Jobs Report for June 2008 as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Total nonfarm payroll employment continued to trend down in June (-62,000). Since peaking in December 2007, payroll employment has fallen by 438,000.

In June 2008, job losses continued in construction, manufacturing, and employment services. Health care and mining added jobs over the month.

Job Rate Declines in June 2008

Within professional and business services employment services lost 59,000 jobs in June; about half of the decrease (-30,000) occurred in temporary help services. So far this year, monthly job losses in temporary help services have averaged 26,000 compared with average declines of 7,000 per month in 2007.

Employment in construction fell by 43,000 in June, as job losses continued across the industry. Since its peak in September 2006, construction employment has fallen by 528,000.In June, manufacturing employment fell by 33,000. Job losses were widespread throughout the industry, with notable declines in fabricated metal products (-9,000), printing and related support activities (-6,000), and wood products (-6,000). Employment in motor vehicles and parts edged up by 6,000 over the month, largely reflecting the return of workers from strikes and related shutdowns. Over the past 12 months, manufacturing has lost 353,000 jobs.

Job Rate Increases in June 2008

Retail trade employment changed little in June. A job gain in general merchandise stores (9,000) was offset by small declines elsewhere in the sector. Since its most recent peak in March 2007, retail trade has shed 194,000 jobs.

Employment in mining rose by 8,000 in June. Support activities for mining and oil and gas extraction accounted for most of the increase. Mining employment has expanded by 208,000, or 42 percent, since its most recent low in April 2003.

Health care employment continued to grow in June (15,000), although the increase was half the size of the average monthly gain during the prior 12 months. In June, employment rose in ambulatory health care services (13,000). Since June 2007, health care has added 348,000 jobs.

In June, food services employment continued to trend upward (16,000), although job gains in this industry have slowed recently. The industry added an average of 13,000 jobs per month from November 2007 through June 2008; this compares with an average increase of 27,000 jobs per month for the first 10 months of 2007.

Government employment continued to trend up in June and has grown by 257,000 over the past 12 months. Local government has accounted for about two-thirds of the growth since June 2007.