[Economic Indicators February, 2004]
[Page Number 11]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 
EMPLOYMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND WAGES

STATUS OF THE LABOR FORCE

In February, employment fell by 265,000 and unemployment fell by 
127,000.
  ______________________________________________________________________


  ______________________________________________________________________

                                    [Thousands of persons 16 years of age and over, except as noted; monthly data seasonally adjusted except as noted by NSA]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          Civilian employment                   Unemployment                                Percent \1\
                                                             Civilian            ----------------------------------------------------------------------           ------------------------------
                                                           noninstitu-  Civilian                      Women                              Women            Not in                  Employ-
                          Period                              tional      labor             Men  20     20     Both            Men  20    20     Both     labor     Labor force    ment/   Unem-
                                                            population    force     Total    years    years    sexes   Total    years    years   sexes    force    participation    pop-   ploy-
                                                               NSA                            and      and     16-19             and      and    16-19                  rate      ulation   ment
                                                                                              over     over    years             over    over    years                             ratio    rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1994 \2\.................................................     196,814    131,056   123,060   63,294   53,606   6,161    7,996    3,627   3,049   1,320    65,758        66.6        62.5    6.1
1995.....................................................     198,584    132,304   124,900   64,085   54,396   6,419    7,404    3,239   2,819   1,346    66,280        66.6        62.9    5.6
1996.....................................................     200,591    133,943   126,708   64,897   55,311   6,500    7,236    3,146   2,783   1,306    66,647        66.8        63.2    5.4
1997 \3\.................................................     203,133    136,297   129,558   66,284   56,613   6,661    6,739    2,882   2,585   1,271  r 66,837        67.1        63.8    4.9
1998 \3\.................................................     205,220    137,673   131,463   67,135   57,278   7,051    6,210    2,580   2,424   1,205    67,547        67.1        64.1    4.5
1999 \3\.................................................     207,753    139,368   133,488   67,761   58,555   7,172    5,880    2,433   2,285   1,162    68,385        67.1        64.3    4.2
2000 \3\.................................................     212,577    142,583   136,891   69,634   60,067   7,189    5,692    2,376   2,235   1,081    69,994        67.1        64.4    4.0
2001 ....................................................     215,092    143,734   136,933   69,776   60,417   6,740    6,801    3,040   2,599   1,162    71,359        66.8        63.7    4.7
2002.....................................................     217,570    144,863   136,485   69,734   60,420   6,332    8,378    3,896   3,228   1,253    72,707        66.6        62.7    5.8
2003.....................................................     221,168    146,510   137,736   70,415   61,402   5,919    8,774    4,209   3,314   1,251    74,658        66.2        62.3    6.0
 
2003:Feb \3\ ............................................     220,114    145,898   137,318   70,174   61,106   6,039    8,581    4,068   3,253   1,260    74,216        66.3        62.4    5.9
      Mar ...............................................     220,317    145,818   137,300   70,213   61,219   5,868    8,519    3,995   3,271   1,252    74,499        66.2        62.3    5.8
      Apr ...............................................     220,540    146,377   137,578   70,290   61,343   5,945    8,799    4,220   3,289   1,290    74,163        66.4        62.4    6.0
      May ...............................................     220,768    146,462   137,505   70,182   61,397   5,926    8,957    4,341   3,302   1,314    74,306        66.3        62.3    6.1
      June ..............................................     221,014    146,917   137,673   70,190   61,610   5,873    9,245    4,485   3,379   1,381    74,097        66.5        62.3    6.3
      July ..............................................     221,252    146,652   137,604   70,269   61,479   5,856    9,048    4,391   3,356   1,301    74,600        66.3        62.2    6.2
      Aug ...............................................     221,507    146,622   137,693   70,324   61,467   5,902    8,929    4,358   3,369   1,202    74,884        66.2        62.2    6.1
      Sept ..............................................     221,779    146,610   137,644   70,596   61,191   5,857    8,966    4,309   3,417   1,240    75,168        66.1        62.1    6.1
      Oct ...............................................     222,039    146,892   138,095   70,726   61,524   5,846    8,797    4,216   3,375   1,205    75,147        66.2        62.2    6.0
      Nov ...............................................     222,279    147,187   138,533   70,964   61,597   5,972    8,653    4,224   3,320   1,109    75,093        66.2        62.3    5.9
      Dec ...............................................     222,509    146,878   138,479   71,099   61,521   5,859    8,398    3,945   3,326   1,128    75,631        66.0        62.2    5.7
 
2004:Jan \3\.............................................     222,161    146,863   138,566   71,329   61,260   5,977    8,297    3,842   3,255   1,200    75,298        66.1        62.4    5.6
      Feb ...............................................     222,357    146,471   138,301   70,969   61,456   5,875    8,170    3,828   3,172   1,170    75,886        65.9        62.2    5.6
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Civilian labor force (or 
employment) as percent of civilian 
noninstitutional population; and 
unemployment as percent of civilian 
labor force.
    \2\ Data beginning January 1994 
reflect a major redesign of the 
household survey questionnaire.
    \3\ Not strictly comparable with 
earlier data.
    Note.--Beginning January 2004 
data reflect revised population 
controls and are not strictly 
comparable with earlier data.
    See Employment and Earnings for 
details on breaks in series.
    Source: Department of Labor, 
Bureau of Labor Statistics.