The Guam Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics is pleased to release the June 2007 Current Employment Report.

Employment Highlights

Total employment on Guam dipped in the June 2007 survey period largely reflecting seasonal declines in both private sector businesses serving educational institutions as well as private and public educational institutions usual seasonal reduction for the summer period. Total employment, however, remains 1,230 jobs above that of the comparable period one year ago in June 2006.

Construction industry jobs accounted for most of the employment gains; construction payrolls were up 120 jobs this quarter and a cumulative total of 1,140 jobs above that of one year ago.

Hotel employment remained essentially unchanged during the latest quarter and yearís comparison.

In comparison to the private sector figures one year ago in June, average hourly earnings increased by two percent, average weekly hours paid increased three percent and average weekly earnings were up five percent. Higher weekly earnings combined with a two percent increase in the number of private sector workers, combined to increase private sector payroll totals by about seven percent. The industry composition with higher employment in construction contributed to the increase in private sector average hourly and weekly earnings figures.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Estimates in this release are based on the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey conducted quarterly by the Guam Department of Laborís Bureau of Labor Statistics in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Laborís Employment and Training Administration.

Employment Concepts

Employment data, except those for the Federal Government, refer to persons on establishment payrolls who received pay for any part of the pay period, which includes the 12th of the month. For Federal Government establishments, employment figures represent the number of persons who occupied positions on the last day of the calendar month. Intermittent workers are counted if they performed any service during the month.

The data excludes proprietors, the self-employed, unpaid volunteer or family workers. And domestic workers in households. Salaried officers of corporations are included. Government employment covers only civilian employees; military personnel are excluded.

Persons on establishment payrolls who are on sick leave (when pay is received directly from the firm), on paid holiday or paid vacation, or who work during a part of the pay period and are unemployed or on strike during the rest of the period, are counted as employed. The CES survey counts a person employed by two or more establishments at each place of employment. Not counted as employed are persons who are laid off, on leave without pay, or on strike for the entire period or who are hired but have not been paid during the period.

Industrial Classification

Establishments reporting on Form BLS-CES 3 are classified into industries on the basis of their principal product or activity determined from information on annual sales volume. This information is collected on a supplement to the quarterly shuttle questionnaire. For an establishment making more than one product or engaged in more than one activity, the entire employment is included under the industry indicated by the most important product or activity. Employment series are classified in accordance with the Standard Industrial Classification Manual, U.S. Office of Management and Budget. The 1972 Classification was used for the CES until March 1989 when a change to the 1987 edition was made.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgement is due the University of Guam Computer Center under the direction of Dr. Luan Nguyen and particularly Ms. Frances Villaverde for data processing and programming work. Acknowledgement is also due Marie Heflin and Mernalee Sablan of the Department of Labor for conducting the survey.

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