Friday, September 7, 2012 - August
Unemployment Report
The morning after President Obama delivered his acceptance
speech at the Democratic National Convention, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics issued its report on the employment situation in August
2012.
Technical information:
Household data: (202) 691-6378 * cpsinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/cps
Establishment data: (202) 691-6555 * cesinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/ces
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION -- AUGUST 2012
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 96,000 in August, and the
unemployment rate edged down to 8.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported today. Employment increased in food services and
drinking places, in professional and technical services, and in health
care.
Household Survey Data
The unemployment rate edged down in August to 8.1 percent. Since the
beginning of this year, the rate has held in a narrow range of 8.1 to
8.3 percent. The number of unemployed persons, at 12.5 million, was
little changed in August. (See table A-1.)
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men
(7.6 percent), adult women (7.3 percent), teenagers (24.6 percent),
whites (7.2 percent), blacks (14.1 percent), and Hispanics (10.2
percent) showed little or no change in August. The jobless rate for
Asians was 5.9 percent (not seasonally adjusted), little changed from a
year earlier. (See tables A-1, A-2, and A-3.)
In August, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27
weeks or more) was little changed at 5.0 million. These individuals
accounted for 40.0 percent of the unemployed. (See table A-12.)
Both the civilian labor force (154.6 million) and the labor force
participation rate (63.5 percent) declined in August. The
employment-population ratio, at 58.3 percent, was little changed. (See
table A-1.)
The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons
(sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) was little
changed at 8.0 million in August. These individuals were working part
time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable
to find a full-time job. (See table A-8.)
In August, 2.6 million persons were marginally attached to the labor
force, essentially unchanged from a year earlier. (These data are not
seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force,
wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime
in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because
they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey.
(See table A-16.)
Among the marginally attached, there were 844,000 discouraged workers
in August, a decline of 133,000 from a year earlier. (These data are
not seasonally adjusted.) Discouraged workers are persons not currently
looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them.
The remaining 1.7 million persons marginally attached to the labor
force in August had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the
survey for reasons such as school attendance or family
responsibilities. (See table A-16.)
Establishment Survey Data
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 96,000 in August. Since the
beginning of this year, employment growth has averaged 139,000 per
month, compared with an average monthly gain of 153,000 in 2011.
In August, employment rose in food services and drinking places, in
professional and technical services, and in health care. (See table
B-1.)
Employment in food services and drinking places increased by 28,000 in
August and by 298,000 over the past 12 months.
Employment in professional and technical services rose in August
(+27,000). Job gains occurred in computer systems design and related
services (+11,000) and management and technical consulting services
(+9,000).
Health care employment rose by 17,000 in August. Ambulatory health care
services and hospitals added 14,000 and 6,000 jobs, respectively. From
June through August, job growth in health care averaged 15,000
per month, compared with an average monthly gain of 28,000 in the prior
12 months.
Utilities employment increased in August (+9,000). The increase
reflects the return of utility workers who were off payrolls in July
due to a labor-management dispute.
Within financial activities, finance and insurance added 11,000 jobs in
August. Employment in wholesale trade continued to trend up. Employment
in temporary help services changed little over the month and has shown
little movement, on net, since February.
Manufacturing employment edged down in August (-15,000). A decline in
motor vehicles and parts (-8,000) partially offset a gain in July. Auto
manufacturers laid off fewer workers for factory retooling than usual
in July, and fewer workers than usual were recalled in August.
Employment in other major industries, including mining and logging,
construction, retail trade, transportation and warehousing,
information, and government, showed little change over the month.
The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls was
unchanged at 34.4 hours in August. The manufacturing workweek declined
by 0.2 hour to 40.5 hours, and factory overtime was unchanged at 3.2
hours. The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees
on private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged at 33.7 hours. (See tables
B-2 and B-7.)
In August, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm
payrolls edged down by 1 cent to $23.52. Over the past 12 months,
average hourly earnings rose by 1.7 percent. In August, average hourly
earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees
edged down by 1 cent to $19.75. (See tables B-3 and B-8.)
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for June was revised
from +64,000 to +45,000, and the change for July was revised from
+163,000 to +141,000.
______________
The Employment Situation for September is scheduled to be released on
Friday, October 5, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. (EDT).
Press Release from Romney for
President
MITT
ROMNEY: “IF LAST NIGHT WAS THE PARTY, THIS MORNING IS THE HANGOVER”
Boston, MA - Mitt Romney
today made the following statement on the August unemployment report:
“If last night was the party, this morning is the hangover. For
every net new job created, nearly four Americans gave up looking for
work entirely. This is more of the same for middle class families who
are suffering through the worst economic recovery since the Great
Depression. After 43 straight months of unemployment above 8%, it is
clear that President Obama just hasn't lived up to his promises and his
policies haven't worked. We aren’t better off than we were four years
ago. My plan for a stronger middle class will create 12 million new
jobs by the end of my first term. America deserves new leadership that
will get our economy moving again.”
Also note...