September 10, 2007 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Payroll employment in August 2007

In August, total payroll employment was essentially unchanged (-4,000) at 138.0 million, seasonally adjusted.

Over-the-month change in payroll employment, January 2006-August 2007
[Chart data—TXT]

This followed little job growth in June (+69,000) and July (+68,000), as revised.

In August, employment continued to fall in manufacturing and construction; local government education also lost jobs. Job gains continued in health care and in food services and drinking places.

These data are from the BLS Current Employment Statistics program, and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent two months are preliminary. More information can be found in "The Employment Situation: August 2007" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 07-1363.