August 06, 2002 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Payroll employment in July

Total nonfarm payroll employment, at 130.8 million, was essentially unchanged in July and has been little changed since February. In comparison, from March 2001 through February 2002, payroll employment declined by 160,000 a month, on average.

[Chart data—TXT]

Manufacturing employment was little changed in July. Job losses in the industry have moderated this year. The average monthly job loss in the industry for the 3 months ending in June was 21,000, compared with 63,000 a month in February and March and 115,000 a month from March 2001 to January 2002.

Payroll employment data are from the Current Employment Statistics program. The above data are seasonally adjusted. Data for June and July 2002 are preliminary and subject to revision. For more information, see "The Employment Situation: July 2002" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 02-414.  

Related TED article: 

• Unemployment rates in July