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Nonfarm payroll employment down 701,000 in March 2020
April 07, 2020
Total nonfarm payroll employment fell sharply in the month ending during the second week of March 2020 (−701,000), reflecting the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and efforts to contain it. About two-thirds of the drop occurred in leisure and hospitality. Notable employment declines also occurred in health care and social assistance, professional and business services, retail trade, and construction. In the prior 12 months, nonfarm employment growth had averaged 196,000 per month.
Monthly employment level changes by industry, seasonally adjusted
Month
Total nonfarm
Total private
Mining and logging
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Transportation and warehousing
Utilities
Mar 2015
71,000
79,000
-16,000
-27,000
11,000
1,800
12,600
13,000
300
Apr 2015
284,000
249,000
-16,000
58,000
6,000
-3,600
19,200
6,900
300
May 2015
331,000
324,000
-23,000
35,000
15,000
7,500
29,000
22,200
1,400
Jun 2015
174,000
171,000
-4,000
14,000
1,000
-2,300
22,800
27,100
-1,000
Jul 2015
302,000
267,000
-11,000
31,000
15,000
500
20,300
23,400
1,500
Aug 2015
125,000
115,000
-11,000
18,000
-4,000
400
-1,300
10,800
1,100
Sep 2015
155,000
175,000
-15,000
18,000
9,000
-9,600
5,200
9,000
-1,000
Oct 2015
306,000
290,000
-8,000
39,000
8,000
1,500
32,500
400
-300
Nov 2015
237,000
212,000
-15,000
51,000
-5,000
900
19,600
15,900
100
Dec 2015
273,000
257,000
-10,000
32,000
5,000
-1,700
4,000
31,300
-600
Jan 2016
73,000
52,000
-15,000
-10,000
17,000
600
25,700
-27,700
-300
Feb 2016
263,000
237,000
-20,000
30,000
-12,000
-1,700
47,200
13,500
1,300
Mar 2016
229,000
193,000
-20,000
30,000
-22,000
4,200
38,100
16,500
-1,700
Apr 2016
187,000
181,000
-13,000
21,000
4,000
5,200
3,600
15,400
100
May 2016
42,000
31,000
-12,000
-10,000
-17,000
-1,300
-500
16,900
-1,000
Jun 2016
267,000
280,000
-10,000
11,000
19,000
-3,600
30,500
3,500
1,400
Jul 2016
354,000
253,000
-4,000
34,000
18,000
1,400
15,600
23,900
600
Aug 2016
135,000
152,000
-5,000
1,000
-21,000
3,400
17,400
28,000
-300
Sep 2016
269,000
234,000
0
31,000
-1,000
11,900
8,800
-5,500
500
Oct 2016
145,000
156,000
-3,000
30,000
0
900
2,400
15,900
0
Nov 2016
151,000
153,000
3,000
21,000
-5,000
2,400
-25,500
18,000
400
Dec 2016
230,000
212,000
1,000
2,000
14,000
-3,400
30,100
39,400
400
Jan 2017
185,000
191,000
1,000
26,000
13,000
5,600
28,000
-25,800
-600
Feb 2017
188,000
171,000
6,000
42,000
15,000
1,700
-40,000
23,700
-800
Mar 2017
129,000
123,000
5,000
20,000
11,000
2,900
-18,200
13,000
-300
Apr 2017
197,000
192,000
9,000
7,000
5,000
4,600
-8,100
16,000
-300
May 2017
155,000
153,000
4,000
12,000
6,000
-4,900
-29,300
22,600
-1,000
Jun 2017
216,000
202,000
4,000
27,000
12,000
7,100
6,600
12,900
600
Jul 2017
215,000
202,000
2,000
5,000
-1,000
900
-8,300
9,700
-600
Aug 2017
184,000
186,000
5,000
30,000
44,000
-800
-200
17,400
200
Sep 2017
18,000
9,000
3,000
14,000
9,000
2,800
-7,700
29,700
700
Oct 2017
267,000
264,000
0
23,000
22,000
4,700
-4,300
24,300
-100
Nov 2017
225,000
201,000
6,000
39,000
22,000
100
5,200
9,200
-100
Dec 2017
130,000
142,000
-1,000
27,000
27,000
5,800
-13,900
24,200
300
Jan 2018
121,000
147,000
7,000
21,000
17,000
-5,000
-16,700
5,400
-1,600
Feb 2018
406,000
355,000
7,000
86,000
30,000
1,400
35,500
37,700
2,400
Mar 2018
176,000
178,000
8,000
5,000
23,000
12,500
12,000
29,200
-600
Apr 2018
137,000
127,000
8,000
18,000
21,000
-19,300
-900
14,400
1,700
May 2018
278,000
261,000
2,000
43,000
26,000
2,700
4,300
23,300
-2,200
Jun 2018
219,000
191,000
5,000
16,000
29,000
6,600
-38,900
20,800
-1,000
Jul 2018
136,000
133,000
0
22,000
19,000
11,700
-12,100
12,500
-3,600
Aug 2018
244,000
216,000
8,000
31,000
13,000
19,200
2,700
36,600
500
Sep 2018
80,000
81,000
2,000
20,000
21,000
-2,600
-46,500
28,600
100
Oct 2018
201,000
205,000
3,000
23,000
24,000
2,900
-39,100
32,500
900
Nov 2018
134,000
133,000
-5,000
-2,000
20,000
7,100
27,100
23,500
0
Dec 2018
182,000
173,000
4,000
26,000
21,000
8,400
-25,200
-7,700
-600
Jan 2019
269,000
258,000
5,000
50,000
20,000
6,300
-7,900
46,800
100
Feb 2019
1,000
-6,000
-5,000
-29,000
5,000
5,800
-29,300
1,600
-1,500
Mar 2019
147,000
132,000
0
20,000
-3,000
-4,400
-24,300
5,700
500
Apr 2019
210,000
185,000
0
26,000
2,000
13,400
-11,800
7,000
-2,600
May 2019
85,000
87,000
2,000
9,000
0
4,000
-12,300
3,000
1,000
Jun 2019
182,000
180,000
-2,000
19,000
9,000
1,200
-5,400
21,100
1,500
Jul 2019
194,000
160,000
-5,000
7,000
7,000
7,300
1,000
-500
-900
Aug 2019
207,000
157,000
-5,000
4,000
3,000
600
-600
-4,100
-700
Sep 2019
208,000
195,000
0
16,000
3,000
6,400
9,000
10,500
-1,400
Oct 2019
185,000
190,000
4,000
17,000
-41,000
10,100
21,900
6,800
-1,300
Nov 2019
261,000
247,000
-11,000
-2,000
58,000
3,000
-13,900
22,600
1,000
Dec 2019
184,000
164,000
-9,000
16,000
-2,000
6,900
41,400
-2,100
700
Jan 2020
214,000
179,000
-3,000
38,000
-22,000
4,300
-3,200
22,600
-1,000
Feb 2020
275,000
242,000
3,000
41,000
13,000
-1,900
1,200
-1,200
200
Mar 2020
-701,000
-713,000
-7,000
-29,000
-18,000
900
-46,200
-4,900
800
Monthly employment level changes by industry, seasonally adjusted (continued)
Month
Information
Financial activities
Professional and business services
Education and health services
Leisure and hospitality
Other services
Government
Federal government
Mar 2015
-5,000
9,000
26,000
43,000
9,000
2,000
-8,000
1,000
Apr 2015
4,000
7,000
44,000
74,000
42,000
7,000
35,000
15,000
May 2015
8,000
7,000
81,000
52,000
80,000
9,000
7,000
-10,000
Jun 2015
1,000
22,000
51,000
40,000
5,000
-6,000
3,000
1,000
Jul 2015
3,000
20,000
37,000
55,000
60,000
12,000
35,000
2,000
Aug 2015
1,000
6,000
29,000
41,000
33,000
-9,000
10,000
4,000
Sep 2015
10,000
10,000
23,000
37,000
78,000
1,000
-20,000
-1,000
Oct 2015
-1,000
15,000
73,000
84,000
37,000
9,000
16,000
0
Nov 2015
-13,000
12,000
34,000
45,000
58,000
8,000
25,000
7,000
Dec 2015
9,000
8,000
70,000
63,000
32,000
15,000
16,000
10,000
Jan 2016
4,000
15,000
-2,000
14,000
35,000
-4,000
21,000
-4,000
Feb 2016
15,000
8,000
15,000
68,000
56,000
17,000
26,000
6,000
Mar 2016
7,000
15,000
30,000
47,000
41,000
8,000
36,000
5,000
Apr 2016
4,000
23,000
32,000
58,000
23,000
4,000
6,000
2,000
May 2016
-36,000
14,000
8,000
57,000
21,000
-8,000
11,000
7,000
Jun 2016
45,000
17,000
43,000
57,000
55,000
11,000
-13,000
5,000
Jul 2016
1,000
22,000
44,000
44,000
47,000
6,000
101,000
2,000
Aug 2016
6,000
15,000
6,000
46,000
40,000
15,000
-17,000
4,000
Sep 2016
7,000
8,000
67,000
59,000
37,000
11,000
35,000
4,000
Oct 2016
2,000
6,000
18,000
61,000
18,000
5,000
-11,000
-3,000
Nov 2016
-5,000
11,000
37,000
34,000
50,000
11,000
-2,000
-5,000
Dec 2016
3,000
27,000
35,000
61,000
17,000
-14,000
18,000
18,000
Jan 2017
7,000
30,000
50,000
9,000
32,000
16,000
-6,000
-2,000
Feb 2017
-5,000
2,000
9,000
74,000
32,000
11,000
17,000
-2,000
Mar 2017
-1,000
8,000
29,000
39,000
12,000
3,000
6,000
-2,000
Apr 2017
-4,000
15,000
30,000
50,000
64,000
3,000
5,000
-11,000
May 2017
-5,000
8,000
57,000
38,000
35,000
11,000
2,000
8,000
Jun 2017
3,000
16,000
35,000
28,000
42,000
8,000
14,000
-2,000
Jul 2017
2,000
12,000
42,000
60,000
71,000
7,000
13,000
-1,000
Aug 2017
6,000
9,000
28,000
37,000
4,000
6,000
-2,000
-3,000
Sep 2017
-4,000
8,000
3,000
31,000
-73,000
-7,000
9,000
0
Oct 2017
1,000
5,000
48,000
27,000
91,000
22,000
3,000
1,000
Nov 2017
1,000
12,000
30,000
52,000
14,000
11,000
24,000
-11,000
Dec 2017
6,000
4,000
34,000
9,000
20,000
0
-12,000
2,000
Jan 2018
-4,000
6,000
55,000
54,000
3,000
5,000
-26,000
7,000
Feb 2018
0
29,000
43,000
54,000
25,000
4,000
51,000
-8,000
Mar 2018
11,000
5,000
42,000
32,000
2,000
-3,000
-2,000
0
Apr 2018
13,000
7,000
45,000
15,000
-3,000
7,000
10,000
2,000
May 2018
-2,000
22,000
46,000
38,000
46,000
12,000
17,000
-3,000
Jun 2018
0
19,000
34,000
41,000
47,000
13,000
28,000
4,000
Jul 2018
4,000
8,000
20,000
27,000
39,000
-15,000
3,000
2,000
Aug 2018
0
13,000
41,000
47,000
1,000
3,000
28,000
3,000
Sep 2018
-2,000
22,000
33,000
25,000
-24,000
5,000
-1,000
3,000
Oct 2018
12,000
18,000
37,000
51,000
32,000
8,000
-4,000
1,000
Nov 2018
-1,000
10,000
23,000
23,000
10,000
-3,000
1,000
6,000
Dec 2018
4,000
8,000
26,000
54,000
47,000
8,000
9,000
-2,000
Jan 2019
-11,000
11,000
-2,000
56,000
81,000
3,000
11,000
2,000
Feb 2019
-2,000
14,000
38,000
18,000
-23,000
1,000
7,000
3,000
Mar 2019
10,000
17,000
12,000
63,000
21,000
15,000
15,000
1,000
Apr 2019
-6,000
14,000
50,000
65,000
13,000
15,000
25,000
8,000
May 2019
8,000
6,000
27,000
30,000
12,000
-3,000
-2,000
3,000
Jun 2019
12,000
5,000
41,000
55,000
7,000
15,000
2,000
3,000
Jul 2019
-3,000
21,000
43,000
73,000
2,000
9,000
34,000
2,000
Aug 2019
-1,000
15,000
40,000
58,000
42,000
5,000
50,000
26,000
Sep 2019
5,000
3,000
25,000
61,000
61,000
-3,000
13,000
0
Oct 2019
-1,000
21,000
42,000
40,000
70,000
0
-5,000
-13,000
Nov 2019
9,000
12,000
37,000
73,000
43,000
16,000
14,000
6,000
Dec 2019
9,000
10,000
22,000
29,000
40,000
2,000
20,000
-3,000
Jan 2020
11,000
9,000
20,000
69,000
24,000
10,000
35,000
8,000
Feb 2020
3,000
31,000
36,000
65,000
44,000
8,000
33,000
8,000
Mar 2020
2,000
-1,000
-52,000
-76,000
-459,000
-24,000
12,000
18,000
Monthly employment level changes by industry, seasonally adjusted
Month
State government
Local government
Mar 2015
-4,000
-5,000
Apr 2015
3,000
17,000
May 2015
4,000
13,000
Jun 2015
-1,000
3,000
Jul 2015
0
33,000
Aug 2015
4,000
2,000
Sep 2015
6,000
-25,000
Oct 2015
1,000
15,000
Nov 2015
6,000
12,000
Dec 2015
-2,000
8,000
Jan 2016
1,000
24,000
Feb 2016
-3,000
23,000
Mar 2016
7,000
24,000
Apr 2016
5,000
-1,000
May 2016
-5,000
9,000
Jun 2016
14,000
-32,000
Jul 2016
9,000
90,000
Aug 2016
-3,000
-18,000
Sep 2016
34,000
-3,000
Oct 2016
-13,000
5,000
Nov 2016
5,000
-2,000
Dec 2016
2,000
-2,000
Jan 2017
10,000
-14,000
Feb 2017
9,000
10,000
Mar 2017
3,000
5,000
Apr 2017
3,000
13,000
May 2017
8,000
-14,000
Jun 2017
-4,000
20,000
Jul 2017
3,000
11,000
Aug 2017
-6,000
7,000
Sep 2017
-7,000
16,000
Oct 2017
-5,000
7,000
Nov 2017
16,000
19,000
Dec 2017
-12,000
-2,000
Jan 2018
-12,000
-21,000
Feb 2018
4,000
55,000
Mar 2018
3,000
-5,000
Apr 2018
13,000
-5,000
May 2018
7,000
13,000
Jun 2018
6,000
18,000
Jul 2018
-2,000
3,000
Aug 2018
5,000
20,000
Sep 2018
10,000
-14,000
Oct 2018
-9,000
4,000
Nov 2018
-11,000
6,000
Dec 2018
0
11,000
Jan 2019
-3,000
12,000
Feb 2019
5,000
-1,000
Mar 2019
0
14,000
Apr 2019
-6,000
23,000
May 2019
-11,000
6,000
Jun 2019
-1,000
0
Jul 2019
11,000
21,000
Aug 2019
16,000
8,000
Sep 2019
-3,000
16,000
Oct 2019
3,000
5,000
Nov 2019
-3,000
11,000
Dec 2019
3,000
20,000
Jan 2020
6,000
21,000
Feb 2020
8,000
17,000
Mar 2020
-14,000
8,000
In March, employment in leisure and hospitality fell by 459,000. Most of the decline occurred in food services and drinking places (−417,000); this employment decline nearly offset gains over the previous 2 years. Employment in the accommodation industry also declined in March (−29,000).
Employment in health care and social assistance fell by 61,000 in March. Health care employment declined by 43,000, with job losses in offices of dentists (−17,000), offices of physicians (−12,000), and offices of other health care practitioners (−7,000). Over the prior 12 months, health care employment had grown by 374,000. In March, social assistance saw an employment decline of 19,000, reflecting a job loss in child day care services (−19,000). Over the prior 12 months, social assistance added 193,000 jobs.
These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program. Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary. Note that the March survey reference period predated many coronavirus-related business and school closures that occurred in the second half of the month. See these questions and answers for more information on the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on The Employment Situation. To learn more, see "The Employment Situation — March 2020." Also see more charts showing nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings data.
United States Department of Labor
