Heidi Shierholz, Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor, discussed the August jobs report with Business Forward.

1. The Labor Market Situation in August
September 8, 2014
Dr. Heidi Shierholz
Chief Economist
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

2. Total nonfarm employment up 142,000
Private sector employment up 134,000
1-month change, in thousands
• August 2014 142
• July 2014 212
• June 2014 267
12-month change, in thousands
• August2013 to 2014: 2,482
• Average: 207
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics www.bls.gov/ces
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3. Private sector employment up 134,000
Total nonfarm employment up 142,000
1-month change, in thousands
• August 2014 134
• July 2014 213
• June 2014 260
12-month change, in thousands
• August2013 to 2014: 2,438
• Average: 203
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics www.bls.gov/ces
2 Filename/RPS Number Office of Economic Policy 2

4. Employment growth by super-sector this month
Over-the-month employment change,
August 2014, seasonally adjusted, in thousands
0.2%
0.2%
0.3%
0.1%
0.0%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.2%
0.3%
0.0%
0.0%
-0.1%
Over-the-month employment change,
August 2013, seasonally adjusted, in thousands
-0.1% -8
-3
2
2
1
0
7
7
8
8
15
20
37
47
Professional and Business Services*
Education and Health Services*
Construction
Leisure and Hospitality
Government
Other Services
Financial Activities
Wholesale Trade
Mining and Logging
Utilities
Transportation and Warehousing
Manufacturing
Information
Retail Trade
1-Month Net Change
Prior 12-month average
-15.0 0.0 15.0 30.0 45.0 60.0
*denotes significance
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics www.bls.gov/ces
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5. Unemployment rate rounded down,
Long-term unemployment ticked down,
Civilian unemployment rate, by duration of unemployment,
January 1990 to August 2014, seasonally adjusted
10.0
6.8
4.4
6.1
4.2
1.9
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey www.bls.gov/cps
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6. Labor force participation ticked down
essentially flat since August 2013
Civilian Labor Force Participation Rate,
January 1990 to August 2014, seasonally adjusted
August 2014: 62.8 %
July 2014: 62.9 %
June 2014: 62.8 %
August 2013: 63.2 %
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey www.bls.gov/cps
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7. Employment rate unchanged,
essentially flat since December 2013
Employment-to-population ratio, age 25 to 54
January 1990 to August 2014, seasonally adjusted
August 2014: 76.8 %
July 2014: 76.6 %
June 2014: 76.7 %
August 2013: 75.9 %
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey www.bls.gov/cps
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8. What’s going on with part-time employment?
Full and part-time employment, part time for economic and noneconomic reasons,
Percent change since December 2007, seasonally adjusted
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey www.bls.gov/cps
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9. More jobseekers gave up looking than found work.
Labor Force Status Flows out of Unemployment,
January 1990 to August 2014, seasonally adjusted
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey www.bls.gov/cps
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10. Long-term unemployed are increasingly more likely to leave the
labor force than find employment
Unemployed 27 weeks or more Labor Force Status Flows,
January 1990 to August 2014, percent of total, 12-month moving average
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey www.bls.gov/cps
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11. Dropping out of labor force only slightly more likely for long-term
unemployed, compared to short-term unemployed
Unemployed to not in the labor force, by duration of unemployment,
January 1990 to August 2014, percent of total, 12-month moving average
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey www.bls.gov/cps
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12. Hourly earnings have remained flat
Average hourly earnings, all private sector employees,
January 2007 to August 2014, seasonally adjusted
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, www.bls.gov/ces
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13. Dr. Heidi Shierholz
Chief Economist
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR