November Jobs +228,000: Employment Only +57,000

The number of nonfarm jobs in November increased by 228K. The household survey says employment increased by only 57K.

Initial Reaction

Today’s establishment survey shows jobs rose by 261,000. The household survey (Table A) shows employment only rose by 57,000 while unemployment rose by 90,000.

There have been wild swings in employment reporting. Last month I noted that employment fell by 484,000

Let’s dive into the details in the BLS Employment Situation Summary, unofficially called the Jobs Report.

BLS Jobs Statistics at a Glance

Nonfarm Payroll: +228,000 – Establishment Survey

Employment: +57,000 – Household Survey

Unemployment: +90,000 – Household Survey

Involuntary Part-Time Work: +48,000 – Household Survey

Voluntary Part-Time Work: +95,000 – Household Survey

Baseline Unemployment Rate: flat at 4.1% – Household Survey

U-6 unemployment: +0.1 to 8.0% – Household Survey

Civilian Noninstitutional Population: +183,000

Civilian Labor Force: +148,000 – Household Survey

Not in Labor Force: +35,000 – Household Survey

Participation Rate: flat at 62.7 – Household Survey

Employment Report Statement

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 228,000 in November, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment continued to trend up in professional and business services, manufacturing, and health care.

Unemployment Rate – Seasonally Adjusted

The above Unemployment Rate Chart is from the BLS. Click on the link for an interactive chart.

Nonfarm Job Change from Previous Month

The above chart and the following chart from the BLS show establishment survey jobs, not household survey employment.

Nonfarm Jobs Change from Previous Month by Job Type

Hours and Wages

The Average Weekly Hours of all private employees was flat at 34.5 hours. The average weekly hours of all private service-providing employees fell ros by 0.1 hour to 33.4 hours. Average weekly hours of manufacturers was flat at at 40.9 hours.