[Economic Indicators October, 2008]
[Page Number 11]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 
EMPLOYMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND WAGES

STATUS OF THE LABOR FORCE

In October, employment fell by 297,000 and unemployment rose by 603,000.
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                                    [Thousands of persons 16 years of age and over, except as noted; monthly data seasonally adjusted except as noted by NSA]
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                                                                                          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
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1998 \2\.................................................     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 \2\.................................................     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 \2\.................................................     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 \2\.................................................     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
2004 \2\.................................................     223,357    147,401   139,252   71,572   61,773   5,907    8,149    3,791   3,150   1,208    75,956        66.0        62.3    5.5
2005 \2\.................................................     226,082    149,320   141,730   73,050   62,702   5,978    7,591    3,392   3,013   1,186    76,762        66.0        62.7    5.1
2006 \2\.................................................     228,815    151,428   144,427   74,431   63,834   6,162    7,001    3,131   2,751   1,119    77,387        66.2        63.1    4.6
2007 \2\.................................................     231,867    153,124   146,047   75,337   64,799   5,911    7,078    3,259   2,718   1,101    78,743        66.0        63.0    4.6
 
2007:Oct ................................................     232,715    153,306   146,016   75,274   64,827   5,914    7,291    3,389   2,796   1,105    79,409        65.9        62.7    4.8
      Nov ...............................................     232,939    153,828   146,647   75,834   65,980   5,832    7,181    3,240   2,796   1,145    79,111        66.0        63.0    4.7
      Dec ...............................................     233,156    153,866   146,211   75,499   64,912   5,801    7,655    3,505   2,954   1,196    79,290        66.0        62.7    5.0
 
2008:Jan \2\.............................................     232,616    153,824   146,248   75,427   65,098   5,724    7,576    3,437   2,885   1,254    78,792        66.1        62.9    4.9
      Feb................................................     232,809    153,374   145,993   75,362   64,950   5,681    7,381    3,386   2,865   1,130    79,436        65.9        62.7    4.8
      Mar................................................     232,995    153,784   145,969   75,197   65,055   5,717    7,815    3,641   3,104   1,070    79,211        66.0        62.6    5.1
      Apr................................................     233,198    153,957   146,331   75,148   65,260   5,923    7,626    3,628   2,916   1,082    79,241        66.0        62.7    5.0
      May................................................     233,405    154,534   146,046   75,001   65,138   5,907    8,487    3,877   3,252   1,358    78,871        66.2        62.6    5.5
      June...............................................     233,627    154,390   145,891   74,998   65,238   5,655    8,499    4,038   3,208   1,253    79,237        66.1        62.4    5.5
      July...............................................     233,864    154,603   145,819   75,094   65,167   5,558    8,784    4,234   3,135   1,415    79,261        66.1        62.4    5.7
      Aug................................................     234,107    154,853   145,477   74,866   65,047   5,563    9,376    4,452   3,625   1,299    79,253        66.1        62.1    6.1
      Sept...............................................     234,360    154,732   145,255   74,631   65,072   5,552    9,477    4,813   3,351   1,313    79,628        66.0        62.0    6.1
      Oct................................................     234,612    155,038   144,958   74,441   65,090   5,427   10,080    5,010   3,666   1,404    79,575        66.1        61.8    6.5
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    \1\ Civilian labor force (or 
employment) as percent of civilian 
noninstitutional population; and 
unemployment as percent of civilian 
labor force.
    \2\ Not strictly comparable with 
earlier data.
    Note.--Beginning January 2008 
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.