November 2004 Employment Situation

Historical release narrative reproduced from the official public-domain source. Statistical tables, standard technical appendices, administrative material and attendance rosters are omitted; formatting is adapted for reading. Figures retain the release's historical context and may have been revised. Consult the linked source for the complete document.

Employment rose in November, and the unemployment rate, at 5.4 percent, was essentially unchanged, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 112,000 over the month, with job gains in several service-providing industries.

Unemployment (Household Survey Data)

Both the number of unemployed persons, 8.0 million, and the unemployment rate, 5.4 percent, were about unchanged in November. The jobless rate has been either 5.4 or 5.5 percent in each month since July. This is slightly below the rates that prevailed in the first half of 2004.

In November, the unemployment rates for the major worker groups--adult men (4.9 percent), adult women (4.8 percent), teenagers (16.6 percent), whites (4.7 percent), blacks (10.8 percent), and Hispanics or Latinos (6.7 percent)--showed little or no change over the month. The unemployment rate for Asians was 4.2 percent in November, not seasonally adjusted. (See tables A-1, A-2, and A-3.)

Total Employment and the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)

Total employment in November grew by 483,000 to 140.3 million, and the em- ployment-population ratio--the proportion of the population age 16 and over with jobs--edged up to 62.5 percent. The civilian labor force rose by 439,000 in November to 148.3 million; the labor force participation rate was 66.1 per- cent. (See table A-1.)

Over the year, the number of persons who held more than one job increased by 346,000 to 7.6 million, not seasonally adjusted. These multiple jobholders represented 5.4 percent of total employment in November. (See table A-13.)

Persons Not in the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)

There were 1.5 million persons who were marginally attached to the labor force in November, essentially the same as a year earlier. (Data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals wanted and were available to work and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed, however, because they did not actively search for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. Among the marginally attached, there were 392,000 discouraged workers in November, about the same as a year earlier. Discouraged workers were not currently looking for work specifically because they believed no jobs were available for them. The other 1.1 million marginally attached had not searched for work for reasons such as school or family responsibilities. (See table A-13.)

Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data)

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 112,000 in November to 132.1 million, seasonally adjusted. This followed a much larger increase of 303,000 in October. In November, employment rose in health care and social assistance, leisure and hospitality, and other service-providing industries. (See table B-1.)

Employment in health care and social assistance grew by 28,000 in November. Over the year, this industry has added 316,000 jobs. In November, employment increased most notably in hospitals (8,000), nursing and residential care facilities (7,000), and offices of physicians (6,000).

Leisure and hospitality employment increased by 34,000 over the month and has risen by 220,000 over the year. Within leisure and hospitality, employment in accommodations grew by 18,000 in November; about half of the increase represented the return of workers who had been on strike.

Professional and technical services added 16,000 jobs over the month. Within this industry, employment rose in computer systems design and re- lated services (10,000) and in architectural and engineering services (8,000). Within administrative and support services, employment in the temporary help industry continued to trend upward.

Within the financial activities sector, employment in credit inter- mediation and related activities increased by 14,000 over the month. Commercial banks accounted for 5,000 of the job gain, and growth contin- ued in mortgage-related industries.

Employment in wholesale trade continued to trend upward. Since its most recent low point in October 2003, the industry has gained 92,000 jobs.

In the information sector, telecommunications gained 6,000 jobs in November. Since its peak in March 2001, however, the industry has lost 300,000 jobs.

Manufacturing employment was about unchanged in November. The indus- try added 82,000 jobs from February through May, but factory employment has shown little movement since. In November, semiconductors and elec- tronic components lost 3,000 jobs.

Employment in construction edged up in November (11,000) following an unusually large increase in October (65,000). October's gain partly reflected rebuilding and cleanup activity following the four hurricanes that struck the U.S. in August and September. Construction employment has expanded by 373,000 since its most recent low point in March 2003.

Weekly Hours (Establishment Survey Data)

The average workweek for production or nonsupervisory workers on pri- vate nonfarm payrolls decreased by 0.1 hour in November to 33.7 hours, seasonally adjusted. The manufacturing workweek also declined by 0.1 hour, to 40.5 hours. Manufacturing overtime was unchanged over the month at 4.5 hours. (See table B-2.)

The index of aggregate weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls fell by 0.2 percent in November to 100.9 (2002=100). The manufacturing index declined by 0.3 percent over the month to 94.2. (See table B-5.)

Hourly and Weekly Earnings (Establishment Survey Data)

Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls were up by 1 cent in November to $15.83, seasonally adjusted, following a 4-cent gain in October. Average weekly earnings decreased by 0.2 percent over the month to $533.47. Over the year, average hourly earnings increased by 2.4 percent, and average weekly earnings grew by 2.1 percent. (See table B-3.)

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