12.18.2019
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 266000 in November and the unemployment rate was little changed at 3.5 percent the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Notable job gains occurred in health care and in professional and technical services. Employment rose in manufacturing reflecting the return of workers from a strike.
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 266000 in November. Job growth has averaged 180000 per month thus far in 2019 compared with an average monthly gain of 223000 in 2018. In November notable job gains occurred in health care and in professional and technical services. Employment also increased in manufacturing reflecting the return of workers from a strike. Employment continued to trend up in leisure and hospitality transportation and warehousing and financial activities while mining lost jobs.
In November health care added 45000 jobs following little employment change in October (+12000). The November job gains occurred in ambulatory health care services (+34000) and in hospitals (+10000). Health care has added 414000 jobs over the last 12 months. Employment in professional and technical services increased by 31000 in November and by 278000 over the last 12 months. Manufacturing employment rose by 54000 in November following a decline of 43000 in the prior month. Within manufacturing employment in motor vehicles and parts was up by 41000 in November reflecting the return of workers who were on strike in October.
In November employment in leisure and hospitality continued to trend up (+45000). The industry has added 219000 jobs over the last 4 months. Employment in transportation and warehousing continued on an upward trend in November (+16000). Within the industry job gains occurred in warehousing and storage (+8000) and in couriers and messengers (+5000). Financial activities employment also continued to trend up in November (+13000) with a gain of 7000 in credit intermediation and related activities. Financial activities has added 116000 jobs over the last 12 months. Mining lost jobs in November (-7000) largely in support activities for mining (-6000). Mining employment is down by 19000 since a recent peak in May. In November employment in retail trade was about unchanged (+2000). Within the industry employment rose in general merchandise stores (+22000) and in motor vehicle and parts dealers (+8000) while clothing and clothing accessories stores lost jobs (-18000). Employment in other major industries—including construction wholesale trade information and government—showed little change over the month.
In November average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 7 cents to $28.29. Over the last 12 months average hourly earnings have increased by 3.1 percent. In November average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees rose by 7 cents to $23.83.
The full BLS press release on the November 2019 employment situation can be accessed in the pdf below:
The next employment situation report for December 2019 is scheduled to be released on Friday January 10 2020.
