November Employment Picture Bleak despite Rise of 245,000 Employed

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 245,000 in November, and the unemployment rate
edged down to 6.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. These 
improvements in the labor market reflect the continued resumption of economic activity 
that had been curtailed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to 
contain it. However, the pace of improvement in the labor market has moderated in recent
months. In November, notable job gains occurred in transportation and warehousing, 
professional and business services, and health care. Employment declined in government 
and retail trade.

This news release presents statistics from two monthly surveys. The household survey 
measures labor force status, including unemployment, by demographic characteristics.
The establishment survey measures nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings by industry.
For more information about the concepts and statistical methodology used in these two 
surveys, see the Technical Note.

Household Survey Data

In November, the unemployment rate edged down to 6.7 percent. The rate is down by 8.0 
percentage points from its recent high in April but is 3.2 percentage points higher 
than it was in February. The number of unemployed persons, at 10.7 million, continued 
to trend down in November but is 4.9 million higher than in February. 

Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for adult women (6.1 percent) 
declined in November. The jobless rates for adult men (6.7 percent), teenagers (14.0
percent), Whites (5.9 percent), Blacks (10.3 percent), Asians (6.7 percent), and 
Hispanics (8.4 percent) showed little or no change. 

Among the unemployed, the number of persons on temporary layoff decreased by 441,000
in November to 2.8 million. This measure is down considerably from the high of 18.1 
million in April but is 2.0 million higher than its February level. The number of 
permanent job losers, at 3.7 million, was about unchanged in November but is 2.5 
million higher than in February. 

In November, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more)
increased by 385,000 to 3.9 million, accounting for 36.9 percent of the total 
unemployed, while the number of persons jobless 15 to 26 weeks declined by 760,000 to 
1.9 million. The number of persons jobless 5 to 14 weeks and persons jobless less than
5 weeks showed little change in November at 2.4 million and 2.5 million, respectively.

The labor force participation rate edged down to 61.5 percent in November; this is 1.9
percentage points below its February level. The employment-population ratio, at 57.3
percent, changed little over the month but is 3.8 percentage points lower than in 
February. 

In November, the number of persons who usually work full time rose by 752,000 to 124.3
million, while the number of persons who usually work part time decreased by 779,000 
to 25.4 million.

The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons was about unchanged over
the month at 6.7 million but remains 2.3 million higher than the February level. These
individuals, who would have preferred full-time employment, were working part time 
because their hours had been reduced or they were unable to find full-time jobs. This
group includes persons who usually work full time and persons who usually work part
time.

In November, the number of persons not in the labor force who currently want a job 
increased by 448,000 to 7.1 million; this measure is 2.2 million higher than in 
February. These individuals were not counted as unemployed because they were not 
actively looking for work during the last 4 weeks or were unavailable to take a job.


Among those not in the labor force who currently want a job, the number of persons 
marginally attached to the labor force, at 2.1 million, changed little in November. 
These individuals wanted and were available for work and had looked for a job sometime
in the prior 12 months but had not looked for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey.
The number of discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached who believed 
that no jobs were available for them, was 657,000 in November, little changed from 
the previous month. 

Household Survey Supplemental Data

In November, 21.8 percent of employed persons teleworked because of the coronavirus 
pandemic, up from 21.2 percent in October. These data refer to employed persons who
teleworked or worked at home for pay at some point in the last 4 weeks specifically 
because of the pandemic.

In November, 14.8 million persons reported that they had been unable to work because
their employer closed or lost business due to the pandemic--that is, they did not work
at all or worked fewer hours at some point in the last 4 weeks due to the pandemic.
This measure is little changed from October. Among those who reported in November 
that they were unable to work because of pandemic-related closures or lost business,
13.7 percent received at least some pay from their employer for the hours not worked,
up from 11.7 percent in October. 

About 3.9 million persons not in the labor force in November were prevented from 
looking for work due to the pandemic. This measure is up from 3.6 million in October.
(To be counted as unemployed, by definition, individuals must either be actively 
looking for work or on temporary layoff.) 

These supplemental data come from questions added to the household survey beginning 
in May to help gauge the effects of the pandemic on the labor market. The data are 
not seasonally adjusted. Tables with estimates from the supplemental questions for 
all months are available online.

Establishment Survey Data

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 245,000, following gains of larger magnitude
in the prior 6 months. In November, nonfarm employment was below its February level
by 9.8 million, or 6.5 percent. Notable job gains occurred over the month in 
transportation and warehousing, professional and business services, and health care.
Employment declined in government and retail trade. 

Employment in transportation and warehousing rose by 145,000 in November but is 
123,000 below its February level. In November, employment rose by 82,000 in couriers
and messengers and by 37,000 in warehousing and storage; since February, employment in
these industries has increased by 182,000 and 97,000, respectively. Job growth also 
occurred over the month in truck transportation (+13,000).

In November, employment in professional and business services increased by 60,000, 
with about half the gain occurring in temporary help services (+32,000). Job growth 
also occurred in services to buildings and dwellings (+14,000). Employment in 
professional and business services is down by 1.1 million since February.

Health care added 46,000 jobs in November, with gains occurring in offices of 
physicians (+21,000), home health care services (+13,000), and offices of other health
practitioners (+8,000). Nursing care facilities continued to lose jobs (-12,000). 
Health care employment is 527,000 lower than in February. 

Construction gained 27,000 jobs in November, but employment is 279,000 below its 
February level. In November, employment rose in residential specialty trade contractors
(+14,000) and in heavy and civil engineering construction (+10,000).

In November, manufacturing employment increased by 27,000. Job gains occurred in motor 
vehicles and parts (+15,000) and in plastics and rubber products (+5,000). Employment
in manufacturing was 599,000 lower than in February.

Financial activities added 15,000 jobs in November. Gains occurred in real estate 
(+10,000) and in nondepository credit intermediation (+8,000). Financial activities has
added 164,000 jobs over the past 7 months, but employment in the industry is 115,000 
lower than in February.

Employment in wholesale trade continued to trend up in November (+10,000) but is 
281,000 lower than in February. 

Government employment declined for the third consecutive month, decreasing by 99,000 in
November. A decline of 86,000 in federal government employment reflected the loss of 
93,000 temporary workers who had been hired for the 2020 Census. Employment in local 
government education continued to trend down (-21,000). 

In November, retail trade lost 35,000 jobs, reflecting less seasonal hiring in several 
retail industries. Employment decreases occurred in general merchandise stores 
(-21,000); sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores (-12,000); electronics and 
appliance stores (-11,000); and health and personal care stores (-8,000). By contrast, 
furniture and home furnishings stores and automobile dealers added 6,000 jobs and 4,000
jobs, respectively. Employment in retail trade is 550,000 lower than in February. 

Employment in leisure and hospitality changed little in November (+31,000) but is down
by 3.4 million since February. Arts, entertainment, and recreation added 43,000 jobs in
November, while employment in food services and drinking places changed little (-17,000).

Employment in other major industries, including mining, information, and other services,
showed little change in November.

In November, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls 
increased by 9 cents to $29.58. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production and
nonsupervisory employees increased by 7 cents to $24.87. 

The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls remained unchanged 
at 34.8 hours in November. In manufacturing, the workweek decreased by 0.2 hour to 40.3
hours, and overtime decreased by 0.1 hour to 3.1 hours. The average workweek for 
production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged at 
34.2 hours. 

The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for September was revised up by 39,000, 
from +672,000 to +711,000, and the change for October was revised down by 28,000, from 
+638,000 to +610,000. With these revisions, employment in September and October combined
was 11,000 more than previously reported. (Monthly revisions result from additional 
reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published 
estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.)