Transmission of material in this news release is embargoed until		USDL-20-2184
8:30 a.m. (ET) Friday, December 4, 2020

Technical information: 
 Household data:	cpsinfo@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/cps
 Establishment data:	cesinfo@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/ces

Media contact:		(202) 691-5902  *  PressOffice@bls.gov


			THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION -- NOVEMBER 2020


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. (See table A-1. 
For more information about how the household survey and its measures were affected by 
the coronavirus pandemic, see the box note at the end of this news release.)

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. (See tables A-1, A-2, and A-3.)

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. (See table A-11.)

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.
(See table A-12.)

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. (See table A-1.)

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. (See table A-9.) 

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. (See table A-8.)

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.
(See table A-1.)

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. (See Summary table A.)

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 at 
www.bls.gov/cps/effects-of-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.htm.

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. (See table B-1. For more 
information about how the establishment survey and its measures were affected by the
coronavirus pandemic, see the box note at the end of this news release.)

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. (See tables B-3 and B-8.)

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. (See tables B-2 and B-7.)

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.)

____________
The Employment Situation for December is scheduled to be released on Friday, January 8,
2021, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).


 _______________________________________________________________________________________
|											|
|			Coronavirus (COVID-19) Impact on November 2020			|
|			    Establishment and Household Survey Data			|
|											|
| Data collection for both surveys was affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. |
| In the establishment survey, approximately one-fifth of the establishments are 	|
| assigned to four regional data collection centers for collection. Although these 	|
| centers were closed, interviewers at these centers worked remotely to collect data by |
| telephone. Additionally, BLS encouraged businesses to report electronically. The 	|
| collection rate for the establishment survey was 74 percent in November, about the 	|
| same as the average for the 12 months ending in February 2020. The household survey 	|
| is generally conducted through in-person and telephone interviews. However, for the 	|
| safety of both interviewers and respondents, in-person interviews were conducted only |
| when telephone interviews could not be done. The household survey response rate was 	|
| 79 percent in November, considerably higher than the low of 65 percent in June but 	|
| below the average of 83 percent for the 12 months ending in February 2020.		|
|											|
| In the establishment survey, workers who are paid by their employer for all or any 	|
| part of the pay period including the 12th of the month are counted as employed, even 	|
| if they were not actually at their jobs. Workers who are temporarily or permanently 	|
| absent from their jobs and are not being paid are not counted as employed, even if 	|
| they continue to receive benefits.  							|
|											|
| In the household survey, individuals are classified as employed, unemployed, or not 	|
| in the labor force based on their answers to a series of questions about their 	|
| activities during the survey reference week (November 8th through November 14th). 	|
| Workers who indicate they were not working during the entire survey reference week 	|
| and expect to be recalled to their jobs should be classified as unemployed on 	|
| temporary layoff. As in recent months, a large number of persons were classified as 	|
| unemployed on temporary layoff in November.    					|
|											|
| Since March, household survey interviewers have been instructed to classify employed 	|
| persons absent from work due to temporary, coronavirus-related business closures or 	|
| cutbacks as unemployed on temporary layoff. As happened in earlier months, some 	|
| workers affected by the pandemic who should have been classified as unemployed on 	|
| temporary layoff were instead misclassified as employed but not at work. However, the |
| share of responses that may have been misclassified was highest in the early months 	|
| of the pandemic and has been considerably lower in recent months.    			|
|											|
| For March through October, BLS published an estimate of what the unemployment rate 	|
| would have been had misclassified workers been included among the unemployed. 	|
| Repeating this same approach, the overall November unemployment rate would have been 	|
| 0.4 percentage point higher than reported. However, this represents the upper bound 	|
| of our estimate of misclassification and probably overstates the size of the 		|
| misclassification error.  								|
|											|
| According to usual practice, the data from the household survey are accepted as 	|
| recorded. To maintain data integrity, no ad hoc actions are taken to reclassify 	|
| survey responses.   									|
|											|
| More information is available at 							|
| www.bls.gov/covid19/employment-situation-covid19-faq-november-2020.htm. 		|
|_______________________________________________________________________________________|


 _______________________________________________________________________________________
|											|
|                 Revision of Seasonally Adjusted Household Survey Data                 |
|											|
| In accordance with usual practice, The Employment Situation news release for December |
| 2020, scheduled for January 8, 2021, will incorporate annual revisions in seasonally 	|
| adjusted household survey data. Seasonally adjusted data for the most recent 5 years 	|
| are subject to revision.								|
|_______________________________________________________________________________________|