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<\/p>\nWashington, DC…Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 145,000 in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.5 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Notable job gains occurred in retail trade and health care, while mining lost jobs. In December, the unemployment rate held at 3.5 percent, and the number of unemployed persons was unchanged at 5.8 million. A year earlier, the jobless rate was 3.9 percent,
\nand the number of unemployed persons was 6.3 million.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This news release presents statistics from two monthly surveys. The household survey
\nmeasures labor force status, including unemployment, by demographic characteristics.
\nThe establishment survey measures nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings by industry.
\nFor more information about the concepts and statistical methodology used in these
\ntwo surveys, see the Technical Note.
\n _______________________________________________________________________________________
\n| |
\n| Revision of Seasonally Adjusted Household Survey Data |
\n| |
\n| Seasonally adjusted household survey data have been revised using updated seasonal |
\n| adjustment factors, a procedure done at the end of each calendar year. Seasonally |
\n| adjusted estimates back to January 2015 were subject to revision. The unemployment |
\n| rates for January 2019 through November 2019 (as originally published and as revised)|
\n| appear in table A, along with additional information about the revisions. |
\n|_______________________________________________________________________________________|<\/p>\n
Household Survey Data<\/p>\n
In December, the unemployment rate held at 3.5 percent, and the number of unemployed
\npersons was unchanged at 5.8 million. A year earlier, the jobless rate was 3.9 percent,
\nand the number of unemployed persons was 6.3 million. (See table A-1.)<\/p>\n
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (3.1 percent), adult
\nwomen (3.2 percent), teenagers (12.6 percent), Whites (3.2 percent), Blacks (5.9 percent),
\nAsians (2.5 percent), and Hispanics (4.2 percent) showed little or no change in December.
\n(See tables A-1, A-2, and A-3.)<\/p>\n
The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more), at 1.2 million,
\nwas unchanged in December and accounted for 20.5 percent of the unemployed. (See table
\nA-12.)<\/p>\n
The labor force participation rate was unchanged at 63.2 percent in December. The
\nemployment-population ratio was 61.0 percent for the fourth consecutive month but was
\nup by 0.4 percentage point over the year. (See table A-1.)<\/p>\n
The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons, at 4.1 million, changed
\nlittle in December but was down by 507,000 over the year. These individuals, who would
\nhave preferred full-time employment, were working part time because their hours had been
\nreduced or they were unable to find full-time jobs. (See table A-8.)<\/p>\n
In December, 1.2 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force, down by
\n310,000 from a year earlier. (Data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were
\nnot in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job
\nsometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had
\nnot searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. (See table A-16.)<\/p>\n
Among the marginally attached, there were 277,000 discouraged workers in December, down
\nby 98,000 from a year earlier. (Data are not seasonally adjusted.) Discouraged workers
\nare persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for
\nthem. The remaining 969,000 persons marginally attached to the labor force in December
\nhad not searched for work for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities.
\n(See table A-16.)<\/p>\n
Establishment Survey Data<\/p>\n
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 145,000 in December. Notable job gains
\noccurred in retail trade and health care, while mining lost jobs. In 2019, payroll
\nemployment rose by 2.1 million, down from a gain of 2.7 million in 2018. (See table B-1.)<\/p>\n
In December, retail trade added 41,000 jobs. Employment increased in clothing and
\naccessories stores (+33,000) and in building material and garden supply stores (+7,000);
\nboth industries showed employment declines in the prior month. Employment in retail trade
\nchanged little, on net, in both 2019 and 2018 (+9,000 and +14,000, respectively). <\/p>\n
Employment in health care increased by 28,000 in December. Ambulatory health care services
\nand hospitals added jobs over the month (+23,000 and +9,000, respectively). Health care
\nadded 399,000 jobs in 2019, compared with an increase of 350,000 in 2018. <\/p>\n
Employment in leisure and hospitality continued to trend up in December (+40,000). The
\nindustry added 388,000 jobs in 2019, similar to the increase in 2018 (+359,000). <\/p>\n
Mining employment declined by 8,000 in December. In 2019, employment in mining declined
\nby 24,000, after rising by 63,000 in 2018. <\/p>\n
Construction employment changed little in December (+20,000). Employment in the industry
\nrose by 151,000 in 2019, about half of the 2018 gain of 307,000. <\/p>\n
In December, employment in professional and business services showed little change
\n(+10,000). The industry added 397,000 jobs in 2019, down from an increase of 561,000
\njobs in 2018. <\/p>\n
Employment in transportation and warehousing changed little in December (-10,000).
\nEmployment in the industry increased by 57,000 in 2019, about one-fourth of the 2018
\ngain of 216,000. <\/p>\n
Manufacturing employment was little changed in December (-12,000). Employment in the
\nindustry changed little in 2019 (+46,000), after increasing in 2018 (+264,000). <\/p>\n
In December, employment showed little change in other major industries, including wholesale
\ntrade, information, financial activities, and government. <\/p>\n
In December, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose
\nby 3 cents to $28.32. Over the last 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by
\n2.9 percent. In December, average hourly earnings of private-sector production and
\nnonsupervisory employees, at $23.79, were little changed (+2 cents). (See tables B-3 and
\nB-8.)<\/p>\n
The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged at 34.3
\nhours in December. In manufacturing, the average workweek and overtime remained at 40.5
\nhours and 3.2 hours, respectively. The average workweek of private-sector production and
\nnonsupervisory employees held at 33.5 hours. (See tables B-2 and B-7.)<\/p>\n
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for October was revised down by 4,000 from
\n+156,000 to +152,000, and the change for November was revised down by 10,000 from +266,000
\nto +256,000. With these revisions, employment gains in October and November combined were
\n14,000 lower than previously reported. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports
\nreceived from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and
\nfrom the recalculation of seasonal factors.) After revisions, job gains have averaged
\n184,000 over the last 3 months. <\/p>\n
_____________
\nThe Employment Situation for January is scheduled to be released on Friday, February 7,
\n2020, at 8:30 a.m. (EST).<\/p>\n
______________________________________________________________________________________
\n|\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t |
\n| Upcoming Changes to Household Survey Data\t\t\t |
\n|\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t |
\n| With the publication of The Employment Situation for January 2020 on February 7, |
\n| 2020, two not seasonally adjusted series currently displayed in Summary table |
\n| A–persons marginally attached to the labor force and discouraged workers–will |
\n| be replaced with new seasonally adjusted series. The new seasonally adjusted\t |
\n| series will be available in the BLS online database back to 1994. Not seasonally |
\n| adjusted data for persons marginally attached to the labor force and for\t |
\n| discouraged workers will continue to be published in table A-16. These series |
\n| will also be available in the BLS online database back to 1994.\t\t |
\n| \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t |
\n| Persons marginally attached to the labor force and discouraged workers are inputs |
\n| into three alternative measures of labor underutilization displayed in table A-15. |
\n| Therefore, with the publication of The Employment Situation for January 2020, data |
\n| for U-4, U-5, and U-6 in table A-15 will reflect the new seasonally adjusted\t |
\n| series. Revised data back to 1994 will be available in the BLS online database. |
\n| Not seasonally adjusted series for the alternative measures will be unaffected. |
\n| \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t |
\n| Beginning with data for January 2020, occupation estimates in table A-13 will |
\n| reflect the introduction of the 2018 Census occupation classification system into |
\n| the household survey. This occupation classification system is derived from the |
\n| 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. In addition, industry |
\n| estimates in table A-14 will reflect the introduction of the 2017 Census industry |
\n| classification system, which is derived from the 2017 North American Industry |
\n| Classification System (NAICS). Historical data on occupation and industry will |
\n| not be revised. Beginning with data for January 2020, estimates will not be\t |
\n| strictly comparable with earlier years. \t\t\t\t\t |
\n| \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t |
\n| Also beginning with data for January 2020, estimates of married persons will |
\n| include those in opposite- and same-sex marriages. Prior to January 2020, these |
\n| estimates included only those in opposite-sex marriages. This will affect marital |
\n| status estimates in tables A-9 and A-10. Historical data will not be revised. |
\n| \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t |
\n| Also effective with the release of The Employment Situation for January 2020, new |
\n| population controls will be used in the household survey estimation process. These |
\n| new controls reflect the annual update of intercensal population estimates by the |
\n| U.S. Census Bureau. In accordance with usual practice, historical data will not |
\n| be revised to incorporate the new controls; consequently, household survey data |
\n| for January 2020 will not be directly comparable with data for December 2019 or |
\n| earlier periods. A table showing the effects of the new controls on the major labor |
\n| force series will be included in the January 2020 news release. In addition, the |
\n| population controls for veterans, which are derived from a Department of Veterans |
\n| Affairs’ population model and are updated periodically, will also be updated with |
\n| the release of January data. \t\t\t\t\t\t |
\n|______________________________________________________________________________________|<\/p>\n
______________________________________________________________________________________
\n| \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t |
\n| Upcoming Revisions to Establishment Survey Data\t\t |
\n|\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t |
\n| Effective with the release of The Employment Situation for January 2020 on February |
\n| 7, 2020, the establishment survey will revise nonfarm payroll employment, hours, |
\n| and earnings data to reflect the annual benchmark process and updated seasonal |
\n| adjustment factors. Not seasonally adjusted data beginning with April 2018 and |
\n| seasonally adjusted data beginning with January 2015 are subject to revision. |
\n| Consistent with standard practice, additional historical data may be revised as a |
\n| result of the benchmark process.\t\t\t\t\t\t |
\n|______________________________________________________________________________________|<\/p>\n
Revision of Seasonally Adjusted Household Survey Data<\/p>\n
At the end of each calendar year, BLS routinely updates the seasonal adjustment
\nfactors for the national labor force series derived from the household survey. As
\na result of this process, seasonally adjusted data for January 2015 through
\nNovember 2019 were subject to revision. (Not seasonally adjusted data were not
\nsubject to revision.)<\/p>\n
Table A shows the unemployment rates for January 2019 through November 2019, as
\nfirst published and as revised. The rates were unchanged for all 11 months.
\nRevised seasonally adjusted data for other major labor force series beginning
\nin December 2018 appear in table B.<\/p>\n
More information on this year’s revisions to seasonally adjusted household series
\nis available at www.bls.gov\/web\/empsit\/cps-seas-adjustment-methodology.pdf.
\nDetailed information on the seasonal adjustment methodology is found at
\nwww.bls.gov\/cps\/seasonal-adjustment-methodology.htm.<\/p>\n
Historical data for the household series contained in the A tables of this news
\nrelease can be accessed at www.bls.gov\/cps\/cpsatabs.htm. Revised historical
\nseasonally adjusted data are available at www.bls.gov\/cps\/data.htm and
\nhttps:\/\/download.bls.gov\/pub\/time.series\/ln\/.<\/p>\n
Table A. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates in 2019 and changes due to revision
\nJanuary – November 2019<\/p>\n
Month As first published As revised Change<\/p>\n
January…………. 4.0 4.0 0.0
\nFebruary………… 3.8 3.8 0.0
\nMarch…………… 3.8 3.8 0.0
\nApril…………… 3.6 3.6 0.0
\nMay…………….. 3.6 3.6 0.0
\nJune……………. 3.7 3.7 0.0
\nJuly……………. 3.7 3.7 0.0
\nAugust………….. 3.7 3.7 0.0
\nSeptember……….. 3.5 3.5 0.0
\nOctober…………. 3.6 3.6 0.0
\nNovember………… 3.5 3.5 0.0<\/p>\n