of the Social Security population eligible for the award, by single
years of age (62–69) and gender, 1995–20051

[Percentages as of December 31]
Age
Year
62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

45.6
44.1
43.3
42.5
41.4
42.5
39.9
38.9
37.4
36.3
36.2

30.5
27.7
27.0
26.0
26.7
26.4
26.2
24.5
22.9
22.4
22.8

19.4
17.9
16.4
15.6
17.0
18.1
15.6
16.2
14.3
13.8
14.6

73.9
65.5
68.4
62.6
62.3
84.8
86.5
82.8
77.2
55.6
47.9

43.5
42.2
40.0
39.7
39.0
70.0
47.7
45.6
38.5
61.3
67.6

29.3
27.4
26.7
26.0
25.8
62.0
33.3
27.2
22.8
23.5
23.7

26.6
24.6
23.7
26.0
23.3
59.8
30.2
26.6
18.7
20.9
20.9

25.6
24.1
24.1
24.7
27.6
59.6
29.1
24.5
17.9
18.3
21.0

50.8
49.5
48.9
48.6
46.7
48.0
45.6
44.0
42.9
41.3
41.1

32.3
30.0
29.3
28.0
29.0
28.9
28.2
26.5
24.5
24.0
24.8

18.9
18.0
17.4
16.0
16.6
19.4
15.6
16.6
14.8
14.0
15.2

71.2
63.8
69.2
61.4
59.1
75.2
78.7
74.3
71.1
50.8
45.4

25.8
25.5
26.7
24.8
24.8
41.6
26.0
24.1
19.4
36.0
46.3

14.6
13.1
19.4
15.1
15.6
27.8
16.6
12.1
11.4
12.7
13.2

13.8
10.7
20.9
15.9
13.8
25.7
15.2
13.6
11.6
13.7
15.1

11.9
11.4
24.3
16.3
14.8
22.5
15.7
12.8
12.6
14.4
16.3

                     Men
1995 ..........................................
1996 ..........................................
1997 ..........................................
1998 ..........................................
1999 ..........................................
2000 ..........................................
2001 ..........................................
2002 ..........................................
2003 ..........................................
2004 ..........................................
2005 ..........................................
                    Women
1995 ..........................................
1996 ……………….....................
1997 ……………….....................
1998 ……………….....................
1999 ……………….....................
2000 ……………….....................
2001 ……………….....................
2002 ……………….....................
2003 ……………….....................
2004 ……………….....................
2005 ……………….....................

1
The numerator is the number of retired-worker awards. Disability
beneficiaries, who are automatically converted to the retired-worker
award at age 65, have been excluded. However, many nondisabled
widows who received a higher retired-worker award between 1997
and 2003 are included. Widower conversions are also included, but
their number is negligible. The denominator is the number of fully
insured workers less the number of insured beneficiaries. The latter

normal retirement age had begun to rise (another legislative change), by 2 months per year, from 65 to 66 (to be
reached in 2008). Thus, men and women who wanted to
earn money unconstrained by the earnings test had to be
at least 65 years and 2 months in 2003, 65 and 4 months
in 2004, and 65 and 6 months in 2005. By the end of the
year, when the data that are used to calculate the rates
are compiled, more and more of workers who reached the
normal retirement age earlier in the year became 66. As
a result, a shift in the incidence of the awards took place
from age 65 to age 66.
This pattern of changes in the award rates is quite
similar for men and women, but it is somewhat less pronounced for women, perhaps partly because of the widow
conversions included in the data. The latter are clearly evident in table 10 only in 1997 at ages 67–69 and in 1998 at

includes retired workers, insured widows and widowers, and insured
spouses.
SOURCE: Unpublished data supplied September 2006 by the Office
of the Chief Actuary, Social Security Administration. A similar, but more
inclusive, set of “retirement” rates can be seen in Short-Range Actuarial
Projections of the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program,
2005, Actuarial Study No. 119, August 2005, table III.B9.

ages 68–69. Hence, it is difficult to judge the extent of the
impact of the conversions.
There are also indications that the removal of the earnings test contributed to the increases in the labor force
participation rates and full-time employment described
earlier. A recent study, which analyzed Social Security
administrative data of annual earnings and retirement
benefit claims over a period 4 years prior to, as well as 4
years after the test’s elimination, found evidence of some
increase in the labor force participation rates of workers
65–69 years old.10 The authors also concluded that the
increase in the labor force participation rates was mainly
because these older workers remained at work rather than
returned to it. In addition, they found “large and significant” increases in earnings only at levels above the test
threshold, but whether this increase implies a rise in fullMonthly Labor Review • January 2008 51

Older Workers

time work among these better paid workers is not clear.
However, another study using data from the Health and
Retirement Study found a larger proportional increase in
full-time employment among workers 65–67 years old
than those aged 62–64 between 1998 and 2002, suggesting that the removal of the earnings test contributed to
the rise in full-time employment.11 This finding is consistent with the data shown in table 6.

Discussion
The post-war period can be divided into approximately two
30-year periods. In the first period, conditions became increasingly favorable to early retirement, whether measured
by the average age of older workers at their exit from the labor force or at their initial receipt of the Social Security retirement or disability benefit. In the second period, changes
took place that weakened the favorable conditions and then
produced incentives to delay retirement.
Real income rose more rapidly in the first period than
in the second. For example, family income (measured in
2001 dollars) grew from about $20,000, on average, in 1947
to about $52,000, on average in 2000, but most of that gain
occurred by the early 1970s, when family income reached an
average of $40,000.12 Another indication of this difference
in enhanced economic well-being between the two periods
may be seen in the much greater decline in the poverty rate
in the first period than in the second. The rate fell sharply
from about 40 percent in 1950 to about 12 percent in 1972,
with little change occurring thereafter. Among the elderly
(65 and older), the early decline was even more rapid, from
59 percent in 1950 to about 19 percent in 1972.13
There were larger increases in Social Security, pension,
and health benefits in the earlier than the later period.14
Wage controls during World War II led many companies
to increase compensation by providing substantial pension
and health care benefits. Defined benefit pension plans
expanded up to about the late 1970s, but a subsequent
expansion of defined contribution plans greatly reduced
the share of workers with a pension plan who had defined
benefit coverage, from 80 percent in 1985 to 33 percent in
2003.15 In 1956, Congress allowed female workers to receive reduced Social Security retirement benefits at age 62
and then granted the same opportunity to men in 1961. In
1965, Medicare, providing considerable health care insurance to those aged 65 and older, was established. Defined
benefit plans, but not defined contribution plans, provided
strong incentives for early retirement, as did the early retirement age introduced into the Social Security program.
The health care insurance provided by Medicare facilitated
52

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

retirement by age 65.
By the late 1970s, however, projections began to show
large future shortfalls in Social Security funding, necessitating program reforms. Large increases in benefits
ended, and other efforts culminated in the major revisions of the 1983 legislation: the normal retirement age
would gradually rise from 65 to 67, beginning with those
born in 1938 and the actuarial reductions in benefits for
early retirement would be increased, as would the benefit
for delaying retirement beyond the normal retirement
age (up to age 70). The restrictions of the earnings test
were gradually reduced, and in 2000, the test was completely eliminated for those who had reached the normal
retirement age. (It had already been eliminated for those
older than age 69.) The legally permissible age for mandatory retirement was increased in 1978 from 65 to 70
and then eliminated entirely in 1986 for nearly everyone.
In addition to its direct effect, this change may have had
a symbolic effect of indicating the propriety of continuing to work as long as one was willing and able to do so.
Increasing competition from foreign and new domestic companies, which did not have the burden of the
large cost of the fringe benefits provided to employees
and retirees of the older domestic firms, led the latter
to shift from defined benefit to defined contribution
pension plans and to reduce or eliminate health care
benefits for retirees. This circumstance was exacerbated
by the rapid rate of growth in the cost of health care.
These higher health care costs also became an incentive
for older workers to continue working full time in order
to have affordable health care insurance until at least age
65, when Medicare coverage would become available.
The increased competition also led many companies to
move jobs abroad, where labor was much cheaper. For
this and other reasons, the share of the labor force in
manufacturing declined substantially with a concomitant rise in the service sector, which generally provides
less pay and fringe benefits than manufacturing jobs.
These changes contributed to increases in income inequality, income volatility, and job insecurity.16 (Anxiety about
job loss was much greater in 1996 and 2005 than in 1982
even though the unemployment rate was twice as high
in 1982.)17 It thus became increasingly difficult for many
workers to accumulate sufficient resources to maintain
their standard of living in retirement. The significant rise
in longevity, which had also been taking place, contributed to the challenge because it meant that workers had
to plan for a retirement that could last 25 years or more,
with the increasingly likely threat, among other things,
of the need for very expensive long-term care during the

latter part of that period. As a result, there has been a growing recognition of the value of delaying retirement for some
years. Doing that would delay the drawdown of retirement
assets, increase accumulations in defined contribution plans,
and, if not claimed already, enhance Social Security benefits, as well as shorten the period for which the retirement
resources would be needed. This is what financial planners
have been advising, and it appears that many older workers
have been taking their advice.
Though these changes indicate why increasing numbers of older workers have felt the need to remain in or
reenter the labor force and to work full-time for the full
year at ages that relatively few of their predecessors had
done, a number of puzzles remain. There is much discussion in the literature about older workers’ desire to ease
into retirement by moving from full-time to part-time
employment before leaving the work force entirely. And
the percentage working full time does decline with age.
But, as we have seen, at each age there have been substantial gains since 1994 in the percent working, not just
35 or more hours per week, but doing so 50–52 weeks
a year. What does this mean? Is the gradual transition
to the complete withdrawal from the labor force just
occurring later in life, or has a new transition pattern
begun to develop? Why have the reversals in the declines
in labor force participation rates and full-time employment not taken place among men age 50–59? Why have
they not been affected by the changing conditions described in the preceding paragraph, which motivated
men aged 60 years or more to work increasingly and
do so full time throughout the year? Similarly, why has
there been a marked deceleration in the rise of the labor
force participation rates of women under age 60 during
the past 12 years, while it has been accelerating among
women over age 59? Why have the recent gains in labor
force participation rates and full-time employment been
greater among older women than older men? What do
these changes, especially the increase in full-time employment, imply about the demand for older workers?
Has there been a change in employers’ belief that the
productivity of older workers is too low to justify their
compensation? If so, is it because of the increases in
health and educational attainment that have been occur-

ring, or are employers becoming more concerned about
an anticipated labor shortage?
It is difficult to judge whether the recent labor force
trends among men and women in their fifties will change
in the future. Among those older than 59, however, it is
likely that labor force participation rates and full-time employment will keep rising as the shift from defined benefit
to defined contribution plans continues, health care costs
keep climbing, further increases in health and educational
attainment take place, the pressure on employers from ongoing globalization to reduce the cost of fringe benefits
persists, and the changes in the Social Security program
continue to shift the balance of incentives from the early
to the normal retirement age. As a result, tax revenue will
be greater, economic growth will be enhanced, and the retirement security of older workers and their families will
be improved. Moreover, in democratic societies, delaying
retirement has been found to be “the only viable solution
to pension problems in the face of aging societies.”18
As for the financial status of the Social Security system, the implications are less clear. Increased payroll
taxes could be offset by a gain in benefits earned. Also,
how much the system worker/retiree ratio rises depends
on the extent to which the additional older workers delay claiming the Social Security retirement benefit until
they stop working.
IN THE PAST 12 YEARS, A MAJOR REVERSAL of the
long-run decline has occurred in the supply of labor at
ages 60 and older and apparently in the demand also.
Though it is difficult to judge the pace and extent of
further gains in the labor force participation rates and
full-time employment of these older men and women,
there is reason to believe these trends will continue.
There is, however, a need to provide a firmer basis for
judging what to expect from the labor force participation rates of older persons by identifying the reasons
for these increases in greater detail, as well as why they
have taken place at ages 50–59 to a much smaller degree
among women and not at all among men. The additional
insight would also enhance efforts to facilitate further
gains in the supply of and demand for the employment
of older men and women.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 53

Older Workers

Notes
1
Annual Statistical Supplement to the Social Security Bulletin, 2005 (Social
Security Administration, 2006), tables 6.B5 and 6.C2.
2
National Vital Statistics Reports, “United States Life Tables, 2004 vol. 56,
no. 9 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Dec. 28, 2007), table 1, on the Internet at http://www.
cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_09.pdf (visited Jan. 28, 2007).
3
Jacob S. Siegel and David A. Swanson, eds., The Methods and Materials of
Demography, 2nd ed. (San Diego, Elsevier/Academic Press, 2004), Appendix C.
The formula also appears in the first edition.
4
Mitra Toossi, “Labor force projections to 2016: more workers in their
golden years,” Monthly Labor Review, November 2007, pp. 33–52.
5
Murray Gendell, “Retirement age declines again in 1990s,” Monthly Labor
Review, October 2001, p. 18.

Toossi, “Labor force projections to 2016,” November 2007, and more
detailed age data were provided to the author by BLS.
6

7
Franco Peracchi and Finis Welch, “Trends in labor force transitions of
older men and women,” Journal of Labor Economics, 1994, vol. 12, no. 2, pp.
223–225.

Philip L. Rones, Randy E. Ilg, and Jennifer M. Gardner, “Trends in hour of
work since the mid-1970s,” Monthly Labor Review, April 1997, table 2, p. 7.
9
The Social Security earnings test required a reduction in benefits if earnings
exceeded a specified amount. See Annual Statistical Supplement to the Social
Security Bulletin, 2005, table 2.A29 for a history of the changes in the test.
10
Jae G. Song and Joyce Manchester, “New evidence on earnings and benefit
claims following changes in the retirement earnings test in 2000,” Working
Paper 107 (Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics, Office of Policy, Social
8

54

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

Security Administration, July 2006). See also Leora Friedberg, “The Recent
Trend Towards Later Retirement,” Work Opportunities for Older Americans,
Series 9 (Chesnut Hill, MA, Center for Retirement Research at Boston College,
March 2007), p. 3. On the Internet at http://crr.bc.edu/images/stories/Briefs/
wob_9.pdf (visited Jan. 28, 2008).
11
Alan L. Gustman and Thomas L. Steinmeier, “The Social Security
Retirement Earnings Test, Retirement and Benefit Claiming,” Working Paper
No. 2004–090 (Ann Arbor, MI, University of Michigan Retirement Research
Center, 2004) pp. 7–8. On the Internet at http://www.mrrc.isr.umich.edu/
publications/papers/pdf/wp090.pdf (visited Jan. 28, 2008).

12
Alan J. Auerbach, David Card, and John M. Quigley, eds., Public Policy
and the Income Distribution (New York, NY, Russell Sage Foundation, 2006),
figure 2 and p. 2.
13
Robert L. Clark, Richard V. Burkhauser, Marilyn Moon, Joseph F. Quinn,
and Timothy M. Smeeding, The Economics of an Aging Society (Malden, MA,
Blackwell Publishing, 2004), p. 182.
14

Clark, et al, Economics of an Aging Society p. 43.

Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, Older Americans
2004: Key Indicators of Well-Being (Washington, D.C., United States Government
Printing Office, November 2004), p. 15.
15

16
Jacob S. Hacker, The Great Risk Shift: The Assault on American Jobs, Families,
Health Care, and Retirement and How You Can Fight Back (New York, NY, Oxford
University Press, 2006).

Hacker, The Great Risk Shift, p.18.
Vincenzo Galasso, The Political Future of Social Security in Aging Societies
(Cambridge, MA, MIT Press, 2006), p. xvi.
17
18

Précis

Urban economics
What can economics tell us about cities? What can be learned by applying
the tools of economics to urban issues
such as housing and poverty? Why
do people choose to live so close to
each other?
Edward L. Glaeser gives an overview of urban economics in, “The
Economics Approach to Cities” (National Bureau of Economic Research,
Working Paper 13696).
Urban economics, the author says,
is based on the study of the spatial
equilibrium that develops as employers, workers, and builders answer the
question, “Where?”: Where to live,
where to do business, where to build?
Much like the old real estate maxim
— “location, location, location” — location choice is central to urban economics.
In a spatial equilibrium, the advantages (for a worker or employer) of a
given location are balanced by that
location’s disadvantages; something
good is offset by something bad. For
a worker, a residential location with a
short commute will be expensive; for
an employer, high productivity is offset by high wages.
In the urban economist’s models,
no benefit is gained by a change of
location once spatial equilibrium is
reached. The worker seeking a less
expensive home will endure a longer commute. The firm moving to a
lower-wage location will end up with
lower productivity. Such urban economic models can be used to analyze
housing prices at varying distances
from the city center.
Some geographical advantages
have changed with changes in technology. As transportation technology has made shipping costs relatively
lower, the advantages associated with

locations around inland waterways
have diminished. Witness the decline in manufacturing employment
in cities that were centers of manufacturing in decades past, and note
the concomitant decline in wages.
Today’s high-wage cities are those
that attract professionals in business
services. With teeming populations
of highly-educated people, these cities become “incubators of innovation.” How to attract firms in these
industries is the problem for forwardlooking mayors. Not an easy thing to
do. As the author concedes, no one
really knows exactly what things attract a skilled population to a city.

The high school graduation
rate
The U.S. high school graduation
rate—the proportion of the population that has graduated from high
school—is an important social and
economic statistic. It has long been
understood that more education
generally means greater prosperity,
on both an individual and societal
level. A high school diploma is often considered the minimum level of
education needed in today’s competitive labor market. Throughout much
of the 20th century, the high school
graduation rate steadily increased,
with the members of each successive
generation more likely to have graduated from high school than those in
the preceding one. In the last several
decades, however, the rate has risen
more slowly and, according to some
measures, it has even declined. In
addition, since the early 1970s, the
gap in earnings between high school
graduates and dropouts has grown
considerably. Not surprisingly, then,
education as an issue features promi-

nently in public debate.
In a recent study from National
Bureau of Economic Research, economists James J. Heckman and Paul A.
LaFontaine of the University of Chicago examine the issue from a variety
of perspectives. The authors analyze
data from several prominent national
surveys in an attempt to measure the
high school graduation rate more accurately. According to the National
Center for Education Statistics, for
example—whose statistic the authors
call the “official rate”—U.S. high
schools graduated nearly 88 percent of students in recent years. But
Heckman and LaFontaine cite other
sources that show the rate as low as 66
percent, which they say is an “astonishingly wide range for such a basic
statistic.” One important difference
among the rates pertains to whether
or not GED recipients are counted
as high school graduates. In addition, the gap in the graduation rates
of the majority population and those
of minorities has grown. Among their
other findings, the authors conclude
that the high school graduation rate
actually peaked at about 80 percent
in the late 1960s and has dropped by
4 or 5 percentage points since then.
They also find that the rate for blacks
and Hispanics, at around 65 percent,
is substantially lower than the rate for
non-Hispanic whites.

We are interested in your feedback on this column. Please let us
know what you have found most
interesting and what essential readings we may have missed. Write to:
Executive Editor, Monthly Labor
Review, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
Washington, DC 20212, or e-mail,
mlr@bls.gov
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008 55

Book Reviews

Making health care
decisions for employees

Wynia and Schwab take us behind the
scenes of many of these statistics, identifying the issues that enter into employer
decisions on health care coverage.
Ensuring Fairness in Health Care CovThe volume is divided into two
erage. By Matthew K. Wynia, MD and parts—some background and identiAbraham P. Schwab, Ph.D., New fication of issues followed by “guideYork, NY, American Medical Asso- posts” for ethical decisionmaking.
ciation, 2007, 225 pp., $29.95/ hard- Throughout the book, case studies
back.
offer real-life examples of some of
the issues that employers face, and
The majority of Americans under some suggested solutions. Included
age 65 get their health care cover- in the background is a brief history
age through an employer, either as of employer involvement in health
an employee or a dependent. Health care coverage, bluntly titled “Why is
care coverage attracts much attention, health insurance for employees my
whether through political campaigns, problem anyway?” This short history
concerns about rising costs, identifi- lesson is a good reminder of some of
cation of the uninsured population, or the steps that led to the system we
in other ways. Employees may come have today—early company-sponto expect health care coverage from sored health plans, passage of Sotheir jobs, or may consider “good jobs” cial Security and later Medicare and
to be those that provide such cover- Medicaid, changes in compensation
age. But there is much that goes into packages during World War II, union
employer decisions on health care influence and legislation, and, finally,
coverage, as Wynia and Schwab point recent legislation to regulate and enout in Ensuring Fairness in Health courage employee benefit offerings.
The chapter also includes a good
Care Coverage.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has glossary of the alphabet soup that
a long history of providing data on is our current health care landscape
various health care issues. For exam- (PPOs, HMOs, IPAs, and so forth). For
ple, the Consumer Price Index tracks those employers new to the health
the change in the price of medical care world, this background could
care commodities and services to provide a firm foundation for the deconsumers, while the Consumer Ex- cisions ahead.
The crux of the volume is the “Five Ethpenditure Survey reports the share of
annual household expenditures that ical Guideposts of Fair Decision-Making.”
go toward health care. The National These guideposts read somewhat like your
Compensation Survey tracks employ- standard management primer—transer costs for health care benefits along parent, participatory, consistent, sensitive
with the proportion of employees to value, compassionate—but the details,
covered by such benefits. Employee and especially the case studies, bring to
premiums, deductibles, and covered light a number of everyday issues related
expenses are also tracked. These sta- to an employer’s health care decisions.
tistics and more are frequently cited to “Joe Employer” chooses not to reveal
demonstrate rising health care costs, the company’s new health plan or
shifts to managed care, and expanded its major change in provisions until
out-of-pocket expenses requirements. after the company’s annual celebra56

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

tion, even though the plan actually
goes into effect several weeks earlier.
To no one’s surprise, employees who
receive care are shocked by their new
payment requirements, and turn their
anger toward those who made the decision in secret. This provides the perfect backdrop to encourage transparency, not only in the final decisions,
but in how those decisions are made.
The authors suggest that, if fully explained, employees will understand
trade-offs that have to be made between cost, coverage, and other concerns. This leads to a related guidepost
encouraging employee participation
in the health plan selection process.
Strategies such as including employees on benefit decision committees
and holding regular meetings and
open forums to identify and address
concerns are among the ideas offered
to ensure employee participation.
A theme that runs through the
book and the guideposts is the need
to treat employees equitably. Issues
such as the types of medical procedures and services that might be covered, varying employee premiums by
salary, and treatment of mental versus
physical ailments provide a good perspective for the need to be consistent
in providing health care benefits. The
fourth guidepost, having coverage
that is sensitive to value, includes a
case study about substance abuse rehabilitation benefits. “Jane Retailer”
pushed to maintain comprehensive
rehabilitation benefits in her company’s plan, but excluded alternative
approaches. From a company survey,
she discovered that several employees
felt that participation in a long-term
rehabilitation program came with a
certain stigma that would put them
in a negative light. Rather, several
chose a long-weekend of intensive
rehabilitation, even though it was not

covered by the plan. This guidepost
suggests that the medical outcomes,
and the concerns of employees about
certain procedures, are as important
as cost and coverage when designing
health care plans for employees.
The final guidepost—compassion—
addresses the flexibility needed to handle unique needs. Compassion can be
demonstrated by considering the effect
of plan design on particularly vulnerable
employees and dependents, by addressing catastrophic medical needs, and by
providing supplemental benefits. Even
though the decision to switch health
insurance providers may be transparent
and participatory, such a decision may
have a particularly negative effect on

those with long-term chronic conditions, who have built a relationship
and trust with certain providers. The
authors recommend having in place
clear and consistent processes for
employees to express their concerns,
appeal decisions, and propose alternative solutions.
While health care coverage is often looked at as a “dollars-and-sense”
issue, Wynia and Schwab open our
eyes to many different issues that employers face. By encouraging an ethical approach to tough decisions, they
are providing a service that employers
large and small can use to make the
best possible health care decisions for
all employees. Their guideposts, when

considered together, are intended to
put employees in a position to understand and appreciate their health care
benefits.
Our headlines continue to be filled
with health care coverage and cost issues, and a variety of alternative “solutions” have been proposed or tested.
Ensuring Fairness provides a good
credo to follow as our country continues to debate these issues.

—William Wiatrowski
Office of Compensation and
Working Conditions
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Monthly Labor Review • January  2008

57

Current Labor Statistics
Monthly Labor Review
January 2008

NOTE: Many of the statistics in the
following pages were subsequently
revised. These pages have not been
updated to reflect the revisions.
To obtain BLS data that reflect all revisions, see
http://www.bls.gov/data/home.htm
For the latest set of "Current Labor Statistics,"
see http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/curlabst.htm

Current Labor Statistics
Notes on labor statistics ...................................

59

Comparative indicators
1. Labor market indicators..................................................... 71
2. Annual and quarterly percent changes in
		 compensation, prices, and productivity........................... 72
3. Alternative measures of wages and
		 compensation changes.................................................... 72

Labor force data
4. Employment status of the population,
		 seasonally adjusted.........................................................
5. Selected employment indicators, seasonally adjusted.........
6. Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted.....
7. Duration of unemployment, seasonally adjusted................
8. Unemployed persons by reason for unemployment,
		 seasonally adjusted.........................................................
9. Unemployment rates by sex and age,
    seasonally adjusted .........................................................
10. Unemployment rates by State, seasonally adjusted.............
11. Employment of workers by State,
    seasonally adjusted..........................................................
12. Employment of workers by industry,
    seasonally adjusted..........................................................
13. Average weekly hours by industry, seasonally adjusted.......
14. Average hourly earnings by industry,
    seasonally adjusted..........................................................
15. Average hourly earnings by industry..................................
16. Average weekly earnings by industry.................................
17. Diffusion indexes of employment change,
		 seasonally adjusted ......................................................
18. Job openings levels and rates, by industry and regions,
seasonally adjusted........................................................
19. Hires levels and rates by industry and region,
seasonally adjusted........................................................
20. Separations levels and rates by industry and region,
seasonally adjusted.........................................................
21. Quits levels and rates by industry and region,
seasonally adjusted........................................................

73
74
75
75

Employment Cost Index, compensation ..........................100
Employment Cost Index, wages and salaries .................... 102
Employment Cost Index, benefits, private industry .......... 104
Employment Cost Index, private industry workers,
		 by bargaining status, and region..................................... 105
34. National Compensation Survey, retirement benefits,
		 private industry ............................................................. 106
35. National Compensation Survey, health insurance,
  
private industry............................................................... 109
36. National Compensation Survey, selected benefits,
		 private industry.............................................................. 111
37. Work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more............. 111

Price data

82
83
84
85

Productivity data

86

47. Indexes of productivity, hourly compensation,
		 and unit costs, data seasonally adjusted.......................... 121
48. Annual indexes of multifactor productivity........................ 122
49. Annual indexes of productivity, hourly compensation,
		 unit costs, and prices...................................................... 123
50. Annual indexes of output per hour for select industries..... 124

76
77
77
78
81

86
87
87

24. Annual data: Quarterly Census of Employment
	  and Wages, by ownership............................................... 91
25. Annual data: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages,
	  establishment size and employment, by supersector....... 92
26. Annual data: Quarterly Census of Employment and
Wages, by metropolitan area ......................................... 93
27. Annual data: Employment status of the population.......... 98
28. Annual data: Employment levels by industry ................. 98
29. Annual data: Average hours and earnings level,
  
by industry..................................................................... 99

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

30.
31.
32.
33.

38. Consumer Price Index: U.S. city average, by expenditure
		 category and commodity and service groups.................. 112
39. Consumer Price Index: U.S. city average and
		 local data, all items ........................................................ 115
40. Annual data: Consumer Price Index, all items
		 and major groups........................................................... 116
41. Producer Price Indexes by stage of processing................... 117
42. Producer Price Indexes for the net output of major
		 industry groups.............................................................. 118
43. Annual data: Producer Price Indexes
		 by stage of processing..................................................... 119
44. U.S. export price indexes by end-use category................... 119
45. U.S. import price indexes by end-use category................... 120
46. U.S. international price indexes for selected
		 categories of services...................................................... 120

76

22. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages,
	  10 largest counties . ....................................................... 88
23. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, by State... 90

58

Labor compensation and collective
bargaining data

International comparisons data
51. Unemployment rates in 10 countries,
		 seasonally adjusted......................................................... 127
52. Annual data: Employment status of the civilian
working-age population, 10 countries........................... 128
53. Annual indexes of productivity and related measures,
16 economies................................................................ 129

Injury and Illness data
54. Annual data: Occupational injury and illness..................... 131
55. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure ................ 133

Notes on Current Labor Statistics
This section of the Review presents the
principal statistical series collected and
calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
series on labor force; employment; unemployment; labor compensation; consumer,
producer, and international prices; productivity; international comparisons; and injury
and illness statistics. In the notes that follow,
the data in each group of tables are briefly
described; key definitions are given; notes
on the data are set forth; and sources of additional information are cited.

General notes
The following notes apply to several tables
in this section:
Seasonal adjustment. Certain monthly
and quarterly data are adjusted to eliminate
the effect on the data of such factors as climatic conditions, industry production schedules, opening and closing of schools, holiday
buying periods, and vacation practices, which
might prevent short-term evaluation of the
statistical series. Tables containing data that
have been adjusted are identified as “seasonally adjusted.” (All other data are not seasonally adjusted.) Seasonal effects are estimated
on the basis of current and past experiences.
When new seasonal factors are computed
each year, revisions may affect seasonally
adjusted data for several preceding years.
Seasonally adjusted data appear in tables
1–14, 17–21, 48, and 52. Seasonally adjusted
labor force data in tables 1 and 4–9 and seasonally adjusted establishment survey data
shown in tables 1, 12–14, and 17 are revised
in the March 2007 Review. A brief explanation of the seasonal adjustment methodology
appears in “Notes on the data.”
Revisions in the productivity data in table
54 are usually introduced in the September
issue. Seasonally adjusted indexes and percent changes from month-to-month and
quarter-to-quarter are published for numerous Consumer and Producer Price Index
series. However, seasonally adjusted indexes
are not published for the U.S. average AllItems CPI. Only seasonally adjusted percent
changes are available for this series.
Adjustments for price changes. Some
data—such as the “real” earnings shown in
table 14—are adjusted to eliminate the effect
of changes in price. These adjustments are
made by dividing current-dollar values by
the Consumer Price Index or the appropriate
component of the index, then multiplying
by 100. For example, given a current hourly
wage rate of $3 and a current price index
number of 150, where 1982 = 100, the hourly
rate expressed in 1982 dollars is $2 ($3/150
x 100 = $2). The $2 (or any other resulting

values) are described as “real,” “constant,” or
“1982” dollars.

Sources of information
Data that supplement the tables in this section are published by the Bureau in a variety
of sources. Definitions of each series and
notes on the data are contained in later sections of these Notes describing each set of
data. For detailed descriptions of each data
series, see BLS Handbook of Methods, Bulletin
2490. Users also may wish to consult Major
Programs of the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
Report 919. News releases provide the latest statistical information published by the
Bureau; the major recurring releases are
published according to the schedule appearing on the back cover of this issue.
More information about labor force,
employment, and unemployment data and
the household and establishment surveys
underlying the data are available in the
Bureau’s monthly publication, Employment
and Earnings. Historical unadjusted and
seasonally adjusted data from the household
survey are available on the Internet:
www.bls.gov/cps/
Historically comparable unadjusted and seasonally adjusted data from the establishment
survey also are available on the Internet:
www.bls.gov/ces/
Additional information on labor force data
for areas below the national level are provided in the BLS annual report, Geographic
Profile of Employment and Unemployment.
For a comprehensive discussion of the
Employment Cost Index, see Employment
Cost Indexes and Levels, 1975–95, BLS Bulletin 2466. The most recent data from the
Employee Benefits Survey appear in the following Bureau of Labor Statistics bulletins:
Employee Benefits in Medium and Large Firms;
Employee Benefits in Small Private Establishments; and Employee Benefits in State and Local
Governments.
More detailed data on consumer and
producer prices are published in the monthly
periodicals, The CPI Detailed Report and Producer Price Indexes. For an overview of the
1998 revision of the CPI, see the December
1996 issue of the Monthly Labor Review. Additional data on international prices appear
in monthly news releases.
Listings of industries for which productivity indexes are available may be found on
the Internet:
www.bls.gov/lpc/
For additional information on international comparisons data, see Interna-

tional Comparisons of Unemployment, Bulletin
1979.
Detailed data on the occupational injury
and illness series are published in Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in the United States,
by Industry, a BLS annual bulletin.
Finally, the Monthly Labor Review carries
analytical articles on annual and longer term
developments in labor force, employment,
and unemployment; employee compensation
and collective bargaining; prices; productivity; international comparisons; and injury
and illness data.

Symbols
n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified.
n.e.s. = not elsewhere specified.
p = preliminary. To increase
the timeliness of some series,
preliminary figures are issued
based on representative but
incomplete returns.
r = revised. Generally, this revision
reflects the availability of later
data, but also may reflect other
adjustments.

Comparative Indicators
(Tables 1–3)
Comparative indicators tables provide an
overview and comparison of major bls statistical series. Consequently, although many
of the included series are available monthly,
all measures in these comparative tables are
presented quarterly and annually.
Labor market indicators include employment measures from two major surveys
and information on rates of change in
compensation provided by the Employment
Cost Index (ECI) program. The labor force
participation rate, the employment-population ratio, and unemployment rates for major
demographic groups based on the Current
Population (“household”) Survey are presented, while measures of employment and
average weekly hours by major industry sector are given using nonfarm payroll data. The
Employment Cost Index (compensation),
by major sector and by bargaining status, is
chosen from a variety of BLS compensation
and wage measures because it provides a
comprehensive measure of employer costs for
hiring labor, not just outlays for wages, and it
is not affected by employment shifts among
occupations and industries.
Data on changes in compensation, prices, and productivity are presented in table 2.
Measures of rates of change of compensation
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

59

Current Labor Statistics

and wages from the Employment Cost Index
program are provided for all civilian nonfarm
workers (excluding Federal and household
workers) and for all private nonfarm workers.
Measures of changes in consumer prices for
all urban consumers; producer prices by stage
of processing; overall prices by stage of processing; and overall export and import price
indexes are given. Measures of productivity
(output per hour of all persons) are provided
for major sectors.
Alternative measures of wage and compensation rates of change, which reflect the
overall trend in labor costs, are summarized
in table 3. Differences in concepts and scope,
related to the specific purposes of the series,
contribute to the variation in changes among
the individual measures.
Notes on the data
Definitions of each series and notes on the
data are contained in later sections of these
notes describing each set of data.

Employment and
Unemployment Data

4 weeks. Persons who did not look for work
because they were on layoff are also counted
among the unemployed. The unemployment
rate represents the number unemployed as a
percent of the civilian labor force.
The civilian labor force consists of all
employed or unemployed persons in the civilian noninstitutional population. Persons not
in the labor force are those not classified as
employed or unemployed. This group includes
discouraged workers, defined as persons who
want and are available for a job and who
have looked for work sometime in the past
12 months (or since the end of their last job
if they held one within the past 12 months),
but are not currently looking, because they
believe there are no jobs available or there are
none for which they would qualify. The civilian noninstitutional population comprises
all persons 16 years of age and older who are
not inmates of penal or mental institutions,
sanitariums, or homes for the aged, infirm,
or needy. The civilian labor force participation rate is the proportion of the civilian
noninstitutional population that is in the
labor force. The employment-population
ratio is employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population.

(Tables 1; 4–29)

Notes on the data

Household survey data

From time to time, and especially after a decennial census, adjustments are made in the
Current Population Survey figures to correct
for estimating errors during the intercensal
years. These adjustments affect the comparability of historical data. A description of
these adjustments and their effect on the
various data series appears in the Explanatory Notes of Employment and Earnings. For
a discussion of changes introduced in January
2003, see “Revisions to the Current Population Survey Effective in January 2003” in
the February 2003 issue of Employment and
Earnings (available on the BLS Web site at
www.bls.gov/cps/rvcps03.pdf).
Effective in January 2003, BLS began
using the X-12 ARIMA seasonal adjustment
program to seasonally adjust national labor
force data. This program replaced the X-11
ARIMA program which had been used since
January 1980. See “Revision of Seasonally
Adjusted Labor Force Series in 2003,” in
the February 2003 issue of Employment and
Earnings (available on the BLS Web site at
www.bls.gov/cps/cpsrs.pdf) for a discussion
of the introduction of the use of X-12 ARIMA
for seasonal adjustment of the labor force
data and the effects that it had on the data.
At the beginning of each calendar year,
historical seasonally adjusted data usually
are revised, and projected seasonal adjustment factors are calculated for use during the

Description of the series
Employment data in this section are obtained from the Current Population Survey,
a program of personal interviews conducted
monthly by the Bureau of the Census for
the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The sample
consists of about 60,000 households selected
to represent the U.S. population 16 years of
age and older. Households are interviewed
on a rotating basis, so that three-fourths of
the sample is the same for any 2 consecutive
months.

Definitions
Employed persons include (1) all those who
worked for pay any time during the week
which includes the 12th day of the month or
who worked unpaid for 15 hours or more in a
family-operated enterprise and (2) those who
were temporarily absent from their regular
jobs because of illness, vacation, industrial
dispute, or similar reasons. A person working
at more than one job is counted only in the
job at which he or she worked the greatest
number of hours.
Unemployed persons are those who did
not work during the survey week, but were
available for work except for temporary illness
and had looked for jobs within the preceding
60

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

January–June period. The historical seasonally adjusted data usually are revised for only
the most recent 5 years. In July, new seasonal
adjustment factors, which incorporate the
experience through June, are produced for
the July–December period, but no revisions
are made in the historical data.
F OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on
national household survey data, contact the
Division of Labor Force Statistics: (202)
691–6378.

Establishment survey data
Description of the series
Employment, hours, and earnings data in this
section are compiled from payroll records
reported monthly on a voluntary basis to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics and its cooperating State agencies by about 160,000
businesses and government agencies, which
represent approximately 400,000 individual
worksites and represent all industries except
agriculture. The active CES sample covers
approximately one-third of all nonfarm
payroll workers. Industries are classified in
accordance with the 2002 North American
Industry Classification System. In most
industries, the sampling probabilities are
based on the size of the establishment; most
large establishments are therefore in the
sample. (An establishment is not necessarily
a firm; it may be a branch plant, for example,
or warehouse.) Self-employed persons and
others not on a regular civilian payroll are
outside the scope of the survey because they
are excluded from establishment records.
This largely accounts for the difference in
employment figures between the household
and establishment surveys.

Definitions
An establishment is an economic unit which
produces goods or services (such as a factory
or store) at a single location and is engaged
in one type of economic activity.
Employed persons are all persons who
received pay (including holiday and sick pay)
for any part of the payroll period including
the 12th day of the month. Persons holding
more than one job (about 5 percent of all
persons in the labor force) are counted in
each establishment which reports them.
Production workers in the goodsproducing industries cover employees, up
through the level of working supervisors,
who engage directly in the manufacture or
construction of the establishment’s product.
In private service-providing industries, data
are collected for nonsupervisory workers,
which include most employees except those

in executive, managerial, and supervisory
positions. Those workers mentioned in tables
11–16 include production workers in manufacturing and natural resources and mining;
construction workers in construction; and
nonsupervisory workers in all private service-providing industries. Production and
nonsupervisory workers account for about
four-fifths of the total employment on private nonagricultural payrolls.
Earnings are the payments production
or nonsupervisory workers receive during
the survey period, including premium pay
for overtime or late-shift work but excluding irregular bonuses and other special
payments. Real earnings are earnings
adjusted to reflect the effects of changes
in consumer prices. The deflator for this
series is derived from the Consumer Price
Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
Workers (CPI-W).
Hours represent the average weekly
hours of production or nonsupervisory
workers for which pay was received, and are
different from standard or scheduled hours.
Overtime hours represent the portion of
average weekly hours which was in excess
of regular hours and for which overtime
premiums were paid.
The Diffusion Index represents the
percent of industries in which employment
was rising over the indicated period, plus
one-half of the industries with unchanged
employment; 50 percent indicates an equal
balance between industries with increasing
and decreasing employment. In line with
Bureau practice, data for the 1-, 3-, and 6month spans are seasonally adjusted, while
those for the 12-month span are unadjusted.
Table 17 provides an index on private nonfarm employment based on 278 industries,
and a manufacturing index based on 84
industries. These indexes are useful for measuring the dispersion of economic gains or
losses and are also economic indicators.

Notes on the data
Establishment survey data are annually
adjusted to comprehensive counts of employment (called “benchmarks”). The March
2003 benchmark was introduced in February
2004 with the release of data for January
2004, published in the March 2004 issue of
the Review. With the release in June 2003,
CES completed a conversion from the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system to
the North American Industry Classification
System (naics) and completed the transition
from its original quota sample design to a
probability-based sample design. The industry-coding update included reconstruction
of historical estimates in order to preserve

time series for data users. Normally 5 years
of seasonally adjusted data are revised with
each benchmark revision. However, with this
release, the entire new time series history for
all CES data series were re-seasonally adjusted
due to the NAICS conversion, which resulted
in the revision of all CES time series.
Also in June 2003, the CES program introduced concurrent seasonal adjustment for
the national establishment data. Under this
methodology, the first preliminary estimates
for the current reference month and the
revised estimates for the 2 prior months will
be updated with concurrent factors with each
new release of data. Concurrent seasonal
adjustment incorporates all available data,
including first preliminary estimates for
the most current month, in the adjustment
process. For additional information on all of
the changes introduced in June 2003, see the
June 2003 issue of Employment and Earnings
and “Recent changes in the national Current
Employment Statistics survey,” Monthly Labor Review, June 2003, pp. 3–13.
Revisions in State data (table 11) occurred with the publication of January 2003
data. For information on the revisions for
the State data, see the March and May 2003
issues of Employment and Earnings, and “Recent changes in the State and Metropolitan
Area CES survey,” Monthly Labor Review,
June 2003, pp. 14–19.
Beginning in June 1996, the BLS uses
the X-12-ARIMA methodology to seasonally adjust establishment survey data. This
procedure, developed by the Bureau of the
Census, controls for the effect of varying
survey intervals (also known as the 4- versus
5-week effect), thereby providing improved
measurement of over-the-month changes
and underlying economic trends. Revisions
of data, usually for the most recent 5-year
period, are made once a year coincident with
the benchmark revisions.
In the establishment survey, estimates
for the most recent 2 months are based on
incomplete returns and are published as preliminary in the tables (12–17 in the Review).
When all returns have been received, the
estimates are revised and published as “final”
(prior to any benchmark revisions) in the
third month of their appearance. Thus, December data are published as preliminary in
January and February and as final in March.
For the same reasons, quarterly establishment data (table 1) are preliminary for the
first 2 months of publication and final in the
third month. Fourth-quarter data are published as preliminary in January and February
and as final in March.
F OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on

establishment survey data, contact the Division of Current Employment Statistics:
(202) 691–6555.

Unemployment data by State
Description of the series
Data presented in this section are obtained
from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program, which is conducted in
cooperation with State employment security
agencies.
Monthly estimates of the labor force,
employment, and unemployment for States
and sub-State areas are a key indicator of local economic conditions, and form the basis
for determining the eligibility of an area for
benefits under Federal economic assistance
programs such as the Job Training Partnership Act. Seasonally adjusted unemployment
rates are presented in table 10. Insofar as possible, the concepts and definitions underlying
these data are those used in the national
estimates obtained from the CPS.

Notes on the data
Data refer to State of residence. Monthly
data for all States and the District of Columbia are derived using standardized procedures
established by BLS. Once a year, estimates are
revised to new population controls, usually
with publication of January estimates, and
benchmarked to annual average CPS levels.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on data
in this series, call (202) 691–6392 (table 10)
or (202) 691–6559 (table 11).

Quarterly Census of
Employment and Wages
Description of the series
Employment, wage, and establishment data
in this section are derived from the quarterly
tax reports submitted to State employment
security agencies by private and State and
local government employers subject to State
unemployment insurance (ui) laws and from
Federal, agencies subject to the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees
(ucfe) program. Each quarter, State agencies edit and process the data and send the
information to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Quarterly Census of Employment
and Wages (QCEW) data, also referred as ES202 data, are the most complete enumeration
of employment and wage information by
industry at the national, State, metropolitan
area, and county levels. They have broad
economic significance in evaluating labor
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

61

Current Labor Statistics

market trends and major industry developments.

Definitions
In general, the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages monthly employment data
represent the number of covered workers
who worked during, or received pay for, the
pay period that included the 12th day of
the month. Covered private industry employment includes most corporate officials,
executives, supervisory personnel, professionals, clerical workers, wage earners, piece
workers, and part-time workers. It excludes
proprietors, the unincorporated self-employed, unpaid family members, and certain
farm and domestic workers. Certain types
of nonprofit employers, such as religious
organizations, are given a choice of coverage
or exclusion in a number of States. Workers
in these organizations are, therefore, reported
to a limited degree.
Persons on paid sick leave, paid holiday,
paid vacation, and the like, are included.
Persons on the payroll of more than one
firm during the period are counted by each
ui-subject employer if they meet the employment definition noted earlier. The employment count excludes workers who earned no
wages during the entire applicable pay period
because of work stoppages, temporary layoffs,
illness, or unpaid vacations.
Federal employment data are based on
reports of monthly employment and quarterly wages submitted each quarter to State
agencies for all Federal installations with
employees covered by the Unemployment
Compensation for Federal Employees (ucfe)
program, except for certain national security
agencies, which are omitted for security reasons. Employment for all Federal agencies
for any given month is based on the number
of persons who worked during or received
pay for the pay period that included the 12th
of the month.
An establishment is an economic unit,
such as a farm, mine, factory, or store, that
produces goods or provides services. It is
typically at a single physical location and
engaged in one, or predominantly one, type
of economic activity for which a single industrial classification may be applied. Occasionally, a single physical location encompasses
two or more distinct and significant activities.
Each activity should be reported as a separate
establishment if separate records are kept
and the various activities are classified under
different NAICS industries.
Most employers have only one establishment; thus, the establishment is the
predominant reporting unit or statistical
62

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

entity for reporting employment and wages
data. Most employers, including State and
local governments who operate more than
one establishment in a State, file a Multiple
Worksite Report each quarter, in addition
to their quarterly ui report. The Multiple
Worksite Report is used to collect separate
employment and wage data for each of the
employer’s establishments, which are not
detailed on the ui report. Some very small
multi-establishment employers do not file a
Multiple Worksite Report. When the total
employment in an employer’s secondary
establishments (all establishments other
than the largest) is 10 or fewer, the employer
generally will file a consolidated report for all
establishments. Also, some employers either
cannot or will not report at the establishment
level and thus aggregate establishments into
one consolidated unit, or possibly several
units, though not at the establishment level.
For the Federal Government, the reporting unit is the installation: a single location
at which a department, agency, or other government body has civilian employees. Federal
agencies follow slightly different criteria than
do private employers when breaking down
their reports by installation. They are permitted to combine as a single statewide unit: 1)
all installations with 10 or fewer workers,
and 2) all installations that have a combined
total in the State of fewer than 50 workers.
Also, when there are fewer than 25 workers
in all secondary installations in a State, the
secondary installations may be combined and
reported with the major installation. Last, if a
Federal agency has fewer than five employees
in a State, the agency headquarters office
(regional office, district office) serving each
State may consolidate the employment and
wages data for that State with the data reported to the State in which the headquarters
is located. As a result of these reporting rules,
the number of reporting units is always larger
than the number of employers (or government agencies) but smaller than the number
of actual establishments (or installations).
Data reported for the first quarter are
tabulated into size categories ranging from
worksites of very small size to those with
1,000 employees or more. The size category
is determined by the establishment’s March
employment level. It is important to note that
each establishment of a multi-establishment
firm is tabulated separately into the appropriate size category. The total employment level
of the reporting multi-establishment firm is
not used in the size tabulation.
Covered employers in most States report
total wages paid during the calendar quarter,
regardless of when the services were performed. A few State laws, however, specify
that wages be reported for, or based on the

period during which services are performed
rather than the period during which compensation is paid. Under most State laws or
regulations, wages include bonuses, stock
options, the cash value of meals and lodging,
tips and other gratuities, and, in some States,
employer contributions to certain deferred
compensation plans such as 401(k) plans.
Covered employer contributions for
old-age, survivors, and disability insurance
(oasdi), health insurance, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, and private
pension and welfare funds are not reported as
wages. Employee contributions for the same
purposes, however, as well as money withheld
for income taxes, union dues, and so forth, are
reported even though they are deducted from
the worker’s gross pay.
Wages of covered Federal workers represent the gross amount of all payrolls for all
pay periods ending within the quarter. This
includes cash allowances, the cash equivalent
of any type of remuneration, severance pay,
withholding taxes, and retirement deductions. Federal employee remuneration generally covers the same types of services as for
workers in private industry.
Average annual wage per employee for
any given industry are computed by dividing total annual wages by annual average
employment. A further division by 52 yields
average weekly wages per employee. Annual
pay data only approximate annual earnings
because an individual may not be employed
by the same employer all year or may work for
more than one employer at a time.
Average weekly or annual wage is affected by the ratio of full-time to part-time
workers as well as the number of individuals
in high-paying and low-paying occupations.
When average pay levels between States and
industries are compared, these factors should
be taken into consideration. For example,
industries characterized by high proportions
of part-time workers will show average wage
levels appreciably less than the weekly pay
levels of regular full-time employees in these
industries. The opposite effect characterizes
industries with low proportions of part-time
workers, or industries that typically schedule
heavy weekend and overtime work. Average
wage data also may be influenced by work
stoppages, labor turnover rates, retroactive
payments, seasonal factors, bonus payments,
and so on.

Notes on the data
Beginning with the release of data for 2001,
publications presenting data from the Covered Employment and Wages program have
switched to the 2002 version of the North

American Industry Classification System
(NAICS) as the basis for the assignment and
tabulation of economic data by industry.
NAICS is the product of a cooperative effort on the part of the statistical agencies
of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Due to difference in NAICS and Standard
Industrial Classification ( SIC) structures,
industry data for 2001 is not comparable to the SIC-based data for earlier years.
Effective January 2001, the program
began assigning Indian Tribal Councils and
related establishments to local government
ownership. This BLS action was in response
to a change in Federal law dealing with the
way Indian Tribes are treated under the
Federal Unemployment Tax Act. This law
requires federally recognized Indian Tribes
to be treated similarly to State and local
governments. In the past, the Covered Employment and Wage (CEW) program coded
Indian Tribal Councils and related establishments in the private sector. As a result of the
new law, CEW data reflects significant shifts
in employment and wages between the private sector and local government from 2000
to 2001. Data also reflect industry changes.
Those accounts previously assigned to civic
and social organizations were assigned to
tribal governments. There were no required
industry changes for related establishments
owned by these Tribal Councils. These
tribal business establishments continued to
be coded according to the economic activity
of that entity.
To insure the highest possible quality
of data, State employment security agencies
verify with employers and update, if necessary, the industry, location, and ownership
classification of all establishments on a 3-year
cycle. Changes in establishment classification codes resulting from the verification
process are introduced with the data reported
for the first quarter of the year. Changes
resulting from improved employer reporting
also are introduced in the first quarter. For
these reasons, some data, especially at more
detailed geographic levels, may not be strictly
comparable with earlier years.
County definitions are assigned according
to Federal Information Processing Standards
Publications as issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Areas
shown as counties include those designated
as independent cities in some jurisdictions
and, in Alaska, those areas designated by the
Census Bureau where counties have not been
created. County data also are presented for
the New England States for comparative
purposes, even though townships are the
more common designation used in New
England (and New Jersey).

The Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) defines metropolitan areas for use
in Federal statistical activities and updates
these definitions as needed. Data in this table
use metropolitan area criteria established
by OMB in definitions issued June 30, 1999
(OMB Bulletin No. 99-04). These definitions
reflect information obtained from the 1990
Decennial Census and the 1998 U.S. Census
Bureau population estimate. A complete list
of metropolitan area definitions is available
from the National Technical Information
Service (NTIS), Document Sales, 5205 Port
Royal Road, Springfield, Va. 22161, telephone 1-800-553-6847.
OMB defines metropolitan areas in terms
of entire counties, except in the six New England States where they are defined in terms of
cities and towns. New England data in this
table, however, are based on a county concept
defined by OMB as New England County
Metropolitan Areas (NECMA) because county-level data are the most detailed available
from the Quarterly Census of Employment
and Wages. The NECMA is a county-based
alternative to the city- and town-based
metropolitan areas in New England. The
NECMA for a Metropolitan Statistical Area
(MSA) include: (1) the county containing
the first-named city in that MSA title (this
county may include the first-named cities of
other MSA, and (2) each additional county
having at least half its population in the
MSA in which first-named cities are in the
county identified in step 1. The NECMA is
officially defined areas that are meant to be
used by statistical programs that cannot use
the regular metropolitan area definitions in
New England.
For additional information on the
covered employment and wage data, contact
the Division of Administrative Statistics and
Labor Turnover at (202) 691–6567.

Job Openings and Labor
Turnover Survey
Description of the series
Data for the Job Openings and Labor
Turnover Survey (JOLTS) are collected and
compiled from a sample of 16,000 business
establishments. Each month, data are collected for total employment, job openings,
hires, quits, layoffs and discharges, and other
separations. The JOLTS program covers all
private nonfarm establishments such as factories, offices, and stores, as well as Federal,
State, and local government entities in the
50 States and the District of Columbia. The
JOLTS sample design is a random sample

drawn from a universe of more than eight
million establishments compiled as part of
the operations of the Quarterly Census of
Employment and Wages, or QCEW, program.
This program includes all employers subject to
State unemployment insurance (UI) laws and
Federal agencies subject to Unemployment
Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE).
The sampling frame is stratified by ownership, region, industry sector, and size class.
Large firms fall into the sample with virtual
certainty. JOLTS total employment estimates
are controlled to the employment estimates
of the Current Employment Statistics (CES)
survey. A ratio of CES to JOLTS employment
is used to adjust the levels for all other JOLTS
data elements. Rates then are computed from
the adjusted levels.
The monthly JOLTS data series begin with
December 2000. Not seasonally adjusted
data on job openings, hires, total separations, quits, layoffs and discharges, and other
separations levels and rates are available for
the total nonfarm sector, 16 private industry
divisions and 2 government divisions based
on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), and four geographic
regions. Seasonally adjusted data on job
openings, hires, total separations, and quits
levels and rates are available for the total
nonfarm sector, selected industry sectors, and
four geographic regions.

Definitions
Establishments submit job openings infor-mation for the last business day of the
reference month. A job opening requires
that (1) a specific position exists and there
is work available for that position; and (2)
work could start within 30 days regardless
of whether a suitable candidate is found;
and (3) the employer is actively recruiting
from outside the establishment to fill the
position. Included are full-time, part-time,
permanent, short-term, and seasonal openings. Active recruiting means that the establishment is taking steps to fill a position by
advertising in newspapers or on the Internet,
posting help-wanted signs, accepting applications, or using other similar methods.
Jobs to be filled only by internal transfers,
promotions, demotions, or recall from layoffs
are excluded. Also excluded are jobs with
start dates more than 30 days in the future,
jobs for which employees have been hired but
have not yet reported for work, and jobs to be
filled by employees of temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside
contractors, or consultants. The job openings
rate is computed by dividing the number of
job openings by the sum of employment and

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

63

Current Labor Statistics

job openings, and multiplying that quotient
by 100.
Hires are the total number of additions
to the payroll occurring at any time during
the reference month, including both new and
rehired employees and full-time and parttime, permanent, short-term and seasonal
employees, employees recalled to the location
after a layoff lasting more than 7 days, on-call
or intermittent employees who returned to
work after having been formally separated,
and transfers from other locations. The hires
count does not include transfers or promotions within the reporting site, employees returning from strike, employees of temporary
help agencies or employee leasing companies,
outside contractors, or consultants. The hires
rate is computed by dividing the number of
hires by employment, and multiplying that
quotient by 100.
Separations are the total number of
terminations of employment occurring at
any time during the reference month, and
are reported by type of separation—quits,
layoffs and discharges, and other separations.
Quits are voluntary separations by employees
(except for retirements, which are reported
as other separations). Layoffs and discharges
are involuntary separations initiated by the
employer and include layoffs with no intent
to rehire, formal layoffs lasting or expected
to last more than 7 days, discharges resulting
from mergers, downsizing, or closings, firings
or other discharges for cause, terminations
of permanent or short-term employees, and
terminations of seasonal employees. Other
separations include retirements, transfers
to other locations, deaths, and separations
due to disability. Separations do not include
transfers within the same location or employees on strike.
The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations by employment, and multiplying that quotient by 100.
The quits, layoffs and discharges, and other
separations rates are computed similarly,
dividing the number by employment and
multiplying by 100.

Notes on the data
The JOLTS data series on job openings, hires,
and separations are relatively new. The full
sample is divided into panels, with one panel
enrolled each month. A full complement of
panels for the original data series based on
the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification
(SIC) system was not completely enrolled in
the survey until January 2002. The supplemental panels of establishments needed to

64

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

create NAICS estimates were not completely
enrolled until May 2003. The data collected
up until those points are from less than a
full sample. Therefore, estimates from earlier months should be used with caution, as
fewer sampled units were reporting data at
that time.
In March 2002, BLS procedures for
collecting hires and separations data were
revised to address possible underreporting.
As a result, JOLTS hires and separations estimates for months prior to March 2002 may
not be comparable with estimates for March
2002 and later.
The Federal Government reorganization
that involved transferring approximately
180,000 employees to the new Department
of Homeland Security is not reflected in
the JOLTS hires and separations estimates
for the Federal Government. The Office of
Personnel Management’s record shows these
transfers were completed in March 2003. The
inclusion of transfers in the JOLTS definitions
of hires and separations is intended to cover
ongoing movements of workers between
establishments. The Department of Homeland Security reorganization was a massive
one-time event, and the inclusion of these
intergovernmental transfers would distort
the Federal Government time series.
Data users should note that seasonal
adjustment of the JOLTS series is conducted
with fewer data observations than is customary. The historical data, therefore, may
be subject to larger than normal revisions.
Because the seasonal patterns in economic
data series typically emerge over time, the
standard use of moving averages as seasonal
filters to capture these effects requires longer
series than are currently available. As a result,
the stable seasonal filter option is used in the
seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS data. When
calculating seasonal factors, this filter takes
an average for each calendar month after
detrending the series. The stable seasonal
filter assumes that the seasonal factors are
fixed; a necessary assumption until sufficient
data are available. When the stable seasonal
filter is no longer needed, other program features also may be introduced, such as outlier
adjustment and extended diagnostic testing.
Additionally, it is expected that more series,
such as layoffs and discharges and additional
industries, may be seasonally adjusted when
more data are available.
JOLTS hires and separations estimates
cannot be used to exactly explain net changes
in payroll employment. Some reasons why it
is problematic to compare changes in payroll
employment with JOLTS hires and separations, especially on a monthly basis, are: (1)
the reference period for payroll employment

is the pay period including the 12th of the
month, while the reference period for hires
and separations is the calendar month; and
(2) payroll employment can vary from month
to month simply because part-time and oncall workers may not always work during
the pay period that includes the 12th of the
month. Additionally, research has found that
some reporters systematically underreport
separations relative to hires due to a number of factors, including the nature of their
payroll systems and practices. The shortfall
appears to be about 2 percent or less over a
12-month period.
F OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on
the Job Openings and Labor Turnover
Survey, contact the Division of Administrative Statistics and Labor Turnover at (202)
961–5870.

Compensation and
Wage Data
(Tables 1–3; 30–37)
The National Compensation Survey (NCS)
produces a variety of compensation data.
These include: The Employment Cost Index
(ECI) and NCS benefit measures of the incidence and provisions of selected employee
benefit plans. Selected samples of these
measures appear in the following tables. NCS
also compiles data on occupational wages and
the Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC).

Employment Cost Index
Description of the series
The Employment Cost Index (ECI) is a
quarterly measure of the rate of change in
compensation per hour worked and includes
wages, salaries, and employer costs of employee benefits. It is a Laspeyres Index that
uses fixed employment weights to measure
change in labor costs free from the influence
of employment shifts among occupations
and industries.
The ECI provides data for the civilian
economy, which includes the total private
nonfarm economy excluding private households, and the public sector excluding the
Federal government. Data are collected each
quarter for the pay period including the
12th day of March, June, September, and
December.
Sample establishments are classified by
industry categories based on the 2002 North
American Classification System (NAICS).
Within a sample establishment, specific job

categories are selected and classified into
about 800 occupations according to the 2000
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)
System. Individual occupations are combined to represent one of ten intermediate
aggregations, such as professional and related
occupations, or one of five higher level aggregations, such as management, professional,
and related occupations.
Fixed employment weights are used
each quarter to calculate the most aggregate
series—civilian, private, and State and local
government. These fixed weights are also
used to derive all of the industry and occupational series indexes. Beginning with the
March 2006 estimates, 2002 fixed employment weights from the Bureau’s Occupational Employment Statistics survey were
introduced. From March 1995 to December
2005, 1990 employment counts were used.
These fixed weights ensure that changes in
these indexes reflect only changes in compensation, not employment shifts among
industries or occupations with different levels
of wages and compensation. For the series
based on bargaining status, census region
and division, and metropolitan area status,
fixed employment data are not available. The
employment weights are reallocated within
these series each quarter based on the current eci sample. The indexes for these series,
consequently, are not strictly comparable
with those for aggregate, occupational, and
industry series.

Definitions
Total compensation costs include wages,
salaries, and the employer’s costs for employee benefits.
Wages and salaries consist of earnings
before payroll deductions, including production bonuses, incentive earnings, commissions, and cost-of-living adjustments.
Benefits include the cost to employers
for paid leave, supplemental pay (including nonproduction bonuses), insurance,
retirement and savings plans, and legally
required benefits (such as Social Security,
workers’ compensation, and unemployment
insurance).
Excluded from wages and salaries and
employee benefits are such items as paymentin-kind, free room and board, and tips.

Notes on the data
The ECI data in these tables reflect the
con-version to the 2002 North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS) and
the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. The NAICS and SOC data

shown prior to 2006 are for informational
purposes only. ECI series based on NAICS
and SOC became the official BLS estimates
starting in March 2006.
The ECI for changes in wages and salaries
in the private nonfarm economy was published beginning in 1975. Changes in total
compensation cost—wages and salaries and
benefits combined—were published beginning in 1980. The series of changes in wages
and salaries and for total compensation in
the State and local government sector and
in the civilian nonfarm economy (excluding
Federal employees) were published beginning in 1981. Historical indexes (December
2005=100) are available on the Internet:
www.bls.gov/ect/
A DDITIONAL INFORMATION on the
Employment Cost Index is available at
http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/home.htm or
by telephone at (202) 691–6199.

National Compensation Survey
Benefit Measures
Description of the series
NCS benefit measures of employee benefits are published in two separate reports.
The annual summary provides data on the
incidence of (access to and participation
in) selected benefits and provisions of paid
holidays and vacations, life insurance plans,
and other selected benefit programs. Data on
percentages of establishments offering major
employee benefits, and on the employer and
employee shares of contributions to medical
care premiums also are presented. Selected
benefit data appear in the following tables. A
second publication, published later, contains
more detailed information about health and
retirement plans.

Definitions
Employer-provided benefits are benefits
that are financed either wholly or partly by
the employer. They may be sponsored by a
union or other third party, as long as there
is some employer financing. However, some
benefits that are fully paid for by the employee also are included. For example, long-term
care insurance paid entirely by the employee
are included because the guarantee of insurability and availability at group premium
rates are considered a benefit.
Employees are considered as having access to a benefit plan if it is available for their
use. For example, if an employee is permitted
to participate in a medical care plan offered
by the employer, but the employee declines to

do so, he or she is placed in the category with
those having access to medical care.
Employees in contributory plans are
considered as participating in an insurance
or retirement plan if they have paid required
contributions and fulfilled any applicable
service requirement. Employees in noncontributory plans are counted as participating
regardless of whether they have fulfilled the
service requirements.
Defined benefit pension plans use predetermined formulas to calculate a retirement
benefit (if any), and obligate the employer to
provide those benefits. Benefits are generally
based on salary, years of service, or both.
Defined contribution plans generally
specify the level of employer and employee
contributions to a plan, but not the formula
for determining eventual benefits. Instead,
individual accounts are set up for participants, and benefits are based on amounts
credited to these accounts.
Tax-deferred savings plans are a type of
defined contribution plan that allow participants to contribute a portion of their salary
to an employer-sponsored plan and defer
income taxes until withdrawal.
Flexible benefit plans allow employees
to choose among several benefits, such as life
insurance, medical care, and vacation days,
and among several levels of coverage within
a given benefit.

Notes on the data
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE NCS
benefit measures is available at http://www.
bls.gov/ncs/ebs/home.htm or by telephone
at (202) 691–6199.

Work stoppages
Description of the series
Data on work stoppages measure the number
and duration of major strikes or lockouts
(involving 1,000 workers or more) occurring
during the month (or year), the number of
workers involved, and the amount of work
time lost because of stoppage. These data are
presented in table 37.
Data are largely from a variety of published sources and cover only establishments
directly involved in a stoppage. They do not
measure the indirect or secondary effect of
stoppages on other establishments whose
employees are idle owing to material shortages or lack of service.

Definitions
Number of stoppages: The number of
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

65

Current Labor Statistics

strikes and lockouts involving 1,000 workers or more and lasting a full shift or longer.
Workers involved: The number of workers directly involved in the stoppage.
Number of days idle: The aggregate
number of workdays lost by workers
involved in the stoppages.
Days of idleness as a percent of estimated working time: Aggregate workdays
lost as a percent of the aggregate number of
standard workdays in the period multiplied
by total employment in the period.

Notes on the data
This series is not comparable with the one
terminated in 1981 that covered strikes involving six workers or more.
A DDITIONAL INFORMATION on work
stop-pages data is available at http://www.
bls.gov/cba/home.htm or by telephone at
(202) 691–6199.

Price Data
(Tables 2; 38–46)
Price data are gathered by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics from retail and primary markets in the United States. Price
indexes are given in relation to a base period—December 2003 = 100 for many Producer Price Indexes (unless otherwise noted),
1982–84 = 100 for many Consumer Price
Indexes (unless otherwise noted), and 1990
= 100 for International Price Indexes.

Consumer Price Indexes
Description of the series
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure
of the average change in the prices paid by
urban consumers for a fixed market basket
of goods and services. The CPI is calculated
monthly for two population groups, one
consisting only of urban households whose
primary source of income is derived from
the employment of wage earners and clerical
workers, and the other consisting of all urban
households. The wage earner index (CPI-W) is
a continuation of the historic index that was
introduced well over a half-century ago for
use in wage negotiations. As new uses were
developed for the CPI in recent years, the need
for a broader and more representative index
became apparent. The all-urban consumer
index (CPI-U), introduced in 1978, is representative of the 1993–95 buying habits of about
87 percent of the noninstitutional population
of the United States at that time, compared

66

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

with 32 percent represented in the CPI-W. In
addition to wage earners and clerical workers,
the CPI-U covers professional, managerial, and
technical workers, the self-employed, shortterm workers, the unemployed, retirees, and
others not in the labor force.
The CPI is based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, fuel, drugs, transportation fares,
doctors’ and dentists’ fees, and other goods
and services that people buy for day-to-day
living. The quantity and quality of these items
are kept essentially unchanged between major revisions so that only price changes will be
measured. All taxes directly associated with
the purchase and use of items are included
in the index.
Data collected from more than 23,000
retail establishments and 5,800 housing units
in 87 urban areas across the country are used
to develop the “U.S. city average.” Separate
estimates for 14 major urban centers are
presented in table 39. The areas listed are as
indicated in footnote 1 to the table. The area
indexes measure only the average change in
prices for each area since the base period,
and do not indicate differences in the level of
prices among cities.

Notes on the data
In January 1983, the Bureau changed the
way in which homeownership costs are
meaured for the CPI-U. A rental equivalence
method replaced the asset-price approach
to homeownership costs for that series. In
January 1985, the same change was made
in the CPI-W. The central purpose of the
change was to separate shelter costs from the
investment component of homeownership so
that the index would reflect only the cost of
shelter services provided by owner-occupied
homes. An updated CPI-U and CPI-W were
introduced with release of the January 1987
and January 1998 data.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, contact the Division of Prices and Price Indexes:
(202) 691–7000.

Producer Price Indexes
Description of the series
Producer Price Indexes (PPI) measure average changes in prices received by domestic
producers of commodities in all stages of
processing. The sample used for calculating
these indexes currently contains about 3,200
commodities and about 80,000 quotations
per month, selected to represent the movement of prices of all commodities produced
in the manufacturing; agriculture, forestry,
and fishing; mining; and gas and electricity

and public utilities sectors. The stage-of-processing structure of PPI organizes products by
class of buyer and degree of fabrication (that
is, finished goods, intermediate goods, and
crude materials). The traditional commodity structure of PPI organizes products by
similarity of end use or material composition.
The industry and product structure of PPI
organizes data in accordance with the 2002
North American Industry Classification
System and product codes developed by the
U.S. Census Bureau.
To the extent possible, prices used in
calculating Producer Price Indexes apply to
the first significant commercial transaction
in the United States from the production
or central marketing point. Price data are
generally collected monthly, primarily by
mail questionnaire. Most prices are obtained directly from producing companies
on a voluntary and confidential basis. Prices
generally are reported for the Tuesday of
the week containing the 13th day of the
month.
Since January 1992, price changes for
the various commodities have been averaged
together with implicit quantity weights representing their importance in the total net
selling value of all commodities as of 1987.
The detailed data are aggregated to obtain
indexes for stage-of-processing groupings,
commodity groupings, durability-of-product
groupings, and a number of special composite groups. All Producer Price Index data are
subject to revision 4 months after original
publication.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, contact the Division of Industrial Prices and
Price Indexes: (202) 691–7705.

International Price Indexes
Description of the series
The International Price Program produces
monthly and quarterly export and import
price indexes for nonmilitary goods and
services traded between the United States
and the rest of the world. The export price
index provides a measure of price change
for all products sold by U.S. residents to
foreign buyers. (“Residents” is defined as in
the national income accounts; it includes
corporations, businesses, and individuals, but
does not require the organizations to be U.S.
owned nor the individuals to have U.S. citizenship.) The import price index provides a
measure of price change for goods purchased
from other countries by U.S. residents.
The product universe for both the import
and export indexes includes raw materials,
agricultural products, semifinished manu-

factures, and finished manufactures, including both capital and consumer goods. Price
data for these items are collected primarily
by mail questionnaire. In nearly all cases,
the data are collected directly from the exporter or importer, although in a few cases,
prices are obtained from other sources.
To the extent possible, the data gathered
refer to prices at the U.S. border for exports
and at either the foreign border or the U.S.
border for imports. For nearly all products,
the prices refer to transactions completed
during the first week of the month. Survey
respondents are asked to indicate all discounts, allowances, and rebates applicable to
the reported prices, so that the price used in
the calculation of the indexes is the actual
price for which the product was bought or
sold.
In addition to general indexes of prices
for U.S. exports and imports, indexes are also
published for detailed product categories of
exports and imports. These categories are
defined according to the five-digit level of
detail for the Bureau of Economic Analysis
End-use Classification, the three-digit level
for the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC), and the four-digit level of
detail for the Harmonized System. Aggregate
import indexes by country or region of origin
are also available.
BLS publishes indexes for selected categories of internationally traded services,
calculated on an international basis and on a
balance-of-payments basis.

Notes on the data
The export and import price indexes are
weighted indexes of the Laspeyres type. The
trade weights currently used to compute both
indexes relate to 2000.
Because a price index depends on the
same items being priced from period to
period, it is necessary to recognize when a
product’s specifications or terms of transaction have been modified. For this reason,
the Bureau’s questionnaire requests detailed
descriptions of the physical and functional
characteristics of the products being priced,
as well as information on the number of
units bought or sold, discounts, credit terms,
packaging, class of buyer or seller, and so
forth. When there are changes in either
the specifications or terms of transaction of
a product, the dollar value of each change
is deleted from the total price change to
obtain the “pure” change. Once this value is
determined, a linking procedure is employed
which allows for the continued repricing of
the item.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, con-

tact the Division of International Prices:
(202) 691–7155.

Productivity Data
(Tables 2; 47–50)

Business and major sectors
Description of the series
The productivity measures relate real output
to real input. As such, they encompass a family of measures which include single-factor
input measures, such as output per hour,
output per unit of labor input, or output per
unit of capital input, as well as measures of
multifactor productivity (output per unit
of combined labor and capital inputs). The
Bureau indexes show the change in output
relative to changes in the various inputs.
The measures cover the business, nonfarm
business, manufacturing, and nonfinancial
corporate sectors.
Corresponding indexes of hourly compensation, unit labor costs, unit nonlabor
payments, and prices are also provided.

Definitions
Output per hour of all persons (labor
productivity) is the quantity of goods and
services produced per hour of labor input.
Output per unit of capital services (capital
productivity) is the quantity of goods and
services produced per unit of capital services input. Multifactor productivity is the
quantity of goods and services produced per
combined inputs. For private business and
private nonfarm business, inputs include labor
and capital units. For manufacturing, inputs
include labor, capital, energy, nonenergy
materials, and purchased business services.
Compensation per hour is total compensation divided by hours at work. Total
compensation equals the wages and salaries
of employees plus employers’ contributions
for social insurance and private benefit
plans, plus an estimate of these payments for
the self-employed (except for nonfinancial
corporations in which there are no selfemployed). Real compensation per hour
is compensation per hour deflated by the
change in the Consumer Price Index for All
Urban Consumers.
Unit labor costs are the labor compensation costs expended in the production of a
unit of output and are derived by dividing
compensation by output. Unit nonlabor
payments include profits, depreciation,
interest, and indirect taxes per unit of output.
They are computed by subtracting compensa-

tion of all persons from current-dollar value
of output and dividing by output.
Unit nonlabor costs contain all the components of unit nonlabor payments except
unit profits.
Unit profits include corporate profits
with inventory valuation and capital consumption adjustments per unit of output.
Hours of all persons are the total hours
at work of payroll workers, self-employed
persons, and unpaid family workers.
Labor inputs are hours of all persons
adjusted for the effects of changes in the
education and experience of the labor force.
Capital services are the flow of services
from the capital stock used in production. It
is developed from measures of the net stock
of physical assets—equipment, structures,
land, and inventories—weighted by rental
prices for each type of asset.
Combined units of labor and capital
inputs are derived by combining changes in
labor and capital input with weights which
represent each component’s share of total
cost. Combined units of labor, capital, energy,
materials, and purchased business services are
similarly derived by combining changes in
each input with weights that represent each
input’s share of total costs. The indexes for
each input and for combined units are based
on changing weights which are averages of
the shares in the current and preceding year
(the Tornquist index-number formula).

Notes on the data
Business sector output is an annually-weighted index constructed by excluding from real
gross domestic product (GDP) the following
outputs: general government, nonprofit
institutions, paid employees of private households, and the rental value of owner-occupied
dwellings. Nonfarm business also excludes
farming. Private business and private nonfarm business further exclude government
enterprises. The measures are supplied by
the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau
of Economic Analysis. Annual estimates of
manufacturing sectoral output are produced
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly manufacturing output indexes from the
Federal Reserve Board are adjusted to these
annual output measures by the BLS. Compensation data are developed from data of the
Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau
of Labor Statistics. Hours data are developed
from data of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The productivity and associated cost
measures in tables 47–50 describe the relationship between output in real terms and
the labor and capital inputs involved in its
Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

67

Current Labor Statistics

production. They show the changes from
period to period in the amount of goods and
services produced per unit of input.
Although these measures relate output
to hours and capital services, they do not
measure the contributions of labor, capital,
or any other specific factor of production.
Rather, they reflect the joint effect of many
influences, including changes in technology;
shifts in the composition of the labor force;
capital investment; level of output; changes
in the utilization of capacity, energy, material,
and research and development; the organization of production; managerial skill; and
characteristics and efforts of the work force.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on this
productivity series, contact the Division of
Productivity Research: (202) 691–5606.

compensation includes payroll as well as
supplemental payments, including both
legally required expenditures and payments
for voluntary programs.
Multifactor productivity is derived by
dividing an index of industry output by an index of combined inputs consumed in producing that output. Combined inputs include
capital, labor, and intermediate purchases.
The measure of capital input represents the
flow of services from the capital stock used
in production. It is developed from measures
of the net stock of physical assets—equipment, structures, land, and inventories. The
measure of intermediate purchases is a
combination of purchased materials, services,
fuels, and electricity.

Notes on the data

Industry productivity measures
Description of the series
The BLS industry productivity indexes measure the relationship between output and
inputs for selected industries and industry
groups, and thus reflect trends in industry efficiency over time. Industry measures include
labor productivity, multifactor productivity,
compensation, and unit labor costs.
The industry measures differ in methodology and data sources from the productivity
measures for the major sectors because the
industry measures are developed independently of the National Income and Product
Accounts framework used for the major
sector measures.

The industry measures are compiled from
data produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau, with additional
data supplied by other government agencies,
trade associations, and other sources.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on this
series, contact the Division of Industry Productivity Studies: (202) 691–5618, or visit
the Web site at: www.bls.gov/lpc/home.
htm

International Comparisons
(Tables 51–53)

Labor force and unemployment

Definitions

Description of the series

Output per hour is derived by dividing an
index of industry output by an index of labor
input. For most industries, output indexes
are derived from data on the value of industry output adjusted for price change. For
the remaining industries, output indexes are
derived from data on the physical quantity
of production.
The labor input series is based on the
hours of all workers or, in the case of some
transportation industries, on the number of
employees. For most industries, the series
consists of the hours of all employees. For
some trade and services industries, the series
also includes the hours of partners, proprietors, and unpaid family workers.
Unit labor costs represent the labor compensation costs per unit of output produced,
and are derived by dividing an index of labor
compensation by an index of output. Labor

Tables 51 and 52 present comparative measures of the labor force, employment, and unemployment approximating U.S. concepts for
the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan,
and six European countries. The Bureau adjusts the figures for these selected countries,
for all known major definitional differences,
to the extent that data to prepare adjustments
are available. Although precise comparability
may not be achieved, these adjusted figures
provide a better basis for international comparisons than the figures regularly published
by each country. For additional information
on adjustments and comparability issues, see
Constance Sorrentino, “International unemployment rates: how comparable are they?”
Monthly Labor Review, June 2000, pp. 3–20
(available on the BLS Web site at:
www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2000/06/art1full.
pdf).

68

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

Definitions
For the principal U.S. definitions of the labor
force, employment, and unemployment, see
the Notes section on Employment and Unemployment Data: Household survey data.

Notes on the data
The foreign country data are adjusted
as closely as possible to U.S. concepts, with
the exception of lower age limits and the
treatment of layoffs. These adjustments include, but are not limited to: including older
persons in the labor force by imposing no
upper age limit, adding unemployed students
to the unemployed, excluding the military
and family workers working fewer than 15
hours from the employed, and excluding
persons engaged in passive job search from
the unemployed.
Data for the United States relate to the
population 16 years of age and older. The
U.S. concept of the working age population
has no upper age limit. The adjusted to U.S.
concepts statistics have been adapted, insofar
as possible, to the age at which compulsory schooling ends in each country, and the
Swedish statistics have been adjusted to include persons older than the Swedish upper
age limit of 64 years. The adjusted statistics
presented here relate to the population 16
years of age and older in France, Sweden,
and the United Kingdom; 15 years of age and
older in Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy, and
the Netherlands. An exception to this rule
is that the Canadian statistics are adjusted
to cover the population 16 years of age and
older, whereas the age at which compulsory
schooling ends remains at 15 years. In the
labor force participation rates and employment-population ratios, the denominator is
the civilian noninstitutionalized working age
population, except for Japan and Germany,
which include the institutionalized working
age population.
In the United States, the unemployed
include persons who are not employed and
who were actively seeking work during
the reference period, as well as persons on
layoff. In the United States, as in Australia
and Japan, passive job seekers are not in the
labor force; job search must be active, such
as placing or answering advertisements,
contacting employers directly, or registering
with an employment agency (simply reading ads is not enough to qualify as active
search). Canada and the European countries
classify passive jobseekers as unemployed.
An adjustment is made to exclude them in
Canada, but not in the European countries
where the phenomenon is less prevalent.
In some countries, persons on layoff are

classified as employed due to their strong
job attachment. No adjustment is made for
the countries that classify those on layoff as
employed. Persons without work and waiting
to start a new job are counted as unemployed
under U.S. concepts if they were actively
seeking work during the reference period;
if they were not actively seeking work, they
are not counted in the labor force. Persons
without work and waiting to start a new job
are counted among the unemployed for all
other countries, whether or not they were
actively seeking work.
For more qualifications and historical
annual data, see Comparative Civilian Labor
Force Statistics, Ten Countries, on the Internet
at http:/www.bls.gov/fls/flscomparelf.htm
F OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on
this series, contact the Division of Foreign
Labor Statistics: (202) 691–5654 or flshelp@
bls.gov

Manufacturing Productivity
and Labor Costs
Description of the series
Table 53 presents comparative indexes of
manufacturing output per hour (labor productivity), output, total hours, compensation
per hour, and unit labor costs for the United
States, Australia, Canada, Japan, The Republic
of Korea, Taiwan, and 10 European countries.
These measures are trend comparisons—that
is, series that measure changes over time—
rather than level comparisons. BLS does
not recommend using these series for level
comparisons because of technical problems.
BLS constructs the comparative indexes
from three basic aggregate measures—output, total labor hours, and total compensation. The hours and compensation measures
refer to employees (wage and salary earners)
in Belgium and Taiwan. For all other economies, the measures refer to all employed
persons, including employees, self-employed
persons, and unpaid family workers.

Definitions
Output. For most economies, the output
measures are real value added in manufacturing from national accounts. However,
output for Japan prior to 1970 and for the
Netherlands prior to 1960 are indexes of
industrial production. The manufacturing
value-added measures for the United Kingdom are essentially identical to their indexes
of industrial production.
For the United States, the output measure for the manufacturing sector is a

chain-weighted index of real gross product
originating (deflated value added) produced
by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the
U.S. Department of Commerce. Most of
the other economies now also use chainweighted as opposed to fixed-year weights
that are periodically updated.
The data for recent years are based on
the United Nations System of National Accounts 1993 (SNA 93). Manufacturing is generally defined according to the International
Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC). For
the United States and Canada, it is defined
according to the North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS 97).
To preserve the comparability of the U.S.
measures with those of other economies,
BLS uses gross product originating in manufacturing for the United States. The gross
product originating series differs from the
manufacturing output series that BLS publishes in its quarterly news releases on U.S.
productivity and costs (and that underlies the
measures that appear in tables 48 and 50 in
this section). The quarterly measures are on
a “sectoral output” basis, rather than a valueadded basis. Sectoral output is gross output
less intrasector transactions.
Total hours refer to hours worked in all
economies. The measures are developed from
statistics of manufacturing employment and
average hours. For most other economies, recent years’ aggregate hours series are obtained
from national statistical offices, usually from
national accounts. However, for some economies and for earlier years, BLS calculates the
aggregate hours series using employment
figures published with the national accounts,
or other comprehensive employment series,
and data on average hours worked.
Hourly compensation is total compensation divided by total hours. Total compensation includes all payments in cash or in-kind
made directly to employees plus employer
expenditures for legally required insurance
programs and contractual and private benefit plans. For Australia, Canada, France,
and Sweden, compensation is increased
to account for important taxes on payroll
or employment. For the United Kingdom,
compensation is reduced between 1967 and
1991 to account for subsidies.
Unit labor costs are defined as the costs
of labor input required to produce one unit of
output. They are computed as compensation
in nominal terms divided by real output. Unit
labor costs can also be computed by dividing
hourly compensation by output per hour, that
is, by labor productivity.

Notes on the data
In general, the measures relate to to-

tal manufacturing as defined by the International Standard Industrial Classification. However, the measures for
France include parts of mining as well.
The measures for recent years may be
based on current indicators of manufacturing output (such as industrial production
indexes), employment, average hours, and
hourly compensation until national accounts
and other statistics used for the long-term
measures become available.
For additional information on these
series, go to http://www.bls.gov/news.
release/prod4.toc.htm or contact the Division of Foreign Labor Statistics: (202)
691–5654.

Occupational Injury
and Illness Data
(Tables 54–55)

Survey of Occupational Injuries
and Illnesses
Description of the series
The Survey of Occupational Injuries and
Illnesses collects data from employers about
their workers’ job-related nonfatal injuries
and illnesses. The information that employers provide is based on records that they
maintain under the Occupational Safety and
Health Act of 1970. Self-employed individuals, farms with fewer than 11 employees,
employers regulated by other Federal safety
and health laws, and Federal, State, and local government agencies are excluded from
the survey.
The survey is a Federal-State cooperative
program with an independent sample selected for each participating State. A stratified
random sample with a Neyman allocation
is selected to represent all private industries
in the State. The survey is stratified by Standard Industrial Classification and size of
employment.

Definitions
Under the Occupational Safety and Health
Act, employers maintain records of nonfatal
work-related injuries and illnesses that involve one or more of the following: loss of
consciousness, restriction of work or motion,
transfer to another job, or medical treatment
other than first aid.
Occupational injury is any injury such
as a cut, fracture, sprain, or amputation that

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

69

Current Labor Statistics

results from a work-related event or a single,
instantaneous exposure in the work environment.
Occupational illness is an abnormal
condition or disorder, other than one resulting from an occupational injury, caused by
exposure to factors associated with employment. It includes acute and chronic illnesses
or disease which may be caused by inhalation,
absorption, ingestion, or direct contact.
Lost workday injuries and illnesses are
cases that involve days away from work, or
days of restricted work activity, or both.
Lost workdays include the number of
workdays (consecutive or not) on which the
employee was either away from work or at
work in some restricted capacity, or both,
because of an occupational injury or illness.
BLS measures of the number and incidence
rate of lost workdays were discontinued
beginning with the 1993 survey. The number
of days away from work or days of restricted
work activity does not include the day of injury
or onset of illness or any days on which the
employee would not have worked, such as a
Federal holiday, even though able to work.
Incidence rates are computed as the
number of injuries and/or illnesses or lost
work days per 100 full-time workers.

Notes on the data
The definitions of occupational injuries and
illnesses are from Recordkeeping Guidelines
for Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 1986).
Estimates are made for industries and employment size classes for total recordable cases,
lost workday cases, days away from work cases,
and nonfatal cases without lost workdays. These
data also are shown separately for injuries.
Illness data are available for seven categories:
occupational skin diseases or disorders, dust
diseases of the lungs, respiratory conditions
due to toxic agents, poisoning (systemic
effects of toxic agents), disorders due to
physical agents (other than toxic materials),
disorders associated with repeated trauma,
and all other occupational illnesses.
The survey continues to measure the
number of new work-related illness cases
which are recognized, diagnosed, and reported during the year. Some conditions, for
example, long-term latent illnesses caused
by exposure to carcinogens, often are difficult to relate to the workplace and are not

70

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

adequately recognized and reported. These
long-term latent illnesses are believed to be
understated in the survey’s illness measure. In
contrast, the overwhelming majority of the
reported new illnesses are those which are
easier to directly relate to workplace activity
(for example, contact dermatitis and carpal
tunnel syndrome).
Most of the estimates are in the form
of incidence rates, defined as the number
of injuries and illnesses per 100 equivalent
full-time workers. For this purpose, 200,000
employee hours represent 100 employee years
(2,000 hours per employee). Full detail on the
available measures is presented in the annual
bulletin, Occupational Injuries and Illnesses:
Counts, Rates, and Characteristics.
Comparable data for more than 40 States
and territories are available from the bls
Office of Safety, Health and Working Conditions. Many of these States publish data
on State and local government employees in
addition to private industry data.
Mining and railroad data are furnished to
BLS by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration. Data from these organizations are
included in both the national and State data
published annually.
With the 1992 survey, BLS began publishing details on serious, nonfatal incidents
resulting in days away from work. Included
are some major characteristics of the injured
and ill workers, such as occupation, age, gender, race, and length of service, as well as the
circumstances of their injuries and illnesses
(nature of the disabling condition, part of
body affected, event and exposure, and the
source directly producing the condition). In
general, these data are available nationwide
for detailed industries and for individual
States at more aggregated industry levels.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on occupational injuries and illnesses, contact the
Office of Occupational Safety, Health and
Working Conditions at (202) 691–6180,
or access the Internet at: http://www.bls.
gov/iif/

Census of Fatal
Occupational Injuries
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
compiles a complete roster of fatal job-related injuries, including detailed data about the

fatally injured workers and the fatal events.
The program collects and cross checks fatality
information from multiple sources, including
death certificates, State and Federal workers’
compensation reports, Occupational Safety
and Health Administration and Mine Safety
and Health Administration records, medical
examiner and autopsy reports, media accounts, State motor vehicle fatality records,
and follow-up questionnaires to employers.
In addition to private wage and salary
workers, the self-employed, family members, and Federal, State, and local government workers are covered by the program.
To be included in the fatality census, the
decedent must have been employed (that is
working for pay, compensation, or profit)
at the time of the event, engaged in a legal
work activity, or present at the site of the
incident as a requirement of his or her job.

Definition
A fatal work injury is any intentional or
unintentional wound or damage to the body
resulting in death from acute exposure to
energy, such as heat or electricity, or kinetic
energy from a crash, or from the absence of
such essentials as heat or oxygen caused by a
specific event or incident or series of events
within a single workday or shift. Fatalities
that occur during a person’s commute to or
from work are excluded from the census,
as well as work-related illnesses,which can
be difficult to identify due to long latency
periods.

Notes on the data
Twenty-eight data elements are collected,
coded, and tabulated in the fatality program,
including information about the fatally
injured worker, the fatal incident, and the
machinery or equipment involved. Summary worker demographic data and event
characteristics are included in a national news
release that is available about 8 months after
the end of the reference year. The Census
of Fatal Occupational Injuries was initiated in 1992 as a joint Federal-State effort.
Most States issue summary information
at the time of the national news release.
F OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on
the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
contact the BLS Office of Safety, Health,
and Working Conditions at (202) 691–
6175, or the Internet at: www.bls.gov/iif/

/DERUPDUNHWLQGLFDWRUV
Selected indicators

2005

2005

2006

III

2006
IV

I

II

2007
III

IV

I

II

III

Employment data
Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional
population (household survey):

1

Labor force participation rate........................................................
Employment-population ratio........................................................
Unemployment rate………………………………………………….…
Men………………………………………………..…….….…………
16 to 24 years...........................................................................
25 years and older....................................................................
Women……………………………………………….….……………
16 to 24 years...........................................................................
25 years and older....................................................................
Employment, nonfarm (payroll data), in thousands:

66.0
62.7
5.1
5.1
12.4
3.8
5.1
10.1
4.2

66.2
63.1
4.6
4.6
11.2
3.5
4.6
9.7
3.7

66.2
62.9
5.0
5.0
12.0
3.8
5.0
9.8
4.2

66.1
62.8
5.0
4.9
11.7
3.7
5.0
9.9
4.2

66.0
62.9
4.7
4.7
11.2
3.6
4.7
9.6
3.9

66.1
63.1
4.7
4.7
11.2
3.6
4.6
9.2
3.8

66.2
63.1
4.7
4.6
11.4
3.5
4.7
10.2
3.8

66.3
63.3
4.5
4.5
11.1
3.3
4.4
9.8
3.5

66.2
63.3
4.5
4.6
10.7
3.6
4.3
9.1
3.5

66.0
63.1
4.5
4.6
11.3
3.5
4.4
9.0
3.5

66.0
62.9
4.7
4.7
11.7
3.6
4.6
9.8
3.7

1

Total nonfarm…………………….................................................... 133,703
Total private....................................................................... 111,899

136,171
114,181

134,244
112,400

134,904
113,031

135,659
113,753

136,030
114,062

136,636
114,560

137,161
115,053

137,594
115,397

137,973
115,739

138,255
115,959

22,190
Manufacturing………….………………..………………………… 14,226

22,569
14,197

22,239
14,182

22,410
14,209

22,573
14,212

22,613
14,238

22,625
14,206

22,520
14,131

22,497
14,090

22,436
14,050

22,318
13,984

Service-providing ……………………………………………….………….. 111,513

113,602

112,005

112,494

113,086

113,417

114,011

114,647

115,097

115,537

115,937

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

Average hours:
Total private........................................…………..........................
Manufacturing………...……………………………………………
Overtime……..………….………………...………………………

33.8
40.7
4.6

33.9
41.1
4.4

33.7
40.6
4.5

33.8
40.9
4.6

33.8
41.0
4.5

33.9
41.2
4.5

33.8
41.3
4.4

33.9
41.1
4.2

33.9
41.2
4.1

33.9
41.4
4.1

33.8
41.3
4.1

Civilian nonfarm ……………………………….…………………………….……

3.1

3.3

.8

.6

.7

.9

1.1

.6

.9

.8

1.0

Private nonfarm……………...............………...............................

2.9

3.2

.6

.5

.8

.9

.8

.7

.8

.9

.8

3.2

2.5

.8

.2

.3

1.0

.7

.5

.4

1.0

.5

2.8

3.4

.6

.5

1.0

.8

.9

.7

.9

.9

.9

4.1

4.1

2.0

.9

.5

.4

2.3

.9

1.0

.6

1.8

2.8
2.9

3.0
3.2

.8
.6

.4
.5

.5
.9

1.3
.8

.6
.9

.6
.6

-.3
1.0

1.2
.9

.5
.8

1, 2, 3

Employment Cost Index
Total compensation:
4

5

Goods-producing ……………………………………………….…………
5

Service-providing ……………………………………………….…………
State and local government ……………….………………………
Workers by bargaining status (private nonfarm):
Union……………………………………………………………………
Nonunion…………………………………………………………………
1

4

Quarterly data seasonally adjusted.

2

Annual changes are December-to-December changes. Quarterly changes
are calculated using the last month of each quarter.
3
The Employment Cost Index data reflect the conversion to the 2002 North
American Classification System (NAICS) and the 2000 Standard Occupational
Classification (SOC) system. The NAICS and SOC data shown prior to 2006 are
for informational purposes only. Series based on NAICS and SOC became the
official BLS estimates starting in March 2006.

Excludes Federal and private household workers.

5

Goods-producing industries include mining, construction, and manufacturing. Serviceproviding industries include all other private sector industries.
NOTE: Beginning in January 2003, household survey data reflect revised population
controls. Nonfarm data reflect the conversion to the 2002 version of the North
American Industry Classification System (NAICS), replacing the Standard Industrial
Classification (SIC) system. NAICS-based data by industry are not comparable with SIC
based data.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

71

Current Labor Statistics: Comparative Indicators

2. Annual and quarterly percent changes in compensation, prices, and productivity
Selected measures

2005

2005

2006
III

2006
IV

I

II

2007
III

IV

I

II

III

1, 2, 3

Compensation data

Employment Cost Index—compensation:
3.1
2.9

3.3
3.2

0.8
.6

0.6
.5

0.7
.8

0.9
.9

1.1
.8

0.6
.7

0.9
.8

0.8
.9

1.0
.8

2.6
2.5

3.2
3.2

.7
.6

.6
.5

.7
.7

.8
1.0

1.1
.8

.6
.7

1.1
1.1

.7
.8

1.0
.9

3.4

3.2

2.2

–1.0

1.5

1.6

.0

-.5

1.8

1.5

.7

4.8
5.7
2.3
8.0
14.6

3.0
3.4
1.5
6.5
1.8

3.0
4.0
.2
4.2
19.9

-.1
–.4
.6
1.0
.2

.3
.2
.8
1.0
-11.1

1.7
2.1
.2
3.0
1.6

-.9
-1.3
.0
-.4
1.4

.1
-.2
1.3
-.8
4.0

2.2
3.9
.3
1.5
5.7

1.8
-.1
.2
3.4
3.2

.2
1.3
-.3
.1
-1.8

2.1
2.1

1.7
1.6

2.7
2.7

2.4
2.5

2.5
2.5

.8
.8

-1.5
-1.6

1.2
1.8

.2
.7

3.6
2.2

5.3
4.9

2.3

2.5

2.1

2.2

3.1

-1.8

3.1

1.3

.7

3.8

-

Civilian nonfarm...................................................................
Private nonfarm...............................................................
Employment Cost Index—wages and salaries:
Civilian nonfarm……………………………………………….
Private nonfarm...............................................................
Price data

1

Consumer Price Index (All Urban Consumers): All Items......
Producer Price Index:
Finished goods.....................................................................
Finished consumer goods.................................................
Capital equipment……………………………………………
Intermediate materials, supplies, and components…………
Crude materials.....................................................................
4

Productivity data
Output per hour of all persons:

Business sector.....................................................................
Nonfarm business sector.......................................................
5

Nonfinancial corporations ……………….…………...………………

1
Annual changes are December-to-December changes. Quarterly changes are
calculated using the last month of each quarter. Compensation and price data are not
seasonally adjusted, and the price data are not compounded.
2

Excludes Federal and private household workers.

3
The Employment Cost Index data reflect the conversion to the 2002 North American
Classification System (NAICS) and the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)
system. The NAICS and SOC data shown prior to 2006 are for informational purposes

only. Series based on NAICS and SOC became the official BLS estimates starting in
March 2006.
4
Annual rates of change are computed by comparing annual averages. Quarterly
percent changes reflect annual rates of change in quarterly indexes. The data are
seasonally adjusted.
5

Output per hour of all employees.

3. Alternative measures of wage and compensation changes
Quarterly change
Components

2006
III

Four quarters ending—

2007
IV

I

II

2006
III

III

2007
IV

I

II

III

1

Average hourly compensation:
All persons, business sector..........................................................
All persons, nonfarm business sector...........................................
Employment Cost Index—compensation:

11.4
12.2

5.5
5.9

5.8
4.4

5.1
4.7

2.8
2.7

4.8
5.0

4.4
4.7

6.0
5.9

6.9
6.7

1.1
.8
.6
.9
2.3

.6
.7
.6
.6
.9

.9
.8
-.3
1.0
1.0

.8
.9
1.2
.9
.6

1.0
.8
.5
.8
1.8

3.3
3.0
2.8
3.1
4.1

3.3
3.2
3.0
3.2
4.1

3.5
3.2
2.2
3.3
4.6

3.3
3.1
2.1
3.3
4.8

3.3
3.1
2.0
3.2
4.3

1.1
.8
.5
.9
2.0

.6
.7
.6
.6
.7

1.1
1.1
.5
1.2
.6

.7
.8
.9
.8
.5

1.0
.9
.7
.9
1.7

3.2
3.0
2.2
3.2
3.7

3.2
3.2
2.3
3.3
3.5

3.6
3.6
2.5
3.7
3.8

3.4
3.3
2.5
3.4
3.8

3.3
3.4
2.7
3.4
3.5

2

3

Civilian nonfarm ……….………………………………………….…………..…
Private nonfarm….......................................................................
Union…………..........................................................................
Nonunion…………....................................................................
State and local government….....................................................
Employment Cost Index—wages and salaries:
3

1.6
1.3

2

Civilian nonfarm ……….………………………………………….…………..…
Private nonfarm….......................................................................
Union…………..........................................................................
Nonunion…………....................................................................
State and local government….....................................................
1

Seasonally adjusted. "Quarterly average" is percent change from a
quarter ago, at an annual rate.
2

The Employment Cost Index data reflect the conversion to the 2002
North American Classification System (NAICS) and the 2000 Standard

72

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

Occupational Classification (SOC) system. The NAICS and SOC data shown
prior to 2006 are for informational purposes only. Series based on NAICS
and SOC became the official BLS estimates starting in March 2006.
3

Excludes Federal and private household workers.

4. Employment status of the population, by sex, age, race, and Hispanic origin, monthly data seasonally adjusted
>1XPEHUVLQWKRXVDQGV@
Employment status

Annual average
2005

2006

2006
Nov.

2007

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

TOTAL
&LYLOLDQQRQLQVWLWXWLRQDO
1

population ……………………. 226,082
Civilian labor force.............. 149,320
66.0
Participation rate...........
Employed........................ 141,730
Employment-pop62.7
ulation ratio 2……………
7,591
Unemployed...................
5.1
Unemployment rate.....
Not in the labor force........ 76,762

228,815 229,905 230,108 230,650 230,834 231,034 231,253 231,480 231,713 231,958 232,211 232,461 232,715 232,939
151,428 152,449 152,775 152,974 152,784 152,979 152,587 152,762 153,072 153,231 152,891 153,464 153,253 153,870
66.2
66.3
66.4
66.3
66.2
66.2
66.0
66.0
66.1
66.1
65.8
66.0
65.9
66.1
144,427 145,623 145,926 145,957 145,919 146,254 145,786 145,943 146,140 146,110 145,794 146,257 146,007 146,703
63.1
7,001
4.6
77,387

63.3
6,826
4.5
77,456

63.4
6,849
4.5
77,333

63.3
7,017
4.6
77,676

63.2
6,865
4.5
78,050

63.3
6,724
4.4
78,055

63.0
6,801
4.5
78,666

63.0
6,819
4.5
78,718

63.1
6,933
4.5
78,641

63.0
7,121
4.6
78,727

62.8
7,097
4.6
79,319

62.9
7,207
4.7
78,997

62.7
7,245
4.7
79,462

63.0
7,167
4.7
79,069

Men, 20 years and over
&LYLOLDQQRQLQVWLWXWLRQDO
1

population ……………………. 100,835
Civilian labor force.............. 76,443
75.8
Participation rate...........
Employed........................ 73,050
Employment-pop72.4
ulation ratio 2……………
3,392
Unemployed...................
4.4
Unemployment rate.....
Not in the labor force……… 24,392

102,145 102,656 102,751 102,956 103,046 103,143 103,248 103,361 103,477 103,598 103,723 103,847 103,973 104,087
77,562
78,123
78,334
78,384
78,375
78,452
78,459
78,524
78,502
78,651
78,512
78,636
78,654
79,104
75.9
76.1
76.2
76.1
76.1
76.1
76.0
76.0
75.9
75.9
75.7
75.7
75.6
76.0
74,431
75,088
75,235
75,158
75,138
75,323
75,313
75,380
75,312
75,362
75,284
75,296
75,276
75,851
72.9
3,131
4.0
24,584

73.1
3,036
3.9
24,533

73.2
3,100
4.0
24,417

73.0
3,226
4.1
24,572

72.9
3,237
4.1
24,671

73.0
3,129
4.0
24,691

72.9
3,146
4.0
24,789

72.9
3,144
4.0
24,837

72.8
3,190
4.1
24,975

72.7
3,289
4.2
24,948

72.6
3,228
4.1
25,211

72.5
3,340
4.2
25,211

72.4
3,378
4.3
25,318

72.9
3,253
4.1
24,982

Women, 20 years and over
&LYLOLDQQRQLQVWLWXWLRQDO
1

population ……………………. 108,850
Civilian labor force.............. 65,714
60.4
Participation rate...........
Employed........................ 62,702
Employment-pop57.6
ulation ratio 2……………
3,013
Unemployed...................
4.6
Unemployment rate.....
Not in the labor force……… 43,136

109,992 110,445 110,528 110,803 110,880 110,964 111,057 111,157 111,259 111,367 111,479 111,590 111,703 111,805
66,585
67,024
67,132
67,361
67,267
67,487
67,083
67,281
67,474
67,579
67,628
67,814
67,599
67,803
60.5
60.7
60.7
60.8
60.7
60.8
60.4
60.5
60.6
60.7
60.7
60.8
60.5
60.6
63,834
64,333
64,491
64,654
64,703
64,912
64,502
64,701
64,855
64,808
64,845
65,068
64,826
65,027
58.0
2,751
4.1
43,407

58.2
2,691
4.0
43,420

58.3
2,641
3.9
43,396

58.4
2,707
4.0
43,442

58.4
2,564
3.8
43,612

58.5
2,576
3.8
43,477

58.1
2,581
3.8
43,974

58.2
2,580
3.8
43,875

58.3
2,619
3.9
43,785

58.2
2,771
4.1
43,788

58.2
2,783
4.1
43,851

58.3
2,746
4.0
43,776

58.0
2,773
4.1
44,103

58.2
2,777
4.1
44,001

16,678
7,281
43.7
6,162

16,804
7,301
43.5
6,202

16,829
7,309
43.4
6,200

16,891
7,228
42.8
6,145

16,908
7,142
42.2
6,078

16,927
7,039
41.6
6,019

16,948
7,045
41.6
5,970

16,962
6,957
41.0
5,862

16,977
7,096
41.8
5,972

16,993
7,002
41.2
5,940

17,009
6,751
39.7
5,665

17,024
7,014
41.2
5,894

17,040
6,999
41.1
5,905

17,048
6,962
40.8
5,825

36.9
1,119
15.4
9,397

36.9
1,099
15.1
9,502

36.8
1,108
15.2
9,520

36.4
1,083
15.0
9,662

35.9
1,064
14.9
9,766

35.6
1,020
14.5
9,888

35.2
1,075
15.3
9,903

34.6
1,095
15.7
10,005

35.2
1,124
15.8
9,881

35.0
1,062
15.2
9,991

33.3
1,086
16.1
10,257

34.6
1,120
16.0
10,010

34.7
1,094
15.6
10,041

34.2
1,137
16.3
10,086

Both sexes, 16 to 19 years
&LYLOLDQQRQLQVWLWXWLRQDO
1
population ……………………. 16,398
7,164
Civilian labor force..............
43.7
Participation rate...........
5,978
Employed........................
Employment-pop36.5
ulation ratio 2……………
1,186
Unemployed...................
16.6
Unemployment rate.....
Not in the labor force……… 9,234

White3
&LYLOLDQQRQLQVWLWXWLRQDO
1

population ……………………. 184,446
Civilian labor force.............. 122,299
66.3
Participation rate...........
Employed........................ 116,949
Employment-pop63.4
ulation ratio 2……………
5,350
Unemployed...................
4.4
Unemployment rate.....
Not in the labor force……… 62,148

186,264 186,988 187,115 187,471 187,582 187,704 187,843 187,993 188,148 188,312 188,479 188,644 188,813 188,956
123,834 124,536 124,783 124,908 124,676 124,888 124,450 124,618 124,922 124,966 124,593 125,245 125,109 125,427
66.5
66.6
66.7
66.6
66.5
66.5
66.3
66.3
66.4
66.4
66.1
66.4
66.3
66.4
118,833 119,636 119,813 119,767 119,669 120,115 119,547 119,724 119,872 119,747 119,349 119,948 119,875 120,209
63.8
5,002
4.0
62,429

64.0
4,900
3.9
62,452

64.0
4,970
4.0
62,333

63.9
5,141
4.1
62,562

63.8
5,007
4.0
62,905

64.0
4,773
3.8
62,817

63.6
4,904
3.9
63,393

63.7
4,893
3.9
63,375

63.7
5,050
4.0
63,226

63.6
5,219
4.2
63,346

63.3
5,243
4.2
63,887

63.6
5,297
4.2
63,399

63.5
5,233
4.2
63,705

63.6
5,218
4.2
63,529

27,007
17,314
64.1
15,765

27,193
17,444
64.2
15,950

27,231
17,512
64.3
16,045

27,276
17,639
64.7
16,226

27,310
17,549
64.3
16,154

27,346
17,436
63.8
15,988

27,385
17,510
63.9
16,065

27,422
17,433
63.6
15,946

27,459
17,493
63.7
16,005

27,498
17,645
64.2
16,229

27,541
17,523
63.6
16,175

27,584
17,493
63.4
16,077

27,627
17,422
63.1
15,938

27,666
17,457
63.1
15,993

58.4
1,549
8.9
9,693

58.7
1,494
8.6
9,749

58.9
1,466
8.4
9,719

59.5
1,412
8.0
9,637

59.2
1,395
7.9
9,761

58.5
1,448
8.3
9,910

58.7
1,444
8.2
9,875

58.2
1,487
8.5
9,988

58.3
1,488
8.5
9,966

59.0
1,416
8.0
9,854

58.7
1,349
7.7
10,018

58.3
1,416
8.1
10,090

57.7
1,484
8.5
10,204

57.8
1,464
8.4
10,208

Black or African American3
&LYLOLDQQRQLQVWLWXWLRQDO
1
population ……………………. 26,517
Civilian labor force.............. 17,013
64.2
Participation rate...........
Employed........................ 15,313
Employment-pop57.7
ulation ratio 2……………
1,700
Unemployed...................
10.0
Unemployment rate.....
Not in the labor force……… 9,504

6HHIRRWQRWHVDWHQGRIWDEOH

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

73

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

&RQWLQXHG²(PSOR\PHQWVWDWXVRIWKHSRSXODWLRQE\VH[DJHUDFHDQG+LVSDQLFRULJLQPRQWKO\GDWDVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
[Numbers in thousands]
(PSOR\PHQWVWDWXV

$QQXDODYHUDJH


2006

2007



1RY

'HF

-DQ

)HE

0DU

$SU

0D\

-XQH

-XO\

$XJ

30,103
20,694

19,613

30,508
20,994

19,953

30,596
21,176

20,131

30,877
21,439

20,221

30,965
21,318

20,204

31,055
21,390

20,288

31,147
21,445

20,284

31,238
21,425

20,189

31,329
21,404

20,191

31,423
21,602

20,331

31,520
21,795

20,599


1,081

9,409


1,042

9,513


1,045

9,419


1,218

9,438


1,115

9,647


1,101

9,665


1,161

9,702


1,237

9,813


1,212

9,926


1,271

9,821


1,196

9,725

6HSW

2FW

1RY

31,617
21,901

20,654

31,714
21,775

20,563

31,809
21,895

20,656


1,247

9,716


1,212

9,939


1,239

9,914

+LVSDQLFRU/DWLQR
HWKQLFLW\
Civilian noninstitutional
1
population «««««««« 29,133
&LYLOLDQODERUIRUFH 19,824

3DUWLFLSDWLRQUDWH
EmployHG 18,632
Employment-pop
ulation ratio 2«««««
1,191
UnemployHG

UnemployPHQWUDWH
Not in the labor force «««« 9,310
1

7KHSRSXODWLRQILJXUHVDUHQRWVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
&LYLOLDQHPSOR\PHQWDVDSHUFHQWRIWKHFLYLOLDQQRQLQVWLWXWLRQDOSRSXODWLRQ
Beginning in 2003, persons who selected this race group only; persons who
VHOHFWHG PRUH WKDQ RQH UDFH JURXS DUH QRW LQFOXGHG 3ULRU WR  SHUVRQV ZKR
reported more than one race were included in the group they identified as the main
UDFH

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white and black or African American) do not
VXP WR WRWDOV EHFDXVH GDWD DUH QRW SUHVHQWHG IRU DOO UDFHV ,Q DGGLWLRQ SHUVRQV ZKRVH
ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race and, therefore, are classified
E\ HWKQLFLW\ DV ZHOO DV E\ UDFH %HJLQQLQJ LQ -DQXDU\  GDWD UHIOHFW UHYLVHG SRSXODWLRQ
FRQWUROVXVHGLQWKHKRXVHKROGVXUYH\

2

3

5. Selected employment indicators, monthly data seasonally adjusted
[In thousands]
Annual average
Selected categories
2005

2006

2006
Nov.

2007

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Characteristic
Employed, 16 years and older.. 141,730 144,427 145,623 145,926 145,957 145,919 146,254 145,786 145,943 146,140 146,110 145,794 146,257 146,007 146,703
77,502
78,148
78,311
78,237
78,172
78,344
78,344
78,323
78,281
78,292
78,082
78,207
78,179
78,614
Men....................................... 75,973
66,925
67,475
67,615
67,720
67,747
67,911
67,442
67,620
67,859
67,819
67,712
68,050
67,828
68,089
:RPHQ«« 65,757
Married men, spouse
45,483

45,700

45,802

45,864

46,066

46,231

46,527

46,500

46,531

46,527

46,330

46,192

46,238

46,176

46,381

34,773

35,272

35,363

35,383

35,536

35,728

36,167

36,037

36,194

36,217

35,997

35,826

35,739

35,483

35,722

4,350

4,162

4,183

4,232

4,246

4,212

4,278

4,374

4,484

4,290

4,313

4,516

4,512

4,335

4,494

2,684

2,658

2,711

2,706

2,753

2,729

2,769

2,849

2,963

2,790

2,724

2,933

2,986

2,781

2,983

1,341

1,189

1,168

1,234

1,185

1,208

1,215

1,248

1,265

1,203

1,217

1,168

1,148

1,207

1,217

UHDVRQV««««««««« 19,491

19,591

19,780

19,885

19,761

19,907

20,088

19,948

19,626

20,112

20,014

19,835

19,891

19,329

19,550

4,271

4,071

4,091

4,159

4,155

4,088

4,196

4,308

4,403

4,194

4,240

4,459

4,407

4,251

4,435

2,636

2,596

2,661

2,653

2,686

2,662

2,698

2,811

2,904

2,737

2,683

2,903

2,920

2,736

2,953

1,330

1,178

1,140

1,221

1,165

1,187

1,196

1,236

1,256

1,204

1,211

1,147

1,142

1,203

1,201

UHDVRQV«««« 19,134

19,237

19,423

19,512

19,410

19,521

19,677

19,570

19,200

19,758

19,660

19,569

19,570

19,121

19,249

present................................
Married women, spouse
present................................
Persons at work part time1
All industries:
Part time for economic
UHDVRQV«««««««««
Slack work or business
FRQGLWLRQV««««
Could only find part-time
ZRUN«««««««««
Part time for noneconomic
Nonagricultural industries:
Part time for economic
UHDVRQV«««««««««
Slack work or business
conditions.......................
Could only find part-time
ZRUN«««««««««
Part time for noneconomic

1

Excludes persons "with a job but not at work" during the survey period for such reasons as vacation, illness, or industrial disputes.

NOTE: Beginning in January 2003, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

74

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

6. Selected unemployment indicators, monthly data seasonally adjusted
[Unemployment rates]
Annual average

2006

Selected categories
2005

2006

2007

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

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

5.1
16.6
4.4
4.6

4.6
15.4
4.0
4.1

4.5
15.1
3.9
4.0

4.5
15.2
4.0
3.9

4.6
15.0
4.1
4.0

4.5
14.9
4.1
3.8

4.4
14.5
4.0
3.8

4.5
15.3
4.0
3.8

4.5
15.7
4.0
3.8

4.5
15.8
4.1
3.9

4.6
15.2
4.2
4.1

4.6
16.1
4.1
4.1

4.7
16.0
4.2
4.0

4.7
15.6
4.3
4.1

4.7
16.3
4.1
4.1

White, total 1««««««««««««

4.4
14.2
16.1
12.3
3.8
3.9

4.0
13.2
14.6
11.7
3.5
3.6

3.9
13.1
14.2
11.9
3.4
3.5

4.0
13.4
15.1
11.6
3.6
3.4

4.1
13.2
14.2
12.2
3.7
3.6

4.0
13.1
14.3
11.7
3.7
3.4

3.8
13.2
14.6
11.8
3.4
3.3

3.9
13.3
14.3
12.3
3.5
3.5

3.9
13.9
15.0
12.7
3.5
3.4

4.0
14.2
16.2
12.0
3.6
3.5

4.2
13.7
15.3
12.1
3.8
3.6

4.2
14.2
16.4
12.0
3.8
3.7

4.2
14.3
16.2
12.2
3.9
3.5

4.2
13.9
15.9
12.0
3.8
3.6

4.2
14.7
17.8
11.7
3.7
3.6

10.0
33.3
36.3
30.3
9.2
8.5

8.9
29.1
32.7
25.9
8.3
7.5

8.6
27.6
32.7
23.0
7.8
7.4

8.4
26.2
27.7
25.1
7.3
7.6

8.0
29.1
34.4
24.6
7.5
6.5

7.9
29.0
35.7
22.6
7.4
6.4

8.3
25.0
25.7
24.4
9.0
6.2

8.2
30.6
34.0
27.4
8.4
6.0

8.5
30.4
35.3
25.5
8.2
6.8

8.5
31.2
33.5
29.0
8.6
6.3

8.0
26.5
30.8
22.8
7.6
6.8

7.7
31.2
32.9
29.7
6.8
6.4

8.1
28.8
33.3
24.4
7.4
7.0

8.5
27.6
35.6
19.9
8.1
7.2

8.4
29.5
34.4
24.8
7.8
7.0

6.0
2.8
3.3
5.0
5.4

5.2
2.4
2.9
4.5
5.1

5.0
2.3
2.7
4.4
5.0

4.9
2.5
2.7
4.4
4.8

5.7
2.5
2.8
4.5
5.0

5.2
2.7
2.7
4.4
4.9

5.1
2.5
2.5
4.4
4.5

5.4
2.5
2.7
4.4
5.0

5.8
2.6
2.7
4.4
4.9

5.7
2.4
2.7
4.5
4.6

5.9
2.7
2.8
4.6
5.0

5.5
2.4
3.1
4.6
4.9

5.7
2.4
2.8
4.7
4.7

5.6
2.5
2.9
4.7
4.9

5.7
2.5
3.0
4.6
5.0

Both sexes, 16 to 19 years................
Men, 16 to 19 years........................
Women, 16 to 19 years..................
Men, 20 years and older....................
Women, 20 years and older..............
Black or African American, total 1«««
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years................
Men, 16 to 19 years........................
Women, 16 to 19 years..................
Men, 20 years and older....................
Women, 20 years and older..............
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity««««««
Married men, spouse present................
Married women, spouse present...........
Full-time workers...................................
Part-time workers..................................
Educational attainment2
Less than a high school diploma................
High school graduates, no college 3«««
Some college or associate degUHH«««
4

Bachelor's degree and higher «««««
1

7.6

6.8

6.5

6.6

6.8

7.1

7.0

7.2

6.7

6.7

7.1

6.7

7.4

7.3

7.6

4.7


4.3
3.6

4.3
3.3

4.3
3.4

4.2
3.7

4.3
3.6

4.1
3.6

4.1
3.6

4.5
3.4

4.1
3.5

4.4
3.5

4.3
3.7

4.6
3.4

4.6
3.5

4.5
3.3

2.3

2.0

1.9

1.9

2.1

1.9

1.8

1.8

2.0

2.0

2.1

2.0

2.0

2.1

2.2

Apr.

May

July

Aug.

Beginning in 2003, persons who selected this race group only; persons who

selected more than one race group are not included. Prior to 2003, persons who
reported more than one race were included in the group they identified as the main
race.
2

Data refer to persons 25 years and older.

7. Duration of unemployment, monthly data seasonally adjusted
>1XPEHUVLQWKRXVDQGV@
Weeks of
unemployment
/HVVWKDQZHHNV
WRZHHNV
ZHHNVDQGRYHU
WRZHHNV
ZHHNVDQGRYHU
0HDQGXUDWLRQLQZHHNV
0HGLDQGXUDWLRQLQZHHNV

Annual average
2005








2006








2006
Nov.








2007

Dec.








Jan.








Feb.








Mar.
























June
























Sept.








Oct.








Nov.








127(%HJLQQLQJLQ-DQXDU\GDWDUHIOHFWUHYLVHGSRSXODWLRQFRQWUROVXVHGLQWKHKRXVHKROGVXUYH\

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

75

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

8QHPSOR\HGSHUVRQVE\UHDVRQIRUXQHPSOR\PHQWPRQWKO\GDWDVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
[Numbers in thousands]
Reason for
unemployment
Job losers1…………………….…
On temporary layoff..............
Not on temporary layoff........
Job leavers..............................
Reentrants...............................
New entrants...........................

Annual average
2005

2006

2006
Nov.

2007

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

3,667
933
2,734
872
2,386
666

3,321
921
2,400
827
2,237
616

3,179
965
2,214
793
2,279
591

3,236
958
2,278
807
2,199
601

3,440
1,021
2,420
797
2,230
619

3,453
1,022
2,430
816
2,042
580

3,238
863
2,375
755
2,147
599

3,287
1,022
2,265
748
2,174
607

3,331
1,004
2,327
764
2,153
549

3,375
866
2,509
810
2,127
621

3,628
981
2,648
823
2,078
593

3,617
979
2,638
793
2,064
593

3,577
954
2,623
842
2,144
698

3,699
1,053
2,647
791
2,084
708

3,599
984
2,615
784
2,133
665

48.3
12.3
36.0
11.5
31.4
8.8

47.4
13.2
34.3
11.8
32.0
8.8

46.5
14.1
32.4
11.6
33.3
8.6

47.3
14.0
33.3
11.8
32.1
8.8

48.6
14.4
34.1
11.2
31.5
8.7

50.1
14.8
35.3
11.8
29.6
8.4

48.0
12.8
35.2
11.2
31.9
8.9

48.2
15.0
33.2
11.0
31.9
8.9

49.0
14.8
34.2
11.2
31.7
8.1

48.7
12.5
36.2
11.7
30.7
9.0

50.9
13.8
37.2
11.6
29.2
8.3

51.2
13.8
37.3
11.2
29.2
8.4

49.3
13.1
36.1
11.6
29.5
9.6

50.8
14.5
36.3
10.9
28.6
9.7

50.1
13.7
36.4
10.9
29.7
9.3

2.1
.5
1.5
.4

2.1
.5
1.4
.4

2.2
.5
1.5
.4

2.3
.5
1.3
.4

2.1
.5
1.4
.4

2.2
.5
1.4
.4

2.2
.5
1.4
.4

2.2
.5
1.4
.4

2.4
.5
1.4
.4

2.4
.5
1.3
.4

2.3
.5
1.4
.5

2.4
.5
1.4
.5

2.3
.5
1.4
.4

Percent of unemployed
Job losers1…………………….…
On temporary layoff...............
Not on temporary layoff.........
Job leavers...............................
Reentrants................................
New entrants............................
Percent of civilian
labor force
2.5
2.2
Job losers1…………………….…
.6
.5
Job leavers...............................
1.6
1.5
Reentrants................................
.4
.4
New entrants............................
1
Includes persons who completed temporary jobs.

NOTE: Beginning in January 2003, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

9. Unemployment rates by sex and age, monthly data seasonally adjusted
>&LYLOLDQZRUNHUV@
Sex and age

Annual average

2006

2007

2005

2006

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

7RWDO\HDUVDQGROGHU
WR\HDUV
WR\HDUV
WR\HDUV
WR\HDUV
WR\HDUV
\HDUVDQGROGHU
WR\HDUV
\HDUVDQGROGHU























































































































































0HQ\HDUVDQGROGHU
WR\HDUV
WR\HDUV
WR\HDUV
WR\HDUV
WR\HDUV
\HDUVDQGROGHU
WR\HDUV
\HDUVDQGROGHU























































































































































:RPHQ\HDUVDQGROGHU 
WR\HDUV 
WR\HDUV 
WR\HDUV«««««««
W\HDUV«««««««
WR\HDUV 
\HDUVDQGROGHU 
WR\HDUV 
 \HDUVDQGROGHU «««« 





























































































































































'DWDDUHQRWVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG

127( %HJLQQLQJLQ-DQXDU\GDWDUHIOHFWUHYLVHGSRSXODWLRQFRQWUROVXVHGLQWKHKRXVHKROGVXUYH\

76

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

8QHPSOR\PHQWUDWHVE\6WDWHVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
2FW


6WDWH

6HSW

2FW

S

S

2FW


6WDWH

6HSW

2FW

S

S

$ODEDPD«««««««
Alaska........................................................
$UL]RQD««««««««
Arkansas....................................................
&DOLIRUQLD«««««««


6.6

5.4



6.3

5.7



6.1

5.7


0LVVRXUL«««««««««««««««
Montana.....................................................
1HEUDVND«««««««
Nevada......................................................
1HZ+DPSVKLUH««««

5.1
3.0
3.0
4.3
3.5

5.3
2.9
3.1
5.1
3.5

5.6
3.1
3.2
5.2
3.2

Colorado....................................................
&RQQHFWLFXW««««««
Delaware...................................................
'LVWULFWRI&ROXPELD««
Florida........................................................

4.2

3.5

3.2

3.9

3.0

4.0

3.7

3.4

4.2

New Jersey................................................
1HZ0H[LFR««««««
New York...................................................
1RUWK&DUROLQD«««««
North Dakota.............................................

4.4
3.9
4.2
4.9
3.3

4.3
3.4
4.6
4.9
3.4

4.1
3.1
4.6
4.8
3.4

GeorgLD«««««««
Hawaii........................................................
,GDKR«««««««««
Illinois.........................................................
,QGLDQD««««««««




4.1





5.1





5.3


2KLR«««««««««
2NODKRPD
2UHgRQ««««««««
Pennsylvania.............................................
5KRGH,VODQG«««««

5.5

5.4
4.7
5.1

5.9

5.3
4.5
4.9

5.9

5.5
4.5
4.9

,RZD«««««««««
Kansas.......................................................
Kentucky«««««««
Louisiana...................................................
0DLQH««««««««


4.5

4.3



4.5

4.4



3.8

3.3


6RXWK&DUROLQD««««
South Dakota.............................................
7HQQHVVHH««««««
Texas.........................................................
8WDK«««««««««


3.3
5.1
4.8
2.6


3.1
4.7
4.3
2.7


2.9
4.6
4.1
2.8

MaryODQG«««««««
Massachusetts...........................................
MichigDQ«««««««
Minnesota..................................................
0LVVLVVLSSL««««««


5.1
7.1
4.0



4.4
7.5
4.9



4.3
7.7
4.7


9HUPRQW«««««««
Virginia.......................................................
WashingWRQ««««««
West Virginia.............................................
:LVFRQVLQ««««««
Wyoming....................................................

3.7
3.0
5.0
5.2

3.6

4.2
2.9
4.8
4.8

3.1

4.3
3.1
4.8
5.0

2.9

p

= preliminary

(PSOR\PHQWRIZRUNHUVRQQRQIDUPSD\UROOVE\6WDWHVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
6WDWH

2FW


6HSW

2FW

S

S

6WDWH

2FW


6HSW

2FW

S

S

$ODEDPD««««   
347,904
349,881
348,242
Alaska.............................................
$UL]RQD«««««   
Arkansas........................................ 1,366,046 1,385,510 1,377,001
&DOLIRUQLD«««« 17,964,891 18,309,534 18,240,867

0LVVRXUL«««««««««««« 3,052,056
Montana.........................................
495,010
1HEUDVND««««
976,970
Nevada........................................... 1,313,087
New Hampshire............................«
739,092

3,070,652
504,405
990,656
1,362,852
747,751

3,067,158
504,748
990,612
1,366,635
747,206

Colorado......................................... 2,676,952
&RQQHFWLFXW««« 
Delaware........................................
442,046
'LVWULFWRI&ROXPELD

Florida............................................ 9,072,950

2,708,641

444,377

9,269,735

2,718,757

445,441

9,272,637

New Jersey.....................................
1HZ0H[LFR««
New York........................................
1RUWK&DUROLQD«
North Dakota..................................

4,526,779

9,502,410

359,654

4,513,031

9,474,881

365,906

4,500,165

9,471,033
4,534,074
366,134

GeorgLD«««« 
Hawaii.............................................

,GDKR«««««

Illinois............................................. 6,666,948
,QGLDQD««««« 




6,758,850





6,739,333


2KLR««««««
2NODKRPD
2UHgRQ«««««
Pennsylvania..................................
5KRGH,VODQG««

5,948,893

1,909,392
6,322,349
578,731

6,000,145

1,940,778
6,328,474
580,578

5,980,339

1,938,539
6,332,808
580,356

,RZD««««««
Kansas...........................................
Kentucky««««
Louisiana........................................
0DLQH«««««


1,468,667

2,013,274



1,492,316

1,988,288



1,488,757

1,987,819


6RXWK&DUROLQD«   
433,246
439,050
439,350
South Dakota..................................
7HQQHVVHH««« 3,002,983 3,048,038 3,043,296
Texas.............................................. 11,541,558 11,575,239 11,562,298
8WDK«««««« 1,325,048 1,363,170 1,360,463

MaryODQG««««
Massachusetts...............................
MichigDQ««««
Minnesota.......................................
0LVVLVVLSSL«««


3,415,765
5,086,734
2,946,597



3,406,934
5,045,801
2,946,469



3,412,662
5,012,002
2,948,784


9HUPRQW««««
362,729
Virginia........................................... 4,025,121
WashingWRQ««« 3,340,393
West Virginia..................................
812,093
:LVFRQVLQ««« 
Wyoming........................................
287,875

357,887
4,064,790
3,447,646
819,055

290,932

358,456
4,071,430
3,449,690
820,945

289,942

N27(: Some data in this table may differ from data published elsewhere because of the continual updating of the database.
p

= preliminary

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

77

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

12. Employment of workers on nonfarm payrolls by industry, monthly data seasonally adjusted
[In thousands]
Industry

Annual average
2005

TOTAL NONFARM................. 133,703
TOTAL PRIVATE........................ 111,899

2006

2006
Nov.

2007

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.p

Nov. p

136,174 136,941 137,167 137,329 137,419 137,594 137,716 137,904 137,973 138,066 138,159 138,203 138,373 138,467
114,184 114,835 115,053 115,189 115,245 115,397 115,487 115,668 115,739 115,856 115,886 115,923 116,055 116,119

22,190

22,570

22,525

22,520

22,554

22,465

22,497

22,460

22,446

22,436

22,421

22,349

22,309

22,287

22,254

628
65.2
562.2
125.7
212.8
Mining, except oil and gas 1««
73.9
Coal mining««««««««
Support activities for mining««
223.7
7,336
Construction................................
Construction of buildings........... 1,711.9
951.2
Heavy and civil engineering««
Speciality trade contractors....... 4,673.1
Manufacturing.............................. 14,226
Production workers................ 10,060
8,955
Durable goods...........................
6,219
Production workers................
559.2
Wood products..........................
505.3
Nonmetallic mineral products
466.0
Primary metals..........................
Fabricated metal products......... 1,522.0
1,163.3
0DFKLQHU\«««
Computer and electronic

684
65.3
618.6
135.9
221.1
78.8
261.7
7,689
1,806.0
983.1
4,899.6
14,197
10,168
9,001
6,369
560.2
507.9
462.1
1,553.9
1,191.4

699
64.0
635.1
141.4
221.8
79.4
271.9
7,683
1,801.8
993.9
4,887.2
14,143
10,117
8,972
6,346
542.9
503.3
455.8
1,564.1
1,209.9

705
64.6
640.0
143.2
222.4
79.9
274.4
7,684
1,799.7
993.5
4,890.5
14,131
10,126
8,972
6,349
540.4
504.0
454.6
1,564.9
1,210.1

706
64.8
641.1
145.1
222.2
80.0
273.8
7,718
1,801.4
1,003.8
4,912.5
14,130
10,121
8,952
6,325
539.4
504.1
454.9
1,566.2
1,213.3

711
65.2
645.4
145.9
222.9
79.7
276.6
7,641
1,791.7
993.2
4,856.1
14,113
10,114
8,943
6,326
532.6
501.9
454.4
1,566.1
1,215.4

715
65.7
649.5
147.1
224.4
79.6
278.0
7,692
1,797.1
1,001.7
4,893.1
14,090
10,096
8,928
6,313
530.6
500.9
453.9
1,563.9
1,217.9

717
65.3
652.0
147.2
225.9
79.9
278.9
7,671
1,788.5
1,001.6
4,881.0
14,072
10,093
8,921
6,316
528.0
499.6
453.2
1,566.4
1,216.9

718
63.4
654.5
148.3
227.1
79.4
279.1
7,659
1,784.9
999.9
4,874.4
14,069
10,105
8,913
6,323
529.0
500.7
452.6
1,565.4
1,221.8

721
64.1
656.5
149.3
228.3
79.6
278.9
7,665
1,788.9
999.4
4,876.3
14,050
10,091
8,897
6,309
526.5
500.5
449.2
1,569.0
1,224.3

726
62.8
663.5
150.8
228.9
80.3
283.8
7,649
1,782.1
996.2
4,870.7
14,046
10,098
8,900
6,313
529.2
499.1
450.9
1,569.5
1,228.2

728
62.4
665.2
151.5
230.1
80.6
283.6
7,620
1,768.0
994.2
4,857.7
14,001
10,062
8,873
6,290
523.2
495.3
447.8
1,568.2
1,223.3

728
62.4
665.4
151.9
229.9
81.1
283.6
7,595
1,765.2
990.3
4,839.7
13,986
10,064
8,862
6,294
518.3
495.3
446.9
1,569.9
1,223.3

730
62.1
667.8
153.2
230.3
81.4
284.3
7,586
1,753.6
989.7
4,842.3
13,971
10,044
8,853
6,283
517.4
495.0
446.8
1,574.1
1,227.2

732
62.4
670.0
153.4
230.4
82.4
286.2
7,562
1,745.7
985.2
4,831.2
13,960
10,043
8,852
6,289
509.7
492.7
447.3
1,571.9
1,231.5

products 1««««««««« 1,316.4
Computer and peripheral

1,316.4

1,320.4

1,319.9

1,319.4

1,317.5

1,313.5

1,310.6

1,308.6

1,306.4

1,304.3

1,300.5

1,296.9

1,294.2

1,296.9

*22'6352'8&,1*««««««
Natural resources and
PLQLQJ«««««««««
Logging....................................
Mining..........................................
Oil and gDVH[WUDFWLRQ«««««

equipment..............................
&RPPXQLFDWLRQVHTXLSPHQW«

205.1


198.8


198.7


199.8


196.4


197.8


197.8


198.7


197.9


196.2


196.5


196.5


196.9


196.5


196.7


Semiconductors and
electronic components..........
(OHFWURQLFLQVWUXPHQWV«««

452.0


462.8


468.0


466.2


470.5


468.8


467.8


465.7


465.3


464.2


462.5


458.3


455.9


456.1


456.3


Electrical equipment and
appliances...............................
Transportation equipment.........

433.5
1,771.2

435.5
1,765.0

436.4
1,739.8

437.4
1,741.0

437.3
1,722.3

436.4
1,724.4

437.3
1,717.9

437.6
1,718.1

436.9
1,708.4

436.0
1,702.9

436.8
1,699.5

434.6
1,700.2

435.0
1,699.4

435.9
1,685.3

436.3
1,687.1

Furniture and related
SURGXFWV««««««««« 565.4
Miscellaneous manufacturing
652.2
5,272
Nondurable goods.....................
3,841
Production workers................
Food manufacturing.................. 1,477.6

556.3
651.6
5,197
3,799
1,484.3

542.4
657.1
5,171
3,771
1,491.6

541.1
658.2
5,159
3,777
1,485.1

536.6
658.2
5,178
3,796
1,493.9

535.8
658.9
5,170
3,788
1,492.8

533.5
658.9
5,162
3,783
1,495.0

533.2
657.7
5,151
3,777
1,493.5

533.0
656.3
5,156
3,782
1,499.8

529.4
652.9
5,153
3,782
1,502.4

530.3
652.1
5,146
3,785
1,505.9

526.9
652.5
5,128
3,772
1,497.0

525.7
651.6
5,124
3,770
1,494.8

523.4
653.2
5,118
3,761
1,497.3

525.5
653.5
5,108
3,754
1,492.0

Beverages and tobacco
SURGXFWV««««««««««
7H[WLOHPLOOV«««««««««
Textile product mills...................
$SSDUHO««««««««««
Leather and allied products.......
Paper and paper products.........

191.9
217.6
169.7

39.6
484.2

194.7
195.6
161.1

37.4
469.3

195.4
186.3
158.1

36.5
463.9

195.5
185.0
157.7

36.5
462.6

197.0
182.3
158.6

36.5
462.4

197.8
179.1
157.9

36.4
460.5

197.3
177.3
156.7

36.6
457.4

198.2
174.6
156.5

36.1
458.4

198.5
173.5
155.3

35.9
457.8

200.4
172.5
154.6

35.9
457.3

200.2
169.9
153.5

35.3
456.7

198.5
168.3
153.0

35.6
456.3

198.0
166.7
152.5

36.3
456.0

197.6
166.9
152.0

35.9
456.1

197.7
166.1
151.7

35.9
453.9

Printing and related support
DFWLYLWLHV««««««««««
Petroleum and coal products.....
Chemicals..................................
Plastics and rubber products..

646.3
112.1
872.1
803.4

635.9
114.3
868.7
796.9

637.2
116.6
871.2
782.7

636.7
117.1
871.0
781.7

634.7
117.4
872.1
795.8

634.6
117.4
872.5
795.7

633.5
118.2
870.6
795.2

630.9
117.6
869.7
794.3

629.9
119.2
872.3
793.2

629.6
117.2
873.8
791.1

629.0
116.2
873.3
788.5

626.2
116.1
874.9
787.9

629.0
116.7
875.3
786.1

628.7
116.5
872.4
784.6

629.0
116.6
870.6
783.8

SERVICE-PROVIDING...................

111,513

113,605 114,416 114,647 114,775 114,954 115,097 115,256 115,458 115,537 115,645 115,810 115,894 116,086 116,213

PRIVATE SERVICE3529,',1*««««««««« 89,709
Trade, transportation,
and utilities................................
Wholesale trade.........................
Durable gRRGV«««««««.
Nondurable gRRGV«««««

25,959
5,764.4
2,999.2


91,615

92,310

92,533

92,635

92,780

92,900

93,027

93,222

93,303

93,435

93,537

93,614

93,768

93,865

26,231
5,897.6
3,076.5


26,320
5,934.7
3,097.7


26,345
5,955.0
3,104.3


26,378
5,949.0
3,102.5


26,393
5,960.0
3,112.0


26,436
5,961.3
3,114.0


26,427
5,978.7
3,124.7


26,459
5,990.5
3,134.5


26,465
6,007.4
3,141.5


26,489
6,016.3
3,146.5


26,494
6,022.5
3,147.0


26,518
6,033.8
3,151.5


26,521
6,048.2
3,158.6


26,555
6,053.5
3,166.8


Electronic markets and
agHQWVDQGEURNHUV«««««

742.8
781.0
788.5
795.7
796.0
798.3
797.2
801.8
802.6
804.5
806.7
807.5
808.5
809.8
809.1
Retail trade................................. 15,279.6 15,319.3 15,327.9 15,323.7 15,357.5 15,364.6 15,403.7 15,376.9 15,394.5 15,383.3 15,389.8 15,385.6 15,383.0 15,368.0 15,392.2
Motor vehicles and parts
dealers 1«««««««««
Automobile dealers..................

1,918.6
1,261.4

1,907.9
1,246.7

1,904.2
1,244.0

1,908.5
1,244.8

1,906.8
1,244.1

1,910.3
1,244.9

1,907.2
1,243.5

1,911.2
1,246.9

1,911.5
1,247.7

1,909.0
1,246.7

1,907.6
1,245.9

1,908.2
1,246.4

1,910.3
1,247.5

1,907.8
1,248.0

1,908.4
1,247.5

Furniture and home
furnishings stores....................

576.1

588.5

586.5

591.4

588.1

587.6

585.6

586.7

585.2

584.3

584.5

586.5

583.9

585.7

591.8

Electronics and appliance
stores.......................................

535.8

538.4

531.6

531.4

535.3

538.2

538.4

540.7

539.3

535.9

537.4

532.7

534.0

531.9

539.1

See notes at end of table.

78

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

&RQWLQXHG²(PSOR\PHQWRIZRUNHUVRQQRQIDUPSD\UROOVE\LQGXVWU\PRQWKO\GDWDVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
[In thousands]
Annual average

Industry

2006

2007

2006

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.p

Nov.p

1,322.6
2,827.9

1,321.0
2,842.4

1,314.1
2,843.7

1,318.0
2,844.0

1,323.4
2,849.9

1,313.8
2,856.3

1,313.8
2,858.6

1,314.9
2,861.1

1,314.9
2,867.7

1,303.9
2,869.3

1,305.9
2,873.5

1,288.4
2,878.8

1,282.4
2,881.5

1,278.9
2,886.0

953.7
871.1

955.5
861.0

962.6
854.6

959.7
854.8

964.1
853.7

964.8
852.9

966.5
854.5

969.8
852.4

968.5
852.5

968.8
852.4

967.4
852.0

970.8
851.1

973.5
854.3

973.3
852.2

980.8
852.0

Clothing and clothing
accessories stores …………………1,414.6

1,439.0

1,467.3

1,460.1

1,446.9

1,445.1

1,449.7

1,452.7

1,451.6

1,451.3

1,456.7

1,460.3

1,462.1

1,462.7

1,474.1

Sporting goods, hobby,
book, and music stores…………… 647.0
General merchandise stores1………2,934.3
Department stores………………… 1,595.1
Miscellaneous store retailers……… 899.9
Nonstore retailers…………………… 434.6

646.6
2,912.8
1,550.9
884.9
434.4

647.4
2,882.9
1,533.2
881.9
445.5

648.9
2,885.4
1,537.7
881.4
444.3

655.8
2,923.9
1,568.7
880.3
440.6

654.9
2,917.3
1,565.3
880.2
440.0

653.9
2,956.4
1,570.6
880.3
441.1

655.6
2,915.4
1,560.9
879.0
441.0

659.5
2,928.5
1,566.2
879.3
442.6

657.4
2,920.3
1,561.1
880.2
441.1

665.7
2,918.9
1,560.3
883.1
443.3

666.7
2,906.4
1,549.9
880.3
443.2

669.6
2,902.6
1,547.2
883.1
442.4

669.0
2,900.0
1,544.4
879.6
441.9

671.4
2,888.8
1,535.1
875.7
445.2

Transportation and
warehousing................................. 4,360.9
Air transportation…………….……… 500.8
Rail transportation……...…………… 227.8
Water transportation………...………
60.6
Truck transportation………..……… 1,397.6

4,465.8
486.5
225.3
64.1
1,437.2

4,509.6
484.5
223.9
66.8
1,448.9

4,517.0
488.3
226.4
67.8
1,453.6

4,522.6
490.8
227.9
67.1
1,457.9

4,519.6
485.5
228.9
68.1
1,454.7

4,520.8
485.5
229.1
68.0
1,457.2

4,519.6
490.0
228.3
67.3
1,452.5

4,520.1
484.4
227.9
68.3
1,455.5

4,520.1
491.4
226.6
69.9
1,449.8

4,528.4
492.2
227.5
70.7
1,444.3

4,529.8
492.5
227.4
70.6
1,443.5

4,545.8
494.6
227.7
70.5
1,445.6

4,548.0
495.6
227.9
70.3
1,440.5

4,553.1
499.5
226.7
70.3
1,439.0

2005
Building material and garden
supply stores................................ 1,276.1
Food and beverage stores............. 2,817.8
Health and personal care
stores………………………………
Gasoline stations……………………

Transit and ground passenger
transportation………...……………
Pipeline transportation………...……

389.2
37.8

394.3
39.0

393.2
39.8

390.2
39.7

391.6
40.3

393.3
40.6

390.3
41.0

389.9
40.5

390.9
40.8

389.4
40.8

397.1
40.8

400.1
41.0

401.2
41.1

401.3
41.3

397.3
41.7

Scenic and sightseeing
transportation…….…………………

28.8

27.0

28.3

27.8

27.8

28.0

27.3

27.0

26.7

26.4

27.0

27.4

27.7

28.3

28.5

Support activities for
transportation………………..……
Couriers and messengers……...……
Warehousing and storage…………
Utilities………………………….………......
Information…………………...….

552.2
571.4
594.7
554.0
3,061

570.7
585.3
636.4
548.5
3,055

577.9
597.2
649.1
548.2
3,057

575.9
596.4
650.9
549.2
3,073

575.9
593.0
650.3
549.0
3,071

579.4
590.6
650.5
549.0
3,084

579.6
591.0
651.8
550.1
3,086

581.6
589.8
652.7
551.5
3,096

581.8
588.5
655.3
553.4
3,097

583.0
588.7
654.1
554.4
3,093

583.4
589.3
656.1
554.6
3,091

584.3
588.1
654.9
556.0
3,087

587.5
590.3
659.6
555.6
3,093

590.4
589.9
662.5
556.8
3,091

593.6
593.1
663.4
556.6
3,085

Publishing industries, except
Internet…………………...…………

904.1

903.8

905.0

906.1

907.0

907.8

907.4

906.1

907.7

906.2

906.3

904.0

900.6

901.4

899.8

Motion picture and sound
recording industries……...………… 377.5
Broadcasting, except Internet..
327.7

377.5
331.3

371.9
333.8

378.3
335.6

378.2
335.3

385.2
337.4

387.1
337.1

394.2
337.8

391.9
336.6

389.3
337.1

383.6
336.0

380.3
336.3

385.9
337.4

383.2
335.8

375.8
338.0

Internet publishing and
broadcasting………………...……… 31.5
Telecommunications………….……
992.0

34.5
972.9

36.3
973.5

37.0
978.0

36.9
975.6

37.9
976.2

39.0
973.0

39.9
974.6

40.6
973.9

41.3
972.7

42.4
973.7

43.1
973.1

44.0
974.1

44.8
973.4

45.3
975.4

383.2
51.4
8,363
6,183.5

384.9
51.6
8,422
6,228.9

386.1
52.1
8,438
6,239.8

386.1
51.9
8,440
6,238.9

387.3
51.9
8,446
6,244.4

390.0
52.3
8,445
6,242.6

390.8
52.1
8,448
6,241.4

394.2
52.1
8,464
6,256.1

394.4
52.2
8,460
6,256.0

396.9
51.8
8,476
6,270.1

397.5
52.2
8,463
6,256.4

398.2
52.3
8,439
6,241.6

398.7
53.3
8,437
6,238.2

398.1
52.6
8,417
6,229.1

20.8

21.5

21.7

21.8

21.7

22.0

22.1

22.2

22.4

22.2

21.6

21.8

21.6

21.6

21.5

related activities 1………………… 2,869.0
Depository credit

2,936.8

2,957.4

2,959.7

2,961.5

2,962.8

2,957.6

2,945.3

2,948.7

2,939.5

2,946.5

2,926.8

2,909.2

2,901.3

2,888.3

intermediation 1…………………… 1,769.2
Commercial banking..…………… 1,296.0

1,803.2
1,319.3

1,819.6
1,333.0

1,824.6
1,336.9

1,824.3
1,336.9

1,823.1
1,334.7

1,824.3
1,335.2

1,818.6
1,327.7

1,824.7
1,332.5

1,824.9
1,332.1

1,833.8
1,338.4

1,834.6
1,337.7

1,839.1
1,340.2

1,838.4
1,340.5

1,835.3
1,338.8

786.1

816.3

829.2

829.2

831.0

831.4

834.5

836.8

841.6

844.4

845.8

848.7

849.7

852.3

854.4

Insurance carriers and
related activities………………...… 2,259.3

2,315.9

2,326.0

2,333.9

2,329.6

2,333.2

2,333.4

2,342.4

2,348.5

2,354.5

2,361.2

2,362.6

2,365.3

2,366.7

2,369.1

87.7

93.1

94.6

95.2

95.1

95.0

95.0

94.7

94.9

95.4

95.0

96.5

95.8

96.3

95.8

Real estate and rental
and leasing………………………..… 2,129.6
Real estate……………………….… 1,456.9
Rental and leasing services………
645.8

2,179.6
1,503.3
647.4

2,192.9
1,512.4
650.0

2,198.0
1,516.4
650.9

2,201.5
1,518.5
651.9

2,202.0
1,518.4
652.4

2,202.5
1,523.5
647.9

2,206.5
1,525.4
650.0

2,207.4
1,527.7
647.8

2,204.1
1,524.5
646.9

2,205.7
1,525.4
647.6

2,206.4
1,528.1
645.4

2,197.7
1,521.2
643.9

2,199.0
1,522.1
644.5

2,188.2
1,514.2
641.6

ISPs, search portals, and
data processing………..…………
Other information services…………

377.5
50.6
8,153
Financial activities………………..…
Finance and insurance……………..…6,022.8
Monetary authorities—
central bank…………………..……
Credit intermediation and

Securities, commodity
contracts, investments……………

Funds, trusts, and other
financial vehicles…………….……

Lessors of nonfinancial
intangible assets………………..…

26.9

28.9

30.5

30.7

31.1

31.2

31.1

31.1

31.9

32.7

32.7

32.9

32.6

32.4

32.4

Professional and business
services…………………………...…

16,954

17,552

17,726

17,792

17,804

17,840

17,834

17,859

17,893

17,886

17,911

17,942

17,954

18,018

18,048

services1…………………………… 7,053.4
Legal services……………..……… 1,168.0

7,371.7
1,173.4

7,469.6
1,175.9

7,499.8
1,179.0

7,515.6
1,176.2

7,544.3
1,178.8

7,553.7
1,178.1

7,591.3
1,181.8

7,625.3
1,183.4

7,638.5
1,179.9

7,666.9
1,177.9

7,689.0
1,178.4

7,731.0
1,181.6

7,757.7
1,184.7

7,781.6
1,181.2

849.3

889.3

914.5

925.1

922.1

927.8

924.4

927.5

934.5

941.1

951.1

957.7

968.3

974.1

980.9

Architectural and engineering
services…………………………… 1,310.9

1,385.6

1,407.2

1,411.4

1,419.2

1,422.7

1,424.0

1,426.0

1,431.4

1,433.5

1,437.1

1,440.1

1,444.5

1,451.4

1,454.9

Professional and technical

Accounting and bookkeeping
services……………………………

.

See notes at end of table

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

79

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

&RQWLQXHG²(PSOR\PHQWRIZRUNHUVRQQRQIDUPSD\UROOVE\LQGXVWU\PRQWKO\GDWDVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
[In thousands]
Industry

Annual average

2006

2007

2005

2006

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.p

Nov.p

1,195.2

1,278.2

1,296.2

1,303.3

1,305.2

1,311.1

1,319.7

1,328.5

1,338.3

1,341.8

1,352.9

1,355.6

1,363.8

1,366.7

1,378.6

853.0

920.9

949.3

953.8

958.1

967.1

970.5

985.4

989.2

990.9

992.5

1,001.7

1,010.2

1,017.8

1,024.1

1,758.9

1,809.4

1,823.0

1,826.0

1,830.8

1,836.7

1,837.1

1,839.9

1,841.5

1,844.6

1,847.8

1,852.1

1,853.2

1,853.9

1,856.8

Administrative and waste
services…………………………… 8,141.5
Administrative and support

8,370.7

8,433.8

8,466.4

8,457.3

8,458.9

8,443.5

8,427.7

8,426.3

8,402.6

8,396.2

8,400.6

8,370.1

8,406.6

8,409.6

8,023.5
3,656.6
2,631.3
790.7

8,083.8
3,665.5
2,631.3
802.2

8,117.0
3,674.2
2,641.6
806.9

8,106.1
3,667.1
2,641.8
803.6

8,107.4
3,651.6
2,629.2
803.3

8,092.5
3,637.1
2,621.2
801.9

8,076.3
3,602.1
2,613.1
801.6

8,073.4
3,584.4
2,602.7
804.8

8,048.8
3,553.3
2,588.0
801.3

8,041.8
3,525.9
2,577.9
805.5

8,045.1
3,523.4
2,578.6
803.4

8,013.7
3,484.8
2,561.2
802.5

8,050.4
3,523.5
2,589.0
798.7

8,050.4
3,526.6
2,600.3
797.4

Computer systems design
and related services…………
Management and technical
consulting services……………
Management of companies
and enterprises……..……….....

services 1……………………… 7,803.8
Employment services 1……… 3,578.2
Temporary help services…… 2,549.4
766.4
Business support services……
Services to buildings
and dwellings…………………

1,737.5

1,797.1

1,811.2

1,817.7

1,812.1

1,823.8

1,819.7

1,829.7

1,835.1

1,840.8

1,847.3

1,848.7

1,850.4

1,851.9

1,846.1

Waste management and
remediation services………….

337.6

347.2

350.0

349.4

351.2

351.5

351.0

351.4

352.9

353.8

354.4

355.5

356.4

356.2

359.2

17,372
2,835.8

17,838
2,918.4

18,018
2,951.4

18,063
2,948.6

18,102
2,959.5

18,138
2,955.9

18,188
2,972.4

18,246
2,978.7

18,293
2,983.4

18,364
3,014.4

18,422
3,022.8

18,484
3,039.7

18,505
3,020.0

18,549
3,025.1

18,577
3,027.1

Educational and health
services………………...……….
Educational services…….………

Health care and social
assistance……….……………… 14,536.3 14,919.9 15,066.1 15,113.9 15,142.6 15,181.7 15,215.9 15,266.8 15,309.7 15,349.4 15,399.5 15,443.9 15,484.5 15,524.3 15,549.6
Ambulatory health care
services 1……………………… 5,113.5
Offices of physicians…………… 2,093.5
Outpatient care centers………
473.2
Home health care services……
821.0
Hospitals………………………… 4,345.4

5,283.1
2,153.6
489.4
867.1
4,427.1

5,344.6
2,179.4
492.4
883.5
4,461.7

5,369.2
2,185.5
493.6
890.9
4,469.5

5,375.3
2,187.4
494.1
896.4
4,478.3

5,395.6
2,196.7
496.8
901.1
4,484.4

5,409.2
2,204.3
494.8
904.1
4,490.8

5,428.4
2,210.5
495.8
907.2
4,499.7

5,446.7
2,214.7
495.1
911.3
4,511.0

5,455.1
2,213.2
495.5
918.8
4,526.3

5,482.5
2,224.6
496.1
925.3
4,539.1

5,507.0
2,232.5
498.7
931.9
4,546.3

5,523.4
2,240.6
500.7
932.8
4,555.6

5,549.7
2,246.0
503.0
939.1
4,566.0

5,553.8
2,253.1
504.0
936.3
4,573.7

2,900.9
1,584.2
2,308.9
806.7
13,143

2,927.8
1,591.8
2,332.0
805.1
13,324

2,940.5
1,596.4
2,334.7
803.6
13,373

2,947.6
1,600.1
2,341.4
804.3
13,396

2,957.5
1,605.7
2,344.2
802.7
13,425

2,961.4
1,603.9
2,354.5
804.9
13,449

2,972.4
1,609.1
2,366.3
810.5
13,481

2,973.2
1,606.5
2,378.8
812.3
13,537

2,983.7
1,608.0
2,384.3
811.6
13,554

2,984.0
1,611.3
2,393.9
815.7
13,566

2,988.5
1,613.8
2,402.1
815.3
13,589

2,992.3
1,614.7
2,413.2
819.8
13,630

2,993.5
1,614.6
2,415.1
817.8
13,676

2,996.6
1,614.3
2,425.5
820.3
13,702

Nursing and residential
care facilities 1………………… 2,855.0
Nursing care facilities………… 1,577.4
Social assistance 1……………… 2,222.3
Child day care services………
789.7
Leisure and hospitality………..
12,816
Arts, entertainment,
and recreation……….…….……

1,892.3

1,927.0

1,947.4

1,957.2

1,960.4

1,963.3

1,963.2

1,953.5

1,968.5

1,971.1

1,962.9

1,968.0

1,977.4

1,991.0

1,989.5

Performing arts and
spectator sports…………………

376.3

398.8

405.7

406.4

408.0

406.0

405.9

402.8

409.5

412.1

405.6

410.7

412.6

417.3

412.9

Museums, historical sites,
zoos, and parks…………………

120.7

123.9

126.4

127.1

127.7

127.5

128.2

128.8

130.7

131.2

132.4

131.8

132.3

132.6

133.1

1,395.3

1,404.3

1,415.3

1,423.7

1,424.7

1,429.8

1,429.1

1,421.9

1,428.3

1,427.8

1,424.9

1,425.5

1,432.5

1,441.1

1,443.5

Amusements, gambling, and
recreation………………………

Accommodations and
food services…………………… 10,923.0 11,216.2 11,376.8 11,415.9 11,435.8 11,461.3 11,486.0 11,527.9 11,568.5 11,582.5 11,602.9 11,621.4 11,652.3 11,684.6 11,712.4
Accommodations………………. 1,818.6
1,833.4 1,854.4 1,863.2 1,858.1 1,860.3 1,860.0 1,860.5 1,862.8 1,852.8 1,858.1 1,850.8 1,864.3 1,873.0 1,883.9
Food services and drinking
places…………………………… 9,104.4
Other services……………………… 5,395
Repair and maintenance……… 1,236.0
Personal and laundry services
1,276.6

9,382.8
5,432
1,248.5
1,284.2

9,522.4
5,443
1,250.8
1,286.4

9,552.7
5,449
1,251.6
1,287.4

9,577.7
5,444
1,246.3
1,285.8

9,601.0
5,454
1,248.9
1,290.3

9,626.0
5,462
1,255.9
1,290.8

9,667.4
5,470
1,257.4
1,292.6

9,705.7
5,479
1,260.4
1,296.5

9,729.7
5,481
1,261.9
1,291.2

9,744.8
5,480
1,256.6
1,294.4

9,770.6
5,478
1,260.6
1,292.4

9,788.0
5,475
1,261.8
1,290.5

9,811.6
5,476
1,258.6
1,287.9

9,828.5
5,481
1,259.4
1,290.5

Membership associations and
organizations…………………… 2,882.2
Government..................................
Federal........................................
Federal, except U.S. Postal
Service....................................
U.S. Postal Service………………
State...........................................
Education................................
Other State government..........
Local...........................................
Education................................
Other local government...........

2,899.3

2,905.4

2,909.7

2,912.3

2,915.2

2,915.7

2,919.5

2,921.9

2,927.6

2,929.0

2,925.2

2,923.0

2,929.4

2,931.3

21,804
2,732

21,990
2,728

22,106
2,719

22,114
2,713

22,140
2,718

22,174
2,718

22,197
2,716

22,229
2,716

22,236
2,713

22,234
2,708

22,210
2,713

22,273
2,714

22,280
2,710

22,318
2,711

22,348
2,712

1,957.3
774.2
5,032
2,259.9
2,771.6
14,041
7,856.1
6,184.6

1,958.3
770.1
5,080
2,294.9
2,785.2
14,182
7,938.5
6,243.0

1,949.5
769.0
5,107
2,313.1
2,793.5
14,280
8,003.7
6,276.3

1,948.6
764.5
5,111
2,311.8
2,798.9
14,290
8,015.6
6,274.1

1,951.1
767.1
5,117
2,311.4
2,805.7
14,305
8,018.7
6,286.4

1,951.8
766.5
5,133
2,324.0
2,809.4
14,323
8,025.1
6,298.0

1,949.7
766.5
5,134
2,324.5
2,809.2
14,347
8,044.1
6,302.9

1,950.0
766.4
5,140
2,326.4
2,813.7
14,373
8,056.0
6,317.0

1,947.5
765.5
5,133
2,321.7
2,811.3
14,390
8,062.7
6,327.7

1,943.5
764.0
5,139
2,326.5
2,812.7
14,387
8,043.1
6,344.0

1,950.5
762.3
5,143
2,323.3
2,819.4
14,354
8,011.8
6,342.6

1,952.1
761.9
5,137
2,320.3
2,817.1
14,422
8,066.1
6,355.7

1,949.2
760.9
5,159
2,336.9
2,822.1
14,411
8,048.4
6,363.0

1,950.1
760.4
5,155
2,332.4
2,822.9
14,452
8,078.5
6,373.0

1,950.3
761.2
5,165
2,335.4
2,829.4
14,471
8,088.3
6,382.3

1

Includes other industries not shown separately.
NOTE: See "Notes on the data" for a description of the most recent benchmark revision.
p = preliminary.

80

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

13. Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm payrolls, by industry, monthly
data seasonally adjusted
Industry

Annual average
2005

2006

2006
Nov.

2007

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.p

Nov.p

TOTAL PRIVATE…………………………

33.8

33.9

33.8

33.9

33.8

33.7

33.9

33.8

33.8

33.9

33.8

33.8

33.8

33.8

33.8

GOODS-PRODUCING………………………

40.1

40.5

40.4

40.7

40.2

40.2

40.6

40.4

40.5

40.7

40.6

40.6

40.6

40.6

40.6

Natural resources and mining……………

45.6

45.6

46.1

45.6

45.0

45.9

45.9

45.8

45.7

45.9

45.9

45.7

46.2

46.0

46.4

Construction…………………………………

38.6

39.0

39.0

39.8

38.7

38.4

39.0

38.8

38.9

39.0

38.9

38.7

38.8

38.9

38.8

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

40.7
4.6

41.1
4.4

41.0
4.1

41.0
4.2

40.9
4.1

40.9
4.1

41.2
4.3

41.1
4.2

41.1
4.1

41.4
4.3

41.3
4.2

41.4
4.1

41.3
4.1

41.2
4.1

41.3
4.1

Durable goods..…………………............
Overtime hours..................................
Wood products.....................................
Nonmetallic mineral products...............
Primary metals.....................................
Fabricated metal products...................
Machinery…………………………………
Computer and electronic products……
Electrical equipment and appliances…
Transportation equipment....................
Furniture and related products………..
Miscellaneous manufacturing..............

41.1
4.6
40.0
42.2
43.1
41.0
42.1
40.0
40.6
42.4
39.2
38.7

41.4
4.4
39.8
43.0
43.6
41.4
42.4
40.5
41.0
42.7
38.8
38.7

41.2
4.1
39.1
42.3
43.5
41.2
42.3
40.2
40.7
42.5
39.0
38.8

41.2
4.2
39.3
42.7
43.3
41.0
42.3
40.4
40.4
42.5
39.0
38.7

41.1
4.1
38.7
42.0
42.8
41.0
41.8
40.3
40.7
42.8
38.9
38.5

41.1
4.1
39.1
41.6
43.0
41.1
42.3
40.3
40.9
42.5
38.8
37.9

41.4
4.3
39.5
42.4
43.2
41.6
42.3
40.4
40.9
42.8
38.9
38.5

41.2
4.2
39.6
42.2
43.0
41.4
42.4
40.4
41.1
42.3
38.9
38.6

41.3
4.1
39.5
42.3
42.8
41.4
42.3
40.4
41.3
42.9
38.9
38.6

41.7
4.4
39.7
42.5
43.3
41.6
42.5
40.7
41.9
43.3
39.2
39.0

41.6
4.2
39.9
42.6
43.2
41.7
42.5
40.2
41.7
43.2
39.3
39.0

41.7
4.1
39.6
42.8
43.0
41.7
42.6
40.7
41.3
43.2
39.7
39.1

41.6
4.1
39.7
42.7
42.6
41.8
42.7
40.7
41.3
42.7
39.4
39.5

41.5
4.1
39.4
42.8
42.5
41.8
43.0
40.6
40.9
42.6
39.2
38.8

41.6
4.1
39.4
43.0
43.0
41.7
43.1
40.9
41.3
42.5
39.3
38.5

Nondurable goods..................................
Overtime hours..................................
Food manufacturing............................…
Beverage and tobacco products..........
Textile mills………………………………
Textile product mills……………………
Apparel.................................................
Leather and allied products..................
Paper and paper products………………

39.9
4.4
39.0
40.1
40.3
39.0
35.7
38.4
42.5

40.6
4.4
40.1
40.7
40.6
40.0
36.5
38.9
42.9

40.6
4.2
40.5
40.9
40.4
39.8
36.9
37.8
42.6

40.6
4.3
40.4
40.7
41.0
39.2
36.7
38.2
42.4

40.6
4.1
40.4
40.8
40.6
39.3
37.5
38.2
42.5

40.6
4.2
40.5
40.5
40.7
39.5
37.0
38.0
42.4

40.9
4.3
41.0
40.7
40.5
39.6
36.7
37.9
43.1

40.9
4.2
40.7
41.3
40.2
39.9
37.3
37.6
43.0

40.8
4.1
40.6
40.5
40.2
39.8
37.3
38.9
42.9

40.9
4.2
40.5
40.8
40.5
40.5
37.7
37.8
43.0

40.9
4.1
40.8
40.7
40.2
40.6
37.7
37.4
42.9

40.8
4.1
40.6
40.9
39.8
39.9
37.4
37.5
43.1

40.8
4.1
40.7
40.7
40.5
39.9
37.4
37.7
43.1

40.8
4.1
40.8
40.6
40.4
39.0
37.2
37.5
43.4

40.9
4.1
40.6
40.3
40.8
37.8
37.8
38.1
43.1

Printing and related support
activities.............................................
Petroleum and coal products……………
Chemicals…………………………………
Plastics and rubber products……………

38.4
45.5
42.3
40.0

39.2
45.0
42.5
40.6

39.1
44.8
41.9
40.6

39.5
44.7
42.0
40.6

39.2
45.3
41.8
40.8

39.4
45.1
41.8
40.4

39.3
44.7
41.9
40.9

39.4
44.9
42.2
41.2

39.1
44.6
42.0
41.1

39.1
44.5
42.0
41.4

38.8
44.2
42.1
41.5

39.1
43.7
42.0
41.4

38.8
43.4
41.9
41.6

38.8
42.9
41.5
41.5

39.0
43.5
41.8
42.1

PRIVATE SERVICEPROVIDING………………………………

32.4

32.5

32.4

32.4

32.4

32.4

32.5

32.4

32.4

32.4

32.4

32.4

32.4

32.4

32.4

Trade, transportation, and
utilities.......……………….......................
Wholesale trade........……………….......
Retail trade…………………………………
Transportation and warehousing…………
Utilities………………………………………
Information…………………………………
Financial activities…………………………

33.4
37.7
30.6
37.0
41.1
36.5
35.9

33.4
38.0
30.5
36.9
41.4
36.6
35.8

33.5
38.0
30.5
36.9
41.9
36.4
35.8

33.4
38.0
30.4
36.9
42.0
36.6
36.0

33.4
38.0
30.4
37.1
41.9
36.5
36.0

33.3
38.1
30.2
37.1
42.3
36.6
36.0

33.4
38.2
30.2
37.2
42.5
36.7
36.0

33.3
38.1
30.2
36.9
42.3
36.5
36.0

33.4
38.3
30.2
37.0
42.4
36.3
35.9

33.4
38.3
30.2
37.0
42.6
36.3
36.0

33.3
38.1
30.1
36.8
42.6
36.5
35.9

33.3
38.2
30.1
37.0
42.5
36.3
35.8

33.4
38.2
30.3
37.0
42.6
36.3
35.7

33.3
38.0
30.2
36.8
42.1
36.1
35.7

33.4
38.3
30.3
36.7
42.5
36.0
35.7

Professional and business
services……………………………………
Education and health services……………
Leisure and hospitality……………………
Other services……………........................

34.2
32.6
25.7
30.9

34.6
32.5
25.7
30.9

34.6
32.5
25.6
30.9

34.6
32.4
25.7
30.9

34.5
32.5
25.6
30.9

34.6
32.4
25.5
30.7

34.8
32.6
25.6
31.0

34.7
32.6
25.6
30.9

34.8
32.5
25.6
31.0

34.7
32.6
25.5
30.9

34.7
32.6
25.4
30.8

34.7
32.6
25.4
30.8

34.8
32.6
25.4
30.9

34.7
32.6
25.4
30.9

34.8
32.6
25.4
31.0

1
Data relate to production workers in natural resources and mining and
manufacturing, construction workers in construction, and nonsupervisory workers
in the service-providing industries.

NOTE: See "Notes on the data" for a description of the most recent benchmark
revision.
p = preliminary.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

81

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

14. Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm payrolls, by industry,
monthly data seasonally adjusted
Industry

Annual average

2006

2007

2005

2006

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.p

Nov.p

TOTAL PRIVATE
Current dollars………………………
Constant (1982) dollars……………

$16.13
8.18

$16.76
8.24

$16.99
8.36

$17.07
8.36

$17.10
8.36

$17.16
8.36

$17.21
8.32

$17.25
8.30

$17.32
8.26

$17.40
8.29

$17.45
8.31

$17.50
8.35

$17.54
8.35

$17.55
8.32

$17.63
8.29

GOODS-PRODUCING...............................

17.60

18.02

18.21

18.29

18.34

18.37

18.45

18.53

18.61

18.65

18.67

18.71

18.75

18.73

18.83

18.72
19.46
16.56
15.68
17.33
15.27

19.90
20.02
16.80
15.95
17.67
15.32

20.43
20.37
16.89
16.09
17.79
15.35

20.52
20.44
16.95
16.12
17.86
15.41

20.60
20.55
16.98
16.17
17.90
15.44

20.77
20.57
17.03
16.22
17.96
15.47

20.77
20.68
17.09
16.24
18.03
15.49

20.81
20.73
17.18
16.34
18.12
15.60

20.85
20.91
17.20
16.38
18.15
15.60

20.90
20.92
17.26
16.41
18.22
15.63

20.95
20.94
17.28
16.44
18.22
15.68

21.11
20.99
17.31
16.49
18.26
15.70

21.00
21.10
17.32
16.50
18.26
15.73

21.05
21.06
17.31
16.49
18.26
15.70

21.12
21.27
17.36
16.54
18.28
15.79

PRIVATE SERVICEPROVIDING..........………………..............

15.74

16.42

16.67

16.74

16.77

16.84

16.88

16.91

16.98

17.07

17.13

17.18

17.23

17.25

17.31

Trade,transportation, and
utilities…………………………………....
Wholesale trade....................................
Retail trade...........................................
Transportation and warehousing………
Utilities……………………………………
Information..............................................
Financial activities..................................

14.92
18.16
12.36
16.70
26.68
22.06
17.94

15.40
18.91
12.58
17.28
27.42
23.23
18.80

15.54
19.14
12.64
17.50
27.47
23.47
19.20

15.58
19.20
12.67
17.53
27.33
23.60
19.29

15.59
19.25
12.69
17.49
27.40
23.72
19.32

15.61
19.22
12.71
17.50
27.50
23.77
19.42

15.66
19.32
12.72
17.54
27.66
23.83
19.51

15.69
19.39
12.75
17.57
27.68
23.86
19.53

15.71
19.38
12.75
17.65
27.71
23.87
19.59

15.80
19.54
12.77
17.76
27.77
23.99
19.68

15.84
19.56
12.82
17.81
27.84
23.96
19.69

15.88
19.63
12.84
17.79
28.01
23.98
19.77

15.92
19.69
12.86
17.90
28.18
23.96
19.81

15.93
19.74
12.85
17.91
28.37
23.96
19.82

15.97
19.76
12.87
18.02
28.27
23.98
19.92

Professional and business
services.................................................

18.08

19.12

19.51

19.64

19.63

19.80

19.83

19.84

20.03

20.13

20.18

20.28

20.36

20.35

20.48

Education and health
services.................................................
Leisure and hospitality..........................
Other services.........................................

16.71
9.38
14.34

17.38
9.75
14.77

17.63
9.94
14.94

17.67
10.02
15.02

17.74
10.08
15.03

17.75
10.16
15.06

17.78
10.19
15.07

17.80
10.29
15.10

17.89
10.32
15.14

17.96
10.38
15.20

18.05
10.45
15.26

18.10
10.50
15.29

18.17
10.53
15.31

18.21
10.59
15.34

18.29
10.60
15.38

Natural resources and mining...............
Construction...........................................
Manufacturing.........................................
Excluding overtime...........................
Durable goods……………………………
Nondurable goods………………………


Data relate to production workers in natural resources and mining and
manufacturing, construction workers in construction, and nonsupervisory
workers in the service-providing industries.

82

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

NOTE: See "Notes on the data" for a description of the most recent benchmark revision.
p = preliminary.

15. Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm payrolls, by industry
Annual average

2006

Industry
2005
TOTAL PRIVATE……………………………… $16.13
Seasonally adjusted…………………….
–

2007
May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.p Nov.p

2006

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

$16.76
–

$16.99
16.99

$17.07
17.07

$17.16
17.10

$17.21
17.16

$17.22
17.21

$17.34 $17.28 $17.30 $17.42 $17.40 $17.62 $17.58 $17.63
17.25 17.32 17.40 17.45 17.50 17.54 17.55 17.63

GOODS-PRODUCING......................................

17.60

18.02

18.26

18.37

18.27

18.26

18.35

18.48

18.59

18.67

18.69

18.78

18.87

18.83

18.87

Natural resources and mining……………..

18.72

19.90

20.45

20.61

20.72

20.81

20.85

20.94

20.86

20.80

20.88

20.98

20.95

21.00

21.15

Construction.…………..................................

19.46

20.02

20.42

20.52

20.42

20.45

20.53

20.62

20.84

20.89

21.00

21.11

21.30

21.25

21.34

Manufacturing…………………………………… 16.56

16.80

16.93

17.09

17.04

17.03

17.06

17.19

17.19

17.25

17.20

17.29

17.37

17.31

17.38

Durable goods..…………………..................
Wood products .........................................
Nonmetallic mineral products ………………
Primary metals .........................................
Fabricated metal products …....................
Machinery …………..………………………
Computer and electronic products ...........
Electrical equipment and appliances ........
Transportation equipment ........................
Furniture and related products .................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ...................

17.33
13.16
16.61
18.94
15.80
17.03
18.39
15.24
22.10
13.45
14.08

17.67
13.40
16.59
19.35
16.17
17.20
18.96
15.53
22.41
13.79
14.36

17.87
13.67
16.51
19.73
16.29
17.56
19.22
15.53
22.57
14.12
14.38

18.04
13.64
16.73
19.45
16.44
17.78
19.57
15.72
22.76
14.13
14.47

17.94
13.71
16.73
19.43
16.33
17.62
19.59
15.73
22.47
14.11
14.54

17.95
13.55
16.81
19.33
16.31
17.63
19.57
15.87
22.53
14.05
14.50

18.01
13.58
16.95
19.33
16.35
17.68
19.62
15.91
22.62
14.29
14.57

18.10
13.60
16.86
19.66
16.40
17.71
19.84
15.93
22.87
14.37
14.41

18.12
13.61
17.03
19.57
16.49
17.64
19.91
15.97
22.85
14.34
14.42

18.21
13.71
17.21
19.65
16.45
17.61
19.96
15.99
23.13
14.40
14.73

18.08
13.62
17.09
19.78
16.51
17.84
20.06
16.05
22.62
14.36
14.82

18.25
13.62
16.94
19.67
16.57
17.70
20.02
15.98
23.30
14.31
14.76

18.33
13.65
16.99
19.77
16.61
17.80
20.17
16.02
23.39
14.37
14.75

18.28
13.79
16.98
19.77
16.66
17.75
20.25
15.77
23.18
14.37
14.70

18.33
13.71
17.17
19.70
16.73
17.80
20.20
15.66
23.30
14.32
14.76

Nondurable goods………………………......
Food manufacturing ...........................……
Beverages and tobacco products .............

15.27
13.04
18.76

15.32
13.13
18.19

15.34
13.18
18.20

15.47
13.33
18.34

15.51
13.42
17.92

15.46
13.33
17.91

15.45
13.36
18.49

15.65
13.49
18.45

15.60
13.51
18.58

15.62
13.51
18.22

15.72
13.56
18.64

15.68
13.61
17.79

15.75
13.65
18.39

15.67
13.58
18.69

15.77
13.56
19.45

12.38
11.67
10.24
11.50
17.99
15.74
24.47
19.67
14.80

12.55
11.94
10.61
11.44
18.01
15.80
24.08
19.60
14.96

12.74
11.98
10.53
11.58
18.05
15.93
24.44
19.61
15.04

12.63
11.90
10.64
11.70
18.23
15.91
23.96
19.87
15.16

12.90
11.98
10.87
11.89
18.18
15.84
24.90
19.67
15.22

12.87
11.96
10.82
11.82
18.10
15.87
24.73
19.55
15.22

12.81
11.93
10.70
11.81
18.16
15.87
24.66
19.46
15.19

13.00
11.93
10.80
11.87
18.47
16.00
25.01
19.71
15.32

12.89
11.92
10.91
11.85
18.45
15.92
24.78
19.52
15.29

12.97
11.97
10.92
11.97
18.46
15.99
24.44
19.60
15.36

13.13
12.05
11.05
12.17
18.68
16.19
25.06
19.68
15.27

13.20
11.90
11.01
12.08
18.30
16.28
25.36
19.46
15.43

13.15
11.82
11.09
12.22
18.54
16.37
25.88
19.50
15.42

12.94
11.79
11.06
12.07
18.47
16.47
24.82
19.36
15.34

13.07
11.90
11.11
12.28
18.59
16.35
25.25
19.59
15.46

Textile mills ..............................................
Textile product mills .................................
Apparel .....................................................
Leather and allied products ………………
Paper and paper products …………………
Printing and related support activities…...
Petroleum and coal products ………………
Chemicals ……………………………………
Plastics and rubber products ....................
PRIVATE SERVICEPROVIDING …………………………………….

15.74

16.42

16.65

16.73

16.87

16.94

16.92

17.05

16.93

16.94

17.09

17.03

17.29

17.25

17.30

Trade, transportation, and
utilities…….……..........................................
Wholesale trade ………………………………
Retail trade ……………………………………
Transportation and warehousing ……………
Utilities ………..…..….………..………………

14.92
18.16
12.36
16.70
26.68

15.40
18.91
12.58
17.28
27.42

15.44
19.16
12.52
17.48
27.44

15.41
19.24
12.51
17.47
27.38

15.61
19.30
12.69
17.48
27.39

15.65
19.25
12.72
17.42
27.50

15.66
19.24
12.74
17.51
27.73

15.82
19.53
12.86
17.56
27.88

15.70
19.28
12.77
17.55
27.75

15.77
19.42
12.78
17.77
27.52

15.92
19.69
12.88
17.93
27.74

15.85
19.56
12.82
17.87
27.77

16.03
19.83
12.94
17.99
28.31

15.96
19.74
12.86
17.93
28.49

15.87
19.77
12.74
18.04
28.23

Information………………………………….....

22.06

23.23

23.53

23.68

23.84

23.80

23.74

23.93

23.82

23.76

23.82

23.87

24.17

24.12

23.98

Financial activities……..………....................

17.94

18.80

19.19

19.27

19.29

19.42

19.49

19.66

19.54

19.55

19.68

19.66

19.89

19.80

19.91

18.08

19.12

19.44

19.67

19.81

19.95

19.88

20.13

19.95

19.96

20.27

20.03

20.36

20.22

20.41

services………………………………………… 16.71

Professional and business
services…………………………………………
Education and health
17.38

17.62

17.68

17.78

17.76

17.79

17.80

17.84

17.92

18.08

18.10

18.22

18.20

18.31

Leisure and hospitality ………………………

9.38

9.75

10.00

10.13

10.15

10.24

10.23

10.30

10.33

10.29

10.33

10.39

10.52

10.61

10.65

Other services…………………......................

14.34

14.77

14.93

15.06

15.07

15.10

15.11

15.20

15.15

15.13

15.15

15.19

15.34

15.31

15.37

1 Data relate to production workers in natural resources and mining and
manufacturing, construction workers in construction, and nonsupervisory
workers in the service-providing industries.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

83

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

16. Average weekly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers 1 on private nonfarm payrolls, by industry
Industry

Annual average
2005

727$/35,9$7(««««««« $567.87
Seasonally adjusted..........
–

2006

2007

2006

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

$589.78
–

$574.26
574.26

$578.67
578.67

$573.14
578.66

$574.48
578.63

$580.99
584.44

$588.50
584.40

$583.01
586.09

$588.88
590.20

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.p

Nov.p

$596.45
590.49

$592.28
591.84

$603.29
593.87

$594.88
594.54

$594.13
596.23

July

GOODS-PRODUCING…………..…

730.16

757.19

739.53

754.40

730.17

724.28

742.55

744.10

755.97

766.70

758.16

769.33

777.20

771.37

770.30

Natural resources
and mining«««««««««

907.95

961.56

942.75

940.27

927.08

945.23

947.04

954.86

955.39

963.04

957.93

962.52

979.52

981.63

969.74

781.21

815.94

792.30

806.83

774.68

765.58

795.29

792.58

819.41

830.52

828.19

836.75

842.14

841.50

829.14

Manufacturing……………………

691.02

711.61

697.52

713.49

696.05

690.53

702.40

705.61

707.33

717.12

704.30

718.37

725.16

717.88

722.93

Durable goods……………………

732.00
532.99
712.71
843.59
668.98
728.84

754.46
539.05
716.62
843.28
687.20
754.18

738.03
533.13
698.37
858.26
674.41
744.54

758.10
539.75
708.50
859.07
685.55
768.10

734.56
520.60
687.19
840.67
668.31
736.93

730.97
515.87
680.00
830.97
664.22
740.88

746.03
532.34
706.84
837.22
678.94
750.48

746.13
536.81
709.80
847.96
679.37
752.68

751.00
541.28
719.95
838.20
682.69
745.75

763.84
553.88
737.45
853.01
686.38
749.76

743.91
546.16
729.31
849.58
682.28
753.79

763.69
543.04
732.59
844.02
693.04
750.06

770.70
548.73
735.20
848.72
699.28
761.41

763.11
548.26
730.11
841.93
700.98
762.01

763.78
534.83
731.45
842.73
701.40
762.82

766.96

810.22

778.41

806.18

783.55

782.75

790.63

796.73

801.16

812.37

801.19

812.43

828.20

827.42

833.06

636.95
957.65

656.83
986.15

638.28
961.48

656.36
993.21

644.58
963.00

644.36
954.29

651.17
973.95

655.59
970.96

656.47
668.15
986.56 1,010.21

659.69
658.83
666.54
943.07 1,012.52 1,011.74

649.38
992.96

652.29
999.61

535.90

561.13

552.09

562.77

546.83

541.31

554.84

555.07

553.91

568.80

562.91

576.69

572.96

561.48

559.65

manufacturing..........................

555.90

570.21

560.82

568.67

557.95

547.72

563.86

554.02

556.61

580.76

573.53

581.94

588.24

574.77

571.14

Nondurable goods.......................

621.97
525.99

639.99
550.65

627.41
543.02

636.23
547.86

630.11
539.48

620.35
529.60

629.63
541.08

638.93
540.95

634.17
546.21

639.68
547.56

639.04
552.30

641.72
556.65

651.30
566.48

644.11
560.73

653.78
562.92

741.34
509.39
472.24
389.20
445.47
772.39

753.60
524.43
467.86
411.37
459.43
795.39

746.20
513.42
480.40
390.66
443.51
777.96

741.96
524.15
471.22
394.13
453.96
784.32

719.18
523.74
466.09
411.00
450.63
773.08

709.84
521.24
463.73
404.41
446.80
755.19

745.78
520.09
468.47
398.15
451.91
775.86

774.06
525.20
467.63
407.32
450.25
792.79

761.78
519.47
460.98
411.77
465.30
790.09

758.94
526.99
481.48
416.48
457.64
796.06

761.15
519.95
477.98
413.67
450.66
799.50

739.65
524.44
468.43
412.55
453.75
788.73

747.04
536.93
468.03
414.41
462.67
813.91

751.34
515.91
457.08
410.69
458.59
806.60

787.46
521.09
457.46
415.52
478.75
816.37

618.92

632.08

627.64

635.21

620.93

626.87

625.67

629.19

617.70

620.80

621.70

638.18

644.98

644.37

640.14

CONSTRUCTION

Wood products .........................
Nonmetallic mineral products....
Primary metals…………………
Fabricated metal products.........
Machinery…………………..……
Computer and electronic
products..................................
Electrical equipment and
appliances...............................
Transportation equipment………
Furniture and related
products………………………..
Miscellaneous

Food manufacturing...................
Beverages and tobacco
products..................................
Textile mills………………………
Textile product mills……………
Apparel……………………………
Leather and allied products.......
Paper and paper products…….
Printing and related
support activities………………
Petroleum and coal

products………………………… 1,085.50 1,119.05 1,109.58 1,057.76 1,122.05 1,094.56 1,089.88 1,119.91 1,106.72 1,099.39 1,117.84 1,106.21 1,144.40 1,074.05 1,204.67
833.67
819.99
823.62
842.49
824.59
817.61
815.37
834.16
818.31
822.08
823.46
819.69
821.79
801.09
823.74
Chemicals………………………
Plastics and rubber
608.41

635.36

609.12

627.35

625.25

611.53

622.91

633.96

627.71

642.18

624.65

635.00

647.36

642.60

652.13

PRIVATE SERVICEPROVIDING…………....................

532.78

554.84

537.80

541.73

539.84

543.45

547.49

556.48

547.49

551.20

560.88

554.13

567.77

557.82

559.11

Trade, transportation,
and utilities………………………
Wholesale trade......…………......
Retail trade………………………

514.34
718.63
383.02

526.38
749.00
385.20

515.70
728.08
379.36

517.10
731.50
383.44

512.91
724.13
377.27

513.90
728.03
377.19

517.35
729.95
380.03

525.81
754.24
385.88

520.24
738.81
381.90

527.29
744.55
387.60

535.49
758.45
392.90

529.64
747.96
388.51

542.40
768.20
396.34

529.21
752.48
386.79

525.89
757.81
382.27

products…………………………

Transportation and
warehousing……………………
636.97
655.07
648.51
647.77
639.40
637.21
643.26
645.10
642.62
656.38
664.09
663.65
668.11
656.56
661.99
Utilities……………………………… 1,135.34 1,181.54 1,149.74 1,142.81 1,135.03 1,156.07 1,168.10 1,182.35 1,177.25 1,170.22 1,180.02 1,175.75 1,215.61 1,208.70 1,194.41
Information…………………………

850.42

873.55

856.49

862.32

863.01

866.32

863.77

883.76

857.16

858.30

884.24

870.53

896.14

874.23

872.78

Financial activities………………… 672.21

705.29

683.16

687.94

686.72

695.24

695.44

719.19

693.32

699.17

717.59

699.54

721.64

702.55

705.95

Professional and
business services………………

662.27

700.30

672.62

678.62

673.54

686.28

687.85

706.21

692.27

696.60

709.10

696.35

715.97

702.61

705.45

Education and Education and
health services……………..……

564.94

590.24

570.89

572.83

576.07

573.65

580.28

585.98

581.58

585.65

598.12

593.32

603.06

595.73

600.49

Leisure and hospitality………….

250.34

265.40

253.00

257.56

252.98

257.28

258.82

264.97

263.42

266.77

271.68

270.14

269.57

268.43

266.75

Other services……………………

456.50

476.98

459.84

463.85

460.84

463.57

474.32

478.33

476.78

476.16

480.17

478.33

484.54

478.94

480.79

1 Data relate to production workers in natural resources and mining and manufacturing,
construction workers in construction, and nonsupervisory workers in the serviceSURYLGLQJLQGXVWULHV

84

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

'LIIXVLRQLQGH[HVRIHPSOR\PHQWFKDQJHVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
[In percent]
Timespan and year

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug. Sept. Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Private nonfarm payrolls, 278 industries
Over 1-month span:
2002...............................................
2003..............................................
2004..............................................
2005…………………………………
2006…………………………………

43.5
51.6
52.5
64.2
54.9

37.2
50.2
61.3
64.6
54.7

33.6
62.1
52.7
64.0
55.0

38.8
64.9
60.8
62.8
52.9

40.8
59.9
54.9
56.7
57.9

38.5
57.6
58.5
55.9
51.8

39.2
56.5
59.0
59.4
57.4

41.7
51.4
60.4
55.9
53.2

48.0
56.5
53.6
55.8
55.6

50.2
55.0
53.1
57.7
53.4

52.2
51.4
62.2
53.6
52.2

52.9
55.6
60.4
57.6

Over 3-month span:
2002...............................................
2003...............................................
2004...............................................
2005…………………………………
2006…………………………………

39.6
55.9
51.3
70.5
64.6

33.8
53.2
55.9
66.7
60.6

34.9
57.0
56.8
66.0
61.2

33.8
64.2
61.3
66.9
59.4

35.3
70.3
57.2
63.3
60.1

42.3
65.6
59.4
62.4
56.5

39.2
59.9
62.8
60.3
57.4

34.4
55.2
63.7
62.6
56.3

42.6
57.9
59.9
57.7
57.2

48.6
59.0
53.4
59.0
55.2

48.7
60.4
57.2
57.7
54.0

50.2
55.8
62.2
59.9

Over 6-month span:
2002...............................................
2003...............................................
2004...............................................
2005…………………………………
2006…………………………………

34.7
49.8
54.1
63.8
62.2

33.1
51.8
57.2
63.3
60.3

31.1
55.0
57.6
67.1
65.3

33.3
60.8
56.3
68.2
62.8

33.5
63.5
56.5
67.1
61.7

36.5
63.7
58.1
67.1
61.3

32.7
63.3
65.8
63.5
58.8

32.4
62.6
63.8
62.9
57.0

40.8
58.3
61.9
62.6
59.0

44.8
62.1
59.2
62.1
59.2

47.7
55.4
62.8
61.5
55.5

47.5
55.2
60.8
61.0

Over 12-month span:
2002...............................................
2003..............................................
2004..............................................
2005…………………………………
2006…………………………………

34.5
40.3
60.1
67.3
64.6

31.5
42.1
61.0
65.3
64.4

32.9
44.8
59.5
66.0
63.8

33.5
48.4
58.8
64.7
64.0

34.2
50.7
58.3
65.8
62.6

35.1
57.7
60.3
65.3
62.2

32.7
57.0
60.6
67.6
62.1

33.1
55.2
62.8
66.4
62.2

37.1
56.7
60.3
66.5
63.7

36.7
58.3
58.8
66.4
62.9

37.2
60.1
59.7
65.5
61.7

39.2
60.3
61.3
65.1

Manufacturing payrolls, 84 industries
Over 1-month span:
2002...............................................
2003..............................................
2004..............................................
2005…………………………………
2006…………………………………

34.5
41.1
36.9
63.1
52.4

17.3
45.2
48.2
48.2
38.7

17.3
47.0
43.5
56.0
30.4

10.7
63.1
48.2
53.0
33.3

22.0
50.0
38.7
47.0
42.3

17.3
48.2
37.5
58.9
42.9

17.3
56.5
42.3
51.2
51.8

31.5
43.5
45.8
44.6
29.2

26.8
41.7
44.0
40.5
41.7

38.1
43.5
44.6
47.6
43.5

42.3
40.5
48.2
43.5
45.2

42.3
42.3
51.8
38.7

Over 3-month span:
2002...............................................
2003...............................................
2004...............................................
2005…………………………………
2006…………………………………

15.5
45.2
35.1
56.5
48.2

11.3
42.9
39.9
52.4
38.1

13.7
43.5
40.5
52.4
42.9

9.5
57.7
42.3
51.2
31.0

8.9
60.1
35.1
47.6
33.3

11.9
58.3
33.9
54.8
38.1

15.5
55.4
40.5
48.2
37.5

15.5
46.4
41.7
52.4
33.3

17.9
47.0
42.3
39.3
34.5

29.2
42.9
40.5
42.3
35.1

30.4
42.9
39.9
35.7
39.3

33.3
37.5
43.5
39.9

Over 6-month span:
2002...............................................
2003...............................................
2004...............................................
2005…………………………………
2006…………………………………

11.9
28.0
31.5
42.9
39.9

11.3
32.7
35.1
41.7
37.5

7.1
35.1
36.3
50.0
37.5

8.3
47.0
34.5
50.6
36.9

9.5
50.0
32.1
51.2
36.3

10.7
52.4
33.3
53.0
38.1

7.1
54.2
44.0
45.8
35.1

9.5
52.4
39.3
45.8
29.2

12.5
48.8
32.1
47.6
31.0

16.1
51.2
36.9
45.2
33.9

25.0
41.1
34.5
44.6
33.3

24.4
38.7
39.3
39.9

Over 12-month span:
2002...............................................
2003..............................................
2004..............................................
2005…………………………………
2006…………………………………

10.7
13.1
44.6
44.6
41.7

6.0
14.3
44.6
40.5
42.3

6.5
13.1
41.7
40.5
39.3

6.0
20.2
40.5
40.5
39.9

8.3
23.2
37.5
39.3
36.3

7.1
35.7
36.3
42.3
33.3

7.1
36.9
32.1
48.8
32.7

8.3
38.1
33.9
48.8
33.3

10.7
36.3
32.7
44.6
33.3

10.7
44.0
33.3
45.2
32.7

9.5
44.6
33.3
43.5
35.7

10.7
44.6
37.5
41.7

127( )LJXUHV DUH WKH SHUFHQW RI LQGXVWULHV ZLWK
HPSOR\PHQW LQFUHDVLQJ SOXV RQHKDOI RI WKH LQGXVWULHV
ZLWK XQFKDQJHG HPSOR\PHQW ZKHUH  SHUFHQW
LQGLFDWHV DQ HTXDO EDODQFH EHWZHHQ LQGXVWULHV ZLWK
LQFUHDVLQJDQGGHFUHDVLQJHPSOR\PHQW

6HHWKH'HILQLWLRQVLQWKLVVHFWLRQ6HH1RWHVRQWKHGDWD
IRUDGHVFULSWLRQRIWKHPRVWUHFHQWEHQFKPDUNUHYLVLRQ
'DWDIRUWKHWZRPRVWUHFHQWPRQWKVDUHSUHOLPLQDU\

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

85

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

-RERSHQLQJVOHYHOVDQGUDWHVE\LQGXVWU\DQGUHJLRQVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
Levels1 (in thousands)
Industry and region

Percent

2007
May

Total2………………………………………………

June

July

2007

Aug.

Sept.

p

Oct.

Nov.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Nov.p

Oct.

4,095

4,280

4,186

4,168

4,119

4,059

4,021

2.9

3.0

2.9

2.9

2.9

2.8

2.8

Total private …………………………………

3,627

3,810

3,711

3,709

3,664

3,597

3,571

3.0

3.2

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.0

3.0

Construction………………………………

157

139

167

149

138

155

142

2.0

1.8

2.1

1.9

1.8

2.0

1.8

Manufacturing……………………………

345

344

340

328

319

304

305

2.4

2.4

2.4

2.3

2.2

2.1

2.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities………

609

676

684

703

691

598

639

2.3

2.5

2.5

2.6

2.5

2.2

2.4

Professional and business services……

654

763

693

676

661

730

724

3.5

4.1

3.7

3.6

3.5

3.9

3.9

Education and health services…………

703

711

717

700

720

701

715

3.7

3.7

3.7

3.6

3.7

3.6

3.7

Leisure and hospitality……………………

571

568

547

585

653

653

560

4.0

4.0

3.9

4.1

4.6

4.6

3.9

468

465

475

449

455

465

453

2.1

2.0

2.1

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

Industry
2

Government…………………………………
Region

3

Northeast…………………………………

674

732

741

682

611

664

619

2.5

2.8

2.8

2.6

2.3

2.5

2.3

South………………………………………

1,648

1,635

1,612

1,690

1,651

1,641

1,639

3.2

3.2

3.2

3.3

3.2

3.2

3.2

Midwest……………………………………

799

805

754

778

828

742

792

2.4

2.5

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.3

2.4

West………………………………………

970

1,106

1,120

1,024

1,048

1,019

950

3.1

3.5

3.5

3.2

3.3

3.2

3.0

1

Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal
adjustment of the various series.

2

Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other
services, not shown separately.

3

Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas,
Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland,
Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia,

West Virginia; Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.
NOTE: The job openings level is the number of job openings on the last business day of the
month; the job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month
as a percent of total employment plus job openings.
P

= preliminary.

+LUHVOHYHOVDQGUDWHVE\LQGXVWU\DQGUHJLRQVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
1

Levels (in thousands)
Industry and region

Percent

2007
May

2

Total ……………………………………………… 4,982

June

July

Aug.

2007
Sept.

Oct.

p

Nov.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.p

4,741

4,802

4,836

4,714

4,870

4,650

3.6

3.4

3.5

3.5

3.4

3.5

3.4

Industry
2

Total private …………………………………

4,503

4,335

4,443

4,369

4,355

4,507

4,277

3.9

3.7

3.8

3.8

3.8

3.9

3.7

Construction………………………………

351

358

408

371

336

334

351

4.6

4.7

5.3

4.9

4.4

4.4

4.6

Manufacturing……………………………

356

355

359

349

365

407

367

2.5

2.5

2.6

2.5

2.6

2.9

2.6

Trade, transportation, and utilities……… 1,044

910

924

922

994

1,034

913

3.9

3.4

3.5

3.5

3.7

3.9

3.4

Professional and business services……

935

865

879

797

800

840

894

5.2

4.8

4.9

4.4

4.5

4.7

5.0

Education and health services…………

507

493

502

501

448

514

523

2.8

2.7

2.7

2.7

2.4

2.8

2.8

Leisure and hospitality……………………

873

854

874

901

906

916

836

6.5

6.3

6.4

6.6

6.6

6.7

6.1

409

395

385

396

370

377

359

1.8

1.8

1.7

1.8

1.7

1.7

1.6

Government…………………………………
Region

3

Northeast…………………………………

705

684

750

761

689

672

721

2.7

2.6

2.9

2.9

2.7

2.6

2.8

South………………………………………

1,960

1,842

1,898

1,841

1,848

1,925

1,824

4.0

3.7

3.8

3.7

3.7

3.9

3.7

Midwest……………………………………

1,101

1,082

1,039

1,081

1,125

1,084

1,067

3.5

3.4

3.3

3.4

3.5

3.4

3.3

West………………………………………

1,143

1,117

1,135

1,148

1,068

1,211

1,008

3.7

3.6

3.7

3.7

3.5

3.9

3.3

1
Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal
adjustment of the various series.
2

Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other
services, not shown separately.

Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, Wyoming.

3

Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware,
District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi,
North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia;

86

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

NOTE: The hires level is the number of hires during the entire month; the hires rate is
the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
p

= preliminary.

7RWDOVHSDUDWLRQVOHYHOVDQGUDWHVE\LQGXVWU\DQGUHJLRQVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
Levels1 (in thousands)
Industry and region
May
Total2………………………………………………

Percent

2007
June

July

Aug.

2007
Sept.

Oct.

p

Nov.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Nov.p

Oct.

4,544

4,543

4,507

4,446

4,430

4,639

4,541

3.3

3.3

3.3

3.2

3.2

3.4

3.3

Total private …………………………………

4,233

4,234

4,173

4,120

4,146

4,376

4,259

3.7

3.7

3.6

3.6

3.6

3.8

3.7

Construction………………………………

346

363

384

371

364

359

338

4.5

4.7

5.0

4.9

4.8

4.7

4.5

Manufacturing……………………………

396

382

379

380

379

408

393

2.8

2.7

2.7

2.7

2.7

2.9

2.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities………

950

974

987

926

954

1,007

980

3.6

3.7

3.7

3.5

3.6

3.8

3.7

Professional and business services……

775

728

733

742

832

888

843

4.3

4.1

4.1

4.1

4.6

4.9

4.7

Education and health services…………

437

473

414

430

411

428

423

2.4

2.6

2.2

2.3

2.2

2.3

2.3

Leisure and hospitality……………………

833

850

837

808

723

803

809

6.2

6.3

6.2

6.0

5.3

5.9

5.9

315

310

323

322

289

289

287

1.4

1.4

1.5

1.4

1.3

1.3

1.3

Industry
2

Government…………………………………
Region

3

Northeast…………………………………

642

634

622

667

631

680

749

2.5

2.5

2.4

2.6

2.4

2.6

2.9

South………………………………………

1,798

1,699

1,744

1,710

1,760

1,802

1,710

3.6

3.4

3.5

3.5

3.6

3.6

3.4

Midwest……………………………………

1,024

1,033

1,014

1,038

998

992

1,017

3.2

3.2

3.2

3.3

3.1

3.1

3.2

West………………………………………

1,062

1,191

1,149

1,053

1,018

1,160

1,065

3.4

3.9

3.7

3.4

3.3

3.8

3.4

1
Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal
adjustment of the various series.

Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska,
North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington,
Wyoming.

2
Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other
services, not shown separately.
3

Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware,
District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi,
North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia;

NOTE: The total separations level is the number of total separations during the entire
month; the total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire
month as a percent of total employment.
p

= preliminary

4XLWVOHYHOVDQGUDWHVE\LQGXVWU\DQGUHJLRQVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
1

Levels (in thousands)
Industry and region
May
Total2………………………………………………

Percent

2007
June

July

Aug.

2007
Sept.

Oct.

p

Nov.

May
1.9

June
1.9

July
1.9

Aug.
1.8

Sept.
1.8

Oct.
1.9

Nov.p

2,686

2,627

2,640

2,539

2,450

2,682

2,457

1.8

Total private 2…………………………………

2,530

2,475

2,493

2,391

2,308

2,534

2,317

2.2

2.1

2.2

2.1

2.0

2.2

2.0

Construction………………………………

124

129

176

145

135

137

113

1.6

1.7

2.3

1.9

1.8

1.8

1.5

Manufacturing……………………………

216

195

186

202

189

208

189

1.5

1.4

1.3

1.4

1.4

1.5

1.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities………

606

618

572

545

559

607

547

2.3

2.3

2.2

2.1

2.1

2.3

2.1

Professional and business services……

424

411

418

395

420

482

412

2.4

2.3

2.3

2.2

2.3

2.7

2.3

Education and health services…………

284

271

276

270

253

260

265

1.6

1.5

1.5

1.5

1.4

1.4

1.4

Leisure and hospitality……………………

551

595

597

557

410

558

553

4.1

4.4

4.4

4.1

3.0

4.1

4.0

157

152

148

148

146

147

145

.7

.7

.7

.7

.7

.7

.6

1.3

Industry

Government…………………………………
Region

3

Northeast…………………………………

331

380

314

313

306

340

340

1.3

1.5

1.2

1.2

1.2

1.3

South………………………………………

1,162

1,049

1,097

1,070

1,012

1,121

974

2.4

2.1

2.2

2.2

2.0

2.3

2.0

Midwest……………………………………

551

555

553

564

543

542

542

1.7

1.7

1.7

1.8

1.7

1.7

1.7

West………………………………………

643

648

669

598

582

697

576

2.1

2.1

2.2

1.9

1.9

2.3

1.9

1

Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal
adjustment of the various series.

2

Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other
services, not shown separately.

Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon,
Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

3

Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware,
District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi,
North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West
Virginia;

NOTE: The quits level is the number of quits during the entire month; the quits
rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total
employment.
p

= preliminary.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

87

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

22. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages: 10 largest counties, second quarter 2007.

County by NAICS supersector

Average weekly wage1

Employment
June
2007
(thousands)

Percent change,
June
2006-072

Second
quarter
2007

Percent change,
second quarter
2006-072

United States3 ..............................................................................
Private industry ........................................................................
Natural resources and mining ..............................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ................................................................
Professional and business services .....................................
Education and health services .............................................
Leisure and hospitality .........................................................
Other services ......................................................................
Government .............................................................................

8,945.9
8,655.0
124.1
889.2
361.0
1,909.4
143.5
867.5
1,468.2
817.5
721.6
1,138.3
290.8

137,018.2
115,502.9
1,955.3
7,834.7
13,954.1
26,388.1
3,054.6
8,218.0
18,027.5
17,375.3
13,888.6
4,516.7
21,515.3

1.2
1.2
2.3
-.6
-2.1
1.4
-.3
.0
2.2
2.9
2.3
1.5
1.3

$820
810
838
863
993
715
1,255
1,206
999
760
342
527
875

4.6
4.7
6.2
5.2
4.3
4.8
5.5
5.8
5.7
3.4
4.0
3.7
4.5

Los Angeles, CA ..........................................................................
Private industry ........................................................................
Natural resources and mining ..............................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ................................................................
Professional and business services .....................................
Education and health services .............................................
Leisure and hospitality .........................................................
Other services ......................................................................
Government .............................................................................

394.6
390.5
.5
14.1
15.3
55.3
8.7
25.0
43.0
27.9
27.0
173.6
4.0

4,229.3
3,623.3
12.6
161.0
451.1
808.4
212.3
246.2
608.0
469.5
403.1
251.0
606.0

.7
.3
5.2
.6
(4)
.3
(4)
-2.0
.1
.8
2.0
1.7
3.0

924
899
1,124
944
983
782
1,528
1,420
1,048
838
504
431
1,078

4.9
4.2
-15.2
7.6
(4)
4.5
3.8
4.1
4.6
3.7
2.4
4.6
(4)

Cook, IL ........................................................................................
Private industry ........................................................................
Natural resources and mining ..............................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ................................................................
Professional and business services .....................................
Education and health services .............................................
Leisure and hospitality .........................................................
Other services ......................................................................
Government .............................................................................

137.6
136.3
.1
12.1
7.1
27.6
2.5
15.8
28.1
13.5
11.5
13.8
1.4

2,559.5
2,246.2
1.4
98.7
239.5
476.9
58.7
218.9
442.6
366.2
242.4
96.9
313.3

.2
.5
-2.3
-1.5
-1.6
-.4
.1
-.5
1.9
2.0
1.5
-.2
-1.8

981
973
997
1,174
983
788
1,418
1,620
1,229
826
421
697
1,037

4.1
4.0
1.2
2.7
2.6
2.9
7.9
9.6
3.1
3.1
1.4
3.1
5.1

New York, NY ...............................................................................
Private industry ........................................................................
Natural resources and mining ..............................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ................................................................
Professional and business services .....................................
Education and health services .............................................
Leisure and hospitality .........................................................
Other services ......................................................................
Government .............................................................................

117.1
116.8
.0
2.3
3.1
21.9
4.3
18.4
24.3
8.5
11.1
17.2
.3

2,363.8
1,913.3
.1
35.2
38.2
249.1
135.5
379.6
486.5
284.7
209.0
87.1
450.6

1.9
2.3
-3.1
7.6
-4.5
1.7
.4
2.3
2.6
1.1
3.1
1.7
.2

1,540
1,659
2,638
1,504
1,265
1,141
1,897
3,042
1,771
993
732
897
1,037

6.4
6.6
106.3
9.5
18.1
4.8
4.3
8.2
7.2
3.8
4.0
2.4
3.4

Harris, TX .....................................................................................
Private industry ........................................................................
Natural resources and mining ..............................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ................................................................
Professional and business services .....................................
Education and health services .............................................
Leisure and hospitality .........................................................
Other services ......................................................................
Government .............................................................................

94.7
94.2
1.5
6.5
4.6
21.5
1.3
10.4
18.7
9.9
7.2
10.9
.5

2,023.3
1,779.4
78.7
152.9
181.3
421.2
33.1
120.6
339.8
210.2
179.2
58.7
243.9

4.4
4.9
10.4
7.6
4.0
3.7
3.8
2.5
5.3
4.4
5.0
2.0
1.2

1,026
1,044
2,857
979
1,273
917
1,258
1,242
1,156
841
377
597
894

6.9
7.0
6.6
7.5
7.5
6.4
10.0
5.6
7.5
4.1
2.7
8.0
4.6

Maricopa, AZ ................................................................................
Private industry ........................................................................
Natural resources and mining ..............................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ................................................................
Professional and business services .....................................
Education and health services .............................................
Leisure and hospitality .........................................................
Other services ......................................................................
Government .............................................................................

97.7
97.1
.5
10.3
3.5
20.9
1.6
12.4
21.0
9.4
7.0
7.0
.7

1,798.0
1,614.4
9.8
169.4
133.5
373.0
31.0
150.8
316.7
195.9
179.2
51.0
183.6

.9
.8
-2.8
-7.6
-2.9
2.7
-.8
-.6
1.9
4.8
1.9
3.4
1.6

827
812
703
842
1,118
805
1,014
1,052
803
857
390
564
946

3.9
3.7
9.3
4.6
3.6
4.8
7.0
3.4
4.3
3.5
2.1
2.0
5.2

See footnotes at end of table.

88

Establishments,
second quarter
2007
(thousands)

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

22. Continued—Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages: 10 largest counties, second quarter 2007.

County by NAICS supersector

Establishments,
second quarter
2007
(thousands)

Average weekly wage1

Employment
June
2007
(thousands)

Percent change,
June
2006-072

Second
quarter
2007

Percent change,
second quarter
2006-072

Orange, CA ..................................................................................
Private industry ........................................................................
Natural resources and mining ..............................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ................................................................
Professional and business services .....................................
Education and health services .............................................
Leisure and hospitality .........................................................
Other services ......................................................................
Government .............................................................................

94.7
93.3
.2
7.1
5.4
17.8
1.4
11.4
19.2
9.8
7.0
14.0
1.4

1,519.5
1,363.2
6.2
105.6
177.1
278.2
30.1
128.1
274.6
139.6
175.1
48.4
156.3

-1.0
-1.3
-6.8
-3.5
(4)
.4
-2.2
-7.7
(4)
2.9
1.7
-.4
1.1

$952
939
588
1,016
1,150
892
1,340
1,445
1,000
833
410
561
1,062

3.4
2.8
10.7
7.2
(4)
(4)
7.5
(4)
(4)
3.3
5.1
4.1
6.7

Dallas, TX .....................................................................................
Private industry ........................................................................
Natural resources and mining ..............................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ................................................................
Professional and business services .....................................
Education and health services .............................................
Leisure and hospitality .........................................................
Other services ......................................................................
Government .............................................................................

67.6
67.1
.6
4.4
3.2
15.0
1.7
8.7
14.4
6.6
5.2
6.4
.5

1,492.6
1,330.0
7.1
84.1
144.2
307.2
48.6
145.7
274.3
144.7
131.2
40.6
162.5

3.2
3.2
-4.7
4.4
-.4
2.3
-4.6
2.8
5.9
6.6
3.6
1.2
2.9

1,011
1,022
2,879
935
1,202
974
1,371
1,331
1,108
968
430
602
920

5.4
5.4
-1.1
1.4
8.1
6.1
7.3
5.2
5.8
6.8
2.6
2.9
5.0

San Diego, CA .............................................................................
Private industry ........................................................................
Natural resources and mining ..............................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ................................................................
Professional and business services .....................................
Education and health services .............................................
Leisure and hospitality .........................................................
Other services ......................................................................
Government .............................................................................

91.7
90.4
.8
7.2
3.2
14.6
1.3
9.9
16.4
8.0
6.9
22.1
1.3

1,334.7
1,108.8
11.6
90.9
102.4
219.8
37.5
81.5
217.9
127.1
163.6
56.6
225.9

.2
-.1
-4.1
-6.5
(4)
.3
.5
-3.3
.6
(4)
2.8
1.1
1.7

890
868
540
916
1,190
730
1,873
1,108
1,076
812
389
482
996

4.8
4.7
4.0
6.3
6.6
5.8
1.7
3.5
6.0
4.1
3.5
2.8
4.8

King, WA ......................................................................................
Private industry ........................................................................
Natural resources and mining ..............................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ................................................................
Professional and business services .....................................
Education and health services .............................................
Leisure and hospitality .........................................................
Other services ......................................................................
Government .............................................................................

75.9
75.4
.4
6.8
2.5
14.8
1.8
7.0
12.9
6.3
6.0
16.7
.5

1,182.2
1,027.6
3.3
72.9
112.0
219.5
75.8
76.4
188.1
120.6
113.7
45.4
154.6

2.9
3.3
3.4
11.0
1.9
2.0
5.0
-1.0
4.4
2.7
3.9
.9
.6

1,028
1,033
1,224
1,002
1,386
903
1,829
1,272
1,180
812
427
571
995

3.8
3.5
1.4
6.5
.8
6.1
4.1
3.3
1.1
4.5
2.4
7.9
6.0

Miami-Dade, FL ............................................................................
Private industry ........................................................................
Natural resources and mining ..............................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ................................................................
Professional and business services .....................................
Education and health services .............................................
Leisure and hospitality .........................................................
Other services ......................................................................
Government .............................................................................

85.9
85.6
.5
6.2
2.6
23.1
1.5
10.4
17.3
8.9
5.7
7.6
.3

1,002.1
868.2
9.2
53.5
48.0
252.6
20.7
71.6
136.4
135.4
101.8
35.7
133.9

1.0
.8
.3
1.5
-1.7
.9
-.7
-.9
-1.5
3.1
1.3
1.9
2.4

814
788
496
841
735
747
1,163
1,161
949
796
458
525
969

3.8
3.7
6.0
-1.1
1.9
2.3
4.6
5.6
7.5
4.6
2.5
5.8
4.8

1

Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.

2

Percent changes were computed from quarterly employment and pay data
adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications. See Notes on Current Labor
Statistics.
3

Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the

Virgin Islands.
4

Data do not meet BLS or State agency disclosure standards.

NOTE: Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and
Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. Data are
preliminary.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

89

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

23. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages: by State, second quarter 2007.

State

Establishments,
second quarter
2007
(thousands)

June
2007
(thousands)

Percent change,
June
2006-07

Second
quarter
2007

Percent change,
second quarter
2006-07

United States2 ...................................

8,945.9

137,018.2

1.2

$820

4.6

Alabama ............................................
Alaska ...............................................
Arizona ..............................................
Arkansas ...........................................
California ...........................................
Colorado ...........................................
Connecticut .......................................
Delaware ...........................................
District of Columbia ...........................
Florida ...............................................

120.1
21.1
158.9
82.7
1,291.3
179.4
112.5
29.1
31.9
604.8

1,965.4
325.8
2,612.4
1,186.5
15,832.5
2,326.9
1,714.2
430.2
683.2
7,894.2

1.1
-.5
1.2
.3
.8
2.2
.9
.0
.8
.2

697
832
786
639
935
832
1,033
870
1,357
743

3.6
5.6
4.4
4.2
5.4
4.8
6.4
2.2
4.3
3.2

Georgia .............................................
Hawaii ...............................................
Idaho .................................................
Illinois ................................................
Indiana ..............................................
Iowa ..................................................
Kansas ..............................................
Kentucky ...........................................
Louisiana ...........................................
Maine ................................................

270.4
38.6
57.1
358.6
158.2
93.4
85.7
109.8
119.9
50.0

4,091.5
631.2
679.1
5,956.3
2,933.4
1,518.6
1,370.7
1,828.2
1,880.2
619.6

1.4
1.4
3.0
.8
.5
.9
2.0
1.7
3.2
.6

792
736
626
874
702
664
702
700
711
658

6.5
4.2
2.3
4.4
2.6
3.9
4.8
4.2
4.1
4.1

Maryland ...........................................
Massachusetts ..................................
Michigan ............................................
Minnesota .........................................
Mississippi .........................................
Missouri .............................................
Montana ............................................
Nebraska ...........................................
Nevada ..............................................
New Hampshire ................................

164.0
210.1
257.1
170.7
69.7
174.7
42.3
58.7
74.7
49.0

2,584.9
3,300.7
4,252.9
2,730.9
1,137.4
2,764.6
449.8
930.9
1,297.9
643.7

.7
1.2
-1.4
.0
.9
.8
1.7
1.6
1.0
.7

899
1,008
807
834
609
727
611
654
776
823

5.3
4.8
2.9
5.6
3.6
3.4
6.3
3.5
3.7
6.3

New Jersey .......................................
New Mexico ......................................
New York ..........................................
North Carolina ...................................
North Dakota .....................................
Ohio ..................................................
Oklahoma ..........................................
Oregon ..............................................
Pennsylvania .....................................
Rhode Island .....................................

278.1
53.7
576.8
251.0
25.1
290.5
99.1
130.8
338.7
36.1

4,066.7
833.3
8,688.8
4,090.5
347.7
5,384.6
1,538.5
1,761.6
5,740.3
492.9

.4
1.1
1.3
3.0
1.5
-.1
1.6
1.7
1.1
.3

989
686
1,020
718
619
740
665
742
802
774

4.3
5.2
5.9
4.1
4.7
3.4
4.1
4.5
4.6
2.5

South Carolina ..................................
South Dakota ....................................
Tennessee ........................................
Texas ................................................
Utah ..................................................
Vermont ............................................
Virginia ..............................................
Washington .......................................
West Virginia .....................................
Wisconsin ..........................................

115.8
30.1
140.7
548.7
86.3
24.7
227.4
216.7
48.7
158.2

1,917.4
404.3
2,768.7
10,296.1
1,233.7
306.6
3,731.5
2,989.8
717.1
2,845.8

3.0
2.1
.7
3.4
4.4
-.5
1.0
2.7
.3
.4

665
590
729
827
698
698
859
835
659
709

2.9
4.8
3.6
5.9
6.6
5.0
4.4
4.6
3.6
3.7

Wyoming ...........................................

24.4

288.3

3.3

739

8.0

Puerto Rico .......................................
Virgin Islands ....................................

56.9
3.4

1,020.7
46.9

-1.6
3.4

460
707

6.0
4.1

1

Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.

2

Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico
or the Virgin Islands.

90

Average weekly wage1

Employment

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

NOTE: Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI)
and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE)
programs. Data are preliminary.

24. Annual data: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, by ownership
Year

Average
establishments

Average
annual
employment

Total annual wages
(in thousands)

Average annual wage
per employee

Average
weekly
wage

Total covered (UI and UCFE)
1997 ..................................................
1998 ..................................................
1999 ..................................................
2000 ..................................................
2001 ..................................................
2002 ..................................................
2003 ..................................................
2004 ..................................................
2005 ..................................................
2006 ..................................................

7,369,473
7,634,018
7,820,860
7,879,116
7,984,529
8,101,872
8,228,840
8,364,795
8,571,144
8,784,027

121,044,432
124,183,549
127,042,282
129,877,063
129,635,800
128,233,919
127,795,827
129,278,176
131,571,623
133,833,834

$3,674,031,718
3,967,072,423
4,235,579,204
4,587,708,584
4,695,225,123
4,714,374,741
4,826,251,547
5,087,561,796
5,351,949,496
5,692,569,465

$30,353
31,945
33,340
35,323
36,219
36,764
37,765
39,354
40,677
42,535

$584
614
641
679
697
707
726
757
782
818

$30,058
31,676
33,094
35,077
35,943
36,428
37,401
38,955
40,270
42,124

$578
609
636
675
691
701
719
749
774
810

$30,064
31,762
33,244
35,337
36,157
36,539
37,508
39,134
40,505
42,414

$578
611
639
680
695
703
721
753
779
816

$32,521
33,605
34,681
36,296
37,814
39,212
40,057
41,118
42,249
43,875

$625
646
667
698
727
754
770
791
812
844

$29,134
30,251
31,234
32,387
33,521
34,605
35,669
36,805
37,718
39,179

$560
582
601
623
645
665
686
708
725
753

$42,732
43,688
44,287
46,228
48,940
52,050
54,239
57,782
59,864
62,274

$822
840
852
889
941
1,001
1,043
1,111
1,151
1,198

UI covered
1997 ..................................................
1998 ..................................................
1999 ..................................................
2000 ..................................................
2001 ..................................................
2002 ..................................................
2003 ..................................................
2004 ..................................................
2005 ..................................................
2006 ..................................................

7,317,363
7,586,767
7,771,198
7,828,861
7,933,536
8,051,117
8,177,087
8,312,729
8,518,249
8,731,111

118,233,942
121,400,660
124,255,714
127,005,574
126,883,182
125,475,293
125,031,551
126,538,579
128,837,948
131,104,860

$3,553,933,885
3,845,494,089
4,112,169,533
4,454,966,824
4,560,511,280
4,570,787,218
4,676,319,378
4,929,262,369
5,188,301,929
5,522,624,197

Private industry covered
1997 ..................................................
1998 ..................................................
1999 ..................................................
2000 ..................................................
2001 ..................................................
2002 ..................................................
2003 ..................................................
2004 ..................................................
2005 ..................................................
2006 ..................................................

7,121,182
7,381,518
7,560,567
7,622,274
7,724,965
7,839,903
7,963,340
8,093,142
8,294,662
8,505,496

102,175,161
105,082,368
107,619,457
110,015,333
109,304,802
107,577,281
107,065,553
108,490,066
110,611,016
112,718,858

$3,071,807,287
3,337,621,699
3,577,738,557
3,887,626,769
3,952,152,155
3,930,767,025
4,015,823,311
4,245,640,890
4,480,311,193
4,780,833,389

State government covered
1997 ..................................................
1998 ..................................................
1999 ..................................................
2000 ..................................................
2001 ..................................................
2002 ..................................................
2003 ..................................................
2004 ..................................................
2005 ..................................................
2006 ..................................................

65,352
67,347
70,538
65,096
64,583
64,447
64,467
64,544
66,278
66,921

4,214,451
4,240,779
4,296,673
4,370,160
4,452,237
4,485,071
4,481,845
4,484,997
4,527,514
4,565,908

$137,057,432
142,512,445
149,011,194
158,618,365
168,358,331
175,866,492
179,528,728
184,414,992
191,281,126
200,329,294

Local government covered
1997 ..................................................
1998 ..................................................
1999 ..................................................
2000 ..................................................
2001 ..................................................
2002 ..................................................
2003 ..................................................
2004 ..................................................
2005 ..................................................
2006 ..................................................

130,829
137,902
140,093
141,491
143,989
146,767
149,281
155,043
157,309
158,695

11,844,330
12,077,513
12,339,584
12,620,081
13,126,143
13,412,941
13,484,153
13,563,517
13,699,418
13,820,093

$345,069,166
365,359,945
385,419,781
408,721,690
440,000,795
464,153,701
480,967,339
499,206,488
516,709,610
541,461,514

Federal government covered (UCFE)
1997 ..................................................
1998 ..................................................
1999 ..................................................
2000 ..................................................
2001 ..................................................
2002 ..................................................
2003 ..................................................
2004 ..................................................
2005 ..................................................
2006 ..................................................

52,110
47,252
49,661
50,256
50,993
50,755
51,753
52,066
52,895
52,916

2,810,489
2,782,888
2,786,567
2,871,489
2,752,619
2,758,627
2,764,275
2,739,596
2,733,675
2,728,974

$120,097,833
121,578,334
123,409,672
132,741,760
134,713,843
143,587,523
149,932,170
158,299,427
163,647,568
169,945,269

NOTE: Data are final. Detail may not add to total due to rounding.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

91

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

25. Annual data: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, establishment size and employment, private ownership, by
supersector, first quarter 2006
Size of establishments
Industry, establishments, and
employment

92

Total

Fewer than
5 workers1

5 to 9
workers

10 to 19
workers

20 to 49
workers

50 to 99
workers

100 to 249
workers

250 to 499
workers

500 to 999
workers

1,000 or
more
workers

Total all industries2
Establishments, first quarter ..................
Employment, March ...............................

8,413,125
111,001,540

5,078,506
7,540,432

Natural resources and mining
Establishments, first quarter ..................
Employment, March ...............................

123,076
1,631,257

69,188
111,354

23,230
153,676

15,106
203,446

9,842
296,339

3,177
216,952

1,783
267,612

516
177,858

175
115,367

59
88,653

Construction
Establishments, first quarter ..................
Employment, March ...............................

861,030
7,299,087

558,318
823,891

141,743
929,155

84,922
1,140,245

52,373
1,565,409

15,118
1,027,718

6,762
994,696

1,358
454,918

337
220,788

99
142,267

Manufacturing
Establishments, first quarter ..................
Employment, March ...............................

362,959
14,098,486

137,311
240,304

61,852
415,575

55,135
757,991

53,364
1,662,309

25,712
1,798,423

19,573
3,006,794

6,423
2,207,979

2,469
1,668,696

1,120
2,340,415

Trade, transportation, and utilities
Establishments, first quarter ..................
Employment, March ...............................

1,880,255
25,612,515

999,688
1,663,203

380,100
2,529,630

245,926
3,293,292

158,053
4,772,401

53,502
3,695,250

33,590
5,001,143

7,071
2,419,416

1,796
1,166,322

529
1,071,858

Information
Establishments, first quarter ..................
Employment, March ...............................

142,974
3,037,124

81,209
113,399

21,094
140,632

16,356
223,171

13,313
411,358

5,553
384,148

3,568
544,418

1,141
392,681

512
355,421

228
471,896

Financial activities
Establishments, first quarter ..................
Employment, March ...............................

836,365
8,102,371

541,333
874,114

151,952
1,002,449

80,853
1,068,474

40,558
1,206,411

12,146
832,505

6,245
936,343

1,890
655,392

928
641,926

460
884,757

Professional and business services
Establishments, first quarter ..................
Employment, March ...............................

1,403,142
17,162,560

948,773
1,333,479

192,581
1,265,155

121,585
1,639,285

80,222
2,431,806

30,997
2,148,736

20,046
3,038,221

5,849
1,995,309

2,169
1,469,170

920
1,841,399

Education and health services
Establishments, first quarter ..................
Employment, March ...............................

787,747
16,838,748

375,326
684,886

175,191
1,163,519

112,455
1,512,272

72,335
2,177,055

26,364
1,835,664

18,400
2,754,731

4,106
1,400,469

1,832
1,282,903

1,738
4,027,249

Leisure and hospitality
Establishments, first quarter ..................
Employment, March ...............................

699,767
12,633,387

270,143
430,588

118,147
796,935

128,663
1,802,270

131,168
3,945,588

38,635
2,583,745

10,459
1,475,115

1,602
540,014

648
437,645

302
621,487

Other services
Establishments, first quarter ..................
Employment, March ...............................

1,121,269
4,326,368

912,768
1,087,667

118,306
771,276

56,724
747,842

24,734
718,557

5,570
377,961

2,629
388,231

418
139,473

99
63,337

21
32,024

1

Includes establishments that reported no workers in March 2006.

2

Includes data for unclassified establishments, not shown separately.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

1,392,481
919,182
636,264
216,815
123,061
30,375
9,219,319 12,406,793 19,195,647 14,903,811 18,408,166 10,383,792

10,965
5,476
7,421,575 11,522,005

NOTE: Data are final. Detail may not add to total due to rounding.

26. Average annual wages for 2005 and 2006 for all covered
workers1 by metropolitan area
Average annual wages3
Metropolitan area2

Percent
change,
2005-06

2005

2006

Metropolitan areas4 ..............................................................

$42,253

$44,165

4.5

Abilene, TX ............................................................................
Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastian, PR ...................................
Akron, OH ..............................................................................
Albany, GA ............................................................................
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY ..............................................
Albuquerque, NM ...................................................................
Alexandria, LA .......................................................................
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ ....................................
Altoona, PA ............................................................................
Amarillo, TX ...........................................................................

27,876
18,717
37,471
31,741
39,201
35,665
30,114
38,506
29,642
31,954

29,842
19,277
38,088
32,335
41,027
36,934
31,329
39,787
30,394
33,574

7.1
3.0
1.6
1.9
4.7
3.6
4.0
3.3
2.5
5.1

Ames, IA ................................................................................
Anchorage, AK ......................................................................
Anderson, IN ..........................................................................
Anderson, SC ........................................................................
Ann Arbor, MI ........................................................................
Anniston-Oxford, AL ..............................................................
Appleton, WI ..........................................................................
Asheville, NC .........................................................................
Athens-Clarke County, GA ....................................................
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA .....................................

33,889
41,712
31,418
29,463
45,820
31,231
34,431
30,926
32,512
44,595

35,331
42,955
32,184
30,373
47,186
32,724
35,308
32,268
33,485
45,889

4.3
3.0
2.4
3.1
3.0
4.8
2.5
4.3
3.0
2.9

Atlantic City, NJ .....................................................................
Auburn-Opelika, AL ...............................................................
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC ......................................
Austin-Round Rock, TX .........................................................
Bakersfield, CA ......................................................................
Baltimore-Towson, MD ..........................................................
Bangor, ME ............................................................................
Barnstable Town, MA ............................................................
Baton Rouge, LA ...................................................................
Battle Creek, MI .....................................................................

36,735
29,196
34,588
43,500
34,165
43,486
30,707
35,123
34,523
37,994

38,018
30,468
35,638
45,737
36,020
45,177
31,746
36,437
37,245
39,362

3.5
4.4
3.0
5.1
5.4
3.9
3.4
3.7
7.9
3.6

Bay City, MI ...........................................................................
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX .....................................................
Bellingham, WA .....................................................................
Bend, OR ...............................................................................
Billings, MT ............................................................................
Binghamton, NY ....................................................................
Birmingham-Hoover, AL ........................................................
Bismarck, ND .........................................................................
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA ................................
Bloomington, IN .....................................................................

33,572
36,530
31,128
31,492
31,748
33,290
39,353
31,504
32,196
30,080

35,094
39,026
32,618
33,319
33,270
35,048
40,798
32,550
34,024
30,913

4.5
6.8
4.8
5.8
4.8
5.3
3.7
3.3
5.7
2.8

Bloomington-Normal, IL .........................................................
Boise City-Nampa, ID ............................................................
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH ......................................
Boulder, CO ...........................................................................
Bowling Green, KY ................................................................
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA .....................................................
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT .........................................
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX .....................................................
Brunswick, GA .......................................................................
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY ......................................................

39,404
34,623
54,199
49,115
31,306
36,467
71,095
24,893
30,902
35,302

41,359
36,734
56,809
50,944
32,529
37,694
74,890
25,795
32,717
36,950

5.0
6.1
4.8
3.7
3.9
3.4
5.3
3.6
5.9
4.7

Burlington, NC .......................................................................
Burlington-South Burlington, VT ............................................
Canton-Massillon, OH ...........................................................
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL ....................................................
Carson City, NV .....................................................................
Casper, WY ...........................................................................
Cedar Rapids, IA ...................................................................
Champaign-Urbana, IL ..........................................................
Charleston, WV .....................................................................
Charleston-North Charleston, SC ..........................................

31,084
38,582
32,080
35,649
38,428
34,810
37,902
33,278
35,363
33,896

32,835
40,548
33,132
37,065
40,115
38,307
38,976
34,422
36,887
35,267

5.6
5.1
3.3
4.0
4.4
10.0
2.8
3.4
4.3
4.0

Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC ....................................
Charlottesville, VA .................................................................
Chattanooga, TN-GA .............................................................
Cheyenne, WY ......................................................................
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI .......................................
Chico, CA ..............................................................................
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN .........................................
Clarksville, TN-KY .................................................................
Cleveland, TN ........................................................................
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH .................................................

43,728
37,392
33,743
32,208
46,609
30,007
40,343
29,870
32,030
39,973

45,732
39,051
35,358
35,306
48,631
31,557
41,447
30,949
33,075
41,325

4.6
4.4
4.8
9.6
4.3
5.2
2.7
3.6
3.3
3.4

Coeur d’Alene, ID ..................................................................
College Station-Bryan, TX .....................................................
Colorado Springs, CO ...........................................................
Columbia, MO ........................................................................
Columbia, SC ........................................................................
Columbus, GA-AL ..................................................................
Columbus, IN .........................................................................
Columbus, OH .......................................................................
Corpus Christi, TX .................................................................
Corvallis, OR .........................................................................

28,208
29,032
37,268
31,263
33,386
31,370
38,446
39,806
32,975
39,357

29,797
30,239
38,325
32,207
35,209
32,334
40,107
41,168
35,399
40,586

5.6
4.2
2.8
3.0
5.5
3.1
4.3
3.4
7.4
3.1

See footnotes at end of table.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

93

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

26. Average annual wages for 2005 and 2006 for all covered
workers1 by metropolitan area — Continued
Average annual wages3
Metropolitan area2
2006

Cumberland, MD-WV ............................................................
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ............................................
Dalton, GA .............................................................................
Danville, IL .............................................................................
Danville, VA ...........................................................................
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL .....................................
Dayton, OH ............................................................................
Decatur, AL ............................................................................
Decatur, IL .............................................................................
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL .........................

$28,645
45,337
32,848
31,861
28,449
35,546
37,922
33,513
38,444
29,927

$29,859
47,525
33,266
33,141
28,870
37,559
39,387
34,883
39,375
31,197

4.2
4.8
1.3
4.0
1.5
5.7
3.9
4.1
2.4
4.2

Denver-Aurora, CO ................................................................
Des Moines, IA ......................................................................
Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI ....................................................
Dothan, AL .............................................................................
Dover, DE ..............................................................................
Dubuque, IA ...........................................................................
Duluth, MN-WI .......................................................................
Durham, NC ...........................................................................
Eau Claire, WI .......................................................................
El Centro, CA .........................................................................

45,940
39,760
46,790
30,253
33,132
32,414
32,638
46,743
30,763
29,879

48,232
41,358
47,455
31,473
34,571
33,044
33,677
49,314
31,718
30,035

5.0
4.0
1.4
4.0
4.3
1.9
3.2
5.5
3.1
0.5

Elizabethtown, KY .................................................................
Elkhart-Goshen, IN ................................................................
Elmira, NY .............................................................................
El Paso, TX ............................................................................
Erie, PA .................................................................................
Eugene-Springfield, OR .........................................................
Evansville, IN-KY ...................................................................
Fairbanks, AK ........................................................................
Fajardo, PR ...........................................................................
Fargo, ND-MN .......................................................................

30,912
35,573
32,989
28,666
32,010
32,295
35,302
39,399
20,011
32,291

32,072
35,878
33,968
29,903
33,213
33,257
36,858
41,296
21,002
33,542

3.8
0.9
3.0
4.3
3.8
3.0
4.4
4.8
5.0
3.9

Farmington, NM .....................................................................
Fayetteville, NC .....................................................................
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ...............................
Flagstaff, AZ ..........................................................................
Flint, MI ..................................................................................
Florence, SC ..........................................................................
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL ..................................................
Fond du Lac, WI ....................................................................
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO .....................................................
Fort Smith, AR-OK .................................................................

33,695
30,325
34,598
30,733
37,982
32,326
28,885
32,634
36,612
29,599

36,220
31,281
35,734
32,231
39,409
33,610
29,518
33,376
37,940
30,932

7.5
3.2
3.3
4.9
3.8
4.0
2.2
2.3
3.6
4.5

Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, FL ..............................
Fort Wayne, IN ......................................................................
Fresno, CA ............................................................................
Gadsden, AL ..........................................................................
Gainesville, FL .......................................................................
Gainesville, GA ......................................................................
Glens Falls, NY ......................................................................
Goldsboro, NC .......................................................................
Grand Forks, ND-MN .............................................................
Grand Junction, CO ...............................................................

32,976
34,717
32,266
28,438
32,992
33,828
31,710
28,316
28,138
31,611

34,409
35,641
33,504
29,499
34,573
34,765
32,780
29,331
29,234
33,729

4.3
2.7
3.8
3.7
4.8
2.8
3.4
3.6
3.9
6.7

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI ..................................................
Great Falls, MT ......................................................................
Greeley, CO ...........................................................................
Green Bay, WI .......................................................................
Greensboro-High Point, NC ...................................................
Greenville, NC .......................................................................
Greenville, SC .......................................................................
Guayama, PR ........................................................................
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS .................................................................
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV .........................................

36,941
28,021
33,636
35,467
34,876
31,433
34,469
23,263
31,688
33,202

38,056
29,542
35,144
36,677
35,898
32,432
35,471
24,551
34,688
34,621

3.0
5.4
4.5
3.4
2.9
3.2
2.9
5.5
9.5
4.3

Hanford-Corcoran, CA ...........................................................
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA ..........................................................
Harrisonburg, VA ...................................................................
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT .............................
Hattiesburg, MS .....................................................................
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC ..............................................
Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA ...................................................
Holland-Grand Haven, MI ......................................................
Honolulu, HI ...........................................................................
Hot Springs, AR .....................................................................

29,989
39,144
30,366
50,154
28,568
30,090
30,062
36,362
37,654
27,024

31,148
39,807
31,522
51,282
30,059
31,323
31,416
36,895
39,009
27,684

3.9
1.7
3.8
2.2
5.2
4.1
4.5
1.5
3.6
2.4

Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA ......................................
Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, TX ........................................
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH ...........................................
Huntsville, AL .........................................................................
Idaho Falls, ID .......................................................................
Indianapolis, IN ......................................................................
Iowa City, IA ..........................................................................
Ithaca, NY ..............................................................................
Jackson, MI ...........................................................................
Jackson, MS ..........................................................................

33,696
47,157
31,415
42,401
29,795
39,830
34,785
36,457
35,879
33,099

38,417
50,177
32,648
44,659
31,632
41,307
35,913
38,337
36,836
34,605

14.0
6.4
3.9
5.3
6.2
3.7
3.2
5.2
2.7
4.5

See footnotes at end of table.

94

Percent
change,
2005-06

2005

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

26. Average annual wages for 2005 and 2006 for all covered
workers1 by metropolitan area — Continued
Average annual wages3
Metropolitan area2

Percent
change,
2005-06

2005

2006

Jackson, TN ...........................................................................
Jacksonville, FL .....................................................................
Jacksonville, NC ....................................................................
Janesville, WI ........................................................................
Jefferson City, MO .................................................................
Johnson City, TN ...................................................................
Johnstown, PA .......................................................................
Jonesboro, AR .......................................................................
Joplin, MO .............................................................................
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI .........................................................

$33,286
38,224
24,803
34,107
30,991
29,840
29,335
28,550
29,152
36,042

$34,477
40,192
25,854
36,732
31,771
31,058
29,972
28,972
30,111
37,099

3.6
5.1
4.2
7.7
2.5
4.1
2.2
1.5
3.3
2.9

Kankakee-Bradley, IL ............................................................
Kansas City, MO-KS ..............................................................
Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA ...........................................
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX ...............................................
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA ............................................
Kingston, NY ..........................................................................
Knoxville, TN .........................................................................
Kokomo, IN ............................................................................
La Crosse, WI-MN .................................................................
Lafayette, IN ..........................................................................

31,802
39,749
38,453
30,028
33,568
30,752
35,724
44,462
31,029
35,176

32,389
41,320
38,750
31,511
35,100
33,697
37,216
45,808
31,819
35,380

1.8
4.0
0.8
4.9
4.6
9.6
4.2
3.0
2.5
0.6

Lafayette, LA .........................................................................
Lake Charles, LA ...................................................................
Lakeland, FL ..........................................................................
Lancaster, PA ........................................................................
Lansing-East Lansing, MI ......................................................
Laredo, TX .............................................................................
Las Cruces, NM .....................................................................
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV .......................................................
Lawrence, KS ........................................................................
Lawton, OK ............................................................................

34,729
33,728
32,235
35,264
38,135
27,401
28,569
38,940
28,492
28,459

38,170
35,883
33,530
36,171
39,890
28,051
29,969
40,139
29,896
29,830

9.9
6.4
4.0
2.6
4.6
2.4
4.9
3.1
4.9
4.8

Lebanon, PA ..........................................................................
Lewiston, ID-WA ....................................................................
Lewiston-Auburn, ME ............................................................
Lexington-Fayette, KY ...........................................................
Lima, OH ...............................................................................
Lincoln, NE ............................................................................
Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR ...........................................
Logan, UT-ID .........................................................................
Longview, TX .........................................................................
Longview, WA ........................................................................

30,704
29,414
31,008
36,683
32,630
32,711
34,920
25,869
32,603
33,993

31,790
30,776
32,231
37,926
33,790
33,703
36,169
26,766
35,055
35,140

3.5
4.6
3.9
3.4
3.6
3.0
3.6
3.5
7.5
3.4

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA .............................
Louisville, KY-IN ....................................................................
Lubbock, TX ..........................................................................
Lynchburg, VA .......................................................................
Macon, GA .............................................................................
Madera, CA ...........................................................................
Madison, WI ...........................................................................
Manchester-Nashua, NH .......................................................
Mansfield, OH ........................................................................
Mayaguez, PR .......................................................................

46,592
37,144
30,174
32,025
33,110
29,356
38,210
45,066
32,688
19,597

48,680
38,673
31,977
33,242
34,126
31,213
40,007
46,659
33,171
20,619

4.5
4.1
6.0
3.8
3.1
6.3
4.7
3.5
1.5
5.2

McAllen-Edinburg-Pharr, TX ..................................................
Medford, OR ..........................................................................
Memphis, TN-MS-AR ............................................................
Merced, CA ............................................................................
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL ..............................
Michigan City-La Porte, IN .....................................................
Midland, TX ...........................................................................
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI ....................................
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ...........................
Missoula, MT .........................................................................

25,315
30,502
39,094
30,209
40,174
30,724
38,267
40,181
45,507
29,627

26,712
31,697
40,580
31,147
42,175
31,383
42,625
42,049
46,931
30,652

5.5
3.9
3.8
3.1
5.0
2.1
11.4
4.6
3.1
3.5

Mobile, AL ..............................................................................
Modesto, CA ..........................................................................
Monroe, LA ............................................................................
Monroe, MI ............................................................................
Montgomery, AL ....................................................................
Morgantown, WV ...................................................................
Morristown, TN ......................................................................
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ...............................................
Muncie, IN .............................................................................
Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI ................................................

33,496
34,325
29,264
39,449
33,441
31,529
31,215
31,387
32,172
33,035

36,126
35,468
30,618
40,938
35,383
32,608
31,914
32,851
30,691
33,949

7.9
3.3
4.6
3.8
5.8
3.4
2.2
4.7
-4.6
2.8

Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC ....................
Napa, CA ...............................................................................
Naples-Marco Island, FL .......................................................
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro, TN .................................
New Haven-Milford, CT .........................................................
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA .........................................
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA ......
Niles-Benton Harbor, MI ........................................................
Norwich-New London, CT .....................................................
Ocala, FL ...............................................................................

26,642
40,180
38,211
38,753
43,931
37,239
57,660
35,029
42,151
30,008

27,905
41,788
39,320
41,003
44,892
42,434
61,388
36,967
43,184
31,330

4.7
4.0
2.9
5.8
2.2
14.0
6.5
5.5
2.5
4.4

See footnotes at end of table.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

95

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

26. Average annual wages for 2005 and 2006 for all covered
workers1 by metropolitan area — Continued
Average annual wages3
Metropolitan area2
2006

Ocean City, NJ ......................................................................
Odessa, TX ............................................................................
Ogden-Clearfield, UT .............................................................
Oklahoma City, OK ................................................................
Olympia, WA ..........................................................................
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA ................................................
Orlando, FL ............................................................................
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI ............................................................
Owensboro, KY .....................................................................
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ...................................

$31,033
33,475
31,195
33,142
36,230
36,329
36,466
38,820
31,379
44,597

$31,801
37,144
32,890
35,846
37,787
38,139
37,776
39,538
32,491
45,467

2.5
11.0
5.4
8.2
4.3
5.0
3.6
1.8
3.5
2.0

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL ........................................
Panama City-Lynn Haven, FL ...............................................
Parkersburg-Marietta, WV-OH ..............................................
Pascagoula, MS ....................................................................
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL ...........................................
Peoria, IL ...............................................................................
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ................
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ...............................................
Pine Bluff, AR ........................................................................
Pittsburgh, PA ........................................................................

38,287
31,894
30,747
34,735
32,064
39,871
46,454
40,245
30,794
38,809

39,778
33,341
32,213
36,287
33,530
42,283
48,647
42,220
32,115
40,759

3.9
4.5
4.8
4.5
4.6
6.0
4.7
4.9
4.3
5.0

Pittsfield, MA ..........................................................................
Pocatello, ID ..........................................................................
Ponce, PR .............................................................................
Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME ................................
Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA ...............................
Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce, FL ................................................
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY ............................
Prescott, AZ ...........................................................................
Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA ..........................
Provo-Orem, UT ....................................................................

35,807
27,686
19,660
35,857
41,048
33,235
38,187
29,295
37,796
30,395

36,707
28,418
20,266
36,979
42,607
34,408
39,528
30,625
39,428
32,308

2.5
2.6
3.1
3.1
3.8
3.5
3.5
4.5
4.3
6.3

Pueblo, CO ............................................................................
Punta Gorda, FL ....................................................................
Racine, WI .............................................................................
Raleigh-Cary, NC ..................................................................
Rapid City, SD .......................................................................
Reading, PA ..........................................................................
Redding, CA ..........................................................................
Reno-Sparks, NV ...................................................................
Richmond, VA ........................................................................
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA .................................

30,165
31,937
37,659
39,465
28,758
36,210
32,139
38,453
41,274
35,201

30,941
32,370
39,002
41,205
29,920
38,048
33,307
39,537
42,495
36,668

2.6
1.4
3.6
4.4
4.0
5.1
3.6
2.8
3.0
4.2

Roanoke, VA .........................................................................
Rochester, MN .......................................................................
Rochester, NY .......................................................................
Rockford, IL ...........................................................................
Rocky Mount, NC ..................................................................
Rome, GA ..............................................................................
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA ...........................
Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI ..................................
St. Cloud, MN ........................................................................
St. George, UT ......................................................................

32,987
41,296
37,991
35,652
30,983
33,896
42,800
36,325
31,705
26,046

33,912
42,941
39,481
37,424
31,556
34,850
44,552
37,747
33,018
28,034

2.8
4.0
3.9
5.0
1.8
2.8
4.1
3.9
4.1
7.6

St. Joseph, MO-KS ................................................................
St. Louis, MO-IL .....................................................................
Salem, OR .............................................................................
Salinas, CA ............................................................................
Salisbury, MD ........................................................................
Salt Lake City, UT ..................................................................
San Angelo, TX .....................................................................
San Antonio, TX ....................................................................
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA ...................................
Sandusky, OH .......................................................................

30,009
39,985
31,289
36,067
32,240
36,857
29,530
35,097
43,824
32,631

31,253
41,354
32,764
37,974
33,223
38,630
30,168
36,763
45,784
33,526

4.1
3.4
4.7
5.3
3.0
4.8
2.2
4.7
4.5
2.7

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ...................................
San German-Cabo Rojo, PR .................................................
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ..................................
San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo, PR .........................................
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA ........................................
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA ................................
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ..................................................
Santa Fe, NM ........................................................................
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA ....................................................
Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, FL ............................................

58,634
18,745
71,970
23,952
33,759
39,080
38,016
33,253
40,017
33,905

61,343
19,498
76,608
24,812
35,146
40,326
40,776
35,320
41,533
35,751

4.6
4.0
6.4
3.6
4.1
3.2
7.3
6.2
3.8
5.4

Savannah, GA .......................................................................
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA ..................................................
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ..............................................
Sheboygan, WI ......................................................................
Sherman-Denison, TX ...........................................................
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA ..................................................
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD .............................................................
Sioux Falls, SD ......................................................................
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI ..............................................
Spartanburg, SC ....................................................................

34,104
32,057
46,644
35,067
32,800
31,962
31,122
33,257
34,086
35,526

35,684
32,813
49,455
35,908
34,166
33,678
31,826
34,542
35,089
37,077

4.6
2.4
6.0
2.4
4.2
5.4
2.3
3.9
2.9
4.4

See footnotes at end of table.

96

Percent
change,
2005-06

2005

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

26. Average annual wages for 2005 and 2006 for all covered
workers1 by metropolitan area — Continued
Average annual wages3
Metropolitan area2

Percent
change,
2005-06

2005

2006

Spokane, WA .........................................................................
Springfield, IL .........................................................................
Springfield, MA ......................................................................
Springfield, MO ......................................................................
Springfield, OH ......................................................................
State College, PA ..................................................................
Stockton, CA ..........................................................................
Sumter, SC ............................................................................
Syracuse, NY .........................................................................
Tallahassee, FL .....................................................................

$32,621
39,299
36,791
30,124
30,814
34,109
35,030
27,469
36,494
33,548

$34,016
40,679
37,962
30,786
31,844
35,392
36,426
29,294
38,081
35,018

4.3
3.5
3.2
2.2
3.3
3.8
4.0
6.6
4.3
4.4

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ..................................
Terre Haute, IN ......................................................................
Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR ..............................................
Toledo, OH ............................................................................
Topeka, KS ............................................................................
Trenton-Ewing, NJ .................................................................
Tucson, AZ ............................................................................
Tulsa, OK ...............................................................................
Tuscaloosa, AL ......................................................................
Tyler, TX ................................................................................

36,374
30,597
31,302
35,848
33,303
52,034
35,650
35,211
34,124
34,731

38,016
31,341
32,545
37,039
34,806
54,274
37,119
37,637
35,613
36,173

4.5
2.4
4.0
3.3
4.5
4.3
4.1
6.9
4.4
4.2

Utica-Rome, NY .....................................................................
Valdosta, GA .........................................................................
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ...............................................................
Vero Beach, FL ......................................................................
Victoria, TX ............................................................................
Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ .............................................
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC .....................
Visalia-Porterville, CA ............................................................
Waco, TX ...............................................................................
Warner Robins, GA ...............................................................

30,902
25,712
38,431
32,591
34,327
36,387
34,580
28,582
32,325
36,762

32,457
26,794
40,225
33,823
36,642
37,749
36,071
29,772
33,450
38,087

5.0
4.2
4.7
3.8
6.7
3.7
4.3
4.2
3.5
3.6

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ...............
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA .......................................................
Wausau, WI ...........................................................................
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH ...............................................
Wenatchee, WA .....................................................................
Wheeling, WV-OH .................................................................
Wichita, KS ............................................................................
Wichita Falls, TX ....................................................................
Williamsport, PA ....................................................................
Wilmington, NC ......................................................................

55,525
33,123
33,259
30,596
27,163
29,808
35,976
29,343
30,699
31,792

58,057
34,329
34,438
31,416
28,340
30,620
38,763
30,785
31,431
32,948

4.6
3.6
3.5
2.7
4.3
2.7
7.7
4.9
2.4
3.6

Winchester, VA-WV ...............................................................
Winston-Salem, NC ...............................................................
Worcester, MA .......................................................................
Yakima, WA ...........................................................................
Yauco, PR .............................................................................
York-Hanover, PA ..................................................................
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA ...............................
Yuba City, CA ........................................................................
Yuma, AZ ...............................................................................

33,787
36,654
41,094
27,334
17,818
36,834
32,176
32,133
27,168

34,895
37,712
42,726
28,401
19,001
37,226
33,852
33,642
28,369

3.3
2.9
4.0
3.9
6.6
1.1
5.2
4.7
4.4

1 Includes workers covered by Unemployment
Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation
for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.
2 Includes data for Metropolitan Statistical
Areas (MSA) as defined by OMB Bulletin No.
04-03 as of February 18, 2004.

3 Each year’s total is based on the MSA
definition for the specific year. Annual changes
include differences resulting from changes in
MSA definitions.
4 Totals do not include the six MSAs within
Puerto Rico.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

97

Current Labor Statistics: Labor Force Data

27. Annual data: Employment status of the population
>1XPEHUVLQWKRXVDQGV@
Employment status
Civilian noninstitutional population...........
Civilian labor force............................……
Labor force participation rate...............
Employed............................…………
Employment-population ratio..........
Unemployed............................………
Unemployment rate........................
Not in the labor force............................…
1

1996
200,591
133,943
66.8
126,708
63.2
7,236
5.4
66,647

19971
203,133
136,297
67.1
129,558
63.8
6,739
4.9
66,837

19981

19991

20001

205,220
137,673
67.1
131,463
64.1
6,210
4.5
67,547

207,753
139,368
67.1
133,488
64.3
5,880
4.2
68,385

212,577
142,583
67.1
136,891
64.4
5,692
4
69,994

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

215,092
143,734
66.8
136,933
63.7
6,801
4.7
71,359

217,570
144,863
66.6
136,485
62.7
8,378
5.8
72,707

221,168
146,510
66.2
137,736
62.3
8,774
6
74,658

223,357
147,401
66
139,252
62.3
8,149
5.5
75,956

226,082
149,320
66
141,730
62.7
7,591
5.1
76,762

228,815
151,428
66.2
144,427
63.1
7,001
4.6
77,387

Not strictly comparable with prior years.

28. Annual data: Employment levels by industry
>,QWKRXVDQGV@
Industry

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Total private employment............................…

100,169

103,113

106,021

108,686

110,996

110,707

108,828

108,416

109,814

111,899

114,184

Total nonfarm employment……………………
Goods-producing............................………
Natural resources and mining.................
Construction............................……………
Manufacturing............................…………

119,708
23,410
637
5,536
17,237

122,776
23,886
654
5,813
17,419

125,930
24,354
645
6,149
17,560

128,993
24,465
598
6,545
17,322

131,785
24,649
599
6,787
17,263

131,826
23,873
606
6,826
16,441

130,341
22,557
583
6,716
15,259

129,999
21,816
572
6,735
14,510

131,435
21,882
591
6,976
14,315

133,703
22,190
628
7,336
14,226

136,174
22,570
684
7,689
14,197

Private service-providing..........................
76,759
Trade, transportation, and utilities..........
24,239
Wholesale trade............................……… 5,522.00
Retail trade............................………… 14,142.50
Transportation and warehousing.........
3,935.30
639.6
Utilities............................………………
Information............................……………
2,940
6,969
Financial activities............................……
13,462
Professional and business services……
Education and health services…………
13,683
Leisure and hospitality……………………
10,777
Other services……………………………
4,690

79,227
24,700
5,663.90
14,388.90
4,026.50
620.9
3,084
7,178
14,335
14,087
11,018
4,825

81,667
25,186
5,795.20
14,609.30
4,168.00
613.4
3,218
7,462
15,147
14,446
11,232
4,976

84,221
25,771
5,892.50
14,970.10
4,300.30
608.5
3,419
7,648
15,957
14,798
11,543
5,087

86,346
26,225
5,933.20
15,279.80
4,410.30
601.3
3,631
7,687
16,666
15,109
11,862
5,168

86,834
25,983
5,772.70
15,238.60
4,372.00
599.4
3,629
7,807
16,476
15,645
12,036
5,258

86,271
25,497
5,652.30
15,025.10
4,223.60
596.2
3,395
7,847
15,976
16,199
11,986
5,372

86,599
25,287
5,607.50
14,917.30
4,185.40
577
3,188
7,977
15,987
16,588
12,173
5,401

87,932
25,533
5,662.90
15,058.20
4,248.60
563.8
3,118
8,031
16,395
16,953
12,493
5,409

89,709
25,959
5,764.40
15,279.60
4,360.90
554
3,061
8,153
16,954
17,372
12,816
5,395

91,615
26,231
5,897.60
15,319.30
4,465.80
548.5
3,055
8,363
17,552
17,838
13,143
5,432

19,664

19,909

20,307

20,790

21,118

21,513

21,583

21,621

21,804

21,990

Government……………………………………

98

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

19,539

29. Annual data: Average hours and earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on nonfarm
payrolls, by industry
Industry

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Private sector:
Average weeklyKRXUV««
Average hourly earnings (in dollars).........................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)........................

34.3
12.04
413.28

34.5
12.51
431.86

34.5
13.01
448.56

34.3
13.49
463.15

34.3
14.02
481.01

34
14.54
493.79

33.9
14.97
506.72

33.7
15.37
518.06

33.7
15.69
529.09

33.8
16.13
544.33

33.9
16.76
567.87

Goods-producing:
Average weekly hours.............................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars).......................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)......................

40.8
13.38
546.48

41.1
13.82
568.43

40.8
14.23
580.99

40.8
14.71
599.99

40.7
15.27
621.86

39.9
15.78
630.04

39.9
16.33
651.61

39.8
16.8
669.13

40
17.19
688.17

40.1
17.6
705.31

40.5
18.02
729.87

Natural resources and mining
Average weekly hours............................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)......................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars).....................
Construction:

46
15.1
695.07

46.2
15.57
720.11

44.9
16.2
727.28

44.2
16.33
721.74

44.4
16.55
734.92

44.6
17
757.92

43.2
17.19
741.97

43.6
17.56
765.94

44.5
18.07
803.82

45.6
18.72
853.71

45.6
19.9
908.01

Average weekly hours............................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)......................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars).....................
Manufacturing:

38.9
15.11
588.48

38.9
15.67
609.48

38.8
16.23
629.75

39
16.8
655.11

39.2
17.48
685.78

38.7
18
695.89

38.4
18.52
711.82

38.4
18.95
726.83

38.3
19.23
735.55

38.6
19.46
750.22

39
20.02
781.04

Average weekly hours............................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)......................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars).....................
Private service-providing:

41.3
12.75
526.55

41.7
13.14
548.22

41.4
13.45
557.12

41.4
13.85
573.17

41.3
14.32
590.65

40.3
14.76
595.19

40.5
15.29
618.75

40.4
15.74
635.99

40.8
16.15
658.59

40.7
16.56
673.37

41.1
16.8
690.83

Average weeklyKRXUV«««
Average hourly earnings (in dollars).......................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)......................

32.6
11.59
377.37

32.8
12.07
395.51

32.8
12.61
413.5

32.7
13.09
427.98

32.7
13.62
445.74

32.5
14.18
461.08

32.5
14.59
473.8

32.4
14.99
484.81

32.3
15.29
494.22

32.4
15.74
509.58

32.5
16.42
532.84

Trade, transportation, and utilities:
Average weekly hours.............................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars).......................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)......................
Wholesale trade:

34.1
11.46
390.64

34.3
11.9
407.57

34.2
12.39
423.3

33.9
12.82
434.31

33.8
13.31
449.88

33.5
13.7
459.53

33.6
14.02
471.27

33.6
14.34
481.14

33.5
14.58
488.42

33.4
14.92
498.43

33.4
15.4
514.61

Average weekly hours.........................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)...................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)..................
Retail trade:

38.6
13.8
533.29

38.8
14.41
559.39

38.6
15.07
582.21

38.6
15.62
602.77

38.8
16.28
631.4

38.4
16.77
643.45

38
16.98
644.38

37.9
17.36
657.29

37.8
17.65
667.09

37.7
18.16
685

38
18.91
718.3

Average weekly hours.........................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)...................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)..................
Transportation and warehousing:
Average weekly hours.........................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)...................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)..................
Utilities:
Average weekly hours.........................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)...................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)..................
Information:
Average weekly hours.........................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)...................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)..................
Financial activities:

38.6
13.8
533.29

38.8
14.41
559.39

38.6
15.07
582.21

38.6
15.62
602.77

38.8
16.28
631.4

38.4
16.77
643.45

38
16.98
644.38

37.9
17.36
657.29

37.8
17.65
667.09

37.7
18.16
685

38
18.91
718.3

39.1
13.45
525.6

39.4
13.78
542.55

38.7
14.12
546.86

37.6
14.55
547.97

37.4
15.05
562.31

36.7
15.33
562.7

36.8
15.76
579.75

36.8
16.25
598.41

37.2
16.52
614.82

37
16.7
618.58

36.9
17.28
637.14

42
19.78
830.74

42
20.59
865.26

42
21.48
902.94

42
22.03
924.59

42
22.75
955.66

41.4
23.58
977.18

40.9
41.1
40.9
41.1
41.4
23.96
24.77
25.61
26.68
27.42
979.09 1,017.27 1,048.44 1,095.90 1,136.08

36.4
16.3
592.68

36.3
17.14
622.4

36.6
17.67
646.52

36.7
18.4
675.32

36.8
19.07
700.89

36.9
19.8
731.11

36.5
20.2
738.17

36.2
21.01
760.81

36.3
21.4
777.05

36.5
22.06
805

36.6
23.23
850.81

Average weekly hours.........................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)...................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)..................
Professional and business services:
Average weekly hours.........................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)...................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)..................
Education and health services:
Average weekly hours.........................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)...................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)..................
Leisure and hospitality:
Average weekly hours.........................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)...................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)..................
Other services:
Average weekly hours.........................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)...................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)..................

35.5
12.71
451.49

35.7
13.22
472.37

36
13.93
500.95

35.8
14.47
517.57

35.9
14.98
537.37

35.8
15.59
558.02

35.6
16.17
575.51

35.5
17.14
609.08

35.5
17.52
622.87

35.9
17.94
645.1

35.8
18.8
672.4

34.1
13
442.81

34.3
13.57
465.51

34.3
14.27
490

34.4
14.85
510.99

34.5
15.52
535.07

34.2
16.33
557.84

34.2
16.81
574.66

34.1
17.21
587.02

34.2
17.48
597.56

34.2
18.08
618.87

34.6
19.12
662.23

31.9
12.17
388.27

32.2
12.56
404.65

32.2
13
418.82

32.1
13.44
431.35

32.2
13.95
449.29

32.3
14.64
473.39

32.4
15.21
492.74

32.3
15.64
505.69

32.4
16.15
523.78

32.6
16.71
544.59

32.5
17.38
564.95

25.9
6.99
180.98

26
7.32
190.52

26.2
7.67
200.82

26.1
7.96
208.05

26.1
8.32
217.2

25.8
8.57
220.73

25.8
8.81
227.17

25.6
9
230.42

25.7
9.15
234.86

25.7
9.38
241.36

25.7
9.75
250.11

32.5
10.85
352.62

32.7
11.29
368.63

32.6
11.79
384.25

32.5
12.26
398.77

32.5
12.73
413.41

32.3
13.27
428.64

32
13.72
439.76

31.4
13.84
434.41

31
13.98
433.04

30.9
14.34
443.37

30.9
14.77
456.6

NOTE: Data reflect the conversion to the 2002 version of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), replacing the Standard Industrial Classification
(SIC) system. N AICS-based data by industry are not comparable with SIC-based data.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

99

Current Labor Statistics: Compensation & Industrial Relations

(PSOR\PHQW&RVW,QGH[FRPSHQVDWLRQE\RFFXSDWLRQDQGLQGXVWU\JURXS
>'HFHPEHU @

6HULHV

6HSW



'HF

0DU

-XQH



6HSW

'HF

0DU

-XQH

3HUFHQWFKDQJH
6HSW

PRQWKV
HQGHG

PRQWKV
HQGHG

6HSW


&LYLOLDQZRUNHUV ««««««««««««««««««««























0DQDJHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG«««««««««
0DQDJHPHQWEXVLQHVVDQGILQDQFLDO««««««««
3URIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG««««««««««««««
6DOHVDQGRIILFH«««««««««««««««««««
6DOHVDQGUHODWHG«««««««««««««««««
2IILFHDQGDGPLQLVWUDWLYHVXSSRUW««««««««««














































































1DWXUDOUHVRXUFHVFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPDLQWHQDQFH««««
&RQVWUXFWLRQDQGH[WUDFWLRQ««««««««««««
,QVWDOODWLRQPDLQWHQDQFHDQGUHSDLU««««««««
3URGXFWLRQWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««««
3URGXFWLRQ««««««««««««««««««««
7UDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««««««««
6HUYLFHRFFXSDWLRQV«««««««««««««««««

























































































:RUNHUVE\LQGXVWU\
*RRGVSURGXFLQJ««««««««««««««««««
0DQXIDFWXULQJ«««««««««««««««««««
6HUYLFHSURYLGLQJ««««««««««««««««««
(GXFDWLRQDQGKHDOWKVHUYLFHV«««««««««««
+HDOWKFDUHDQGVRFLDODVVLVWDQFH«««««««««
+RVSLWDOV«««««««««««««««««««
1XUVLQJDQGUHVLGHQWLDOFDUHIDFLOLWLHV««««««
(GXFDWLRQVHUYLFHV«««««««««««««««
(OHPHQWDU\DQGVHFRQGDU\VFKRROV«««««««
















































































































3XEOLFDGPLQLVWUDWLRQ «««««««««««««««























3ULYDWHLQGXVWU\ZRUNHUV«««««««««««««««























:RUNHUVE\RFFXSDWLRQDOJURXS
0DQDJHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG«««««««««
0DQDJHPHQWEXVLQHVVDQGILQDQFLDO««««««««
3URIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG««««««««««««««
6DOHVDQGRIILFH«««««««««««««««««««
6DOHVDQGUHODWHG«««««««««««««««««
2IILFHDQGDGPLQLVWUDWLYHVXSSRUW««««««««««
1DWXUDOUHVRXUFHVFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPDLQWHQDQFH««««
&RQVWUXFWLRQDQGH[WUDFWLRQ«««««««««««««
,QVWDOODWLRQPDLQWHQDQFHDQGUHSDLU«««««««««
3URGXFWLRQWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««««
3URGXFWLRQ««««««««««««««««««««
7UDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««««««««
6HUYLFHRFFXSDWLRQV«««««««««««««««««




























































































































































:RUNHUVE\LQGXVWU\DQGRFFXSDWLRQDOJURXS


*RRGVSURGXFLQJLQGXVWULHV««««««««««««««
0DQDJHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG«««««««« 
6DOHVDQGRIILFH««««««««««««««««««


1DWXUDOUHVRXUFHVFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPDLQWHQDQFH«««
3URGXFWLRQWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««






























































&RQVWUXFWLRQ«««««««««««««««««««
0DQXIDFWXULQJ«««««««««««««««««««
0DQDJHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG«««««««
6DOHVDQGRIILFH«««««««««««««««««
1DWXUDOUHVRXUFHVFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPDLQWHQDQFH««
3URGXFWLRQWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ««














































































6HUYLFHSURYLGLQJLQGXVWULHV«««««««««««««
0DQDJHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG««««««««
6DOHVDQGRIILFH««««««««««««««««««
1DWXUDOUHVRXUFHVFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPDLQWHQDQFH«««
3URGXFWLRQWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««
6HUYLFHRFFXSDWLRQV««««««««««««««««














































































7UDGHWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGXWLOLWLHV««««««««««























:RUNHUVE\RFFXSDWLRQDOJURXS



6HHIRRWQRWHVDWHQGRIWDEOH

100

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

&RQWLQXHG²(PSOR\PHQW&RVW,QGH[FRPSHQVDWLRQE\RFFXSDWLRQDQGLQGXVWU\JURXS
[December 2005 = 100]

6HULHV

6HSW



'HF

0DU

-XQH



6HSW

'HF

0DU

-XQH

3HUFHQWFKDQJH
6HSW

PRQWKV
HQGHG

PRQWKV
HQGHG

6HSW
:KROHVDOHWUDGH«««««««««««««««««
5HWDLOWUDGH«««««««««««««««««««
Transportation and warehousing«««««««««
8WLOLWLHV«««««««««««««««««««««
,QIRUPDWLRQ«««««««««««««««««««
)LQDQFLDODFWLYLWLHV««««««««««««««««
)LQDQFHDQGLQVXUDQFH«««««««««««««
Real estate and rental and leasing««««««««
3URIHVVLRQDODQGEXVLQHVVVHUYLFHV«««««««««
(GXFDWLRQDQGKHDOWKVHUYLFHV«««««««««««
(GXFDWLRQVHUYLFHV«««««««««««««««
+HDOWKFDUHDQGVRFLDODVVLVWDQFH««««««««
+RVSLWDOV««««««««««««««««««
Leisure and hospitality««««««««««««««
$FFRPPRGDWLRQDQGIRRGVHUYLFHV««««««««
2WKHUVHUYLFHVH[FHSWSXEOLFDGPLQLVWUDWLRQ«««««

99.2
99.5

99.5

99.2


99.6
99.3
99.6

99.2
99.6
99.5
99.9

100.0
100.0

100.0

100.0


100.0
100.0
100.0

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

100.3
100.6

107.8

101.2


101.1
101.0
100.7

101.3
100.6
100.5
101.4

100.8
101.2

109.3

101.8


102.2
101.8
101.5

102.0
101.3
101.4
102.7

102.4
101.9

110.1

102.1


102.9
103.2
103.2

103.2
102.4
102.5
103.6

102.9
102.7

110.4

102.5


103.5
104.1
104.2

103.9
103.7
104.0
104.0

103.7
102.9

102.8

104.2


104.7
105.1
104.5

105.0
105.3
105.8
105.7

104.6
103.9

104.7

104.6


105.9
105.7
104.9

105.6
106.0
106.4
106.1

104.2
105.1

105.0

105.4


106.9
106.9
106.7

106.5
107.5
108.1
107.1

-0.4
1.2

.3

.8


.9
1.1
1.7

.9
1.4
1.6
.9

1.8
3.1

-4.6

3.2


3.9
3.6
3.4

3.2
5.0
5.5
3.4

6WDWHDQGORFDOJRYHUQPHQWZRUNHUV««««««««««

99.1

100.0

100.5

100.9

103.2

104.1

105.1

105.7

107.6

1.8

4.3

Workers by occupational group
ManagHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG«««««««««
3URIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG««««««««««««««
6DOHVDQGRIILFH«««««««««««««««««««
2IILFHDQGDGPLQLVWUDWLYHVXSSRUW««««««««««
6HUYLFHRFFXSDWLRQV«««««««««««««««««

99.0
98.9
99.3
99.2
99.1

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

100.3
100.2
100.9
101.0
100.6

100.8
100.8
101.5
101.6
101.2

103.3
103.4
103.3
103.5
103.1

104.0
104.0
104.1
104.2
104.5

104.9
104.8
105.6
105.7
105.4

105.4
105.3
106.2
106.4
106.3

107.5
107.5
107.9
108.2
108.0

2.0
2.1
1.6
1.7
1.6

4.1
4.0
4.5
4.5
4.8

Workers by industry
(GXFDWLRQDQGKHDOWKVHUYLFHV««««««««««««
(GXFDWLRQVHUYLFHV«««««««««««««««
6FKRROV«««««««««««««««««««
Elementary and secondaryVFKRROV««««««
+HDOWKFDUHDQGVRFLDODVVLVWDQFH«««««««««
+RVSLWDOV«««««««««««««««««««

99.0

98.9
98.8
99.5
99.5

100.0

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

100.3

100.2
100.2
101.3
100.9

100.8

100.5
100.5
102.9
101.3

103.7

103.5
103.6
105.1
103.3

104.3

104.1
104.2
105.7
104.3

104.8

104.6
104.7
107.1
105.6

105.3

104.9
105.0
107.6
106.3

107.5

107.4
107.4
108.6
107.5

2.1

2.4
2.3
.9
1.1

3.7

3.8
3.7
3.3
4.1

99.0

100.0

100.6

101.2

102.4

103.8

105.6

106.6

108.0

1.3

5.5

3

Public administration «««««««««««««««
1

Cost (cents per hour worked) measured in the Employment Cost Index consists of
wages, salaries, and employer cost of employee benefits.
2
Consists of private industry workers (excluding farm and household workers) and
State and local government (excluding Federal Government) workers.
3
Consists of legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory activities.

NOTE: The Employment Cost Index data reflect the conversion to the 2002 North
American Classification System (NAICS) and the 2000 Standard Occupational
Classification (SOC) system. The NAICS and SOC data shown prior to 2006 are for
informational purposes only. Series based on NAICS and SOC became the official BLS
estimates starting in March 2006.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

101

Current Labor Statistics: Compensation & Industrial Relations

(PSOR\PHQW&RVW,QGH[ZDJHVDQGVDODULHVE\RFFXSDWLRQDQGLQGXVWU\JURXS
>'HFHPEHU @

6HULHV

6HSW



'HF

0DU

-XQH



6HSW

'HF

0DU

-XQH

3HUFHQWFKDQJH
6HSW

PRQWKV
HQGHG

PRQWKV
HQGHG

6HSW


&LYLOLDQZRUNHUV ««««««««««««««««««««























0DQDJHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG«««««««««
0DQDJHPHQWEXVLQHVVDQGILQDQFLDO««««««««
3URIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG««««««««««««««
6DOHVDQGRIILFH«««««««««««««««««««
6DOHVDQGUHODWHG«««««««««««««««««
2IILFHDQGDGPLQLVWUDWLYHVXSSRUW««««««««««














































































1DWXUDOUHVRXUFHVFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPDLQWHQDQFH««««
&RQVWUXFWLRQDQGH[WUDFWLRQ««««««««««««
,QVWDOODWLRQPDLQWHQDQFHDQGUHSDLU««««««««
3URGXFWLRQWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««««
3URGXFWLRQ««««««««««««««««««««
7UDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««««««««
6HUYLFHRFFXSDWLRQV«««««««««««««««««

























































































:RUNHUVE\LQGXVWU\
*RRGVSURGXFLQJ««««««««««««««««««
0DQXIDFWXULQJ«««««««««««««««««««
6HUYLFHSURYLGLQJ««««««««««««««««««
(GXFDWLRQDQGKHDOWKVHUYLFHV«««««««««««
+HDOWKFDUHDQGVRFLDODVVLVWDQFH«««««««««
+RVSLWDOV«««««««««««««««««««
1XUVLQJDQGUHVLGHQWLDOFDUHIDFLOLWLHV««««««
(GXFDWLRQVHUYLFHV«««««««««««««««
(OHPHQWDU\DQGVHFRQGDU\VFKRROV«««««««
















































































































3XEOLFDGPLQLVWUDWLRQ «««««««««««««««























3ULYDWHLQGXVWU\ZRUNHUV«««««««««««««««























:RUNHUVE\RFFXSDWLRQDOJURXS
0DQDJHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG«««««««««
0DQDJHPHQWEXVLQHVVDQGILQDQFLDO««««««««
3URIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG««««««««««««««
6DOHVDQGRIILFH«««««««««««««««««««
6DOHVDQGUHODWHG«««««««««««««««««
2IILFHDQGDGPLQLVWUDWLYHVXSSRUW««««««««««
1DWXUDOUHVRXUFHVFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPDLQWHQDQFH««««
&RQVWUXFWLRQDQGH[WUDFWLRQ«««««««««««««
,QVWDOODWLRQPDLQWHQDQFHDQGUHSDLU«««««««««
3URGXFWLRQWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««««
3URGXFWLRQ««««««««««««««««««««
7UDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««««««««
6HUYLFHRFFXSDWLRQV«««««««««««««««««




























































































































































:RUNHUVE\LQGXVWU\DQGRFFXSDWLRQDOJURXS
*RRGVSURGXFLQJLQGXVWULHV««««««««««««««
0DQDJHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG««««««««
6DOHVDQGRIILFH««««««««««««««««««
1DWXUDOUHVRXUFHVFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPDLQWHQDQFH«««
3URGXFWLRQWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««




































































&RQVWUXFWLRQ«««««««««««««««««««

0DQXIDFWXULQJ««««««««««««««««««« 

0DQDJHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG«««««««
6DOHVDQGRIILFH««««««««««««««««« 

1DWXUDOUHVRXUFHVFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPDLQWHQDQFH««
3URGXFWLRQWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ««








































































6HUYLFHSURYLGLQJLQGXVWULHV«««««««««««««
0DQDJHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG««««««««
6DOHVDQGRIILFH««««««««««««««««««
1DWXUDOUHVRXUFHVFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPDLQWHQDQFH«««
3URGXFWLRQWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGPDWHULDOPRYLQJ«««
6HUYLFHRFFXSDWLRQV««««««««««««««««














































































7UDGHWUDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGXWLOLWLHV««««««««««























:RUNHUVE\RFFXSDWLRQDOJURXS



102

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

&RQWLQXHG²(PSOR\PHQW&RVW,QGH[ZDJHVDQGVDODULHVE\RFFXSDWLRQDQGLQGXVWU\JURXS
[December 2005 = 100]

6HULHV

6HSW



'HF

0DU

-XQH



6HSW

'HF

0DU

-XQH

3HUFHQWFKDQJH
6HSW

PRQWKV
HQGHG

PRQWKV
HQGHG

6HSW
:KROHVDOHWUDGH«««««««««««««««««
5HWDLOWUDGH«««««««««««««««««««
Transportation and warehousing«««««««««
8WLOLWLHV«««««««««««««««««««««
,QIRUPDWLRQ«««««««««««««««««««
)LQDQFLDODFWLYLWLHV««««««««««««««««
)LQDQFHDQGLQVXUDQFH«««««««««««««
Real estate and rental and leasing««««««««
3URIHVVLRQDODQGEXVLQHVVVHUYLFHV«««««««««
(GXFDWLRQDQGKHDOWKVHUYLFHV«««««««««««
(GXFDWLRQVHUYLFHV«««««««««««««««
+HDOWKFDUHDQGVRFLDODVVLVWDQFH««««««««
+RVSLWDOV««««««««««««««««««
Leisure and hospitality««««««««««««««
$FFRPPRGDWLRQDQGIRRGVHUYLFHV««««««««
2WKHUVHUYLFHVH[FHSWSXEOLFDGPLQLVWUDWLRQ«««««

99.0
99.6

99.5

99.4


99.7
99.3
99.7

99.1
99.5
99.3
99.8

100.0
100.0

100.0

100.0


100.0
100.0
100.0

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

100.2
100.5

100.8

101.3


101.0
100.7
100.7

100.9
100.6
100.5
101.3

100.7
100.9

102.1

102.3


102.3
101.6
101.4

101.8
101.3
101.3
102.6

102.7
101.9

103.0

102.5


103.0
103.0
103.1

102.9
102.3
102.2
103.4

103.0
102.8

103.5

102.8


103.5
104.0
104.1

103.7
103.7
103.8
103.8

103.8
103.1

104.3

104.7


104.8
104.8
104.2

104.6
105.7
106.0
105.7

104.8
104.2

105.5

104.9


105.9
105.6
104.6

105.4
106.4
106.5
106.1

104.0
105.1

106.1

106.0


106.7
106.9
106.4

106.5
108.1
108.4
107.3

-0.8
.9

.6

1.0


.8
1.2
1.7

1.0
1.6
1.8
1.1

1.3
3.1

3.0

3.4


3.6
3.8
3.2

3.5
5.7
6.1
3.8

6WDWHDQGORFDOJRYHUQPHQWZRUNHUV««««««««««

99.1

100.0

100.3

100.8

102.8

103.5

104.1

104.6

106.4

1.7

3.5

Workers by occupational group
ManagHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG«««««««««
3URIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG««««««««««««««
6DOHVDQGRIILFH«««««««««««««««««««
2IILFHDQGDGPLQLVWUDWLYHVXSSRUW««««««««««
6HUYLFHRFFXSDWLRQV«««««««««««««««««

99.0
98.9
99.4
99.3
99.3

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

100.2
100.2
100.6
100.7
100.3

100.7
100.7
101.2
101.4
100.8

102.9
103.0
102.6
102.7
102.4

103.5
103.6
103.2
103.4
103.9

104.0
103.9
104.5
104.7
104.5

104.3
104.2
104.8
105.0
105.2

106.3
106.3
106.3
106.5
106.5

1.9
2.0
1.4
1.4
1.2

3.3
3.2
3.6
3.7
4.0

Workers by industry
(GXFDWLRQDQGKHDOWKVHUYLFHV««««««««««««
(GXFDWLRQVHUYLFHV«««««««««««««««
6FKRROV«««««««««««««««««««
Elementary and secondaryVFKRROV««««««
+HDOWKFDUHDQGVRFLDODVVLVWDQFH«««««««««
+RVSLWDOV«««««««««««««««««««

99.0

98.9
98.9
99.4
99.4

100.0

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

100.2

100.1
100.0
101.0
100.9

100.7

100.4
100.3
103.0
101.4

103.1

103.0
103.0
104.8
103.1

103.6

103.4
103.4
105.5
104.4

104.0

103.6
103.6
106.6
105.7

104.2

103.9
103.8
107.2
106.5

106.3

106.1
106.0
108.2
107.6

2.0

2.1
2.1
.9
1.0

3.1

3.0
2.9
3.2
4.4

99.3

100.0

100.5

101.1

102.0

103.5

104.5

105.2

106.4

1.1

4.3

2

Public administration «««««««««««««««
1

Consists of private industry workers (excluding farm and household workers) and
State and local government (excluding Federal Government) workers.
2
Consists of legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory activities.
NOTE: The Employment Cost Index data reflect the conversion to the 2002 North

American Classification System (NAICS) and the 2000 Standard Occupational
Classification (SOC) system. The NAICS and SOC data shown prior to 2006 are for
informational purposes only. Series based on NAICS and SOC became the official
BLS estimates starting in March 2006.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

103

Current Labor Statistics: Compensation & Industrial Relations

(PSOR\PHQW&RVW,QGH[EHQHILWVE\RFFXSDWLRQDQGLQGXVWU\JURXS
[December 2005 = 100]

6HULHV

6HSW



'HF

0DU

-XQH



6HSW

'HF

0DU

-XQH

3HUFHQWFKDQJH
6HSW

PRQWKV
HQGHG

PRQWKV
HQGHG

6HSW
&LYLOLDQZRUNHUV«««««««««««««««««««

99.5

100.0

100.9

101.6

102.8

103.6

104.0

105.1

106.1

1.0

3.2

3ULYDWHLQGXVWU\ZRUNHUV««««««««««««««««

99.7

100.0

101.0

101.7

102.5

103.1

103.2

104.3

105.0

.7

2.4

Workers by occupational group
ManagHPHQWSURIHVVLRQDODQGUHODWHG««««««««« 99.8
99.3
6DOHVDQGRIILFH«««««««««««««««««««
99.8
1DWXUDOUHVRXUFHVFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPDLQWHQDQFH««««
Production, transportation, and material moving««««« 100.0

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

101.3
100.8
101.1
100.1

101.8
101.6
102.7
101.0

102.8
102.0
103.5
101.6

103.4
102.9
104.0
102.0

103.8
103.4
103.4
101.2

104.9
104.3
104.8
102.4

105.6
105.2
105.3
102.7

.7
.9
.5
.3

2.7
3.1
1.7
1.1

6HUYLFHRFFXSDWLRQV«««««««««««««««««

99.5

100.0

101.5

102.2

103.0

103.6

104.2

105.1

106.0

.9

2.9

Goods-producing««««««««««««««««««

Manufacturing««««««««««««««««««« 100.0
99.4
Service-providing««««««««««««««««««


100.0
100.0


99.0
101.5


99.7
102.3


100.5
103.0


100.8
103.7


99.6
104.1


101.0
105.2


100.7
106.0


-.3
.8


.2
2.9

100.0

100.7

101.3

104.1

105.2

107.0

108.0

110.3

2.1

6.0

Workers by industry

6WDWHDQGORFDOJRYHUQPHQWZRUNHUV««««««««««

99.0

NOTE: The Employment Cost Index data reflect the conversion to
the 2002 North American Classification System (NAICS) and the 2000
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. The NAICS and
SOC data shown prior

104

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

to 2006 are for informational purposes only. Series based on NAICS and SOC became the official
BLS estimates starting in March 2006.

33. Employment Cost Index, private industry workers by bargaining status and region
[December 2005 = 100]
2005
Series

Sept.

2006

Dec.

Mar.

June

2007

Sept.

Dec.

Mar.

June

Percent change
Sept.

3 months
ended

12 months
ended

Sept. 2007
COMPENSATION
Workers by bargaining status1
8QLRQ«««««««««««««««««««««««««
Goods-producing«««««««««««««««««««
Manufacturing«««««««««««««««««««
Service-providing«««««««««««««««««««

99.6
99.6

99.6

100.0
100.0

100.0

100.5
99.9

101.0

101.8
101.2

102.2

102.4
101.8

102.9

103.0
102.2

103.6

102.7
101.5

103.7

103.9
102.8

104.7

104.4
103.1

105.4

0.5
.3

.7

2.0
1.3

2.4

1RQXQLRQ«««««««««««««««««««««««
Goods-producing«««««««««««««««««««
Manufacturing«««««««««««««««««««
Service-providing«««««««««««««««««««

99.5
99.9

99.4

100.0
100.0

100.0

100.9
100.5

101.0

101.7
101.4

101.8

102.6
102.0

102.7

103.2
102.5

103.4

104.2
103.3

104.4

105.1
104.2

105.3

105.9
104.8

106.2

.8
.6

.9

3.2
2.7

3.4

Workers by region1
1RUWKHDVW«««««««««««««««««««««««
6RXWK«««««««««««««««««««««««««
0LGZHVW««««««««««««««««««««««««
:HVW«««««««««««««««««««««««««

99.2
99.7
99.5
99.7

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

100.9
101.0
100.7
100.6

101.8
101.6
101.7
101.8

102.5
102.8
102.3
102.5

103.3
103.5
102.8
103.0

104.0
104.3
103.3
104.2

105.1
105.3
104.2
104.9

106.2
106.1
104.6
105.7

1.0
.8
.4
.8

3.6
3.2
2.2
3.1

Workers by bargaining status1
8QLRQ«««««««««««««««««««««««««
Goods-producing«««««««««««««««««««
Manufacturing«««««««««««««««««««
Service-providing«««««««««««««««««««

99.5
99.2

99.7

100.0
100.0

100.0

100.3
100.5

100.1

101.2
101.6

100.9

101.7
101.9

101.6

102.3
102.3

102.2

102.8
102.7

102.9

103.7
103.6

103.8

104.4
104.3

104.6

.7
.7

.8

2.7
2.4

3.0

1RQXQLRQ«««««««««««««««««««««««
Goods-producing«««««««««««««««««««
Manufacturing«««««««««««««««««««
Service-providing«««««««««««««««««««

99.5
99.6

99.5

100.0
100.0

100.0

100.8
100.7

100.8

101.8
101.9

101.7

102.7
102.4

102.7

103.3
103.0

103.4

104.5
104.2

104.6

105.3
105.0

105.4

106.2
105.8

106.3

.9
.8

.9

3.4
3.3

3.5

Workers by region1
1RUWKHDVW«««««««««««««««««««««««
6RXWK«««««««««««««««««««««««««
0LGZHVW««««««««««««««««««««««««
:HVW«««««««««««««««««««««««««

99.2
99.7
99.4
99.6

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

100.8
101.0
100.4
100.7

101.7
101.6
101.4
102.1

102.5
102.9
102.0
102.7

103.1
103.6
102.6
103.2

104.0
104.6
103.6
104.8

105.0
105.6
104.4
105.4

106.1
106.5
105.0
106.2

1.0
.9
.6
.8

3.5
3.5
2.9
3.4

WAGES AND SALARIES

1
The indexes are calculated differently from those for the
occupation and industry groups. For a detailed description of
the index calculation, see the Monthly Labor Review Technical
Note, "Estimation procedures for the Employment Cost Index,"
May 1982.

NOTE: The Employment Cost Index data reflect the conversion to the 2002 North American
Classification System (NAICS) and the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. The
NAICS and SOC data shown prior to 2006 are for informational purposes only. Series based on NAICS
and SOC became the official BLS estimates starting in March 2006.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

105

Current Labor Statistics: Compensation & Industrial Relations

1DWLRQDO&RPSHQVDWLRQ6XUYH\5HWLUHPHQWEHQHILWVLQSULYDWHLQGXVWU\E\
DFFHVVSDUWLFLSDWLRQDQGVHOHFWHGVHULHV±
Year

Series
2003

2004

2005

2007

2006

1

All retirement
Percentage of workers with access
All workers………………………………………………………
2
White-collar occupations ……………………………………

Management, professional, and related ……………….

57

59

60

60

67

69

70

69

61
-

-

-

-

-

76
64

Sales and office ……………………………………………

-

-

-

-

Blue-collar occupations 2………………………………………

59

59

60

62

-

-

-

-

-

61

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance...…
Production, transportation, and material moving…...…
Service occupations……………………………………………

-

-

-

-

65

28

31

32

34

36

Full-time…………………………………………………………

67

68

69

69

70

Part-time………………………………………………………

24

27

27

29

31

Union……………………………………………………………

86

84

88

84

84

Non-union………………………………………………………

54

56

56

57

58

Average wage less than $15 per hour……...………………

45

46

46

47

47

Average wage $15 per hour or higher……...………………

76

77

78

77

76

Goods-producing industries…………………………………

70

70

71

73

70

Service-providing industries…………………………………

53

55

56

56

58

Establishments with 1-99 workers……………………………

42

44

44

44

45

Establishments with 100 or more workers…………………

75

77

78

78

78

49

50

50

51

51

59

61

61

60

-

-

-

-

-

69
54

Percentage of workers participating
All workers………………………………………………………
2
White-collar occupations ……………………………………

Management, professional, and related ……………….
Sales and office ……………………………………………

-

-

-

-

Blue-collar occupations 2………………………………………

50

50

51

52

-

-

-

-

-

51

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance…...
Production, transportation, and material moving…...…
Service occupations……………………………………………

-

-

-

-

54

21

22

22

24

25

Full-time…………………………………………………………

58

60

60

60

60

Part-time………………………………………………………

18

20

19

21

23

Union……………………………………………………………

83

81

85

80

81

Non-union………………………………………………………

45

47

46

47

47

Average wage less than $15 per hour……...………………

35

36

35

36

36

Average wage $15 per hour or higher……...………………

70

71

71

70

69

Goods-producing industries…………………………………

63

63

64

64

61

Service-providing industries…………………………………

45

47

47

47

48

Establishments with 1-99 workers……………………………

35

37

37

37

37

Establishments with 100 or more workers…………………

65

67

67

67

66

-

-

85

85

84

20

21

22

21

21

23

24

25

23

-

-

-

-

-

29
19

3

Take-up rate (all workers) ……………………………………
Defined Benefit
Percentage of workers with access
All workers………………………………………………………
2

White-collar occupations ……………………………………
Management, professional, and related ……………….
Sales and office ……………………………………………
2

Blue-collar occupations ………………………………………
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance...…

-

-

-

26

26

25

-

-

-

-

-

26
26

Production, transportation, and material moving…...…

-

-

-

-

Service occupations……………………………………………

8

6

7

8

8

Full-time…………………………………………………………

24

25

25

24

24

Part-time………………………………………………………

8

9

10

9

10

Union……………………………………………………………

74

70

73

70

69

Non-union………………………………………………………

15

16

16

15

15

Average wage less than $15 per hour……...………………

12

11

12

11

11

Average wage $15 per hour or higher……...………………

34

35

35

34

33

Goods-producing industries…………………………………

31

32

33

32

29

Service-providing industries…………………………………

17

18

19

18

19

9

9

10

9

9

34

35

37

35

34

Establishments with 1-99 workers……………………………
Establishments with 100 or more workers…………………
See footnotes at end of table.

106

24

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

&RQWLQXHG²1DWLRQDO&RPSHQVDWLRQ6XUYH\5HWLUHPHQWEHQHILWVLQSULYDWHLQGXVWU\
E\DFFHVVSDUWLFLSDWLRQDQGVHOHFWHGVHULHV±
Year

Series
2003

2004

2005

2007 1

2006

Percentage of workers participating
All workers………………………………………………………
White-collar occupations 2 ……………………………………
Management, professional, and related ……………….
Sales and office ……………………………………………
2
Blue-collar occupations ……………………………………
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance...…
Production, transportation, and material moving…...…
Service occupations…………………………………………
Full-time………………………………………………………
Part-time………………………………………………………
Union……………………………………………………………
Non-union………………………………………………………
Average wage less than $15 per hour……...………………

20
22
24
7
24
8
72
15
11

21
24
25
6
24
9
69
15
11

21
24
26
7
25
9
72
15
11

20
22
25
7
23
8
68
14
10

20
28
17
25
25
7
23
9
67
15
10

Average wage $15 per hour or higher……...………………

33

35

34

33

32

Goods-producing industries…………………………………

31

31

32

31

28

Service-providing industries…………………………………

16

18

18

17

18

Establishments with 1-99 workers…………………………

8

9

9

9

9

Establishments with 100 or more workers…………………

33

34

36

33

32

-

-

97

96

95

51

53

53

54

55

62

64

64

65

-

-

-

-

-

71
60

3

Take-up rate (all workers) ……………………………………
Defined Contribution
Percentage of workers with access
All workers………………………………………………………
2

White-collar occupations ……………………………………
Management, professional, and related ……………….
Sales and office ……………………………………………

-

-

-

-

Blue-collar occupations ……………………………………

49

49

50

53

-

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance...…

-

-

-

-

51

2

Production, transportation, and material moving…...…

-

-

-

-

56

Service occupations…………………………………………

23

27

28

30

32

Full-time………………………………………………………

60

62

62

63

64

Part-time………………………………………………………

21

23

23

25

27

Union……………………………………………………………

45

48

49

50

49

Non-union………………………………………………………

51

53

54

55

56

Average wage less than $15 per hour……...………………

40

41

41

43

44

Average wage $15 per hour or higher……...………………

67

68

69

69

69

Goods-producing industries…………………………………

60

60

61

63

62

Service-providing industries…………………………………

48

50

51

52

53

Establishments with 1-99 workers…………………………

38

40

40

41

42

Establishments with 100 or more workers…………………

65

68

69

70

70

40

42

42

43

43

51

53

53

53

-

-

-

-

-

60
47

Percentage of workers participating
All workers………………………………………………………
2
White-collar occupations ……………………………………

Management, professional, and related ……………….

-

-

-

-

Blue-collar occupations ……………………………………

38

38

38

40

-

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance...…

-

-

-

-

40

Sales and office ……………………………………………
2

Production, transportation, and material moving…...…

-

-

-

-

41

Service occupations…………………………………………

16

18

18

20

20

Full-time………………………………………………………

48

50

50

51

50

Part-time………………………………………………………

14

14

14

16

18

Union……………………………………………………………

39

42

43

44

41

Non-union………………………………………………………

40

42

41

43

43

Average wage less than $15 per hour……...………………

29

30

29

31

30

Average wage $15 per hour or higher……...………………

57

59

59

58

57

Goods-producing industries…………………………………

49

49

50

51

49

Service-providing industries…………………………………

37

40

39

40

41

Establishments with 1-99 workers…………………………

31

32

32

33

33

Establishments with 100 or more workers…………………

51

53

53

54

53

-

-

78

79

77

Take-up rate (all workers) 3……………………………………
See footnotes at end of table.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

107

Current Labor Statistics: Compensation & Industrial Relations

&RQWLQXHG²1DWLRQDO&RPSHQVDWLRQ6XUYH\5HWLUHPHQWEHQHILWVLQSULYDWHLQGXVWU\
E\DFFHVVSDUWLFLSDWLRQDQGVHOHFWHGVHULHV±
Year

Series
2003

2004

2005

2007 1

2006

Employee Contribution Requirement
Employee contribution required…………………………
Employee contribution not required………………………
Not determinable……………………………………………

-

-

61
31
8

61
33
6

65
35
0

Percent of establishments
Offering retirement plans……………………………………
Offering defined benefit plans………………………………
Offering defined contribution plans……………………….

47
10
45

48
10
46

51
11
48

48
10
47

46
10
44

1

The 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) replaced the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)
System. Estimates for goods-producing and service-providing (formerly service-producing) industries are considered comparable.
Also introduced was the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) to replace the 1990 Census of Population system.
Only service occupations are considered comparable.

2

The white-collar and blue-collar occupation series were discontinued effective 2007.

3

The take-up rate is an estimate of the percentage of workers with access to a plan who participate in the plan.

Note: Where applicable, dashes indicate no employees in this category or data do not meet publication criteria.

108

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

1DWLRQDO&RPSHQVDWLRQ6XUYH\+HDOWKLQVXUDQFHEHQHILWVLQSULYDWHLQGXVWU\
E\DFFHVVSDUWLFSDWLRQDQGVHOHFWHGVHULHV
Year

Series
2003

2004

2005

2007

2006

1

Medical insurance
Percentage of workers with access
All workers…………………………………………………………………………

60

69

70

71

White-collar occupations 2 ………………………………………………………

65

76

77

77

-

-

-

-

-

85
71

Management, professional, and related …………………………………
Sales and office………………………………………………………………
2

Blue-collar occupations ………………………………………………………
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance………………………

71

-

-

-

-

64

76

77

77

-

-

-

-

-

76

Production, transportation, and material moving…………………………

-

-

-

-

78

Service occupations……………………………………………………………

38

42

44

45

46

Full-time…………………………………………………………………………

73

84

85

85

85

Part-time…………………………………………………………………………

17

20

22

22

24

Union………………………………………………………………………………

67

89

92

89

88

Non-union…………………………………………………………………………

59

67

68

68

69

Average wage less than $15 per hour…………………………………………

51

57

58

57

57

Average wage $15 per hour or higher…………………………………………

74

86

87

88

87

Goods-producing industries……………………………………………………

68

83

85

86

85

Service-providing industries……………………………………………………

57

65

66

66

67

Establishments with 1-99 workers………………………………………………

49

58

59

59

59

Establishments with 100 or more workers……………………………………

72

82

84

84

84

All workers…………………………………………………………………………

45

53

53

52

52

White-collar occupations 2 ………………………………………………………

50

59

58

57

-

-

-

-

-

67
48

Percentage of workers participating

Management, professional, and related …………………………………
Sales and office………………………………………………………………
2

Blue-collar occupations ………………………………………………………
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance………………………

-

-

-

-

51

60

61

60

-

-

-

-

-

61

Production, transportation, and material moving…………………………

-

-

-

-

60

Service occupations……………………………………………………………

22

24

27

27

28

Full-time…………………………………………………………………………

56

66

66

64

64

Part-time…………………………………………………………………………

9

11

12

13

12

Union………………………………………………………………………………

60

81

83

80

78

Non-union…………………………………………………………………………

44

50

49

49

49

Average wage less than $15 per hour…………………………………………

35

40

39

38

37

Average wage $15 per hour or higher…………………………………………

61

71

72

71

70

Goods-producing industries……………………………………………………

57

69

70

70

68

Service-providing industries……………………………………………………

42

48

48

47

47

Establishments with 1-99 workers………………………………………………

36

43

43

43

42

Establishments with 100 or more workers……………………………………

55

64

65

63

62

-

-

75

74

73

40

46

46

46

46

47

53

54

53

-

-

-

-

-

62
47

3

Take-up rate (all workers) ………………………………………………………
Dental
Percentage of workers with access
All workers…………………………………………………………………………
2

White-collar occupations ………………………………………………………
Management, professional, and related …………………………………
Sales and office………………………………………………………………
2
Blue-collar occupations ………………………………………………………

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance………………………

-

-

-

-

40

47

47

46

-

-

-

-

-

43

Production, transportation, and material moving…………………………

-

-

-

-

49

Service occupations……………………………………………………………

22

25

25

27

28

Full-time…………………………………………………………………………

49

56

56

55

56

Part-time…………………………………………………………………………

9

13

14

15

16

Union………………………………………………………………………………

57

73

73

69

68

Non-union…………………………………………………………………………

38

43

43

43

44

Average wage less than $15 per hour…………………………………………

30

34

34

34

34

Average wage $15 per hour or higher…………………………………………

55

63

62

62

61

Goods-producing industries……………………………………………………

48

56

56

56

54

Service-providing industries……………………………………………………

37

43

43

43

44

Establishments with 1-99 workers………………………………………………

27

31

31

31

30

Establishments with 100 or more workers……………………………………

55

64

65

64

64

See footnotes at end of table.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

109

Current Labor Statistics: Compensation & Industrial Relations

35. Continued—National Compensation Survey: Health insurance benefits in
private industry by access, particpation, and selected series, 2003-2007
Year

Series
2003

2004

2005

2007

2006

1

Percentage of workers participating
32

37

36

36

White-collar occupations ………………………………………………………

37

43

42

41

-

Management, professional, and related ……………………………………

-

-

-

-

51
33

All workers……………………………………………………………………………
2

Sales and office…………………………………………………………………
2

Blue-collar occupations …………………………………………………………
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance…………………………

36

-

-

-

-

33

40

39

38

-

-

-

-

-

36

Production, transportation, and material moving……………………………

-

-

-

-

38

Service occupations………………………………………………………………

15

16

17

18

20

Full-time……………………………………………………………………………

40

46

45

44

44

Part-time……………………………………………………………………………

6

8

9

10

9

Union………………………………………………………………………………

51

68

67

63

62

Non-union…………………………………………………………………………

30

33

33

33

33

Average wage less than $15 per hour…………………………………………

22

26

24

23

23

Average wage $15 per hour or higher…………………………………………

47

53

52

52

51

Goods-producing industries………………………………………………………

42

49

49

49

45

Service-providing industries………………………………………………………

29

33

33

32

33

Establishments with 1-99 workers………………………………………………

21

24

24

24

24

Establishments with 100 or more workers………………………………………

44

52

51

50

49

-

-

78

78

77

Percentage of workers with access………………………………………………

25

29

29

29

29

Percentage of workers participating………………………………………………

19

22

22

22

22

Percentage of workers with access………………………………………………

-

-

64

67

68

Percentage of workers participating………………………………………………

-

-

48

49

49

Percent of estalishments offering healthcare benefits …………………......…

58

61

63

62

60

3

Take-up rate (all workers) …………………………………………………………
Vision care

Outpatient Prescription drug coverage

Percentage of medical premium paid by
Employer and Employee
Single coverage
Employer share……………………………………………………………………

82

82

82

82

81

Employee share…………………………………………………………………

18

18

18

18

19

Family coverage
Employer share……………………………………………………………………

70

69

71

70

71

Employee share…………………………………………………………………

30

31

29

30

29

1

The 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) replaced the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)
System. Estimates for goods-producing and service-providing (formerly service-producing) industries are considered comparable.
Also introduced was the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) to replace the 1990 Census of Population system.
Only service occupations are considered comparable.

2

The white-collar and blue-collar occupation series were discontinued effective 2007.

3

The take-up rate is an estimate of the percentage of workers with access to a plan who participate in the plan.

Note: Where applicable, dashes indicate no employees in this category or data do not meet publication criteria.

110

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

1DWLRQDO&RPSHQVDWLRQ6XUYH\3HUFHQWRIZRUNHUVLQSULYDWHLQGXVWU\
ZLWKDFFHVVWRVHOHFWHGEHQHILWV
Year

Benefit
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Life insurance……………………………………………………

50

51

52

52

58

Short-term disabilty insurance…………………………………

39

39

40

39

39

Long-term disability insurance…………………………………

30

30

30

30

31

Long-term care insurance………………………………………

11

11

11

12

12

Flexible work place………………………………………………

4

4

4

4

5

Section 125 cafeteria benefits
Flexible benefits………………………………………………

-

-

17

17

17

Dependent care reimbursement account…………..………

-

-

29

30

31

Healthcare reimbursement account……………………...…

-

-

31

32

33

Health Savings Account………………………………...………

-

-

5

6

8

Employee assistance program……………………….…………

-

-

40

40

42

Paid leave
Holidays…………………………………………...……………

79

77

77

76

77

Vacations……………………………………………..………

79

77

77

77

77

Sick leave………………………………………..……………

-

59

58

57

57

Personal leave…………………………………………..……

-

-

36

37

38

Paid family leave…………………………………………….…

-

-

7

8

8

Unpaid family leave………………………………………..…

-

-

81

82

83

Employer assistance for child care…………………….………

18

14

14

15

15

Nonproduction bonuses………………………...………………

49

47

47

46

47

Family leave

Note: Where applicable, dashes indicate no employees in this category or data do not
meet publication criteria.

:RUNVWRSSDJHVLQYROYLQJZRUNHUVRUPRUH
Annual average
Measure
2005
Number of stoppages:
Beginning in period.............................
In effect during period…......................

2006

2006
Nov.

2007

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Nov.p

Oct.







1
5

0
3

0
2

1
2

2
3

3
4

0
0

2
2

1
1

1
1

5
6

3
3

1
2

Workers involved:
Beginning in period (in thousands)…..

In effect during period (in thousands)… 




1.9
20.6

.0
16.3

.0
3.7

2.8
4.6

7.8
9.6

5.5
12.0

.0
.0

4.0
4.0

1.1
1.1

1.0
1.0

108.3
108.3

41.7
41.7

10.5
14.2

Days idle:
Number (in thousands)….................... 



349.2

326.0

58.8

73.4

142.8

101.1

.0

19.6

6.6

9.0

261.5

73.9

284.0

.01

.01

.01

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

.01

0

.01

1

Percent of estimated working time ……
1

.01

Agricultural and government employees are included in the total employed
and total working time; private household, forestry, and fishery employees are
excluded. An explanation of the measurement of idleness as a percentage of
the total time

worked is found in "Total economy measures of strike idleness," Monthly Labor Review ,
October 1968, pp. 54–56.
NOTE:

p = preliminary.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

111

Current Labor Statistics: Price Data

38. Consumer Price Indexes for All Urban Consumers and for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers:
U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity or service group
[1982–84 = 100, unless otherwise indicated]
Annual average

Series

2005
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
FOR ALL URBAN CONSUMERS
All items..........................................................................
All items (1967 = 100).....................................................
Food and beverages......................................................

2006

2006
Nov.

2007

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

202.416
606.348
199.198
198.812
196.671
216.276
189.609

203.499
609.594
200.402
200.000
198.193
219.041
190.491

205.352
615.145
200.869
200.403
198.766
218.458
192.508

206.686
619.140
201.292
200.820
199.020
220.494
193.665

207.949
622.921
202.225
201.791
200.334
220.939
195.886

208.352
624.129
202.885
202.441
200.950
222.605
197.175

208.299
623.970
203.533
203.121
201.401
223.297
196.690

207.917
622.827
204.289
203.885
202.126
223.981
197.204

208.490
624.543
205.279
204.941
203.193
223.372
198.323

208.936
625.879
206.124
205.796
204.333
224.691
198.474

210.177
629.598
206.563
206.277
204.745
225.668
198.616

195.3
585.0
191.2
190.7
189.8
209.0
184.7

201.6
603.9
195.7
195.2
193.1
212.8
186.6

201.5
603.6
197.2
196.8
194.3
214.5
188.4

201.8
604.5
197.4
197.0
194.3
214.8
188.6

Dairy and related products ……….…………………………
Fruits and vegetables…............................................
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage

182.4
241.4

181.4
252.9

180.6
256.8

181.0 183.453 183.779 185.724 185.821 187.266 191.435 197.899 201.739 203.541 205.319 205.959
257.2 262.949 268.565 263.910 261.967 264.710 258.337 254.616 252.845 259.100 263.648 268.407

materials….............................................................
Other foods at home…..............................................
Sugar and sweets…................................................
Fats and oils…........................................................
Other foods…..........................................................

144.4
167.0
165.2
167.7
182.5

147.4
169.6
171.5
168.0
185.0

148.9
169.2
172.7
168.1
184.0

148.5
168.7
172.4
166.7
183.5

111.3

113.9

113.8

115.1 114.655 114.939 114.331 115.310 114.692 116.101 115.017 116.072 114.628 114.850 115.396

193.4
131.3
195.9
195.7
224.4
217.3

199.4
136.6
200.7
203.2
232.1
225.1

201.6
138.6
201.6
204.5
234.9
228.9

202.2
139.1
201.1
204.8
235.1
230.0

130.3

136.0

130.7

127.7 133.633 139.160 142.247 144.832 144.112 148.622 153.016 150.236 144.480 143.172 136.703

230.2

238.2

242.1

242.8 243.345 244.020 244.602 244.993 245.236 245.690 246.149 246.815 247.487 248.075 248.876

117.6
179.0
161.6
208.6
166.5
126.1
119.5
116.1
110.8

116.5
194.7
177.1
234.9
182.1
127.0
119.5
114.1
110.7

118.3
190.6
172.1
227.2
177.0
127.2
121.7
115.6
113.9

117.1
192.6
174.2
233.2
179.0
127.0
118.6
113.2
110.2

117.417
194.378
175.718
227.930
181.064
127.093
115.988
110.327
105.891

117.320
194.890
176.092
231.800
181.232
127.495
119.017
111.233
110.871

117.333
196.414
177.635
236.863
182.624
127.655
122.582
113.685
116.911

117.559
196.393
177.515
240.090
182.283
127.423
122.934
115.190
117.118

116.386
198.574
179.798
241.473
184.737
127.309
121.452
114.342
114.444

117.106
206.199
188.040
241.589
193.911
127.361
117.225
110.869
107.826

116.577
206.140
187.624
245.680
193.184
126.894
113.500
109.568
101.291

116.926
204.334
185.453
246.542
190.710
126.520
114.439
109.032
103.237

116.783
204.264
185.306
252.580
190.158
126.193
119.535
112.380
110.973

116.640
200.836
181.509
261.745
185.337
126.233
121.846
114.953
113.402

116.997
202.161
182.725
291.845
184.753
126.252
121.204
114.807
112.166

116.7
122.6
173.9
170.2

116.5
123.5
180.9
177.0

117.6
124.5
173.9
170.0

114.1
123.0
175.4
171.8

112.444
120.915
174.463
170.562

115.416
121.930
174.799
170.775

117.996
123.505
180.346
176.468

115.489
123.672
185.231
181.478

113.632
123.041
189.961
186.376

111.546
120.602
189.064
185.175

108.759
119.375
187.690
183.619

110.221
120.329
184.480
180.408

113.611
123.183
184.532
180.586

117.149
124.675
184.952
180.919

117.339
125.005
190.677
186.839

95.6
137.9
139.4
195.7
194.7
111.9
206.9
217.3
323.2
276.0
336.7
281.7
439.9
109.4
104.2
113.7

95.6
137.6
140.0
221.0
219.9
117.3
215.6
226.6
336.2
285.9
350.6
289.3
468.1
110.9
104.6
116.8

94.9
136.8
137.3
191.4
190.3
119.5
218.5
220.4
340.1
286.6
355.6
291.9
477.7
111.2
103.7
118.1

94.8
137.1
136.2
199.3
198.1
119.5
218.8
217.8
340.1
285.9
356.0
292.4
477.2
110.8
102.8
118.0

94.840
137.603
135.257
193.900
192.806
119.759
219.262
221.403
343.510
288.088
359.757
295.219
482.258
111.012
102.784
117.815

94.591
137.340
134.597
195.377
194.282
120.196
220.530
224.061
346.457
287.703
363.908
298.393
487.881
111.174
103.144
117.971

94.493
137.228
134.382
220.515
219.473
120.485
221.160
225.893
347.172
286.940
365.164
298.990
490.104
111.244
102.886
118.231

94.307
136.963
134.363
242.944
241.897
120.714
221.508
227.567
348.225
288.349
366.070
299.248
492.110
111.481
103.181
118.301

93.981
136.295
134.481
265.781
264.830
120.990
221.999
228.251
349.087
288.661
367.127
299.700
494.122
111.659
103.560
118.787

93.842
135.820
135.067
260.655
259.686
120.885
222.553
233.389
349.510
288.508
367.758
300.052
494.916
111.563
103.416
118.734

93.961
135.415
136.024
252.909
251.883
121.514
223.487
235.767
351.643
290.257
370.008
301.131
499.400
111.347
102.779
119.025

94.121
135.204
137.138
238.194
237.108
121.730
224.019
233.112
352.961
291.164
371.461
302.259
501.026
111.139
102.311
120.311

93.985
134.927
137.142
239.104
237.993
122.292
224.302
230.694
353.723
291.340
372.432
302.410
504.206
111.400
102.759
121.273

94.201
135.344
136.950
239.048
237.819
123.017
224.939
232.725
355.653
292.161
374.750
303.532
510.006
111.753
103.157
121.557

94.562
136.250
136.616
262.282
260.943
123.487
225.672
233.758
357.041
293.201
376.250
303.780
515.359
111.842
102.719
121.409

152.7
365.6

162.1
388.9

167.4
398.5

167.6 167.624 167.927 168.114 168.152 168.403 168.601 169.490 172.873 175.486 176.339 176.717
399.5 405.668 407.809 413.665 414.217 414.694 415.635 418.394 427.425 430.114 431.432 431.606

440.9
84.7

468.1
84.1

483.7
83.3

484.0 483.705 484.459 484.532 484.601 485.337 485.868 488.382 498.071 505.924 508.449 509.605
83.1 82.778 82.845 83.122 83.203 83.772 83.594 83.553 83.655 83.690 83.659 83.250

82.6
94.9

81.7
95.8

80.8
96.5

80.6
96.8

80.246
96.898

80.311
97.096

80.601
97.514

80.683
97.617

81.151
98.491

80.880
98.485

80.840
98.570

80.944
98.813

80.976
98.882

80.946
99.031

80.519
98.775

13.6

12.5

11.4

11.2

10.900

10.853

10.860

10.869

10.787

10.597

10.528

10.487

10.477

10.385

10.204

12.8
313.4
502.8

10.8
321.7
519.9

10.3
324.3
519.4

10.3 10.259 10.174 10.191 10.172
9.971
9.700
9.601
9.524
9.455
9.324
8.946
326.7 329.198 330.459 331.144 331.743 332.785 333.378 333.415 333.325 334.801 335.680 336.379
527.3 543.477 548.896 550.021 547.663 549.703 552.314 553.987 555.217 559.636 560.626 561.967

185.6
154.4
203.9

190.2
155.8
209.7

192.2
156.1
212.3

193.3 193.560 193.987 194.390 195.058 195.641 195.835 195.704 195.521 196.202 196.763 197.156
159.0 157.699 158.038 158.592 158.657 158.594 158.771 158.457 157.788 157.643 158.381 158.561
212.5 214.045 214.616 215.091 215.380 216.228 215.860 216.720 217.028 217.589 217.887 218.604

Food..................…........................................................
Food at home…..........................................................
Cereals and bakery products…................................
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs…...............................
1

Other miscellaneous foods

1,2

……….…………………

1

Food away from home ……….…………………………………
1,2

Other food away from home ……….……………………
Alcoholic beverages….................................................
Housing..........................................................................
Shelter...............…......................................................
Rent of primary residence….....................................
Lodging away from home………………………………
3

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence ………
1,2

Tenants' and household insurance ……….…………
Fuels and utilities…..................................................
Fuels...............….....................................................
Fuel oil and other fuels…......................................
Gas (piped) and electricity….................................
Household furnishings and operations…..................
Apparel ..........................................................................
Men's and boys' apparel…........................................
Women's and girls' apparel…...................................
1

Infants' and toddlers' apparel ……….……………………
Footwear…...............................................................
Transportation................................................................
Private transportation...............…...............................
2

New and used motor vehicles ……….……………………
New vehicles….......................................................
1

Used cars and trucks ……….………………………………
Motor fuel…..............................................................
Gasoline (all types)…..............................................
Motor vehicle parts and equipment….......................
Motor vehicle maintenance and repair…..................
Public transportation...............….................................
Medical care...................................................................
Medical care commodities...............…........................
Medical care services...............…...............................
Professional services…............................................
Hospital and related services…................................
2

Recreation ……….………………………………………….………
1,2
Video and audio ……….………………………………………
2
Education and communication ……….………………………
2
Education ……….………………………………………….………
Educational books and supplies…..........................
Tuition, other school fees, and child care…............
1,2

Communication ……….………………………………………
1,2
……….…
Information and information processing
1,2
Telephone services ……….……………………………
Information and information processing
other than telephone services

1,4

……….……………

151.127
170.878
175.151
170.152
185.499
203.171
140.919
202.968
206.057
236.504
230.806

151.716
171.483
174.300
171.667
186.358
203.909
141.626
204.385
207.177
237.972
231.739

153.894
171.819
174.633
170.851
186.962
204.082
141.366
205.663
208.080
238.980
232.495

151.799
172.633
175.932
169.817
188.103
204.725
143.155
206.166
208.541
239.735
232.980

152.869
172.657
175.453
171.495
187.921
205.233
143.160
206.599
208.902
239.877
233.549

153.104
173.790
176.665
171.581
189.353
205.934
143.157
207.383
210.649
240.980
234.071

153.384
174.440
178.235
173.691
189.518
206.931
144.785
207.624
211.286
242.067
234.732

154.791
174.686
178.256
174.251
189.781
207.756
145.376
208.264
211.098
242.238
235.311

155.007
174.201
178.172
174.105
189.076
208.805
146.752
208.408
210.865
241.990
236.058

155.545
174.695
177.236
176.050
189.695
209.275
146.074
209.126
210.701
242.405
237.135

154.299
173.963
178.600
175.327
188.340
209.854
146.628
209.018
210.745
242.207
238.169

Personal computers and peripheral
1,2

equipment ……….…………………………………
Other goods and services..............................................
Tobacco and smoking products...............…...............
1

Personal care ……….………………………………………….…
1
Personal care products ……….……………………………
1
Personal care services ……….……………………………
6HHIRRWQRWHVDWHQGRIWDEOH

112

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

&RQWLQXHG²&RQVXPHU3ULFH,QGH[HVIRU$OO8UEDQ&RQVXPHUVDQGIRU8UEDQ:DJH(DUQHUVDQG&OHULFDO:RUNHUV
86FLW\DYHUDJHE\H[SHQGLWXUHFDWHJRU\DQGFRPPRGLW\RUVHUYLFHJURXS
[1982–84 = 100, unless otherwise indicated]
Annual average
Series

2005

2006

2006
Nov. Dec.

2007
Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

303.0

313.6 318.2 318.7 320.047 320.725 321.299 323.321 324.661 325.259 324.579 325.566 327.783 328.056 328.610

160.2
191.2
142.5
168.4
119.5

164.0
195.7
145.9
176.7
119.5

161.8
197.2
142.1
169.7
121.7

162.1
197.4
142.5
170.9
118.6

161.978
199.198
141.529
168.788
115.988

162.890
200.402
142.290
170.479
119.017

165.710
200.869
146.037
178.548
122.582

167.777
201.292
148.749
184.555
122.934

169.767
202.225
151.136
190.075
121.452

168.921
202.885
149.669
187.249
117.225

167.938
203.533
148.016
183.947
113.500

166.955
204.289
146.317
180.480
114.439

167.952
205.279
147.289
182.902
119.535

168.664
206.124
147.924
184.091
121.846

171.043
206.563
151.067
190.560
121.204

202.6
115.3
230.1
233.7
225.7
268.4

216.3
114.5
238.9
241.9
230.8
277.5

203.5
113.5
240.9
244.7
231.5
281.1

207.3
113.3
241.2
245.0
230.8
280.9

205.498
113.263
242.540
246.476
231.367
281.282

206.395
113.210
243.793
248.024
232.077
281.864

217.451
113.163
244.671
249.087
232.200
282.431

227.113
112.989
245.265
249.877
232.217
283.271

237.116
112.637
245.793
250.055
231.777
284.541

235.097
112.375
247.450
251.200
233.202
284.656

231.983
112.177
248.331
252.358
234.632
284.859

225.694
112.036
248.555
252.530
234.563
286.492

226.509
111.746
248.700
252.272
234.322
288.469

227.026
111.889
248.878
252.713
235.458
289.307

238.067
112.103
248.974
252.495
236.449
289.592

196.0
186.1
188.7
144.5
170.1
201.2
180.2
243.2
221.2
177.1
198.7
200.9
140.3
197.4
236.6

202.7
191.9
194.7
148.0
178.2
213.9
186.7
253.3
229.6
196.9
203.7
205.9
140.6
223.0
244.7

202.3
190.7
194.5
144.3
171.7
202.5
183.8
254.6
231.5
180.4
205.3
207.6
140.6
194.6
247.5

202.6
191.1
194.8
144.7
172.7
205.8
184.5
254.9
231.7
185.2
205.1
207.3
139.9
202.4
247.5

203.035
191.328
195.295
143.775
170.878
204.403
184.284
256.164
232.892
183.567
205.993
208.009
139.628
196.983
248.836

204.101
192.272
196.298
144.558
172.552
205.347
185.751
257.147
233.963
184.451
207.106
209.112
140.305
198.617
250.199

206.195
194.482
198.179
148.240
180.197
215.400
190.212
257.864
234.809
196.929
207.850
209.923
141.056
222.620
251.026

207.680
196.062
199.512
150.894
185.861
224.126
193.570
258.261
235.378
207.265
208.243
210.311
140.995
243.957
251.714

208.991
197.783
200.779
153.228
191.064
233.150
196.916
259.262
235.870
219.071
208.400
210.316
140.518
265.562
252.050

209.353
197.913
201.178
151.825
188.463
231.414
195.749
261.677
237.565
221.088
208.636
210.474
139.589
260.739
252.955

209.179
197.408
201.042
150.225
185.382
228.641
194.326
262.284
238.357
217.274
208.980
210.756
138.757
253.696
253.998

208.607
196.803
200.598
148.591
182.170
223.057
192.869
262.588
238.507
209.294
209.399
211.111
138.895
239.885
254.491

209.100
197.708
201.159
149.541
184.450
223.802
194.616
263.243
238.604
209.637
210.000
211.628
139.828
241.120
254.706

209.478
198.171
201.544
150.180
185.610
224.338
195.646
263.109
238.657
207.588
210.714
212.318
140.501
241.642
255.385

210.846
199.998
202.770
153.234
191.668
234.241
199.253
263.599
238.671
219.009
210.888
212.435
140.547
265.420
255.549

191.0
568.9
190.5
190.1
188.9
208.9
184.7

197.1
587.2
194.9
194.4
192.2
213.1
186.1

196.8
586.1
196.5
196.0
193.4
214.9
188.0

197.2
587.3
196.5
196.1
193.2
215.2
188.0

197.559
588.467
198.280
197.886
195.531
216.416
189.119

198.544
591.403
199.540
199.111
197.044
219.191
189.996

200.612
597.561
200.056
199.589
197.735
218.799
192.013

202.130
602.083
200.488
200.009
197.989
220.926
193.089

203.661
606.643
201.478
201.043
199.355
221.259
195.331

203.906
607.374
202.185
201.722
200.059
223.009
196.660

203.700
606.759
202.823
202.409
200.569
223.663
196.323

203.199
605.267
203.610
203.207
201.321
224.220
196.844

203.889
607.324
204.584
204.241
202.351
223.895
197.980

204.338
608.662
205.428
205.082
203.442
224.897
198.146

205.891
613.287
205.763
205.451
203.741
225.941
198.325

Dairy and related products ……….…………………
Fruits and vegetables…......................................
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage

182.2
238.9

180.9 179.9 180.3 182.711 183.185 185.095 185.326 186.948 191.235 198.027 201.598 203.464 205.100 205.850
251.0 255.1 254.7 260.176 266.159 261.627 260.068 262.669 256.565 252.703 251.575 257.223 261.774 265.736

materials….......................................................
Other foods at home….......................................
Sugar and sweets….........................................
Fats and oils…..................................................
Other foods…...................................................
1,2
Other miscellaneous foods ……….……………
1
Food away from home ……….……………………………

143.7
166.5
164.3
167.8
182.8
111.8
193.3

146.7
169.1
170.5
168.7
185.2
114.2
199.1

148.3
168.7
171.3
168.9
184.3
114.1
201.4

147.8
168.1
171.3
167.3
183.7
115.3
202.0

150.620
170.242
173.929
170.559
185.681
114.759
202.905

150.968
170.861
173.081
172.380
186.473
115.151
203.689

153.329
171.183
173.248
172.005
187.026
114.402
203.838

150.995
171.898
174.459
170.574
188.165
115.432
204.519

152.173
172.024
174.084
172.401
188.049
115.035
205.046

152.501
173.049
175.073
172.222
189.456
116.366
205.691

152.829
173.727
176.736
174.109
189.667
115.355
206.657

154.152
173.997
176.664
174.872
189.941
116.348
207.533

154.501
173.463
176.458
175.039
189.110
114.584
208.578

154.873
174.215
176.248
176.683
189.987
115.378
209.037

153.610
173.393
176.845
176.101
188.657
115.803
209.518

131.1
195.8
191.2
217.5
216.5
130.0

136.2
200.6
198.5
224.8
224.2
135.3

138.3
201.9
199.9
227.8
228.0
129.3

138.7
201.1
200.5
228.3
229.1
127.1

140.499
202.821
201.509
229.359
229.921
132.607

141.274
204.616
202.370
230.472
230.860
138.083

141.119
205.729
203.203
231.315
231.634
141.335

142.991
206.342
203.588
231.957
232.126
144.370

143.031
206.636
204.033
232.181
232.690
143.880

143.018
207.767
205.711
233.040
233.188
148.948

144.439
207.647
206.183
233.848
233.855
153.107

144.938
208.253
206.054
234.169
234.457
149.919

145.783
208.286
206.050
234.275
235.175
143.727

144.764
209.176
205.916
234.812
236.259
142.666

145.233
208.958
206.288
235.069
237.288
136.244

208.8
117.9
177.9
159.7
208.1
165.4
121.8
119.1
115.6
110.4

216.0
116.8
193.1
174.4
234.0
180.2
122.6
119.1
114.0
110.3

219.5
118.6
188.9
169.4
226.3
175.1
122.8
121.8
115.8
114.2

220.1
117.4
190.9
171.5
232.2
177.1
122.6
118.6
113.0
110.4

220.602
117.748
192.895
173.352
226.971
179.457
122.623
115.315
109.762
105.697

221.185
117.622
193.330
173.654
231.136
179.550
122.962
118.211
111.079
110.214

221.704
117.653
194.963
175.303
236.103
181.092
123.134
122.021
113.921
116.275

222.062
117.945
194.974
175.223
239.516
180.803
122.881
122.475
115.103
116.826

222.264
116.828
197.052
177.372
241.052
183.103
122.786
120.931
113.986
114.316

222.671
117.503
204.396
185.178
241.249
191.771
122.826
116.389
110.739
107.422

223.093
116.912
204.272
184.725
245.633
191.010
122.550
113.157
109.580
101.709

223.693
117.287
202.397
182.518
246.382
188.511
122.190
114.146
108.556
103.960

224.321
117.142
202.304
182.357
252.684
187.963
121.820
118.986
111.981
110.847

224.811
116.982
198.796
178.539
261.972
183.172
122.039
121.536
114.710
113.623

225.548
117.370
200.151
179.777
292.098
182.781
122.031
120.920
114.784
112.165

119.3
121.8
173.0
170.3
94.7

118.6
123.1
180.3
177.5
94.7

120.5
124.2
172.7
169.9
93.9

116.8
122.6
174.4
171.7
93.7

114.948
120.506
173.182
170.321
93.709

118.037
121.679
173.518
170.588
93.459

120.167
122.870
179.541
176.695
93.365

117.530
123.339
184.930
182.156
93.234

115.555
122.983
190.265
187.595
93.000

113.427
120.367
189.205
186.374
92.917

110.906
119.278
187.606
184.684
93.042

112.879
119.831
184.147
181.218
93.229

115.896
122.846
184.361
181.495
93.118

119.670
124.372
184.639
181.717
93.268

119.897
124.649
190.761
187.951
93.529

Miscellaneous personal services...............…....
Commodity and service group:
Commodities...........…............................................
Food and beverages….........................................
Commodities less food and beverages….............
Nondurables less food and beverages…............
Apparel ….........................................................
Nondurables less food, beverages,
and apparel….................................................
Durables…..........................................................
Services…..............................................................
3

Rent of shelter ……….……………………………………
Transportation services…....................................
Other services…..................................................
Special indexes:
All items less food…............................................
All items less shelter…........................................
All items less medical care…...............................
Commodities less food….....................................
Nondurables less food….....................................
Nondurables less food and apparel….................
Nondurables….....................................................
3

Services less rent of shelter ……….…………………
Services less medical care services…................
Energy…..............................................................
All items less energy…........................................
All items less food and energy….......................
Commodities less food and energy…..............
Energy commodities......................................
Services less energy…....................................
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR URBAN
WAGE EARNERS AND CLERICAL WORKERS
All items....................................................................
All items (1967 = 100)...............................................
Food and beverages................................................
Food..................…..................................................
Food at home…....................................................
Cereals and bakery products…..........................
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs….........................
1

1,2

Other food away from home ……….………………
Alcoholic beverages…...........................................
Housing....................................................................
Shelter...............…................................................
Rent of primary residence…...............................
2
Lodging away from home ……….……………………
3

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence …
1,2

Tenants' and household insurance ……….……
Fuels and utilities…...........................................
Fuels...............…..............................................
Fuel oil and other fuels…................................
Gas (piped) and electricity…..........................
Household furnishings and operations…............
Apparel ...................................................................
Men's and boys' apparel….................................
Women's and girls' apparel….............................
1

Infants' and toddlers' apparel ……….………………
Footwear….........................................................
Transportation..........................................................
Private transportation...............….........................
2

New and used motor vehicles ……….………………
See footnotes at end of table.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

113

Current Labor Statistics: Price Data

&RQWLQXHG²&RQVXPHU3ULFH,QGH[HVIRU$OO8UEDQ&RQVXPHUVDQGIRU8UEDQ:DJH(DUQHUVDQG&OHULFDO:RUNHUV86FLW\
DYHUDJHE\H[SHQGLWXUHFDWHJRU\DQGFRPPRGLW\RUVHUYLFHJURXS
[1982–84 = 100, unless otherwise indicated]
Annual average
Series

2005

New vehicles…............................................

2006

2006
Nov.

2007

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

138.9

138.6

137.9

138.2 138.722 138.451 138.315 138.077 137.535 137.060 136.663 136.414 136.129 136.509 137.372

140.3
196.3
195.4
111.5
209.3
215.5

140.8
221.6
220.7
116.9
218.1
225.0

138.1
192.0
191.0
119.2
221.1
219.7

137.0
199.8
198.8
119.2
221.4
217.4

136.063
194.278
193.262
119.464
221.769
220.809

135.411
195.934
194.923
119.897
223.054
223.338

135.203
221.011
220.052
120.170
223.683
224.973

135.192
243.574
242.613
120.367
224.086
226.521

135.320
266.737
265.874
120.709
224.623
227.024

135.917
261.679
260.799
120.666
225.172
231.549

136.880
253.893
252.957
121.350
226.090
233.390

137.999
239.097
238.100
121.584
226.636
231.082

137.996
240.271
239.252
122.144
226.881
229.148

137.798
240.040
238.906
122.830
227.472
231.182

137.457
263.248
262.013
123.302
228.267
231.999

322.8
269.2
337.3
284.3
436.1

335.7
279.0
351.1
291.7
463.6

339.8
279.7
356.3
294.2
473.9

340.0
279.1
356.7
294.7
473.0

343.138
281.098
360.251
297.335
477.603

346.191
280.597
364.519
300.720
482.895

346.946
279.762
365.827
301.339
485.074

348.109
281.216
366.870
301.599
487.336

348.801
281.502
367.696
301.979
488.523

349.145
280.862
368.384
302.346
489.292

351.346
282.662
370.696
303.481
493.563

352.704
283.379
372.261
304.677
495.191

353.571
283.712
373.306
304.841
498.533

355.719
284.517
375.899
306.072
505.077

357.165
285.475
377.498
306.300
510.836

106.8

108.2

108.5

108.1 108.281 108.484 108.461 108.680 108.905 108.681 108.403 108.179 108.495 108.793 108.805

103.4

103.9

103.3

102.4 102.334 102.653 102.363 102.690 103.137 103.001 102.358 101.923 102.427 102.833 102.465

111.4

113.9

114.9

114.8 114.703 114.870 115.161 115.280 115.830 115.746 115.980 116.981 117.707 117.891 117.686

Education ……….………………………………………
Educational books and supplies…..............

151.0
367.1

160.3
390.7

165.4
401.0

165.5 165.789 166.144 166.341 166.441 166.667 166.758 167.527 170.635 173.060 173.700 174.016
402.0 409.068 411.130 417.027 417.583 417.791 418.705 421.529 431.089 433.670 434.800 434.979

Tuition, other school fees, and child care…

427.1
86.4

453.3
86.0

468.0
85.4

468.3 468.417 469.284 469.224 469.472 470.148 470.329 472.395 480.960 488.199 490.061 491.022
85.2 85.030 85.112 85.408 85.523 86.140 85.999 86.015 86.148 86.184 86.182 85.807

84.9

84.3

83.7

83.5

83.256

83.337

83.645

83.760

84.304

84.095

84.111

84.248

84.283

84.282

83.894

95.0

95.9

96.7

96.9

97.045

97.233

97.625

97.738

98.610

98.603

98.721

98.964

99.024

99.149

98.874

14.2

13.0

11.9

11.6

11.321

11.272

11.292

11.322

11.243

11.062

11.001

10.965

10.958

10.877

10.710

12.6
322.2
504.2

10.7
330.9
521.6

10.2
332.9
521.1

10.2 10.081
9.997 10.040 10.036
9.843
9.583
9.495
9.421
9.348
9.229
8.866
335.7 339.084 340.917 341.719 342.057 343.096 343.939 344.221 344.214 345.800 346.742 347.427
528.6 544.568 550.097 551.161 548.812 550.888 553.538 555.366 556.517 561.092 562.134 563.435

1

Used cars and trucks ……….……………………
Motor fuel…...................................................
Gasoline (all types)…..................................
Motor vehicle parts and equipment…............
Motor vehicle maintenance and repair….......
Public transportation...............….....................
Medical care.......................................................
Medical care commodities...............…............
Medical care services...............…...................
Professional services….................................
Hospital and related services….....................
2

Recreation ……….………………………………………
Video and audio

1,2

……….……………………………
2

Education and communication ……….……………
2

1,2

Communication ……….……………………………
1,2
Information and information processing …
1,2

Telephone services ……….…………………
Information and information processing
other than telephone services

1,4

……….…

Personal computers and peripheral
1,2

equipment ……….………………………
Other goods and services..................................
Tobacco and smoking products...............…....
1

184.0

188.3

190.0

191.1 191.311 191.922 192.411 193.075 193.595 193.858 193.792 193.598 194.160 194.769 195.122

1

154.5

155.7

156.0

158.6 157.505 157.992 158.528 158.578 158.566 158.739 158.445 157.813 157.654 158.408 158.579

1

204.2
303.4

209.8
314.1

212.5
318.5

212.7 214.254 214.773 215.318 215.658 216.489 216.174 217.040 217.354 217.822 218.149 218.897
318.7 319.885 321.269 322.090 324.252 325.617 326.572 326.135 327.235 329.329 329.706 330.258

161.4
190.5
144.7
173.2
119.1

165.7
194.9
148.7
182.6
119.1

163.1
196.5
144.4
174.6
121.8

163.5
196.5
145.0
176.1
118.6

210.6
115.1

226.1
114.6

211.2
113.6

215.7 213.546 214.738 227.564 238.898 250.737 248.347 244.695 237.329 238.345 238.798 251.442
113.3 113.270 113.178 113.107 112.945 112.686 112.485 112.425 112.362 112.114 112.241 112.413

Personal care ……….…………………………………
Personal care products ……….…………………
Personal care services ……….…………………
Miscellaneous personal services...............…
Commodity and service group:
Commodities...........….......................................
Food and beverages…....................................
Commodities less food and beverages…........
Nondurables less food and beverages…......
Apparel …...................................................

163.212
198.280
143.764
173.542
115.315

164.171
199.540
144.567
175.371
118.211

167.350
200.056
148.836
184.604
122.021

169.746
200.488
152.034
191.650
122.475

172.126
201.478
154.964
198.237
120.931

171.216
202.185
153.367
195.053
116.389

170.252
202.823
151.724
191.603
113.157

169.122
203.610
149.781
187.515
114.146

170.141
204.584
150.795
189.981
118.986

170.865
205.428
151.448
191.230
121.536

173.489
205.763
155.011
198.661
120.920

Nondurables less food, beverages,
and apparel…............................................
Durables…....................................................
Services….........................................................
3

Rent of shelter ……….………………………………
Transporatation services…............................
Other services….............................................

225.7

234.1

236.2

236.6 237.761 238.783 239.586 240.106 240.672 242.241 242.901 243.118 243.436 243.572 243.906

209.5
225.9
260.0

216.6
230.6
268.2

219.5
231.9
271.2

220.0 221.062 222.150 222.970 223.590 223.833 224.655 225.455 225.760 225.867 226.393 226.636
231.4 231.783 232.362 232.332 232.218 231.542 232.623 233.737 233.831 233.868 234.848 235.874
270.9 271.323 271.921 272.474 273.342 274.697 274.670 274.766 276.015 277.702 278.404 278.513

191.0
183.4
185.4
146.5
174.6
208.4
182.5

197.5
189.2
191.3
150.6
183.8
223.0
189.5

196.7
187.6
190.8
146.4
176.3
209.5
186.1

197.2
188.0
191.2
147.0
177.7
213.5
186.9

197.317
188.108
191.475
145.822
175.341
211.702
186.434

198.258
189.058
192.389
146.653
177.171
212.940
187.995

200.616
191.591
194.481
150.856
185.979
224.712
193.028

202.335
193.443
195.998
153.999
192.687
235.083
196.887

203.955
195.463
197.543
156.872
198.945
245.886
200.781

204.121
195.489
197.783
155.339
195.988
243.806
199.476

203.750
194.913
197.504
153.730
192.714
240.471
198.000

203.011
194.109
196.949
151.846
188.873
233.817
196.266

203.638
195.018
197.629
152.837
191.210
234.745
198.017

204.015
195.440
198.022
153.499
192.442
235.233
199.075

205.783
197.479
199.565
156.977
199.471
246.726
203.087

215.9
217.2
177.2
193.5
194.6
140.6
197.7
232.3

224.7
225.3
196.8
198.0
199.2
141.1
223.0
239.9

225.5
227.1
179.8
199.7
200.9
141.1
194.4
242.8

225.8
227.6
184.7
199.6
200.7
140.4
202.1
243.0

226.994
228.608
182.878
200.245
201.110
139.999
196.605
244.080

227.801
229.453
183.842
201.238
202.056
140.680
198.398
245.211

228.479
230.221
196.940
201.948
202.816
141.482
222.509
245.923

228.811
230.708
207.932
202.300
203.154
141.450
244.148
246.539

229.694
231.253
220.348
202.489
203.163
141.011
266.260
246.894

231.965
232.848
221.832
202.582
203.132
140.019
261.460
247.606

232.367
233.415
217.795
202.849
203.310
139.352
254.282
248.434

232.450
233.562
209.441
203.319
203.710
139.557
240.247
248.977

232.982
233.839
209.933
204.037
204.363
140.491
241.692
249.398

232.628
233.850
207.885
204.797
205.107
141.236
241.955
250.127

233.029
234.115
219.861
205.066
205.355
141.254
265.598
250.546

Special indexes:
All items less food….......................................
All items less shelter…...................................
All items less medical care…..........................
Commodities less food…...............................
Nondurables less food…................................
Nondurables less food and apparel…............
Nondurables…...............................................
3

Services less rent of shelter ……….……………
Services less medical care services…...........
Energy…........................................................
All items less energy…...................................
All items less food and energy…..................
Commodities less food and energy…........
Energy commodities.................................
Services less energy…...............................

114

1

Not seasonally adjusted.

2

Indexes on a December 1997 = 100 base.

3

Indexes on a December 1982 = 100 base.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008



,QGH[HVRQD'HFHPEHU EDVH

&RQVXPHU3ULFH,QGH[86FLW\DYHUDJHDQGDYDLODEOHORFDODUHDGDWDDOOLWHPV
[1982–84 = 100, unless otherwise indicated]
Pricing

All Urban Consumers

sched-

2007

ule1
U.S. city average……………………………………………

June

July

Aug.

Urban Wage Earners
2007

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

M

208.352 208.299 207.917 208.490 208.936 210.177 203.906 203.700 203.199 203.889 204.338 205.891

Northeast urban……….………………………………………….………

M

221.579 221.945 221.559 221.436 221.951 223.356 217.794 217.879 217.379 217.486 218.151 219.871

Size A—More than 1,500,000...........................................

M

224.036 224.229 224.246 224.274 224.636 225.766 218.624 218.523 218.445 218.791 219.275 220.710

M

130.893 131.391 130.519 130.206 130.761 132.049 131.234 131.521 130.684 130.447 131.080 132.485

M

199.263 198.989 198.551 199.714 199.455 200.762 194.538 194.219 193.663 194.828 194.384 196.056

M

200.666 200.369 199.823 201.171 200.927 202.012 195.105 194.725 194.084 195.306 194.843 196.343

M

127.372 127.111 126.886 127.504 127.349 128.392 126.995 126.738 126.435 127.139 126.879 128.129

Region and area size2

3

Size B/C—50,000 to 1,500,000 ……….…………………………
4

Midwest urban ……….………………………………………….…………
Size A—More than 1,500,000...........................................
3

Size B/C—50,000 to 1,500,000 ……….…………………………
Size D—Nonmetropolitan (less than 50,000)………….....

M

194.442 194.815 194.716 195.483 195.054 196.569 192.455 192.804 192.437 193.586 193.074 194.907

South urban…….…..............................................................

M

201.675 201.571 201.041 201.697 202.155 203.437 198.838 198.673 198.063 198.873 199.319 200.849

Size A—More than 1,500,000...........................................

M

204.152 203.953 203.579 204.302 204.779 205.698 202.215 201.867 201.384 202.354 202.906 203.991

M

128.265 128.226 127.833 128.263 128.600 129.556 126.930 126.878 126.445 126.953 127.265 128.407

3

Size B/C—50,000 to 1,500,000 ……….…………………………
Size D—Nonmetropolitan (less than 50,000)………….....

M

201.445 201.576 200.771 200.898 200.712 202.550 201.709 201.809 201.006 201.250 200.942 202.913

West urban…….…...............................................................

M

212.680 212.542 212.406 212.920 213.917 214.904 207.311 206.927 206.624 207.164 208.304 209.629

Size A—More than 1,500,000...........................................

M

215.901 215.855 215.825 216.429 217.314 218.196 208.726 208.388 208.225 208.921 210.025 211.268

M

129.262 129.067 128.939 129.064 129.866 130.581 129.097 128.840 128.546 128.642 129.419 130.356

M
M
M

190.637 190.571 190.382 190.962 191.324 192.224 188.909 188.642 188.338 189.072 189.471 190.680
128.628 128.601 128.216 128.506 128.869 129.848 127.942 127.866 127.419 127.759 128.103 129.268
200.800 200.893 200.311 200.903 200.941 202.525 199.237 199.207 198.559 199.289 199.275 201.016

Chicago–Gary–Kenosha, IL–IN–WI…………………………..
Los Angeles–Riverside–Orange County, CA……….…………

M
M

206.092 205.561 205.813 206.454 206.696 207.821 199.279 198.700 198.630 199.419 199.558 200.887
217.273 217.454 217.330 217.697 218.696 219.943 209.614 209.444 209.240 209.849 211.259 212.844
228.258 228.628 228.326 228.308 228.552 229.504 222.322 222.237 221.905 222.174 222.624 223.716

3

Size B/C—50,000 to 1,500,000 ……….…………………………
Size classes:
5

A ……….………………………………………….…………..……………
3
B/C ……………………….….………………………………………….…
D…………….…………......................................................
Selected local areas 6

New York, NY–Northern NJ–Long Island, NY–NJ–CT–PA…

M

Boston–Brockton–Nashua, MA–NH–ME–CT……….…………

1

– 226.929

– 227.850

– 230.689

– 226.465

– 227.429

– 230.440

Cleveland–Akron, OH……………………………………………

1

– 197.010

– 197.000

– 197.726

– 187.344

– 187.784

– 188.488

Dallas–Ft Worth, TX…….………………………………………

1

– 194.286

– 194.847

– 196.465

– 196.198

– 197.027

– 198.521

Washington–Baltimore, DC–MD–VA–WV ……….………………

1

– 134.442

– 134.678

– 135.151

– 133.766

– 134.277

– 134.844

Atlanta, GA……………………..…………………………………

2

202.200

– 201.258

– 201.938

– 200.943

– 200.162

– 200.714

Detroit–Ann Arbor–Flint, MI……………………………………

2

201.585

– 199.679

– 201.786

– 196.701

– 194.798

– 196.237

–

Houston–Galveston–Brazoria, TX………………………………

2

184.529

– 183.740

– 184.922

– 183.380

– 182.425

– 183.426

–

Miami–Ft. Lauderdale, FL……………...………………………

2

212.820

– 213.127

– 215.159

– 210.938

– 211.041

– 213.454

–

Philadelphia–Wilmington–Atlantic City, PA–NJ–DE–MD……

2

217.255

– 218.692

– 218.929

– 216.511

– 217.331

– 218.061

–

San Francisco–Oakland–San Jose, CA…….…………………

2

216.123

– 216.240

– 217.949

– 211.422

– 211.620

– 213.133

–

Seattle–Tacoma–Bremerton, WA………………...……………

2

215.510

– 215.978

– 218.427

– 210.550

– 210.220

– 213.107

–

7

1

–

Foods, fuels, and several other items priced every month in all areas; most other
goods and services priced as indicated:
M—Every month.
1—January, March, May, July, September, and November.
2—February, April, June, August, October, and December.

Report :
Anchorage,
AK;
Cincinnatti,
OH–KY–IN;
Kansas
City,
MO–KS;
Milwaukee–Racine, WI; Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN–WI; Pittsburgh, PA; Port-land–Salem,
OR–WA; St Louis, MO–IL; San Diego, CA; Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater, FL.

2

Regions defined as the four Census regions.

3

Indexes on a December 1996 = 100 base.

NOTE: Local area CPI indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. Each local
index has a smaller sample size and is, therefore, subject to substantially more sampling
and other measurement error. As a result, local area indexes show greater volatility than
the national index, although their long-term trends are similar. Therefore, the Bureau of
Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national average CPI for use
in their escalator clauses. Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Dash indicates data not available.

4

The "North Central" region has been renamed the "Midwest" region by the Census
Bureau. It is composed of the same geographic entities.

5
6

Indexes on a December 1986 = 100 base.

In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually and
appear in tables 34 and 39 of the January and July issues of the CPI Detailed

7

Indexes on a November 1996 = 100 base.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

115

Current Labor Statistics: Price Data

40. Annual data: Consumer Price Index, U.S. city average, all items and major groups
[1982–84 = 100]
Series
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers:
All items:
Index..................……...............................................
Percent change............................……………………
Food and beverages:
Index................…….................................................
Percent change............................……………………
Housing:
Index....………………...............................................
Percent change............................……………………
Apparel:
Index........................…….........................................
Percent change............................……………………
Transportation:
Index........................………......................................
Percent change............................……………………
Medical care:
Index................…….................................................
Percent change............................……………………
Other goods and services:
Index............…….....................................................
Percent change............................……………………
Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners
and Clerical Workers:
All items:
Index....................……………...................................
Percent change............................……………………

116

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

156.9
3.0

160.5
2.3

163.0
1.6

166.6
2.2

172.2
3.4

177.1
2.8

179.9
1.6

184.0
2.3

188.9
2.7

195.3
3.4

201.6
3.2

153.7
3.2

157.7
2.6

161.1
2.2

164.6
2.2

168.4
2.3

173.6
3.1

176.8
1.8

180.5
2.1

186.6
3.3

191.2
2.5

195.7
2.4

152.8
2.9

156.8
2.6

160.4
2.3

163.9
2.2

169.6
3.5

176.4
4.0

180.3
2.2

184.8
2.5

189.5
2.5

195.7
3.3

203.2
3.8

131.7
–.2

132.9
.9

133.0
.1

131.3
–1.3

129.6
–1.3

127.3
–1.8

124.0
–2.6

120.9
–2.5

120.4
–.4

119.5
–.7

119.5
.0

143.0
2.8

144.3
0.9

141.6
–1.9

144.4
2.0

153.3
6.2

154.3
0.7

152.9
–.9

157.6
3.1

163.1
3.5

173.9
6.6

180.9
4.0

228.2
3.5

234.6
2.8

242.1
3.2

250.6
3.5

260.8
4.1

272.8
4.6

285.6
4.7

297.1
4.0

310.1
4.4

323.2
4.2

336.2
4.0

215.4
4.1

224.8
4.4

237.7
5.7

258.3
8.7

271.1
5.0

282.6
4.2

293.2
3.8

298.7
1.9

304.7
2.0

313.4
2.9

321.7
2.6

154.1
2.9

157.6
2.3

159.7
1.3

163.2
2.2

168.9
3.5

173.5
2.7

175.9
1.4

179.8
2.2

184.5
5.1

191.0
1.1

197.1
3.2

3URGXFHU3ULFH,QGH[HVE\VWDJHRISURFHVVLQJ
> @
Annual average
Grouping
2005
Finished goods....……………………………
Finished consumer goods.........................
Finished consumer foods........................

2006

2006
Nov.

Dec.

2007
Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.p Sept.p Oct.p Nov.p

155.7
160.4
155.7

160.4
166.0
156.7

159.8
164.5
157.9

160.5
165.5
160.1

160.1
164.9
161.1

161.8
167.1
163.9

164.1
170.2
166.3

165.9
172.7
166.8

167.5
174.8
166.8

167.2
174.4
166.3

168.5
176.2
166.4

165.8
172.6
165.8

167.4
174.8
168.3

168.6
175.9
169.6

171.3
179.4
169.4

excluding foods.....................................
Nondurable goods less food.................
Durable goods......................................
Capital equipment...................................

161.9
172.0
136.6
144.6

169.2
182.6
136.9
146.9

166.7
177.8
139.1
148.8

167.2
178.9
138.5
148.6

166.0
177.1
138.3
148.9

167.9
180.0
138.4
149.2

171.2
185.2
138.2
149.1

174.5
190.4
137.7
149.1

177.6
195.0
137.7
149.1

177.2
194.5
137.7
149.0

179.7
198.1
137.6
149.1

174.8
191.1
137.4
149.2

176.9
194.4
136.9
149.0

177.9
194.6
139.5
150.5

182.9
201.6
140.1
150.8

Intermediate materials,
supplies, and components........…………

154.0

164.0

163.3

164.1

163.3

164.3

166.6

169.1

171.1

172.0

173.6

171.5

172.3

172.1

176.5

for manufacturing......................................
Materials for food manufacturing..............
Materials for nondurable manufacturing...
Materials for durable manufacturing.........
Components for manufacturing................

146.0
146.0
163.2
158.3
129.9

155.9
146.2
175.0
180.5
134.5

157.4
148.1
173.8
185.3
136.2

157.1
147.9
172.9
185.0
136.2

157.3
150.3
174.0
183.1
136.5

157.6
152.8
174.5
183.8
136.0

158.7
155.5
176.3
186.3
135.8

160.6
157.5
177.7
192.9
136.0

162.8
160.6
182.9
195.0
136.0

163.6
163.0
184.9
194.8
136.2

164.5
163.6
187.1
195.1
136.4

163.3
164.8
185.4
191.1
136.4

163.4
167.4
186.3
188.7
136.5

163.9
166.9
188.4
187.9
136.5

166.3
166.2
195.0
189.8
136.6

Materials and components
for construction.........................................
Processed fuels and lubricants...................
Containers..................................................
Supplies......................................................

176.6
150.0
167.1
151.9

188.4
162.8
175.0
157.0

189.6
153.9
176.8
158.6

189.6
157.5
176.8
159.3

190.3
152.0
178.1
159.6

190.6
156.1
178.1
160.1

191.2
164.6
178.1
160.4

192.1
171.6
179.2
160.7

192.8
176.2
179.6
160.8

193.1
178.1
179.7
161.4

193.5
183.0
180.2
161.9

193.6
175.5
180.7
161.8

193.3
178.8
180.7
162.1

193.2
176.2
182.2
162.8

192.9
191.0
183.1
163.9

Crude materials for further
processing.......................…………………
Foodstuffs and feedstuffs...........................
Crude nonfood materials............................

182.2
122.7
223.4

184.8
119.3
230.6

186.6
127.5
227.2

191.2
126.9
235.7

180.0
128.7
212.9

197.0
138.8
235.1

202.1
142.0
241.5

204.2
143.7
243.9

208.0
148.1
246.6

209.7
148.4
249.6

210.3
150.0
249.2

204.3
147.9
240.3

204.7
151.9
237.5

209.9
149.8
248.7

228.4
152.7
279.4

Special groupings:
Finished goods, excluding foods................
Finished energy goods...............................
Finished goods less energy........................
Finished consumer goods less energy.......
Finished goods less food and energy.........

155.5
132.6
155.9
160.8
156.4

161.0
145.9
157.9
162.7
158.7

160.0
137.9
159.4
164.0
160.3

160.3
139.1
159.9
164.9
160.3

159.6
135.6
160.4
165.5
160.6

161.0
139.0
161.6
167.0
161.2

163.2
147.4
162.1
167.8
161.0

165.3
155.4
162.2
168.0
161.0

167.4
161.9
162.4
168.3
161.3

167.1
160.9
162.3
168.2
161.3

168.8
166.4
162.4
168.3
161.4

165.5
155.0
162.3
168.1
161.4

166.9
159.6
163.0
169.1
161.5

168.0
159.5
164.5
170.7
163.0

171.5
170.5
164.7
170.9
163.5

and energy................................................
Consumer nondurable goods less food

164.3

166.7

168.1

168.1

168.5

169.2

169.0

169.0

169.5

169.6

169.7

169.7

169.9

171.6

172.1

and energy..............................................

187.1

191.5

192.2

192.7

193.6

195.1

194.9

195.4

196.5

196.7

197.1

197.1

198.1

198.7

199.3

Intermediate materials less foods
and feeds..................................................
Intermediate foods and feeds.....................
Intermediate energy goods.........................
Intermediate goods less energy..................

155.1
133.8
149.2
153.3

165.4
135.2
162.8
162.1

164.6
138.6
153.9
163.7

165.3
140.4
156.8
163.9

164.3
142.6
151.8
164.1

165.2
147.2
155.7
164.4

167.5
149.8
164.0
165.2

170.0
151.0
170.5
166.7

172.1
151.6
176.7
167.6

172.9
154.5
179.2
168.1

174.5
155.9
184.2
168.8

172.3
156.4
177.2
168.0

173.0
158.5
179.9
168.3

172.8
159.7
178.0
168.5

177.3
161.3
192.3
170.2

and energy................................................

154.6

163.8

165.3

165.4

165.5

165.5

166.2

167.7

168.6

169.0

169.6

168.8

168.9

169.2

170.8

Crude energy materials..............................
Crude materials less energy.......................
Crude nonfood materials less energy.........

234.0
143.5
202.4

226.9
152.3
244.5

220.5
159.2
248.1

230.9
159.9
252.3

195.9
162.1
255.5

223.9
172.3
265.6

224.7
179.3
284.5

226.5
181.6
288.4

233.0
183.7
282.8

238.0
183.6
281.5

236.8
185.5
284.0

224.4
184.2
285.9

219.9
188.2
289.2

232.9
187.5
294.0

272.5
190.0
294.6

Finished consumer goods

Materials and components

Finished consumer goods less food

Intermediate materials less foods

S SUHOLPLQDU\

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

117

Current Labor Statistics: Productivity Data

3URGXFHU3ULFH,QGH[HVIRUWKHQHWRXWSXWRIPDMRULQGXVWU\JURXSV
>'HFHPEHU XQOHVVRWKHUZLVHLQGLFDWHG@
NAICS

2006

Industry

Nov.
Total mining industries (December 1984=100).............................

Dec.

2007
Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.p Sept.p Oct.p Nov.p

205.5
244.5
149.3
177.1

212.2
256.2
150.7
175.3

188.2
217.7
149.1
172.4

207.8
248.3
150.8
177.9

210.6
252.4
153.7
175.5

214.1
257.1
158.2
172.1

221.1
268.2
159.1
172.8

222.6
270.9
159.3
171.2

222.3
269.6
162.4
168.9

213.6
255.7
162.0
167.0

212.9
254.5
161.2
168.9

225.4
273.8
163.4
171.2

253.8
320.6
165.6
168.8

156.4
149.0
106.5
107.3
100.8
147.4
105.8
114.1
106.3
211.8

156.9
149.8
106.9
106.8
100.8
147.6
106.0
114.3
106.3
216.6

156.4
151.6
107.5
107.0
101.4
148.6
106.6
114.7
106.3
203.2

157.7
153.8
109.0
107.5
101.5
148.8
106.5
114.7
106.1
212.3

160.1
155.8
108.5
107.7
101.4
149.3
106.8
114.5
106.3
237.2

162.2
156.9
109.1
107.4
101.6
149.7
107.0
114.7
106.6
259.3

163.8
158.7
109.2
107.6
101.5
149.6
107.0
114.8
106.5
274.3

163.7
160.3
109.3
107.8
101.4
149.4
107.5
115.2
106.5
268.2

164.9
160.4
109.2
108.4
101.5
149.4
108.4
115.4
106.7
283.1

163.0
160.1
109.6
108.7
101.7
149.4
107.7
115.5
106.9
257.9

163.9
161.1
110.2
108.9
101.7
149.9
107.3
116.0
107.2
267.8

164.4
160.7
111.2
108.9
101.7
150.2
106.3
117.4
107.3
267.4

167.9
161.3
111.2
109.5
101.9
150.5
106.1
117.8
107.3
305.1




(December 1984=100)………………………………….…………
Chemical manufacturing (December 1984=100)…………………… 196.5
151.1
Plastics and rubber products manufacturing

197.0
150.6

197.3
149.9

198.1
149.6

199.4
149.4

201.1
149.4

201.9
149.8

202.8
149.9

203.6
150.4

205.0
151.0

205.3
151.1

205.9
151.6

208.8
152.3









Primary metal manufacturing (December 1984=100)………………
Fabricated metal product manufacturing (December 1984=100)…
Machinery manufacturing………………………..……………………
Computer and electronic products manufacturing…………………
Electrical equipment, appliance, and components manufacturing
Transportation equipment manufacturing……………………………
Furniture and related product manufacturing

186.3
158.5
110.1
96.3
119.4
105.1
163.6

186.5
159.0
110.2
96.2
119.2
104.8
163.6

183.6
160.0
111.0
96.3
119.2
105.0
164.5

184.6
160.7
111.5
95.4
119.3
105.0
165.3

187.2
161.3
111.7
95.1
119.7
104.8
165.2

194.1
161.9
112.0
95.1
120.5
104.5
165.5

197.1
162.5
112.1
94.7
121.8
104.4
165.7

196.4
162.2
112.0
94.6
122.1
104.4
165.9

196.4
162.3
112.1
94.1
123.0
104.4
165.6

190.8
162.6
112.4
93.8
124.0
104.3
165.6

188.0
162.6
112.5
93.5
124.0
103.9
165.9

187.3
162.5
112.6
93.2
124.4
106.0
166.2

189.3
163.6
112.7
92.8
124.2
106.4
166.4



Miscellaneous manufacturing………………………………………… 105.3

105.4

106.1

106.5

106.8

106.8

107.1

107.0

106.9

107.0

107.2

107.4

107.6

113.5
115.7
104.4
119.4
50.9
123.9

112.2
115.6
93.7
119.5
52.5
130.2

113.4
115.4
102.0
121.8
73.0
134.8

114.1
115.2
104.6
121.6
60.1
131.0

114.9
115.8
101.8
122.1
66.1
128.7

115.7
115.7
97.9
122.2
71.1
130.5

115.6
115.2
110.2
123.0
86.1
129.5

116.2
116.2
112.4
123.1
86.5
127.7

115.6
116.5
111.6
123.6
81.6
123.1

116.9
117.1
110.4
124.9
84.8
129.4

115.6
118.8
108.8
124.1
71.6
128.3

115.3
118.6
106.5
123.6
80.0
130.6

116.1
121.2
106.4
123.9
72.8
127.9

Air transportation (December 1992=100)…………………………… 179.0
Water transportation…………………………………………………… 111.6
Postal service (June 1989=100)……………………………………… 164.7

172.0
111.4
164.7

177.0
110.6
164.7

178.6
111.2
164.7

181.5
111.4
164.7

182.4
111.4
164.7

177.8
111.5
175.4

185.9
111.7
175.4

188.0
113.6
175.5

190.0
115.5
175.5

180.9
117.1
175.5

187.9
115.6
175.5

187.8
114.2
175.5

122.9

122.0

125.6

124.4

124.5

125.4

129.9

131.6

131.0

130.8

128.2

127.8

117.6
104.5
122.2
155.8
110.8
109.9

118.0
104.6
122.3
156.0
110.8
110.0

121.9
106.7
122.9
157.2
112.6
111.1

122.3
106.7
123.6
157.5
112.9
111.3

122.4
106.7
123.6
157.3
113.4
111.5

122.2
106.7
123.6
157.4
113.7
111.5

122.0
106.4
123.6
157.4
113.7
112.2

122.1
107.2
123.6
157.6
113.9
112.5

122.2
107.0
123.8
158.1
114.9
112.9

122.1
107.7
123.8
158.0
114.6
112.1

122.2
108.3
123.9
158.1
114.5
113.0

123.0
107.6
124.5
160.4
115.1
113.5

123.0
107.5
125.0
161.4
115.5
113.4

107.2
105.2
99.2
100.0
115.9
107.1
110.7
102.6
117.9
146.7
108.0

107.0
103.8
99.7
99.9
116.1
108.0
110.7
102.9
121.4
146.9
110.1

107.5
102.7
99.3
100.1
117.8
105.7
110.5
103.1
119.7
151.7
110.3

107.7
103.1
99.5
100.1
117.3
105.7
110.8
102.7
116.7
152.5
109.0

107.8
102.5
99.7
100.2
117.3
105.8
111.4
103.4
116.7
152.8
109.8

108.0
101.1
100.4
100.1
118.1
105.9
111.4
103.6
117.0
153.0
110.6

108.2
101.6
100.7
100.4
118.7
106.0
110.4
104.0
114.1
153.3
110.9

108.1
101.8
101.0
100.3
118.6
106.8
110.8
103.7
114.4
153.4
111.4

108.2
98.7
102.2
100.4
120.5
106.2
111.1
103.8
121.2
153.7
112.2

108.1
99.1
101.2
100.5
120.8
107.2
111.0
101.6
119.7
153.9
112.3

108.5
99.4
102.0
100.4
121.0
106.8
110.7
103.0
116.1
153.9
112.2

108.5
101.1
102.0
100.5
121.0
107.4
111.4
103.5
119.8
154.3
114.0

108.6
102.1
101.3
100.4
121.5
107.7
110.5
104.4
119.1
155.2
113.5

(December 1996=100)……………………………………………… 136.3

Advertising agencies…………………………………………………… 104.7

Employment services (December 1996=100)……………………… 120.2

Travel agencies………………………………………………………… 102.3

Janitorial services……………………………………………………… 104.8

Waste collection………………………………………………………… 106.1

Accommodation (December 1996=100)…………………………… 138.3
S SUHOLPLQDU\

136.4
104.7
120.7
99.1
104.8
106.0
136.1

138.3
104.4
120.8
100.5
105.1
106.1
138.7

138.3
104.4
121.0
100.2
105.1
106.2
138.4

139.4
105.1
121.2
100.5
105.3
106.6
139.1

139.7
105.1
121.3
101.2
105.3
107.2
140.7

139.8
105.1
121.4
101.0
105.4
107.2
141.1

140.1
105.1
121.6
101.4
105.4
107.2
143.1

140.3
105.1
121.8
101.1
105.5
107.3
147.1

140.4
105.1
121.8
100.1
105.6
107.9
148.8

140.6
105.1
122.1
101.2
105.8
109.3
144.5

140.7
105.1
122.4
101.3
106.0
108.7
143.1

140.5
105.1
122.3
101.3
105.8
109.6
144.1














Oil and gas extraction (December 1985=100) .............................
Mining, except oil and gas……………………………………………
Mining support activities………………………………………………
Total manufacturing industries (December 1984=100)................
Food manufacturing (December 1984=100)…………………………
Beverage and tobacco manufacturing...........................................
Textile mills....................................................................................
Apparel manufacturing………………………………...………………
Leather and allied product manufacturing (December 1984=100)
Wood products manufacturing………………………………………
Paper manufacturing.....................................................................
Printing and related support activities...........................................
Petroleum and coal products manufacturing

(December 1984=100)………….…………………………………

(December 1984=100)………………………………………………

Retail trade







Motor vehicle and parts dealers………………………………………
Furniture and home furnishings stores………………………………
Electronics and appliance stores……………………………………
Health and personal care stores………………………………………
Gasoline stations (June 2001=100)…………………………………
Nonstore retailers………………………………………………………
Transportation and warehousing





Utilities


Utilities…………………………………………………………………… 121.4
Health care and social assistance








Office of physicians (December 1996=100)…………………………
Medical and diagnostic laboratories…………………………………
Home health care services (December 1996=100)…………………
Hospitals (December 1992=100)……………………………………
Nursing care facilities…………………………………………………
Residential mental retardation facilities………………………………
Other services industries














118

Publishing industries, except Internet ………………………………
Broadcasting, except Internet…………………………………………
Telecommunications……………………………………………………
Data processing and related services………………………………
Security, commodity contracts, and like activity……………………
Lessors or nonresidental buildings (except miniwarehouse)………
Offices of real estate agents and brokers……………………………
Real estate support activities…………………………………………
Automotive equipment rental and leasing (June 2001=100)………
Legal services (December 1996=100)………………………………
Offices of certified public accountants………………………………
Architectural, engineering, and related services

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

43. Annual data: Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing
> @
Index

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Finished goods
Total...............................................................................
Foods............................…………………………….……
Energy............……………………………………….….…
Other…...............................………………………….……

131.3
133.6
83.2
142.0

131.8
134.5
83.4
142.4

130.7
134.3
75.1
143.7

133.0
135.1
78.8
146.1

138.0
137.2
94.1
148.0

140.7
141.3
96.8
150.0

138.9
140.1
88.8
150.2

143.3
145.9
102.0
150.5

148.5
152.7
113.0
152.7

155.7
155.7
132.6
156.4

160.3
156.7
145.9
158.6

Intermediate materials, supplies, and
components
Total...............................................................................
Foods............……………………………………….….…
Energy…...............................………………………….…
Other.................…………...………..........………….……

125.7
125.3
89.8
134.0

125.6
123.2
89.0
134.2

123.0
123.2
80.8
133.5

123.2
120.8
84.3
133.1

129.2
119.2
101.7
136.6

129.7
124.3
104.1
136.4

127.8
123.2
95.9
135.8

133.7
134.4
111.9
138.5

142.6
145.0
123.2
146.5

154.0
146.0
149.2
154.6

164.0
146.3
162.6
163.9

113.8
121.5
85.0
105.7

111.1
112.2
87.3
103.5

96.8
103.9
68.6
84.5

98.2
98.7
78.5
91.1

120.6
100.2
122.1
118.0

121.0
106.1
122.3
101.5

108.1
99.5
102.0
101.0

135.3
113.5
147.2
116.9

159.0
127.0
174.6
149.2

182.2
122.7
234.0
176.7

185.4
119.3
228.5
210.0

Crude materials for further processing
Total...............................................................................
Foods............................…………………………….……
Energy............……………………………………….….…
Other…...............................………………………….……

86H[SRUWSULFHLQGH[HVE\HQGXVHFDWHJRU\
[2000 = 100]
Category

2006
Nov.

Dec.

2007
Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

ALL COMMODITIES……………....................................

111.8

112.5

113.0

113.9

114.7

115.2

115.5

116.0

116.1

116.3

116.7

117.6

118.6

Foods, feeds, and beverages……………...……………
Agricultural foods, feeds, and beverages….............
Nonagricultural (fish, beverages) food products……

135.8
137.4
122.4

138.7
140.5
123.5

139.0
140.8
123.6

143.5
145.6
125.6

146.9
149.2
128.0

145.3
146.8
133.9

145.1
147.0
129.8

148.6
151.0
128.5

149.2
151.5
130.2

151.4
153.7
132.2

157.8
160.8
133.0

164.1
167.6
134.0

166.0
169.9
132.8

Industrial supplies and materials……………...………… 137.8

139.4

140.3

143.0

145.5

147.2

148.3

149.0

148.6

148.8

148.8

150.4

153.8

Agricultural industrial supplies and materials…........

120.2

123.9

127.2

126.8

127.3

126.9

125.1

128.7

138.6

137.4

140.0

142.6

144.5

Fuels and lubricants…...............................…………

180.5

183.5

173.8

182.1

188.8

198.6

199.1

201.1

202.9

197.4

200.9

204.3

222.4

Nonagricultural supplies and materials,
excluding fuel and building materials…………...…
Selected building materials…...............................…

135.5
110.5

136.8
111.5

139.1
111.8

141.3
112.2

143.5
112.7

144.3
112.9

145.7
113.3

146.1
113.9

144.6
114.1

145.7
114.0

145.0
114.4

146.4
114.5

148.1
113.9

Capital goods……………...…………………………….… 98.8
Electric and electrical generating equipment…........ 106.0
Nonelectrical machinery…...............................……… 92.6

98.8
106.2
92.6

99.1
105.9
92.7

99.2
105.9
92.7

99.2
106.0
92.8

99.3
106.5
92.7

99.5
106.4
92.9

99.6
106.5
92.9

99.7
106.6
93.1

99.8
106.7
93.1

99.9
106.7
93.1

100.1
107.1
93.2

100.2
107.1
93.3

105.3

105.5

105.7

105.8

105.9

106.0

106.0

106.1

106.2

106.2

106.2

106.4

106.5

Consumer goods, excluding automotive……………... 103.9
Nondurables, manufactured…...............................… 103.7
Durables, manufactured…………...………..........…… 102.9

104.0
104.0
102.8

104.8
105.0
103.5

104.8
105.1
103.3

104.8
105.0
103.4

105.4
105.7
103.9

105.7
106.4
104.0

105.8
106.7
103.7

106.1
107.0
104.0

106.3
107.2
104.2

106.2
107.0
104.2

106.5
107.5
104.3

106.8
108.2
104.3

134.1
110.2

137.3
110.7

138.1
111.2

142.0
111.9

145.0
112.6

142.9
113.2

142.8
113.6

146.7
113.8

149.0
113.7

150.5
113.8

156.8
113.8

162.8
114.4

165.0
115.3

Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines……………...

Agricultural commodities……………...…………………
Nonagricultural commodities……………...……………

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

119

Current Labor Statistics: Price Data

86LPSRUWSULFHLQGH[HVE\HQGXVHFDWHJRU\
[2000 = 100]
2006

Category

Nov.

2007

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

ALL COMMODITIES……………....................................

113.8

115.1

113.7

114.1

115.9

117.5

118.6

120.0

121.5

121.1

121.8

123.5

126.8

Foods, feeds, and beverages……………...……………
Agricultural foods, feeds, and beverages….............
Nonagricultural (fish, beverages) food products……

121.6
132.2
98.1

122.6
133.7
97.9

124.5
135.5
99.8

124.8
135.4
101.1

124.6
135.1
101.3

126.3
137.6
100.9

127.4
139.1
101.2

127.8
139.5
101.5

129.4
141.4
102.7

130.1
142.1
103.2

131.8
144.3
103.5

133.2
146.5
103.3

133.0
146.5
102.7

Industrial supplies and materials……………...………… 162.2

166.6

160.4

162.0

169.8

176.4

180.5

185.6

190.9

188.5

190.6

197.1

210.1

Fuels and lubricants…...............................…………
Petroleum and petroleum products…………...……

195.5
199.2

204.3
207.1

190.1
193.5

194.0
196.8

209.6
213.6

222.1
228.2

228.2
234.3

238.2
245.6

249.8
260.3

244.0
256.4

249.6
263.9

261.9
277.4

288.2
304.7

Paper and paper base stocks…...............................

113.2

112.8

111.4

111.4

111.5

110.6

110.6

110.8

110.3

110.7

111.2

111.8

114.1

Materials associated with nondurable
supplies and materials…...............................………
Selected building materials…...............................…
Unfinished metals associated with durable goods…
Nonmetals associated with durable goods…...........

123.0
110.8
193.7
101.6

123.0
110.6
195.9
101.7

123.5
111.5
197.9
101.9

123.8
111.0
197.7
102.0

124.0
111.4
202.9
101.8

124.5
111.4
209.4
101.6

125.1
111.2
217.1
101.7

125.4
113.1
219.7
101.6

126.6
116.9
215.1
102.1

127.3
116.5
215.3
102.2

128.2
116.9
209.0
102.5

131.7
115.7
211.0
102.9

133.7
116.2
214.7
103.3

Capital goods……………...…………………………….… 91.4
Electric and electrical generating equipment…........
102.9
Nonelectrical machinery…...............................……… 87.8

91.5
103.0
87.9

91.5
104.2
87.8

91.2
104.1
87.4

91.1
104.3
87.2

90.9
104.9
86.9

91.1
105.2
87.0

91.3
105.7
87.2

91.6
105.8
87.4

91.8
106.4
87.6

91.9
106.5
87.6

91.9
106.6
87.6

92.1
107.0
87.8

104.3

104.3

104.3

104.4

104.4

104.5

104.6

104.7

104.8

105.0

105.2

105.5

105.8

Consumer goods, excluding automotive……………...
100.7
Nondurables, manufactured…...............................… 103.1
Durables, manufactured…………...………..........…… 98.1
Nonmanufactured consumer goods…………...……… 101.7

101.0
103.4
98.2
101.8

101.2
104.2
98.0
102.1

101.2
104.0
98.1
102.1

101.3
104.1
98.3
102.2

101.3
104.1
98.2
102.3

101.3
104.3
98.1
102.4

101.4
104.3
98.2
102.6

101.7
104.8
98.3
103.1

102.0
104.9
98.8
103.4

102.1
105.1
98.8
103.4

102.2
105.2
98.9
103.2

102.4
105.2
99.3
103.3

Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines……………...

86LQWHUQDWLRQDOSULFH,QGH[HVIRUVHOHFWHGFDWHJRULHVRIVHUYLFHV
[2000 = 100, unless indicated otherwise]
Category

2005
Sept.

120

2006
Dec.

Mar.

June

2007

Sept.

Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept.

Air freight (inbound)……………......................................
Air freight (outbound)……………...………………………

127.5
112.4

124.6
112.0

124.6
113.5

129.2
117.2

128.9
116.9

127.1
113.8

126.6
112.3

127.3
114.3

130.9
118.1

Inbound air passenger fares (Dec. 2003 = 100)…………
Outbound air passenger fares (Dec. 2003 = 100)…......
Ocean liner freight (inbound)…………...………..........…

118.3
120.1
127.9

108.5
110.8
126.8

110.5
110.6
125.4

121.0
128.7
114.9

123.9
126.4
114.2

118.5
119.3
114.0

119.5
119.3
112.6

127.2
136.9
112.5

133.2
128.8
112.4

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

,QGH[HVRISURGXFWLYLW\KRXUO\FRPSHQVDWLRQDQGXQLWFRVWVTXDUWHUO\GDWDVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
[1992 = 100]

2004

,WHP

2005

III

IV

I

132.7
157.8
119.2
118.9
124.7
121.1

133.4
160.2
120.0
120.1
125.4
122.1

134.4
161.4
120.3
120.1
128.2
123.1

132.0
156.8
118.5
118.8
125.7
121.4

132.2
158.9
119.0
120.2
126.5
122.5

140.7
154.9
117.1
109.8
110.1
109.2
150.6
120.3
113.5
163.8
163.5
123.6
99.8

II

2006
III

IV

I

134.3
161.7
119.4
120.4
129.8
123.9

135.9
164.2
119.6
120.8
132.0
125.0

135.5
165.4
119.4
122.0
133.0
126.1

136.4
168.2
120.9
123.4
133.0
127.0

133.4
160.3
119.5
120.2
129.6
123.6

133.5
160.9
118.8
120.5
131.3
124.5

135.0
163.2
118.8
120.9
133.7
125.6

134.5
164.2
118.6
122.1
134.8
126.8

140.2
156.9
117.6
111.3
111.9
109.7
148.4
120.1
114.6

140.3
158.0
117.8
112.3
112.6
111.5
151.9
122.3
115.9

141.1
158.5
117.0
112.1
112.3
111.7
161.7
125.1
116.6

140.5
160.8
117.1
114.6
114.4
115.1
147.5
123.7
117.6

166.4
165.8
124.2
99.7

168.3
166.2
123.9
98.7

170.9
167.8
123.9
98.2

172.4
170.2
124.0
98.7

II

2007
III

IV

I

II

III

136.6
168.1
119.3
123.0
136.5
128.0

136.1
168.7
118.9
124.0
136.6
128.7

136.5
173.4
122.8
127.0
132.2
128.9

136.6
175.7
123.3
128.6
132.9
130.2

137.8
178.2
123.2
129.3
133.6
130.9

139.6
180.4
124.2
129.3
133.7
130.9

135.3
167.1
120.1
123.5
135.0
127.7

135.6
167.0
118.6
123.2
138.7
128.9

135.0
167.5
118.0
124.0
138.6
129.4

135.6
172.4
122.1
127.1
133.6
129.5

135.9
174.9
122.7
128.7
133.9
130.6

136.6
176.8
122.2
129.4
134.5
131.3

138.2
178.8
123.1
129.4
134.3
131.2

141.4
161.8
116.9
114.0
114.5
112.8
159.5
125.3
118.1

142.4
163.8
117.8
114.4
115.0
112.5
164.4
126.4
118.8

141.8
163.9
116.4
115.2
115.6
114.3
164.8
127.8
119.7

142.9
164.6
115.9
114.8
115.2
113.8
172.6
129.5
120.0

143.3
169.3
119.9
117.1
118.1
114.5
150.0
124.0
120.1

143.6
171.2
120.1
118.0
119.2
114.6
154.3
125.2
121.2

144.9
173.2
119.8
118.1
119.5
114.3
157.5
125.8
121.6

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

173.7
168.8
121.9
97.2

175.4
172.6
124.1
98.4

177.0
170.1
120.8
96.1

179.8
170.7
120.2
94.9

180.7
176.4
125.0
97.6

181.5
180.2
126.4
99.3

182.6
181.9
125.7
99.6

184.6
182.9
125.9
99.1

%XVLQHVV
Output per hour of all persons........................................
Compensation per hour…………………………….………
Real compensation per hour………………………………
Unit labor costs…...............................……………………
Unit nonlabor payments…………...………..........………
Implicit price deflator………………………………………
1RQIDUPEXVLQHVV
Output per hour of all persons........................................
Compensation per hour…………………………….………
Real compensation per hour………………………………
Unit labor costs…...............................……………………
Unit nonlabor payments…………...………..........………
Implicit price deflator………………………………………
1RQILQDQFLDOFRUSRUDWLRQV
Output per hour of all employees...................................
Compensation per hour…………………………….………
Real compensation per hour………………………………
Total unit costs…...............................……………………
Unit labor costs.............................................................
Unit nonlabor costs......................................................
Unit profits......................................................................
Unit nonlabor payments…………...………..........………
Implicit price deflator………………………………………
0DQXIDFWXULQJ
Output per hour of all persons........................................
Compensation per hour…………………………….………
Real compensation per hour………………………………
Unit labor costs…...............................……………………
127('DVKLQGLFDWHVGDWDQRWDYDLODEOH

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

121

Current Labor Statistics: Productivity Data

48. Annual indexes of multifactor productivity and related measures, selected years
> XQOHVVRWKHUZLVHLQGLFDWHG@
Item

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Private business
3URGXFWLYLW\
Output per hour of all persons......……………..............
87.2
Output per unit of capital services……………………… 105.6
Multifactor productivity……………………………………
93.9
76.8
Output…...............................………………………….……

87.4
104.4
93.7
79.2

90.0
104.5
95.3
82.8

91.7
104.7
96.2
87.2

94.3
103.3
97.4
91.5

97.2
102.2
98.7
96.2

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

102.8
96.1
100.2
100.5

107.1
95.0
101.9
102.0

111.2
95.9
104.6
105.2

114.7
98.0
107.3
109.9

117.1
99.1
109.2
114.1

119.1
99.9
110.4
118.4

86.3
72.8
81.8
82.6

88.8
75.8
84.5
83.8

90.6
79.2
86.9
86.1

94.2
83.3
90.7
87.6

96.4
88.5
93.9
91.2

99.0
94.2
97.5
95.1

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

98.6
104.5
100.3
106.9

97.2
107.4
100.2
112.7

96.9
109.7
100.6
116.0

98.4
112.2
102.4
117.1

100.2
115.1
104.5
118.1

102.8
118.6
107.3
119.2

3URGXFWLYLW\
Output per hour of all persons........……………………… 87.7
Output per unit of capital services……………………… 106.5
94.5
Multifactor productivity……………………………………
76.7
Output…...............................………………………….……

88.2
105.5
94.5
79.3

90.5
105.3
95.8
82.8

92.0
105.1
96.4
87.2

94.5
103.7
97.7
91.5

97.3
102.4
98.8
96.3

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

102.7
96.1
100.1
100.5

107.1
94.9
101.9
102.1

111.0
95.7
104.4
105.2

114.4
97.7
107.1
109.9

116.8
99.1
109.1
114.1

118.7
99.8
110.2
118.4

85.7
72.1
81.2
82.4

88.2
75.2
83.9
83.6

90.2
78.7
86.5
86.0

93.9
82.9
90.4
87.5

96.2
88.2
93.7
91.1

99.0
94.0
97.5
95.0

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

98.7
104.6
100.4
106.9

97.2
107.6
100.2
112.8

97.1
110.0
100.7
116.1

98.6
112.4
102.5
117.0

100.4
115.1
104.6
117.9

103.0
118.7
107.5
119.0

3URGXFWLYLW\
Output per hour of all persons...…………………………
Output per unit of capital services………………………
Multifactor productivity……………………………………
Output…...............................………………………….……

76.1
96.6
89.0
76.4

79.4
98.2
90.6
80.4

82.4
97.6
91.0
83.1

86.9
100.2
93.6
89.2

91.7
100.5
95.8
93.8

95.8
100.3
96.5
97.4

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

101.5
93.6
98.7
94.9

108.6
92.5
102.4
94.3

115.3
93.5
105.3
95.2

117.9
95.9
109.2
96.9

123.4
99.6
113.0
100.3

–
–
–
–

Inputs:
Hours of all persons.....................................................
Capital services…………...………..........………….……
Energy……………….……….........................................
Nonenergy materials....................................................
Purchased business services.......................................
Combined units of all factor inputs…………...………...

100.3
79.0
110.4
74.8
84.7
85.8

101.2
81.8
113.7
78.8
88.9
88.7

100.8
85.2
110.3
86.0
88.5
91.3

102.6
89.0
108.2
92.9
92.1
95.3

102.3
93.4
105.4
97.7
95.0
98.0

101.6
97.1
105.5
102.6
100.0
100.9

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

93.5
101.4
90.6
93.3
100.7
96.2

86.8
101.9
89.3
88.3
98.2
92.1

82.6
101.8
84.4
87.7
99.1
90.5

82.2
101.1
81.1
85.5
95.2
88.7

81.3
100.7
78.5
86.3
96.5
88.8

–
–
–
–
–
–

Inputs:
Labor input...................................................................
Capital services…………...………..........………….……
Combined units of labor and capital input………………
Capital per hour of all persons.......................……………
Private nonfarm business

Inputs:
Labor input...................................................................
Capital services…………...………..........………….……
Combined units of labor and capital input………………
Capital per hour of all persons......…………………………
Manufacturing [1996 = 100]

127('DVKLQGLFDWHVGDWDQRWDYDLODEOH

122

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

49. Annual indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, selected years
> @
Item

1961

1971

1981

1991

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Business
Output per hour of all persons........................................
Compensation per hour…………………………….………
Real compensation per hour………………………………
Unit labor costs…...............................……………………
Unit nonlabor payments…………...………..........………
Implicit price deflator………………………………………

50.6
14.4
63.1
28.5
25.3
27.3

69.0
25.1
80.9
36.3
34.1
35.5

80.8
59.3
89.6
73.5
69.1
71.8

95.9
95.1
97.5
99.1
96.7
98.2

109.5
119.9
105.2
109.5
110.0
109.7

112.8
125.8
108.0
111.5
109.4
110.7

116.1
134.7
112.0
116.0
107.2
112.7

119.1
140.4
113.5
117.9
110.0
114.9

123.9
145.3
115.7
117.3
114.1
116.1

128.7
151.2
117.7
117.5
118.3
117.8

132.6
156.9
119.0
118.3
125.1
120.8

135.4
163.5
119.9
120.7
130.4
124.3

137.7
171.6
121.9
124.6
132.5
127.5

53.5
15.0
65.3
28.0
24.8
26.8

70.7
25.2
81.4
35.7
33.8
35.0

81.7
59.7
90.2
73.1
67.7
71.1

96.1
95.0
97.4
98.9
96.8
98.1

109.4
119.6
104.9
109.3
111.0
109.9

112.5
125.2
107.5
111.3
110.9
111.1

115.7
134.2
111.6
116.0
108.7
113.3

118.6
139.5
112.8
117.7
111.6
115.4

123.5
144.6
115.1
117.1
116.0
116.7

128.0
150.4
117.1
117.5
119.6
118.3

131.8
155.9
118.2
118.3
126.0
121.1

134.6
162.3
119.1
120.6
132.2
124.9

136.7
170.4
121.0
124.6
134.5
128.2

57.9
16.7
73.0
27.5
28.8
23.8
50.3
30.9
29.5

72.7
27.3
88.1
36.5
37.6
33.6
50.5
38.1
37.8

82.9
62.4
94.3
74.8
75.3
73.5
81.0
75.5
75.4

97.4
95.5
97.9
99.3
98.0
102.7
93.2
100.2
98.7

113.7
118.3
103.8
102.9
104.1
99.5
137.0
109.5
105.9

117.9
124.1
106.6
104.0
105.3
100.4
129.1
108.0
106.2

122.4
133.0
110.6
107.4
108.6
104.2
108.7
105.4
107.5

124.7
138.6
112.1
111.6
111.2
112.6
82.2
104.5
108.9

129.7
143.6
114.3
110.7
110.7
110.8
98.0
107.4
109.6

134.6
149.5
116.3
111.0
111.0
111.1
109.9
110.7
110.9

138.8
154.2
116.9
110.7
111.1
109.7
139.5
117.7
113.3

142.0
160.6
117.8
113.1
113.1
112.9
157.1
124.7
117.0

145.5
168.3
119.5
114.7
115.6
112.3
176.2
129.4
120.2

–
–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–
–

96.3
95.6
98.0
99.2
98.5
98.7

127.9
118.8
104.2
92.9
102.7
99.5

133.5
123.4
106.0
92.4
103.0
99.5

139.4
134.7
112.0
96.7
103.7
101.4

141.5
137.9
111.5
97.4
102.2
100.6

151.5
147.9
117.7
97.6
100.4
99.5

160.9
158.3
123.2
98.4
102.3
101.0

163.8
161.4
122.3
98.5
110.5
106.6

171.6
168.9
123.9
98.4
–
–

178.4
175.7
124.8
98.5
–
–

Nonfarm business
Output per hour of all persons........................................
Compensation per hour…………………………….………
Real compensation per hour………………………………
Unit labor costs…...............................……………………
Unit nonlabor payments…………...………..........………
Implicit price deflator………………………………………
Nonfinancial corporations
Output per hour of all employees...................................
Compensation per hour…………………………….………
Real compensation per hour………………………………
Total unit costs…...............................……………………
Unit labor costs.............................................................
Unit nonlabor costs......................................................
Unit profits......................................................................
Unit nonlabor payments…………...………..........………
Implicit price deflator………………………………………
Manufacturing
Output per hour of all persons........................................
Compensation per hour…………………………….………
Real compensation per hour………………………………
Unit labor costs…...............................……………………
Unit nonlabor payments…………...………..........………
Implicit price deflator………………………………………
'DVKLQGLFDWHVGDWDQRWDYDLODEOH

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

123

Current Labor Statistics: Productivity Data

50. Annual indexes of output per hour for selected NAICS industries
[1997=100]
NAICS

Industry

21
211
212
2121
2122


0LQLQJ«««««««««««««««««««
2LODQGJDVH[WUDFWLRQ«««««««««««««
0LQLQJH[FHSWRLODQGJDV«««««««««««
&RDOPLQLQJ«««««««««««««««««
0HWDORUHPLQLQJ«««««««««««««««
1RQPHWDOOLFPLQHUDOPLQLQJDQGTXDUU\LQJ««««




3RZHUJHQHUDWLRQDQGVXSSO\««««««««««
1DWXUDOJDVGLVWULEXWLRQ«««««««««««««







$QLPDOIRRG«««««««««««««««««
*UDLQDQGRLOVHHGPLOOLQJ««««««««««««
6XJDUDQGFRQIHFWLRQHU\SURGXFWV««««««««
)UXLWDQGYHJHWDEOHSUHVHUYLQJDQGVSHFLDOW\«««
'DLU\SURGXFWV««««««««««««««««

1987

1990

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Mining






































































































































































































$QLPDOVODXJKWHULQJDQGSURFHVVLQJ«««««««

6HDIRRGSURGXFWSUHSDUDWLRQDQGSDFNDJLQJ««« 
%DNHULHVDQGWRUWLOODPDQXIDFWXULQJ«««««««

2WKHUIRRGSURGXFWV«««««««««««««« 
%HYHUDJHV«««««««««««««««««










































































7REDFFRDQGWREDFFRSURGXFWV«««««««««
)LEHU\DUQDQGWKUHDGPLOOV««««««««««
)DEULFPLOOV«««««««««««««««««
7H[WLOHDQGIDEULFILQLVKLQJPLOOV«««««««««
7H[WLOHIXUQLVKLQJVPLOOV««««««««««««















































































2WKHUWH[WLOHSURGXFWPLOOV««««««««««««
$SSDUHONQLWWLQJPLOOV««««««««««««««
&XWDQGVHZDSSDUHO««««««««««««««
$FFHVVRULHVDQGRWKHUDSSDUHO«««««««««
/HDWKHUDQGKLGHWDQQLQJDQGILQLVKLQJ««««««
















































































)RRWZHDU««««««««««««««««««
2WKHUOHDWKHUSURGXFWV«««««««««««««

6DZPLOOVDQGZRRGSUHVHUYDWLRQ««««««««


3O\ZRRGDQGHQJLQHHUHGZRRGSURGXFWV«««««
2WKHUZRRGSURGXFWV«««««««««««««« 









































































3XOSSDSHUDQGSDSHUERDUGPLOOV««««««««
&RQYHUWHGSDSHUSURGXFWV«««««««««««
3ULQWLQJDQGUHODWHGVXSSRUWDFWLYLWLHV««««««
3HWUROHXPDQGFRDOSURGXFWV««««««««««
%DVLFFKHPLFDOV««««««««««««««««















































































5HVLQUXEEHUDQGDUWLILFLDOILEHUV««««««««
$JULFXOWXUDOFKHPLFDOV«««««««««««««
3KDUPDFHXWLFDOVDQGPHGLFLQHV«««««««««
3DLQWVFRDWLQJVDQGDGKHVLYHV«««««««««
6RDSFOHDQLQJFRPSRXQGVDQGWRLOHWULHV«««««















































































2WKHUFKHPLFDOSURGXFWVDQGSUHSDUDWLRQV««««
3ODVWLFVSURGXFWV«««««««««««««««
5XEEHUSURGXFWV«««««««««««««««
&OD\SURGXFWVDQGUHIUDFWRULHV«««««««««
*ODVVDQGJODVVSURGXFWV««««««««««««















































































&HPHQWDQGFRQFUHWHSURGXFWV«««««««««
/LPHDQGJ\SVXPSURGXFWV«««««««««««
2WKHUQRQPHWDOOLFPLQHUDOSURGXFWV«««««««
,URQDQGVWHHOPLOOVDQGIHUURDOOR\SURGXFWLRQ«««
6WHHOSURGXFWVIURPSXUFKDVHGVWHHO«««««««















































































$OXPLQDDQGDOXPLQXPSURGXFWLRQ««««««««
2WKHUQRQIHUURXVPHWDOSURGXFWLRQ««««««««
)RXQGULHV««««««««««««««««««
)RUJLQJDQGVWDPSLQJ«««««««««««««
&XWOHU\DQGKDQGWRROV«««««««««««««















































































$UFKLWHFWXUDODQGVWUXFWXUDOPHWDOV««««««««
%RLOHUVWDQNVDQGVKLSSLQJFRQWDLQHUV««««««
+DUGZDUH««««««««««««««««««
6SULQJDQGZLUHSURGXFWV««««««««««««
0DFKLQHVKRSVDQGWKUHDGHGSURGXFWV««««««









































































Utilities

Manufacturing

124

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

50. Continued - Annual indexes of output per hour for selected NAICS industries
[1997=100]
NAICS

Industry

1987

1990

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006







&RDWLQJHQJUDYLQJDQGKHDWWUHDWLQJPHWDOV««««
2WKHUIDEULFDWHGPHWDOSURGXFWV««««««««««
$JULFXOWXUHFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGPLQLQJPDFKLQHU\«««
,QGXVWULDOPDFKLQHU\«««««««««««««««
&RPPHUFLDODQGVHUYLFHLQGXVWU\PDFKLQHU\«««««















































































+9$&DQGFRPPHUFLDOUHIULJHUDWLRQHTXLSPHQW«««
0HWDOZRUNLQJPDFKLQHU\«««««««««««««
7XUELQHDQGSRZHUWUDQVPLVVLRQHTXLSPHQW«««««
2WKHUJHQHUDOSXUSRVHPDFKLQHU\«««««««««
&RPSXWHUDQGSHULSKHUDOHTXLSPHQW««««««««















































































&RPPXQLFDWLRQVHTXLSPHQW««««««««««««
$XGLRDQGYLGHRHTXLSPHQW««««««««««««
6HPLFRQGXFWRUVDQGHOHFWURQLFFRPSRQHQWV«««««
(OHFWURQLFLQVWUXPHQWV««««««««««««««
0DJQHWLFPHGLDPDQXIDFWXULQJDQGUHSURGXFWLRQ«««















































































(OHFWULFOLJKWLQJHTXLSPHQW««««««««««««
+RXVHKROGDSSOLDQFHV««««««««««««««
(OHFWULFDOHTXLSPHQW«««««««««««««««
2WKHUHOHFWULFDOHTXLSPHQWDQGFRPSRQHQWV«««««
0RWRUYHKLFOHV«««««««««««««««««















































































0RWRUYHKLFOHERGLHVDQGWUDLOHUV««««««««««
0RWRUYHKLFOHSDUWV««««««««««««««««
$HURVSDFHSURGXFWVDQGSDUWV«««««««««««
5DLOURDGUROOLQJVWRFN«««««««««««««««
6KLSDQGERDWEXLOGLQJ««««««««««««««
















































































2WKHUWUDQVSRUWDWLRQHTXLSPHQW««««««««««
+RXVHKROGDQGLQVWLWXWLRQDOIXUQLWXUH««««««««
2IILFHIXUQLWXUHDQGIL[WXUHV««««««««««««
2WKHUIXUQLWXUHUHODWHGSURGXFWV««««««««««
0HGLFDOHTXLSPHQWDQGVXSSOLHV««««««««««
2WKHUPLVFHOODQHRXVPDQXIDFWXULQJ««««««««



























































































:KROHVDOHWUDGH««««««««««««««««
'XUDEOHJRRGV«««««««««««««««««
0RWRUYHKLFOHVDQGSDUWV«««««««««««««
)XUQLWXUHDQGIXUQLVKLQJV«««««««««««««
/XPEHUDQGFRQVWUXFWLRQVXSSOLHV«««««««««















































































&RPPHUFLDOHTXLSPHQW«««««««««««««« 
0HWDOVDQGPLQHUDOV««««««««««««««« 
(OHFWULFJRRGV«««««««««««««««««

+DUGZDUHDQGSOXPELQJ«««««««««««««

0DFKLQHU\DQGVXSSOLHV«««««««««««««










































































0LVFHOODQHRXVGXUDEOHJRRGV«««««««««««
1RQGXUDEOHJRRGV««««««««««««««««
3DSHUDQGSDSHUSURGXFWV««««««««««««
'UXJJLVWV JRRGV«««««««««««««««««
$SSDUHODQGSLHFHJRRGV«««««««««««««















































































*URFHU\DQGUHODWHGSURGXFWV«««««««««««
)DUPSURGXFWUDZPDWHULDOV««««««««««««
&KHPLFDOV«««««««««««««««««««
3HWUROHXP«««««««««««««««««««
$OFRKROLFEHYHUDJHV«««««««««««««««












































































0LVFHOODQHRXVQRQGXUDEOHJRRGV«««««««««
(OHFWURQLFPDUNHWVDQGDJHQWVDQGEURNHUV«««««











































5HWDLOWUDGH«««««««««««««««««««
0RWRUYHKLFOHDQGSDUWVGHDOHUV««««««««««
$XWRPRELOHGHDOHUV«««««««««««««««
2WKHUPRWRUYHKLFOHGHDOHUV««««««««««««
$XWRSDUWVDFFHVVRULHVDQGWLUHVWRUHV«««««««















































































)XUQLWXUHDQGKRPHIXUQLVKLQJVVWRUHV«««««««
)XUQLWXUHVWRUHV«««««««««««««««««
+RPHIXUQLVKLQJVVWRUHV«««««««««««««
(OHFWURQLFVDQGDSSOLDQFHVWRUHV««««««««««
%XLOGLQJPDWHULDODQGJDUGHQVXSSO\VWRUHV«««««









































































Wholesale trade

Retail trade

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

125

Current Labor Statistics: Productivity Data

50. Continued - Annual indexes of output per hour for selected NAICS industries
[1997=100]
NAICS

Industry

1987

1990

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

77.6
66.9
110.8
111.1
138.5

81.6
69.0
107.4
106.9
127.2

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

108.3
102.3
99.9
99.6
100.5

115.3
105.5
101.9
102.5
96.4

115.1
103.1
101.0
101.1
98.5

116.7
118.4
103.8
103.3
108.2

121.3
118.3
104.7
104.8
105.3

127.5
125.7
107.2
106.7
112.2

134.0
140.1
112.9
112.2
120.3

134.9
135.6
118.3
117.1
127.7

142.9
150.1
122.1
119.2
153.3

%HHUZLQHDQGOLTXRUVWRUHV««««««««««««««
+HDOWKDQGSHUVRQDOFDUHVWRUHV««««««««««««
*DVROLQHVWDWLRQV««««««««««««««««««
&ORWKLQJDQGFORWKLQJDFFHVVRULHVVWRUHV««««««««
&ORWKLQJVWRUHV«««««««««««««««««««

93.6
84.0




97.6
91.0




100.0
100.0




104.6
104.0




99.1
107.1




105.7
112.2




107.1
116.2




110.1
122.9




117.0
129.5




127.8
134.3




141.8
133.2




148.8
139.7










6KRHVWRUHV««««««««««««««««««««
-HZHOU\OXJJDJHDQGOHDWKHUJRRGVVWRUHV«««««««
6SRUWLQJJRRGVKREE\ERRNDQGPXVLFVWRUHV«««««
6SRUWLQJJRRGVDQGPXVLFDOLQVWUXPHQWVWRUHV««««««
%RRNSHULRGLFDODQGPXVLFVWRUHV«««««««««««




73.2
78.9




82.2
82.3




100.0
100.0




111.5
101.0




119.8
103.2




129.4
105.8




134.5
113.0




136.0
111.6




141.1
113.7




166.0
123.6




181.7
133.7




203.1
124.9







*HQHUDOPHUFKDQGLVHVWRUHV««««««««««««««
'HSDUWPHQWVWRUHV«««««««««««««««««
2WKHUJHQHUDOPHUFKDQGLVHVWRUHV«««««««««««
0LVFHOODQHRXVVWRUHUHWDLOHUV««««««««««««««
)ORULVWV«««««««««««««««««««««««

73.5

54.8
65.1
77.6

75.1

61.2
69.5
73.3

100.0

100.0
100.0
100.0

105.3

114.7
108.9
102.3

113.4

131.0
111.3
116.2

120.2

147.3
114.1
115.2

124.8

164.7
112.6
102.7

129.1

179.3
119.1
113.8

136.9

188.8
126.1
108.9

140.7

192.9
130.8
103.4

145.0

199.7
142.0
120.6

152.3

210.4
159.3
125.3









2IILFHVXSSOLHVVWDWLRQHU\DQGJLIWVWRUHV««««««««
8VHGPHUFKDQGLVHVWRUHV«««««««««««««««
2WKHUPLVFHOODQHRXVVWRUHUHWDLOHUV«««««««««««
1RQVWRUHUHWDLOHUV««««««««««««««««««
(OHFWURQLFVKRSSLQJDQGPDLORUGHUKRXVHV«««««««
9HQGLQJPDFKLQHRSHUDWRUV««««««««««««««
'LUHFWVHOOLQJHVWDEOLVKPHQWV««««««««««««««


64.5
68.3
50.7

95.5
70.8


70.4
75.0
54.7

95.1
74.1


100.0
100.0
100.0

100.0
100.0


119.1
105.3
114.3

106.3
101.9


113.4
103.0
128.9

105.4
104.2


116.5
104.4
152.2

111.1
122.5


121.9
96.9
163.6

95.7
127.9


142.0
94.4
182.1

91.2
135.0


149.7
99.9
195.5

102.3
127.0


152.6
96.9
215.5

110.5
130.3


159.5
103.5
218.4

105.1
121.5


166.6
118.5
256.3

110.7
135.6








$LUWUDQVSRUWDWLRQ«««««««««««««««««« 81.1
/LQHKDXOUDLOURDGV«««««««««««««««««« 58.9
*HQHUDOIUHLJKWWUXFNLQJORQJGLVWDQFH«««««««««

8VHGKRXVHKROGDQGRIILFHJRRGVPRYLQJ«««««««« 106.7
90.9
863RVWDOVHUYLFH«««««««««««««««««
&RXULHUVDQGPHVVHQJHUV««««««««««««««« 148.3

77.5
69.8

112.6
94.2
138.5

100.0
100.0

100.0
100.0
100.0

97.6
102.1

91.0
101.6
112.6

98.2
105.5

96.1
102.8
117.6

98.1
114.3

94.8
105.5
121.9

91.9
121.9

84.0
106.3
123.4

102.1
131.9

81.6
106.4
131.1

112.7
142.0

86.2
107.8
134.1

126.0
146.4

88.7
110.0
126.9

135.7
138.5

88.5
111.2
124.7


-











1HZVSDSHUERRNDQGGLUHFWRU\SXEOLVKHUV««««««« 
6RIWZDUHSXEOLVKHUV«««««««««««««««««

0RWLRQSLFWXUHDQGYLGHRH[KLELWLRQ««««««««««« 90.7
%URDGFDVWLQJH[FHSWLQWHUQHW«««««««««««««

5DGLRDQGWHOHYLVLRQEURDGFDVWLQJ«««««««««««

&DEOHDQGRWKHUVXEVFULSWLRQSURJUDPPLQJ««««««« 
:LUHGWHOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQVFDUULHUV««««««««««« 56.9
:LUHOHVVWHOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQVFDUULHUV«««««««««« 75.6
&DEOHDQGRWKHUSURJUDPGLVWULEXWLRQ«««««««««« 105.2



109.2



66.0
70.4
100.0



100.0



100.0
100.0
100.0



99.8



107.7
110.5
97.1



101.8



116.7
145.2
95.8



106.5



122.7
152.8
91.6



101.6



116.7
191.9
87.7



99.8



124.1
217.9
95.0



100.6



130.5
242.5
101.2



103.8



133.9
292.0
113.7



102.7



140.2
392.4
110.4






-



&RPPHUFLDOEDQNLQJ«««««««««««««««««

72.8

80.7

100.0

97.0

99.8

102.7

99.6

102.1

103.7

108.5

108.4

-





3DVVHQJHUFDUUHQWDO««««««««««««««««« 92.7
7UXFNWUDLOHUDQG59UHQWDODQGOHDVLQJ««««««««« 60.4
9LGHRWDSHDQGGLVFUHQWDO««««««««««««««« 77.0

90.8
68.6
97.1

100.0
100.0
100.0

100.1
115.2
113.2

112.2
120.6
129.4

112.3
121.1
134.9

111.1
113.7
133.3

114.6
113.5
130.3

121.2
115.1
148.5

118.3
135.7
154.5

110.5
145.5
155.6

-







7D[SUHSDUDWLRQVHUYLFHV«««««««««««««««
$UFKLWHFWXUDOVHUYLFHV«««««««««««««««««
(QJLQHHULQJVHUYLFHV«««««««««««««««««
$GYHUWLVLQJDJHQFLHV«««««««««««««««««
3KRWRJUDSK\VWXGLRVSRUWUDLW««««««««««««««


90.0
90.2
95.9
98.1


93.8
99.4
107.9
95.9


100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0


111.4
98.2
89.2
124.8


106.8
98.0
97.9
109.8


107.6
102.0
107.5
108.9


111.0
100.1
106.9
102.2


107.6
100.5
113.1
97.6


112.6
100.5
120.8
104.2


118.3
107.8
133.0
93.2


123.9
114.2
131.2
93.6


-





(PSOR\PHQWSODFHPHQWDJHQFLHV««««««««««««
7UDYHODJHQFLHV««««««««««««««««««
-DQLWRULDOVHUYLFHV««««««««««««««««««


75.1


94.3

100.0

100.0

86.8

95.3

93.2

98.6

89.8

101.0

99.6

102.1

116.8

105.6

115.4

118.8

119.8

116.6

117.9

122.0


-





0HGLFDODQGGLDJQRVWLFODERUDWRULHV«««««««««««
0HGLFDOODERUDWRULHV«««««««««««««««««
'LDJQRVWLFLPDJLQJFHQWHUV««««««««««««««





100.0
100.0


118.8
117.2


124.7
121.4


131.9
127.4


135.3
127.7


137.6
123.1


140.8
128.6


140.8
130.7


138.8
127.1







$PXVHPHQWDQGWKHPHSDUNV««««««««««««« 112.0
%RZOLQJFHQWHUV««««««««««««««««««« 106.0

112.5
94.0

100.0
100.0

110.5
89.9

105.2
89.4

106.0
93.4

93.0
94.3

106.5
96.4

113.2
102.4

101.4
107.9

110.0
106.1

-







%XLOGLQJPDWHULDODQGVXSSOLHVGHDOHUV««««««««««
/DZQDQGJDUGHQHTXLSPHQWDQGVXSSOLHVVWRUHV«««««
)RRGDQGEHYHUDJHVWRUHV«««««««««««««««
*URFHU\VWRUHV«««««««««««««««««««
6SHFLDOW\IRRGVWRUHV«««««««««««««««««







Transportation and warehousing

Information

Finance and insurance
Real estate and rental and leasing

Professional and technical services

Administrative and waste services

Health care and social assistance

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

126

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

50. Continued - Annual indexes of output per hour for selected NAICS industries
[1997=100]
NAICS

Industry

1987

1990

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

85.2
96.0

96.5
89.9


82.1
102.4

103.6
99.8


100.0
100.0

100.0
100.0


100.0
101.0

101.2
100.6


105.5
100.9

100.4
105.2


111.7
103.5

102.0
115.0


107.6
103.8

102.5
115.3


112.0
104.4

102.7
114.9


114.3
106.3

105.4
117.6


120.8
107.0

106.8
118.0


115.8
108.2

107.8
119.2


110.9

111.2
116.4


85.9
83.5
103.7
97.1
95.8

89.9
82.1
98.4
94.8
107.7

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

103.6
108.6
106.8
100.1
69.3

106.1
108.6
103.3
105.0
76.3

109.4
108.2
94.8
107.6
73.8

108.9
114.6
91.8
110.9
81.2

103.7
110.4
94.6
112.5
100.5

104.1
119.7
95.7
103.8
100.5

112.0
125.0
92.9
110.6
102.0

112.5
130.4
93.2
120.8
113.2

-

Accommodation and food services







7UDYHOHUDFFRPPRGDWLRQV«««««««««««««««
)RRGVHUYLFHVDQGGULQNLQJSODFHV««««««««««««
)XOOVHUYLFHUHVWDXUDQWV«««««««««««««««
/LPLWHGVHUYLFHHDWLQJSODFHV««««««««««««««
6SHFLDOIRRGVHUYLFHV«««««««««««««««««
'ULQNLQJSODFHVDOFRKROLFEHYHUDJHV««««««««««







$XWRPRWLYHUHSDLUDQGPDLQWHQDQFH«««««««««««
+DLUQDLODQGVNLQFDUHVHUYLFHV«««««««««««««
)XQHUDOKRPHVDQGIXQHUDOVHUYLFHV«««««««««««
'U\FOHDQLQJDQGODXQGU\VHUYLFHV««««««««««««
3KRWRILQLVKLQJ««««««««««««««««««««

Other services

NOTE: Dash indicates data are not available.

8QHPSOR\PHQWUDWHVDSSUR[LPDWLQJ86FRQFHSWVFRXQWULHVVHDVRQDOO\DGMXVWHG
[Percent]
2005

&RXQWU\

2005

2006

I

II

2006

III

IV

I

II

2007

III

IV

I

II

III

United States………

5.1

4.6

5.3

5.1

5.0



4.7

4.7

4.7

4.5

4.5

4.5

4.7

Canada………………

6.0

5.5

6.2

6.0

6.0



5.7

5.5

5.6

5.4

5.4

5.2

5.2
4.3

Australia………………

5.1

4.8

5.1

5.1

5.0



5.0

4.9

4.7

4.6

4.5

4.3

Japan…………………

4.5

4.2

4.6

4.4

4.4



4.3

4.2

4.2

4.1

4.0

3.8

-

France………………

9.9

9.7

9.8

9.9

9.9



10.0

9.8

9.6

9.4

9.1

9.0

-

Germany……………

11.2

10.4

11.5

11.4

11.1



11.0

10.6

10.1

9.7

9.2

9.0

-

7.8

6.9

7.9

7.8

7.7



7.3

6.9

6.7

6.5

6.2

6.1

-

Italy……………………
Netherlands…………

5.2

4.4

5.6

5.3

5.0



4.8

4.3

4.2

4.2

4.0

3.6

-

Sweden………………

7.7

7.0

6.3

7.7

7.6



7.3

7.3

6.7

6.5

6.3

5.9

5.8

United Kingdom……

4.8

5.5

4.7

4.8

4.8



5.3

5.5

5.6

5.5

5.5

5.4

-

NOTE: Dash indicates data not available.
Quarterly figures for Italy and quarterly and monthly figures for France, Germany, and the
Netherlands are calculated by applying annual adjustment factors to current published data
and therefore should be viewed as less precise indicators of unemployment under U.S.
concepts than the annual figures. Quarterly and monthly figures for Sweden are BLS
seasonally adjusted estimates derived from Swedish not seasonally adjusted data.
There are breaks in series for Germany (2005) and Sweden (2005). For details on breaks
in series, see the technical notes of the report Comparative Civilian Labor Force Statistics,
Ten Countries, 1960-2006 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, October 12, 2007), available on the
Internet at http://www.bls.gov/fls/flscomparelf.htm.

For further qualifications and historical annual data, see the full report, also available
at this site. For monthly unemployment rates, as well as the quarterly and annual
rates published in this table, see the report Unemployment rates in ten countries,
civilian labor force basis, approximating U.S. concepts, seasonally adjusted, 19952007,
(Bureau of Labor Statistics), available on the Internet at
ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/ForeignLabor/flsjec.txt .
Unemployment rates may differ between the two reports mentioned, because the
former is updated on a bi-annual basis, whereas the latter is updated monthly and
reflects the most recent revisions in source data.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

127

Current Labor Statistics: International Comparisons

52. Annual data: employment status of the working-age population, approximating U.S. concepts, 10 countries
[Numbers in thousands]

Employment status and country
Civilian labor force

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

136,297
14,884
9,204
67,200
25,116
39,415
22,753
7,612
4,414
28,401

137,673
15,135
9,339
67,240
25,434
39,752
23,004
7,744
4,401
28,474

139,368
15,403
9,414
67,090
25,791
39,375
23,176
7,881
4,423
28,777

142,583
15,637
9,590
66,990
26,099
39,302
23,361
8,011
4,482
28,952

143,734
15,891
9,744
66,860
26,393
39,459
23,524
8,098
4,522
29,085

144,863
16,366
9,893
66,240
26,645
39,413
23,728
8,186
4,537
29,335

146,510
16,733
10,079
66,010
26,922
39,276
24,020
8,255
4,557
29,557

147,401
16,955
10,221
65,770
26,961
39,711
24,084
8,279
4,571
29,775























66.8
64.8
64.6
63.0
55.7
57.1
47.3
60.2
63.9
62.4

67.1
65.1
64.3
63.2
55.6
57.3
47.3
61.1
63.2
62.5

67.1
65.4
64.3
62.8
56.0
57.7
47.7
61.8
62.8
62.5

67.1
65.9
64.0
62.4
56.4
56.9
47.9
62.5
62.7
62.8

67.1
66.0
64.4
62.0
56.6
56.7
48.1
63.0
63.7
62.9

66.8
66.1
64.4
61.6
56.8
56.7
48.3
63.3
63.6
62.7

66.6
67.1
64.3
60.8
56.9
56.4
48.5
63.5
63.9
62.9

66.2
67.7
64.6
60.3
57.0
56.0
49.1
63.7
63.8
63.0

66.0
67.7
64.6
60.0
56.7
56.4
49.1
63.6
63.6
63.0
















56.4
58.2





United States……………………………………………… 126,708
Canada……………………………………………………
13,338
Australia……………………………………………………
8,364
Japan………………………………………………………
64,200
France……………………………………………………
22,036
Germany…………………………………………………
35,637
Italy………………………………………………………… 20,124
Netherlands………………………………………………
6,966
Sweden……………………………………………………
4,014
United Kingdom…………………………………………
25,941

129,558
13,637
8,444
64,900
22,176
35,508
20,169
7,189
3,969
26,413

131,463
13,973
8,618
64,450
22,597
36,059
20,370
7,408
4,033
26,686

133,488
14,331
8,762
63,920
23,080
36,042
20,617
7,605
4,110
27,051

136,891
14,681
8,989
63,790
23,714
36,236
20,973
7,781
4,222
27,368

136,933
14,866
9,086
63,460
24,167
36,350
21,359
7,875
4,295
27,599

136,485
15,223
9,264
62,650
24,311
36,018
21,666
7,925
4,303
27,812

137,736
15,586
9,480
62,510
24,337
35,615
21,972
7,895
4,293
28,073

139,252
15,861
9,668
62,640
24,330
35,604
22,124
7,847
4,271
28,358























63.2
59.1
59.3
60.9
49.1
52.0
42.0
56.2
57.6
57.3

63.8
59.6
59.0
61.0
49.1
51.6
41.9
57.7
56.8
58.2

64.1
60.4
59.3
60.2
49.7
52.3
42.2
59.1
57.6
58.5

64.3
61.3
59.6
59.4
50.4
52.1
42.6
60.3
58.3
59.1

64.4
62.0
60.3
59.0
51.4
52.2
43.2
61.2
60.0
59.4

63.7
61.9
60.0
58.4
52.0
52.2
43.8
61.5
60.4
59.5

62.7
62.4
60.2
57.5
51.9
51.5
44.3
61.5
60.6
59.6

62.3
63.1
60.7
57.1
51.6
50.8
44.9
60.9
60.1
59.8

62.3
63.3
61.1
57.1
51.2
50.6
45.1
60.3
59.4
60.0
















50.9
52.2





7,236
1,285
751
2,250
2,946
3,505
2,555
489
440
2,298

6,739
1,248
759
2,300
2,940
3,907
2,584
423
445
1,987

6,210
1,162
721
2,790
2,837
3,693
2,634
337
368
1,788

5,880
1,072
652
3,170
2,711
3,333
2,559
277
313
1,726

5,692
956
602
3,200
2,385
3,065
2,388
231
260
1,584

6,801
1,026
658
3,400
2,226
3,110
2,164
223
227
1,486

8,378
1,143
629
3,590
2,334
3,396
2,062
261
234
1,524

8,774
1,147
599
3,500
2,585
3,661
2,048
360
264
1,484

8,149
1,093
553
3,130
2,631
4,107
1,960
422
300
1,417























5.4
8.8
8.2
3.4
11.8
9.0
11.3
6.6
9.9
8.1

4.9
8.4
8.3
3.4
11.7
9.9
11.4
5.6
10.1
7.0

4.5
7.7
7.7
4.1
11.2
9.3
11.5
4.4
8.4
6.3

4.2
7.0
6.9
4.7
10.5
8.5
11.0
3.5
7.1
6.0

4.0
6.1
6.3
4.8
9.1
7.8
10.2
2.9
5.8
5.5

4.7
6.5
6.8
5.1
8.4
7.9
9.2
2.8
5.0
5.1

5.8
7.0
6.4
5.4
8.8
8.6
8.7
3.2
5.2
5.2

6.0
6.9
5.9
5.3
9.6
9.3
8.5
4.4
5.8
5.0

5.5
6.4
5.4
4.8
9.8
10.3
8.1
5.1
6.6
4.8























United States……………………………………………… 133,943
14,623
Canada……………………………………………………
Australia……………………………………………………
9,115
Japan………………………………………………………
66,450
France……………………………………………………
24,982
Germany…………………………………………………
39,142
Italy………………………………………………………… 22,679
Netherlands………………………………………………
7,455
4,454
Sweden……………………………………………………
United Kingdom…………………………………………
28,239

Participation rate1
United States………………………………………………
Canada……………………………………………………
Australia……………………………………………………
Japan………………………………………………………
France……………………………………………………
Germany…………………………………………………
Italy…………………………………………………………
Netherlands………………………………………………
Sweden……………………………………………………
United Kingdom…………………………………………

Employed

Employment-population ratio2
United States………………………………………………
Canada……………………………………………………
Australia……………………………………………………
Japan………………………………………………………
France……………………………………………………
Germany…………………………………………………
Italy…………………………………………………………
Netherlands………………………………………………
Sweden……………………………………………………
United Kingdom…………………………………………

Unemployed
United States………………………………………………
Canada……………………………………………………
Australia……………………………………………………
Japan………………………………………………………
France……………………………………………………
Germany…………………………………………………
Italy…………………………………………………………
Netherlands………………………………………………
Sweden……………………………………………………
United Kingdom…………………………………………

Unemployment rate
United States………………………………………………
Canada……………………………………………………
Australia……………………………………………………
Japan………………………………………………………
France……………………………………………………
Germany…………………………………………………
Italy…………………………………………………………
Netherlands………………………………………………
Sweden……………………………………………………
United Kingdom…………………………………………
1

Labor force as a percent of the working-age population.

2

Employment as a percent of the working-age population.

NOTE: There are breaks in series for the United States (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003,
2004), Australia (2001), Germany (1999, 2005), and Sweden (2005). For details on
breaks in series, see the technical notes of the report Comparative Civilian Labor Force
Statistics, Ten Countries, 1960-2006

128

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, October 12, 2007), available on the Internet at
http://www.bls.gov/fls/flscomparelf.htm. For further qualifications and historical annual
data, see the full report, also available at this site. Data in this report may not be
consistent with data in Unemployment rates in ten countries, civilian labor force basis,
approximating U.S. concepts, seasonally adjusted, 1995-2007, (Bureau of Labor
Statistics), because the former is updated on a bi-annual basis, whereas the latter is
updated monthly and reflects the most recent revisions in source data.

53. Annual indexes of manufacturing productivity and related measures, 16 economies
[1992 = 100]
Measure and economy

1980

1990

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006





±











































































































































































































































































Output
8QLWHG6WDWHV««««««««« 
&DQDGD«««««««««««« 
AXVWUDOLD«««««««««««« 
-DSDQ««««««««««««« 
.RUHD««««««««««««« 
7DLZDQ«««««««««««« 
%HOJLXP«««««««««««« 
'HQPDUN««««««««««« 
)UDQFH«««««««««««« 
*HUPDQ\««««««««««« 
,WDO\«««««««««««««« 
1HWKHUODQGV«««««««««« 
1RUZD\«««««««««««« 
6SDLQ«««««««««««« 
6ZHGHQ«««««««««««« 
8QLWHG.LQJGRP«««««««« 
































































































































































































































































Total hours
8QLWHG6WDWHV««««««««« 
&DQDGD«««««««««««« 
AXVWUDOLD«««««««««««« 
-DSDQ««««««««««««« 
.RUHD««««««««««««« ±
7DLZDQ«««««««««««« 
%HOJLXP«««««««««««« 
'HQPDUN««««««««««« 
)UDQFH«««««««««««« 
*HUPDQ\««««««««««« 
,WDO\«««««««««««««« 
1HWKHUODQGV«««««««««« 
1RUZD\«««««««««««« 
6SDLQ«««««««««««« 
6ZHGHQ«««««««««««« 
8QLWHG.LQJGRP«««««««« 































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Output per hour
8QLWHG6WDWHV«««««««««
&DQDGD««««««««««««
AXVWUDOLD«««««««««««
-DSDQ«««««««««««««
.RUHD««««««««««««
7DLZDQ««««««««««««
%HOJLXP«««««««««««
'HQPDUN«««««««««««
)UDQFH««««««««««««
*HUPDQ\«««««««««««
,WDO\«««««««««««««
1HWKHUODQGV«««««««««
1RUZD\««««««««««««
6SDLQ««««««««««««
6ZHGHQ«««««««««««
8QLWHG.LQJGRP««««««««

Hourly compensation
(national currency basis)
8QLWHG6WDWHV«««««««««
&DQDGD««««««««««««
AXVWUDOLD««««««««««««
-DSDQ«««««««««««««
.RUHD«««««««««««««
7DLZDQ««««««««««««
%HOJLXP««««««««««««
'HQPDUN«««««««««««
)UDQFH««««««««««««
*HUPDQ\«««««««««««
,WDO\««««««««««««««
1HWKHUODQGV««««««««««
1RUZD\««««««««««««
6SDLQ««««««««««««
6ZHGHQ««««««««««««
8QLWHG.LQJGRP««««««««
6HHQRWHVDWHQGRIWDEOH



±

±












Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

129

Current Labor Statistics: International Comparisons

&RQWLQXHG²$QQXDOLQGH[HVRIPDQXIDFWXULQJSURGXFWLYLW\DQGUHODWHGPHDVXUHVHFRQRPLHV
0HDVXUHDQGHFRQRP\

































8QLWODERUFRVWV
(national currency basis)
8QLWHG6WDWHV««««««««« 
&DQDGD«««««««««««« 
AXVWUDOLD«««««««««««« ±
-DSDQ««««««««««««« 
.RUHD««««««««««««« 
7DLZDQ«««««««««««« 
%HOJLXP«««««««««««« 
'HQPDUN««««««««««« 
)UDQFH«««««««««««« 
*HUPDQ\««««««««««« 
,WDO\«««««««««««««« 
1HWKHUODQGV«««««««««« 
1RUZD\«««««««««««« 
6SDLQ«««««««««««« 
6ZHGHQ«««««««««««« 
8QLWHG.LQJGRP«««««««« 
































































































































































































































































8QLWODERUFRVWV
86GROODUEDVLV
8QLWHG6WDWHV««««««««« 
&DQDGD«««««««««««« 
AXVWUDOLD«««««««««««« ±
-DSDQ««««««««««««« 
.RUHD««««««««««««« 
7DLZDQ«««««««««««« 
%HOJLXP«««««««««««« 
'HQPDUN««««««««««« 
)UDQFH«««««««««««« 
*HUPDQ\««««««««««« 
,WDO\«««««««««««««« 
1HWKHUODQGV«««««««««« 
1RUZD\«««««««««««« 
6SDLQ«««««««««««« 
6ZHGHQ«««««««««««« 
8QLWHG.LQJGRP«««««««« 
































































































































































































































































127('DWDIRU*HUPDQ\IRU\HDUVEHIRUHDUHIRUWKHIRUPHU:HVW*HUPDQ\'DWDIRURQZDUGDUHIRUXQLILHG*HUPDQ\'DVKLQGLFDWHVGDWDQRWDYDLODEOH

130

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

54. Occupational injury and illness rates by industry, 1 United States
Industry and type of case

Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers

2

1989

1

1990

1991

1992

1993

4

1994

4

1995

4

1996

4

1997

4

3

1998

4

1999

4

2000

4

2001

4

5

PRIVATE SECTOR

8.6
4.0
78.7

8.8
4.1
84.0

8.4
3.9






8.5
3.8
–

8.4
3.8
–

8.1
3.6
–

7.4
3.4
–

7.1
3.3
–



±



±



±



±

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
Total cases ............................………………………….
Lost workday cases.....................................................
Lost workdays........………...........................................

10.9
5.7
100.9

11.6
5.9
112.2

10.8
5.4






11.2
5.0
–

10.0
4.7
–

9.7
4.3
–

8.7
3.9
–

8.4
4.1
–



±



±



±



±

Mining
Total cases ............................………………………….
Lost workday cases.....................................................
Lost workdays........………...........................................

8.5
4.8
137.2

8.3
5.0
119.5

7.4
4.5






6.8
3.9
–

6.3
3.9
–

6.2
3.9
–

5.4
3.2
–

5.9
3.7
–



±



±



±



±

Construction
Total cases ............................………………………….
Lost workday cases.....................................................
Lost workdays........………...........................................

14.3
6.8
143.3

14.2
6.7
147.9

13.0
6.1






12.2
5.5
–

11.8
5.5
–

10.6
4.9
–

9.9
4.5
–

9.5
4.4
–



±



±



±



±

General building contractors:
Total cases ............................………………………….
Lost workday cases.....................................................
Lost workdays........………...........................................

13.9
6.5
137.3

13.4
6.4
137.6

12.0
5.5






11.5
5.1
–

10.9
5.1
–

9.8
4.4
–

9.0
4.0
–

8.5
3.7
–



±



±



±



±

Heavy construction, except building:
Total cases ............................………………………….
Lost workday cases.....................................................
Lost workdays........………...........................................

13.8
6.5
147.1

13.8
6.3
144.6


6.0






11.1
5.1
–

10.2
5.0
–

9.9
4.8
–

9.0
4.3
–

8.7
4.3
–



±



±



±



±

Special trades contractors:
Total cases ............................………………………….
Lost workday cases.....................................................
Lost workdays........………...........................................

14.6
6.9
144.9

14.7
6.9
153.1

13.5
6.3






12.8
5.8
–

12.5
5.8
–

11.1
5.0
–

10.4
4.8
–

10.0
4.7
–



±



±



±



±

Manufacturing
Total cases ............................………………………….
Lost workday cases.....................................................

13.1
5.8

13.2
5.8

12.7
5.6




12.1
5.3

12.2
5.5

11.6
5.3

10.6
4.9

10.3
4.8













Lost workdays........………...........................................

113.0

120.7





–

–

–

–

–

±

±

±

±

14.1
6.0
116.5

14.2
6.0
123.3

13.6
5.7






13.1
5.4
–

13.5
5.7
–

12.8
5.6
–

11.6
5.1
–

11.3
5.1
–



±



±

±
±
±



±

Total cases ............................…………………………
Lost workday cases..................................................
Lost workdays........………........................................

18.4
9.4
177.5

18.1
8.8
172.5

16.8
8.3






15.9
7.6
–

15.7
7.7
–

14.9
7.0
–

14.2
6.8
–

13.5
6.5
–



±



±



±



±

Furniture and fixtures:
Total cases ............................…………………………
Lost workday cases..................................................
Lost workdays........………........................................

16.1
7.2
–

16.9
7.8
–

15.9
7.2
±





14.6
6.5
–

15.0
7.0
–

13.9
6.4
–

12.2
5.4
–

12.0
5.8
–



±



±



±



±

Stone, clay, and glass products:
Total cases ............................…………………………
Lost workday cases..................................................
Lost workdays........………........................................

15.5
7.4
149.8

15.4
7.3
160.5

14.8
6.8






13.8
6.3
–

13.2
6.5
–

12.3
5.7
–

12.4
6.0
–

11.8
5.7
–



±



±



±



±

Primary metal industries:
Total cases ............................…………………………
Lost workday cases..................................................
Lost workdays........………........................................

18.7
8.1
168.3

19.0
8.1
180.2

17.7
7.4






17.0
7.3
–

16.8
7.2
–

16.5
7.2
–

15.0
6.8
–

15.0
7.2
–



±



±



±





Fabricated metal products:
Total cases ............................…………………………
Lost workday cases..................................................
Lost workdays........………........................................

18.5
7.9
147.6

18.7
7.9
155.7

17.4
7.1






16.2
6.7
–

16.4
6.7
–

15.8
6.9
–

14.4
6.2
–

14.2
6.4
–



±



±



±



±

Total cases ............................…………………………
Lost workday cases..................................................
Lost workdays........………........................................

12.1
4.8
86.8

12.0
4.7
88.9

11.2
4.4






11.1
4.2
–

11.6
4.4
–

11.2
4.4
–

9.9
4.0
–

10.0
4.1
–



±



±



±



±

Electronic and other electrical equipment:
Total cases ............................…………………………
Lost workday cases..................................................
Lost workdays........………........................................

9.1
3.9
77.5

9.1
3.8
79.4

8.6
3.7






8.3
3.5
–

8.3
3.6
–

7.6
3.3
–

6.8
3.1
–

6.6
3.1
–



±



±



±



±

Transportation equipment:
Total cases ............................…………………………
Lost workday cases..................................................
Lost workdays........………........................................

17.7
6.8
138.6

17.8
6.9
153.7

18.3
7.0






18.5
7.1
–

19.6
7.8
–

18.6
7.9
–

16.3
7.0
–

15.4
6.6
–



±



±



±



±

Instruments and related products:
Total cases ............................…………………………
Lost workday cases..................................................
Lost workdays........………........................................

5.6
2.5
55.4

5.9
2.7
57.8

6.0
2.7






5.6
2.5
–

5.9
2.7
–

5.3
2.4
–

5.1
2.3
–

4.8
2.3
–



±



±



±



±

Miscellaneous manufacturing industries:
Total cases ............................…………………………
Lost workday cases..................................................
Lost workdays........………........................................

11.1
5.1
97.6

11.3
5.1
113.1

11.3
5.1






10.0
4.6
–

9.9
4.5
–

9.1
4.3
–

9.5
4.4
–

8.9
4.2
–



–



–



–



–

Total cases ............................………………………….
Lost workday cases.....................................................
Lost workdays........………...........................................
5

Durable goods:
Total cases ............................………………………….
Lost workday cases.....................................................
Lost workdays........………...........................................
Lumber and wood products:

Industrial machinery and equipment:

See footnotes at end of table.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

131

Current Labor Statistics: Injury and Illness Data

&RQWLQXHG²2FFXSDWLRQDOLQMXU\DQGLOOQHVVUDWHVE\LQGXVWU\8QLWHG6WDWHV
Industry and type of case2

,QFLGHQFHUDWHVSHUZRUNHUV 
1989

1

1990

1991

1993 4 1994 4 1995 4 1996 4 1997 4 1998 4 1999 4 2000 4 2001 4

1992

Nondurable goods:
Total cases ............................…………………………..…
Lost workday cases.........................................................
Lost workdays........………...............................................

11.6
5.5
107.8

11.7
5.6
116.9

11.5
5.5






10.7
5.0
–

10.5
5.1
–

9.9
4.9
–

9.2
4.6
–



–




Food and kindred products:
Total cases ............................…………………………..
Lost workday cases......................................................
Lost workdays........………............................................

18.5
9.3
174.7

20.0
9.9
202.6

19.5
9.9






17.6
8.9
–

17.1
9.2
–

16.3
8.7
–

15.0
8.0
–



–




Tobacco products:
Total cases ............................…………………………..
Lost workday cases......................................................
Lost workdays........………............................................

8.7
3.4
64.2

7.7
3.2
62.3

6.4
2.8






5.8
2.3
–

5.3
2.4
–

5.6
2.6
–

6.7
2.8
–



–




Textile mill products:
Total cases ............................…………………………..
Lost workday cases......................................................
Lost workdays........………............................................

10.3
4.2
81.4

9.6
4.0
85.1

10.1
4.4






9.7
4.1
–

8.7
4.0
–

8.2
4.1
–

7.8
3.6
–



–

Apparel and other textile products:
Total cases ............................…………………………..
Lost workday cases......................................................
Lost workdays........………............................................

8.6
3.8
80.5

8.8
3.9
92.1

9.2
4.2






9.0
3.8
–

8.9
3.9
–

8.2
3.6
–

7.4
3.3
–

Paper and allied products:
Total cases ............................…………………………..
Lost workday cases......................................................
Lost workdays........………............................................

12.7
5.8
132.9

12.1
5.5
124.8

11.2
5.0






9.9
4.6
–

9.6
4.5
–

8.5
4.2
–

Printing and publishing:
Total cases ............................…………………………..
Lost workday cases......................................................
Lost workdays........………............................................

6.9
3.3
63.8

6.9
3.3
69.8

6.7
3.2






6.9
3.1
–

6.7
3.0
–

Chemicals and allied products:
Total cases ............................…………………………..
Lost workday cases......................................................
Lost workdays........………............................................

7.0
3.2
63.4

6.5
3.1
61.6

6.4
3.1






5.9
2.7
–

Petroleum and coal products:
Total cases ............................…………………………..
Lost workday cases......................................................
Lost workdays........………............................................

6.6
3.3
68.1

6.6
3.1
77.3

6.2
2.9






Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products:
Total cases ............................…………………………..
Lost workday cases......................................................
Lost workdays........………............................................

16.2
8.0
147.2

16.2
7.8
151.3

15.1
7.2


Leather and leather products:
Total cases ............................…………………………..
Lost workday cases......................................................
Lost workdays........………............................................

13.6
6.5
130.4

12.1
5.9
152.3

7UDQVSRUWDWLRQDQGSXEOLFXWLOLWLHV
Total cases ............................…………………………..…
Lost workday cases.........................................................
Lost workdays........………...............................................

9.2
5.3
121.5

:KROHVDOHDQGUHWDLOWUDGH
Total cases ............................…………………………..…
Lost workday cases.........................................................
Lost workdays........………...............................................



±



±



±



±



±



±





±



±



±



±



±



±



±



–








±



±



±

7.9
3.8
–



–



±



±



±



±

6.4
3.0
–

6.0
2.8
–



–



±



±



±



±

5.7
2.8
–

5.5
2.7
–

4.8
2.4
–



–



±



±



±



±

5.2
2.5
–

4.7
2.3
–

4.8
2.4
–

4.6
2.5
–



–



±



±



±



±





13.9
6.5
–

14.0
6.7
–

12.9
6.5
–

12.3
6.3
–



–



±



±



±



±

12.5
5.9






12.1
5.5
–

12.0
5.3
–

11.4
4.8
–

10.7
4.5
–



–



±



±



±



±

9.6
5.5
134.1

9.3
5.4






9.5
5.4
–

9.3
5.5
–

9.1
5.2
–

8.7
5.1
–



–



±



±



±



±

8.0
3.6
63.5

7.9
3.5
65.6

7.6
3.4






8.1
3.4
–

7.9
3.4
–

7.5
3.2
–

6.8
2.9
–



–



±



±



±



±

Wholesale trade:
Total cases ............................…………………………..…
Lost workday cases.........................................................
Lost workdays........………...............................................

7.7
4.0
71.9

7.4
3.7
71.5

7.2
3.7






7.8
3.7
–

7.7
3.8
–

7.5
3.6
–

6.6
3.4
–



–



±



±



±



±

Retail trade:
Total cases ............................…………………………..…
Lost workday cases.........................................................
Lost workdays........………...............................................

8.1
3.4
60.0

8.1
3.4
63.2

7.7
3.3






8.2
3.3
–

7.9
3.3
–

7.5
3.0
–

6.9
2.8
–



–



±



±



±



±

)LQDQFHLQVXUDQFHDQGUHDOHVWDWH
Total cases ............................…………………………..…
Lost workday cases.........................................................
Lost workdays........………...............................................

2.0
.9
17.6

2.4
1.1
27.3

2.4
1.1






2.9
1.2
–

2.7
1.1
–

2.6
1.0
–

2.4
.9
–



–



±



±



±



±

6HUYLFHV
Total cases ............................…………………………..…
Lost workday cases.........................................................
Lost workdays........………...............................................

5.5
2.7
51.2

6.0
2.8
56.4

6.2
2.8






6.7
2.8
–

6.5
2.8
–

6.4
2.8
–

6.0
2.6
–



–



–



–



–



–

1



Data for 1989 and subsequent years are based on the Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition. For this reason, they are not strictly comparable with data
for the years 1985–88, which were based on the Standard Industrial Classification
Manual, 1972 Edition, 1977 Supplement.

N = number of injuries and illnesses or lost workdays;
EH = total hours worked by all employees during the calendar year; and
200,000 = base for 100 full-time equivalent workers (working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks
per year).

2
Beginning with the 1992 survey, the annual survey measures only nonfatal injuries and
illnesses, while past surveys covered both fatal and nonfatal incidents. To better address
fatalities, a basic element of workplace safety, BLS implemented the Census of Fatal
Occupational Injuries.

4
Beginning with the 1993 survey, lost workday estimates will not be generated. As of 1992,
BLS began generating percent distributions and the median number of days away from work
by industry and for groups of workers sustaining similar work disabilities.
5

Excludes farms with fewer than 11 employees since 1976.

3

The incidence rates represent the number of injuries and illnesses or lost workdays per
100 full-time workers and were calculated as (N/EH) X 200,000, where:

132



Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

NOTE: Dash indicates data not available.

55. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1996-2005
20053

1996-2000
(average)

2001-2005
(average)2

All events ...............................................................

6,094

5,704

5,734

100

Transportation incidents ................................................
Highway ........................................................................
Collision between vehicles, mobile equipment .........
Moving in same direction ......................................
Moving in opposite directions, oncoming ..............
Moving in intersection ...........................................
Vehicle struck stationary object or equipment on
side of road .............................................................
Noncollision ...............................................................
Jack-knifed or overturned--no collision .................
Nonhighway (farm, industrial premises) ........................
Noncollision accident ................................................
Overturned ............................................................
Worker struck by vehicle, mobile equipment ................
Worker struck by vehicle, mobile equipment in
roadway ..................................................................
Worker struck by vehicle, mobile equipment in
parking lot or non-road area ....................................
Water vehicle ................................................................
Aircraft ...........................................................................

2,608
1,408
685
117
247
151

2,451
1,394
686
151
254
137

2,493
1,437
718
175
265
134

43
25
13
3
5
2

264
372
298
378
321
212
376

310
335
274
335
277
175
369

345
318
273
340
281
182
391

6
6
5
6
5
3
7

129

136

140

2

171
105
263

166
82
206

176
88
149

3
2
3

Assaults and violent acts ...............................................
Homicides .....................................................................
Shooting ....................................................................
Suicide, self-inflicted injury ............................................

1,015
766
617
216

850
602
465
207

792
567
441
180

14
10
8
3

Contact with objects and equipment ............................
Struck by object ............................................................
Struck by falling object ..............................................
Struck by rolling, sliding objects on floor or ground
level .........................................................................
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects .......
Caught in running equipment or machinery ..............
Caught in or crushed in collapsing materials ................

1,005
567
364

952
560
345

1,005
607
385

18
11
7

77
293
157
128

89
256
128
118

94
278
121
109

2
5
2
2

Falls ..................................................................................
Fall to lower level ..........................................................
Fall from ladder .........................................................
Fall from roof .............................................................
Fall to lower level, n.e.c. ...........................................

714
636
106
153
117

763
669
125
154
123

770
664
129
160
117

13
12
2
3
2

Exposure to harmful substances or environments .....
Contact with electric current ..........................................
Contact with overhead power lines ...........................
Exposure to caustic, noxious, or allergenic substances
Oxygen deficiency .........................................................

535
290
132
112
92

498
265
118
114
74

501
251
112
136
59

9
4
2
2
1

Fires and explosions ......................................................
Fires--unintended or uncontrolled .................................
Explosion ......................................................................

196
103
92

174
95
78

159
93
65

3
2
1

Event or exposure1

Number

Percent

1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Manual.
2 Excludes fatalities from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
3 The BLS news release of August 10, 2006, reported a total of 5,702 fatal work injuries for calendar year
2005. Since then, an additional 32 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total job-related fatality
count for 2005 to 5,734.
NOTE: Totals for all years are revised and final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not
shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. N.e.c. means
"not elsewhere classified."
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York City,
District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.

Monthly Labor Review • January 2008

133

COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Aging Wage Survey Data Using the Employment Cost Index
by Wayne M. Shelly
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Originally Posted: January 29, 2008
The Employment Cost Index provides a valuable tool that can be used to adjust wage survey data--a process known as
"aging"--to account for the time lag between the last published survey data and the present. Making such adjustments is
critical for many users, such as human resource professionals, who use the data to set wage levels at their firms, and job
seekers, who use the data to evaluate job offers.
Among their other uses, wage survey data are used by human resource professionals to set wage levels, by job seekers to
evaluate job offers, and by employees to compare their wages to those of other workers. One of the problems these users
face is the lag between the time the survey is collected and the time it is applied for pay setting and other purposes. Data
users are, in effect, evaluating tomorrow’s pay with yesterday’s data. When labor markets are stable, wage growth is more
predictable and thus the time lag is of less concern to users. But when competition for workers with specific skills translates
into rapidly changing wages, the need for current wage data is very important. Using a process known as "aging," the
Employment Cost Index (ECI), which is part of the BLS National Compensation Survey (NCS), is one data source that can be
used to help minimize the effect of the time lag between published wage data and current market conditions. The ECI is well
suited for aging wage survey data to account for time lags, because it measures percent change and is conducted quarterly.
The NCS collects data using a statistically valid, nationally and locally representative sample of approximately 36,000
establishments. From these data, BLS publishes:
• detailed occupational wage estimates for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, broad geographic regions, and the
Nation (published annually);
• the Employment Cost Index, a measure of change in the cost of compensation--wages and benefits--over time
(published quarterly)1
• Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC), an estimate of cost per hour worked for wages and specific
benefits (published quarterly); and
• benefit incidence and provisions--specifically, the percent of workers with access to, and/or participating in, specific
employer provided benefits, as well as detailed benefit plan provisions (published annually).
The NCS collects data on wages and benefits by occupation within a randomly selected sample of establishments. Each
occupation is further defined by its bargaining status, pay method (time or incentive), and full- or part-time status. The NCS
publishes wage survey data by means, medians, and percentile estimates. Standard errors are also published to assist data
users in determining the reliability of the data.2
As with most wage surveys, the NCS wage data are published well after the time period that they represent. Once BLS field
economists contact and meet with respondents, time is needed to collect and process the data, review the estimates, and
prepare the data for publication. The frequency of the survey--the NCS is usually conducted annually--also impacts the time
lag. Wage estimates from the NCS for the Nation as a whole are released approximately 15 months after the reference
period. For metropolitan areas, the lag is typically 9 or 10 months. Changes that occur after data collection are not reflected
until the next round of the survey. To minimize the impact of this time lag, data users can use the ECI to age survey data to
more recent time periods. Although this article focuses on using the ECI to adjust wage data from the NCS, the process can
be applied to almost any wage survey.3
The ECI is computed from a subsample of the NCS. In recent publications, the ECI was computed using data from
approximately 13,000 establishments. Rather than report on wage rates, the ECI measures the percent change in employer
cost of compensation over time. Unlike percent change estimates that use wage data from the NCS and Employer Costs for
Employee Compensation data, the ECI estimates are free of the influence of changes in the occupational and industry mix

Page 1

COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

because it uses fixed weights to control for shifts among occupations and industries. The ECI is published quarterly, with the
reference months being March, June, September, and December. The data are available 1 month after the reference month-for example, the data for March are published in April.
In the ECI, compensation has two components: wages and benefits. For the purpose of aging wage data to account for time
lags, only the wage component of the ECI is needed. Unique ECI wage series are published for all civilian workers,4 all
private industry workers, all State and local government workers, and for more than 160 other series--by sector, industry,
occupation, bargaining status, and metropolitan area status.5 Currently, indexes are produced for the Nation as a whole, 4
census regions, and 9 census divisions.
Each ECI series that is published includes the 3-month percent change, the 12-month percent change, and an index number
for that series. It is the index number that allows one to calculate percent changes between any 2 reference months. By using
the ECI to calculate the change from the reference period to the most current period and then applying that change to the
estimate, a more current estimate can be obtained.
For example, when the NCS published its June 2005 national wage estimates in September 2006, the mean hourly earnings
for all workers in private industry was $17.82. If a data user, in August 2007, wanted to calculate a more current estimate, the
user could use the ECI to calculate a percent change from June 2005 to June 2007 and thus reduce the time lag from 26
months to 2 months. Using the ECI in this way, a data user could learn that wages for all private industry workers in the
United States increased by 6.3 percent during that 2-year period. Applying that increase to the June 2005 wage estimate
would yield a June 2007 wage estimate of $18.94 (17.82 × 1.063). The result is not as precise as an estimate produced
directly from a wage survey, but it provides an estimate closer to the current time period than would otherwise be possible.
(See the exhibits below for detailed instructions and examples.)

Limitations
When using the ECI to age wage survey data to account for time lags, one should be aware of certain limitations. First, in the
ECI, the occupational mix of employees is held constant. If the proportion of all occupations that are higher wage occupations
increases over the time period that wages are being updated, the ECI will not reflect that change. This should have little
practical effect, however, because such changes tend to be small over short periods of time. Second, establishments in the
ECI survey remain in the sample for several years, with only a portion replaced each year.6 Structural changes that occur in
the economy may only be partially reflected in the ECI sample until all sample members are replaced. Again, this should
have minimal impact because such changes that affect wages tend to occur gradually over time. Third, the ECI is reported for
broad occupational groups at the national level or for all workers in a geographic region. The rate of change in wages for
individual occupations in a specific area may differ from these broader trends. Finally, the ECI is a sample-based survey and
thus is subject to sampling and nonsampling errors inherent in all such surveys.
Sampling errors are measured by calculating standard errors, which are published on the NCS page at http://www.bls.gov/
ncs/ect/ectvar.htm. Standard errors can be used to assess the reliability of the estimates. Nonsampling errors, which include
survey nonresponses, data collection errors, and data processing errors, cannot be measured, but they are thought to be
small because several procedures are in place to minimize them, such as staff training, computer microdata and macrodata
edits, and structured review.

Conclusion
The ECI does not eliminate the need for wage surveys, because over longer periods of time the estimates obtained using the
aging process become less reliable. Nevertheless, using the Employment Cost Index to age wage survey data to account for
time lags is a valuable technique that improves the quality of the data used for determining pay scales and other purposes
when current wage data are critical.

Page 2

COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Exhibits
Exhibit 1 provides detailed instructions for how to use the ECI to adjust wage survey data to account for time lags. Exhibit 2 shows step-bystep instructions for the example used in the text. Exhibit 3 is a sample worksheet that users can use for adjusting the data. Exhibit 4 gives
instructions on how to interpolate data when the user wants to calculate an index number for a month other than the ECI reference month.
Exhibit 5 shows an example of interpolating data.
Exhibit 1. How to use the ECI to age wage survey data to account for time lags.
1. Select an appropriate ECI series. For general wage increases, an aggregate series--such as private industry, all workers--is an
appropriate choice because it is easy to use and less likely to fluctuate greatly. If there is reason to believe that the data to be
adjusted trend differently than the overall average, then it might be better to choose a more specific series, such as one that is
occupation or industry specific. The sector--meaning, whether the ECI data pertain to private industry, State and local government,
or civilian workers--is also an important factor to consider. Bargaining status, census region, or census division also can be used. To
view a complete list of possible series, see tables 8-11 of the Employment Cost Index news release, available on the Internet at
www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/eci.pdf. Users might also want to review historical data of specific series to see how they have
performed in the past. Historical data series can be obtained by using the Create Customized Tables tool, which is located at http://
data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/dsrv?ci.
2. Determine the beginning and ending time periods. Typically, the beginning period will be the reference period of the wage
survey you wish to update, and the ending period will be the most current month for which ECI data are available. If the beginning
period or the ending period is not one of the ECI reference months (March, June, September, or December), use the closest
reference month or else interpolate the data.
3. Retrieve the ECI index values. There are several ways to retrieve ECI data, but the Create Customized Tables option, mentioned
previously, is the easiest to use. Use this tool to request the selected series index numbers for the appropriate time periods.
4. Calculate an adjustment factor. To calculate an adjustment factor, the user will need the index numbers for the beginning and
ending time periods for the selected series. The factor is calculated as follows: Ending period index number ÷ beginning period
index number. The quotient should be rounded to three decimal places.
5. Apply the adjustment factor to the original data. Multiply the adjustment factor by the original estimate. The product should be
rounded to two decimal places.

Exhibit 2. Example of how to age wage survey data using the ECI (based on the example used in the text).
1. Select an appropriate ECI series.
Private industry, all workers
2. Determine the beginning and ending time periods.
Beginning period = June 2005; ending period = June 2007
3. Retrieve ECI index values.
Request Screen:

Page 3

COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Larger
Results Screen:

Larger
Beginning period index number = 98.9; ending period index number = 105.1
4. Calculate an adjustment factor and round to three decimal places.

Page 4

COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

A. 105.1 ÷ 98.9 = 1.0626895
B. 1.063 (rounded)
5. Apply the adjustment factor to the original data and round to two decimal places.
A. Original data = $17.82
B. $17.82 × 1.063 = $18.94266
C. $18.94 (rounded)

Exhibit 3. Worksheet: Aging Wage Survey data using the Employment Cost Index.
1. Select ECI Series: ____________________________________________________
2. Determine the beginning and ending time periods:
____________________ Beginning month and year
____________________ Ending month and year
3. Retrieve ECI index values:
____________________ Index number for beginning month and year
____________________ Index number for ending month and year
4.

A. _________________ Calculate adjustment factor (unrounded)
(Ending month divided by beginning month)

5.

B. _________________ Round value in 4.A to 3 decimal places
A. $ ________________ Original wage data value
B. $ ________________ Updated wage value (unrounded)
(The value in 5.A multiplied by the adjustment factor in 4.B)
C. $ _______________ Round value in 5.B to two decimal places

Exhibit 4. Interpolating data
To calculate an index number for a month other than an ECI reference month, you can interpolate the number if you assume that the
change over the 3-month period occurred at the same rate each month.7
1. Retrieve the index numbers for the ECI reference month immediately before and immediately after the time period needed.
2. Calculate the change between the two index numbers, as follows:
Latter reference period - earlier reference period
3. Divide the difference obtained in the above step by 3 (for the 3 months between reference periods).
4. Calculate index numbers for the interpolated months.
A. For the first month between the 2 reference months, add the quotient calculated in step 3 to the index
number for the reference month immediately before the desired month.
B. For the second month between the two reference months, multiply the quotient calculated in step 3 by 2,
and then add that product to the reference month immediately before the desired month.
C. Round the results to one decimal place.
5. Use the interpolated index number(s) in step 3 of exhibits 1, 2, and 3.

Page 5

COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Exhibit 5. Example of interpolating data
Interpolate index numbers for July 2007 and August 2007 for the series private industry, all workers:
1. Retrieve the index numbers for the ECI reference month immediately before and immediately after the time period needed.
June 2007 = 105.1

September 2007 = 106.0

2. Calculate the change between the two index numbers, as follows:
106.0 - 105.1 = 0.9
3. Divide the difference obtained in the above step by 3 (for the 3 months between reference periods).
0.9 ÷ 3 = 0.3
4. Calculate index numbers for the interpolated months.
A. July 2007 = 105.1 + 0.3 = 105.4
B. August 2007 = 105.1 + (2 × 0.3) = 105.1 + 0.6 = 105.7
5. Use the interpolated index number(s) in step 3 of exhibit 1.

Wayne M. Shelly
Economist, Division of Compensation Data Analysis and Planning, Office of Compensation and Working Conditions, Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
Telephone: (202) 691-6205; E-mail: Shelly.Wayne@bls.gov

Notes
1 For a more thorough discussion of the ECI, see John W. Ruser, "The Employment Cost Index: what is it?," Monthly Labor Review,
September 2001; available on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2001/09/art1full.pdf.
2 For more technical information on the National Compensation Survey, see "National Compensation Measures," BLS Handbook of Methods
(online version, 2007), ch. 8; available on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch8.pdf.
3 For more information on BLS wage surveys, see Natalie Kramer, "Earnings and Other Compensation Data at BLS: What Users Seek and
What We Offer," Compensation and Working Conditions Online, February 26, 2003; available on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/
cm20030224ar01p1.htm.
4 The National Compensation Survey defines civilian workers as the sum of all private industry and State and local government workers.
Members of the U.S. military, Federal Government employees, and agricultural workers are excluded.
5 Although seasonally adjusted data are available for some series, only not seasonally adjusted data should be used for aging wage survey
data.
6 Private industry establishments remain in the sample for approximately 5 years, with approximately 20 percent of the private industry
establishments replaced each year. State and local government establishments are replaced less frequently. Unlike the private industry
establishments, the State and local government establishments are all replaced at the same time.
7 This exhibit is a simplified procedure that does not take into account the effects of compounding. Because of the relatively small changes
between quarters and the short time period, compounding will have very little impact on the interpolated data and does not improve its
precision.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | Division of Information and Marketing Services, PSB Suite 2850, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC
20212-0001 | www.bls.gov/OPUB | Telephone: 1-202-691-5200 | Contact Us

Page 6