09.06.2019
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 130000 in August and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment in federal government rose largely reflecting the hiring of temporary workers for the 2020 Census. Notable job gains also occurred in health care and financial activities while mining lost jobs.
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for June was revised down by 15000 from +193000 to +178000 and the change for July was revised down by 5000 from +164000 to +159000. With these revisions employment gains in June and July combined were 20000 less than previously reported. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.) After revisions job gains have averaged 156000 per month over the last 3 months.
In August employment in federal government increased by 28000. The gain was mostly due to the
hiring of 25000 temporary workers to prepare for the 2020 Census. Health care added 24000 jobs over the month and 392000 over the past 12 months. In August employment continued to trend up in ambulatory health care services (+12000) and in hospitals (+9000). In August financial activities employment rose by 15000 with nearly half of the gain occurring in insurance carriers and related activities (+7000). Financial activities has added 111000 jobs over the year. Employment in professional and business services continued to trend up in August (+37000). Within the industry employment increased by 10000 both in computer systems design and related services andin management of companies and enterprises. Monthly job gains in professional and business services have averaged 34000 thus far in 2019 below the average monthly gain of 47000 in 2018. Social assistance employment continued on an upward trend in August (+13000). Within the industry individual and family services added 17000 jobs. Social assistance has added 100000 jobs in the last 6 months. Mining employment declined by 6000 in August with nearly all of the loss in support activities for mining (-5000). Retail trade employment changed little in August (-11000). General merchandise stores lost 15000 jobs over the month and 80000 jobs over the year. Building material and garden supply stores added 9000 jobs over the month. Employment showed little change over the month in construction manufacturing transportation and warehousing and leisure and hospitality. Job growth in these industries has moderated thus far in 2019 compared with 2018.
In August average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 11 cents to
$28.11 following 9-cent gains in both June and July. Over the past 12 months average hourly earnings have increased by 3.2 percent. In August average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees rose by 11 cents to $23.59.
The full BLS press release on the August 2019 employment situation can be accessed in the link below:
The next employment situation report for September 2019 is scheduled to be released on Friday October 4 2019.
