WASHINGTON, D.C. – Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 271,000 in October, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 5.0 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, retail trade, food services and drinking places, and construction.
Household Survey Data
Both the unemployment rate (5.0 percent) and the number of unemployed persons (7.9 million) were essentially unchanged in October. Over the past 12 months, the unemployment rate and the number of unemployed persons were down by 0.7 percentage point and 1.1 million, respectively.
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (4.7 percent), adult women (4.5 percent), teenagers (15.9 percent), whites (4.4 percent), blacks (9.2 percent), Asians (3.5 percent), and Hispanics (6.3 percent) showed little or no change in October.
The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was essentially unchanged at 2.1 million in October and has shown little change since June. These individuals accounted for 26.8 percent of the unemployed in October.
The civilian labor force participation rate was unchanged at 62.4 percent in October, following a decline of 0.2 percentage point in September. The employment-population ratio, at 59.3 percent, changed little in October and has shown little movement over the past year.
The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) edged down by 269,000 to 5.8 million in October. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job. Over the past 12 months, the number of persons employed part time for economic reasons has declined by 1.2 million.
In October, 1.9 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force, down by 276,000 from a year earlier. (The 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.
Among the marginally attached, there were 665,000 discouraged workers in October, little changed from a year earlier. (The 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 1.3 million persons marginally attached to the labor force in October had not searched for work for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities.
Establishment Survey Data
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 271,000 in October. Over the prior 12 months, employment growth had averaged 230,000 per month. In October, job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, retail trade, food services and drinking places, and construction.
Employment in professional and business services increased by 78,000 in October, compared with an average gain of 52,000 per month over the prior 12 months. In October, job gains occurred in administrative and support services (+46,000), computer systems design and related services (+10,000), and architectural and engineering services (+8,000).
Health care added 45,000 jobs in October. Within the industry, employment growth continued in ambulatory health care services (+27,000) and in hospitals (+18,000). Over the past year, health care has added 495,000 jobs.
Employment in retail trade rose by 44,000 in October, compared with an average monthly gain of 25,000 over the prior 12 months. In October, job gains occurred in clothing and accessories stores (+20,000), general merchandise stores (+11,000), and automobile dealers (+6,000).
Food services and drinking places added 42,000 jobs in October. Over the year, the industry has added 368,000 jobs.
Construction employment increased by 31,000 in October, following little employment change in recent months. Employment in nonresidential specialty trade contractors rose by 21,000. Over the past 12 months, construction has added 233,000 jobs.
Employment in mining continued to trend down in October (-5,000). The industry has shed 109,000 jobs since reaching a recent employment peak in December 2014.
Employment in other major industries, including manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, information, financial activities, and government, showed little or no change over the month.
The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls remained at 34.5 hours in October. The manufacturing workweek edged up by 0.1 hour to 40.7 hours, and factory overtime edged up by 0.1 hour to 3.3 hours. The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls edged up by 0.1 hour to 33.7 hours.
In October, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 9 cents to $25.20, following little change in September (+1 cent). Hourly earnings have risen by 2.5 percent over the year. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees increased by 9 cents to $21.18 in October.
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for August was revised from +136,000 to +153,000, and the change for September was revised from +142,000 to +137,000. With these revisions, employment gains in August and September combined were 12,000 more than previously reported. Over the past 3 months, job gains have averaged 187,000 per month.
If you look at all the numbers in the indicator here, we are not gaining any jobs. This does not look good at all to me. After thinking about Trump’s statement about making Mexico paying for the wall, I am beginning to figure it out, he his brilliant. (He doesn’t give up his game plan.) Either they pay for the wall, or we will cut off all this trade with all the jobs lost to Mexico, it is just that simple.
The Bureau of Labor Stats is a bi partisan, fact finding agency authorized by congress that compiles information regarding the labor force. It analyses information at the request of congress, conducts special audits and generates periodic reports such at the summary in this article. It has been almost universally accepted by both parties for their integrity and in their fact finding outcomes and their recommendations. Complain if you wish but then who will you trust to count the beans and replace or counter them??
@Reality-Look at the numbers and then think about it. Then tell us what “YOU” think.
Curries is always looking for temps to string along with the promise of a job.
Let’s see ! 280,000 people last month either died or retired – 271,000 people took their jobs —– actually a loss of 8000 jobs for the month
Matt ! When I was young during the cold war with Russia we called this PROPAGANDA – = BS
Just reporting the numbers… no opinion from me here, thanks.
Theree is some really fuzzy math being used by the government. Look at the number of unemployed and the number of people that are unemployed but not looking. How can they come up with 271,000 “NEW” jobs in Oct. They must mean 271,000 total jobs. It would really be nice if Obummer quit lying to us but it is all he does.
19 paragraphs of smoke, now that’s some hard reading. Bhaaa
Always a conspiracy theory inside your head. Sad
There is something really wrong with these numbers. The number on unemployed and the number of discourage unemployed workers (not looking for work is unchanged. Yet they try to tell us the number of employed increased by 271,000. I think they mean it improved to 271,000 and that is a whole different matter. Why don’t they just tell us the truth instead of playing with the numbers.
The numbers always go up around this time of year, seasonal workers.
@David-the point is where did the find them. According to their own numbers they couldn’t.