United States non-farm payroll employment, at 138.1 million, and the unemployment rate, at 4.9 percent, were essentially unchanged in January, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported. The small January movement in non-farm payroll employment reflected declines in construction and manufacturing and job growth in health care. Average hourly earnings rose by 4 cents, or 0.2 percent, over the month.

Unemployment
The number of unemployed persons (7.6 million) and the unemployment rate (4.9 percent) were essentially unchanged in January. Over the month, the unemployment rates for all major worker groups showed little or no change: adult men (4.4 percent), adult women (4.2 percent), teenagers (18.0 percent), Asians (3.2 percent), whites (4.4 percent), blacks (9.2 percent), and Hispanics (6.3 percent).

Industry Payroll Employment
In January, total non-farm payroll employment was unchanged after edging up in November (60,000) and December (82,000). In 2007, payroll employment increased by an average of 95,000 jobs per month. Both construction and manufacturing employment continued to decline in January,and health care employment rose.

Construction employment decreased by 27,000 in January and has fallen by 284,000 since its peak in September 2006. Over-the-month job losses occurred in residential building (-10,000) and residential speciality trade contractors (-18,000).

Manufacturing lost 28,000 jobs in January. Over the month, small declines occurred among many durable and nondurable goods industries. Manufacturing has lost 269,000 jobs over the past 12 months.
In the service-providing sector, health care employment continued to grow in January (27,000), about in line with average monthly gains over the prior 12 months. Within health care, over-the-month job gains occurred in ambulatory health care services (14,000), which includes offices of physicians, and in hospitals (10,000).

Food services employment continued to trend upward in January. From November through January, food services added an average of 16,000 jobs per month, compared with an average gain of 28,000 jobs for the 12-month period ending in October.

Employment in professional and technical services was little changed in January following a large increase (49,000) in the prior month. In 2007, job growth in this sector totalled 335,000.

In January, employment in financial activities was about unchanged as commercial banking lost 4,000 jobs, and securities, commodity contracts, and investments added 5,000 jobs. Since reaching a peak in December 2006, employment in financial activities has declined by 99,000.

In January, employment in both wholesale and retail trade was little changed. Within retail trade, employment in food and beverage stores was up by 12,000 over the month.

Weekly Hours

In January, the average workweek for production and non supervisory workers on private non-farm Payrolls fell by 0.1 hour to 33.7 hours, seasonally adjusted. The manufacturing working week was unchanged at 41.1 hours, and factory overtime was unchanged at 4.0 hours.

The index of aggregate weekly hours of production and non supervisory workers on non-farm payrolls declined by 0.3 percent in January to 107.5 (2002=100). The manufacturing index was unchanged at 93.7.

Hourly and Weekly Earnings
Average hourly earnings of production and non-supervisory workers on private non-farm payrolls rose by 4 cents, or 0.2 percent, in January to $17.75, seasonally adjusted. This followed a gain of 7 cents in December. Average weekly earnings fell by 0.1 percent in January to $598.18. Over the year, average hourly earnings rose by 3.7 percent and weekly earnings rose by 3.4 percent.