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Payroll employment down 140,000 in December 2020

January 12, 2021

Total nonfarm payroll employment declined by 140,000 in December 2020, following seven consecutive months of increases. In December, nonfarm employment was below its February level by 9.8 million, or 6.5 percent.

Nonfarm payroll employment, January 1970–December 2020
Month Employment level Over-the-month change

Jan 1970

71,176,000 -65,000

Feb 1970

71,305,000 129,000

Mar 1970

71,451,000 146,000

Apr 1970

71,348,000 -103,000

May 1970

71,124,000 -224,000

Jun 1970

71,029,000 -95,000

Jul 1970

71,053,000 24,000

Aug 1970

70,937,000 -116,000

Sep 1970

70,944,000 7,000

Oct 1970

70,521,000 -423,000

Nov 1970

70,409,000 -112,000

Dec 1970

70,792,000 383,000

Jan 1971

70,865,000 73,000

Feb 1971

70,807,000 -58,000

Mar 1971

70,860,000 53,000

Apr 1971

71,036,000 176,000

May 1971

71,247,000 211,000

Jun 1971

71,254,000 7,000

Jul 1971

71,315,000 61,000

Aug 1971

71,373,000 58,000

Sep 1971

71,614,000 241,000

Oct 1971

71,642,000 28,000

Nov 1971

71,847,000 205,000

Dec 1971

72,109,000 262,000

Jan 1972

72,441,000 332,000

Feb 1972

72,648,000 207,000

Mar 1972

72,944,000 296,000

Apr 1972

73,162,000 218,000

May 1972

73,469,000 307,000

Jun 1972

73,758,000 289,000

Jul 1972

73,709,000 -49,000

Aug 1972

74,141,000 432,000

Sep 1972

74,264,000 123,000

Oct 1972

74,674,000 410,000

Nov 1972

74,973,000 299,000

Dec 1972

75,268,000 295,000

Jan 1973

75,617,000 349,000

Feb 1973

76,014,000 397,000

Mar 1973

76,284,000 270,000

Apr 1973

76,455,000 171,000

May 1973

76,648,000 193,000

Jun 1973

76,887,000 239,000

Jul 1973

76,913,000 26,000

Aug 1973

77,168,000 255,000

Sep 1973

77,276,000 108,000

Oct 1973

77,607,000 331,000

Nov 1973

77,920,000 313,000

Dec 1973

78,031,000 111,000

Jan 1974

78,100,000 69,000

Feb 1974

78,254,000 154,000

Mar 1974

78,296,000 42,000

Apr 1974

78,382,000 86,000

May 1974

78,549,000 167,000

Jun 1974

78,604,000 55,000

Jul 1974

78,636,000 32,000

Aug 1974

78,619,000 -17,000

Sep 1974

78,610,000 -9,000

Oct 1974

78,630,000 20,000

Nov 1974

78,265,000 -365,000

Dec 1974

77,652,000 -613,000

Jan 1975

77,293,000 -359,000

Feb 1975

76,918,000 -375,000

Mar 1975

76,648,000 -270,000

Apr 1975

76,460,000 -188,000

May 1975

76,624,000 164,000

Jun 1975

76,521,000 -103,000

Jul 1975

76,770,000 249,000

Aug 1975

77,153,000 383,000

Sep 1975

77,228,000 75,000

Oct 1975

77,540,000 312,000

Nov 1975

77,685,000 145,000

Dec 1975

78,017,000 332,000

Jan 1976

78,503,000 486,000

Feb 1976

78,816,000 313,000

Mar 1976

79,048,000 232,000

Apr 1976

79,292,000 244,000

May 1976

79,312,000 20,000

Jun 1976

79,376,000 64,000

Jul 1976

79,547,000 171,000

Aug 1976

79,704,000 157,000

Sep 1976

79,892,000 188,000

Oct 1976

79,911,000 19,000

Nov 1976

80,240,000 329,000

Dec 1976

80,448,000 208,000

Jan 1977

80,690,000 242,000

Feb 1977

80,988,000 298,000

Mar 1977

81,391,000 403,000

Apr 1977

81,728,000 337,000

May 1977

82,088,000 360,000

Jun 1977

82,488,000 400,000

Jul 1977

82,834,000 346,000

Aug 1977

83,075,000 241,000

Sep 1977

83,532,000 457,000

Oct 1977

83,800,000 268,000

Nov 1977

84,173,000 373,000

Dec 1977

84,410,000 237,000

Jan 1978

84,594,000 184,000

Feb 1978

84,948,000 354,000

Mar 1978

85,460,000 512,000

Apr 1978

86,162,000 702,000

May 1978

86,509,000 347,000

Jun 1978

86,950,000 441,000

Jul 1978

87,204,000 254,000

Aug 1978

87,483,000 279,000

Sep 1978

87,621,000 138,000

Oct 1978

87,956,000 335,000

Nov 1978

88,391,000 435,000

Dec 1978

88,671,000 280,000

Jan 1979

88,808,000 137,000

Feb 1979

89,055,000 247,000

Mar 1979

89,479,000 424,000

Apr 1979

89,417,000 -62,000

May 1979

89,789,000 372,000

Jun 1979

90,108,000 319,000

Jul 1979

90,217,000 109,000

Aug 1979

90,300,000 83,000

Sep 1979

90,327,000 27,000

Oct 1979

90,481,000 154,000

Nov 1979

90,573,000 92,000

Dec 1979

90,672,000 99,000

Jan 1980

90,800,000 128,000

Feb 1980

90,883,000 83,000

Mar 1980

90,994,000 111,000

Apr 1980

90,849,000 -145,000

May 1980

90,420,000 -429,000

Jun 1980

90,101,000 -319,000

Jul 1980

89,840,000 -261,000

Aug 1980

90,099,000 259,000

Sep 1980

90,213,000 114,000

Oct 1980

90,490,000 277,000

Nov 1980

90,747,000 257,000

Dec 1980

90,943,000 196,000

Jan 1981

91,033,000 90,000

Feb 1981

91,105,000 72,000

Mar 1981

91,210,000 105,000

Apr 1981

91,283,000 73,000

May 1981

91,296,000 13,000

Jun 1981

91,490,000 194,000

Jul 1981

91,601,000 111,000

Aug 1981

91,565,000 -36,000

Sep 1981

91,477,000 -88,000

Oct 1981

91,380,000 -97,000

Nov 1981

91,171,000 -209,000

Dec 1981

90,895,000 -276,000

Jan 1982

90,565,000 -330,000

Feb 1982

90,563,000 -2,000

Mar 1982

90,434,000 -129,000

Apr 1982

90,150,000 -284,000

May 1982

90,107,000 -43,000

Jun 1982

89,865,000 -242,000

Jul 1982

89,521,000 -344,000

Aug 1982

89,363,000 -158,000

Sep 1982

89,183,000 -180,000

Oct 1982

88,907,000 -276,000

Nov 1982

88,786,000 -121,000

Dec 1982

88,771,000 -15,000

Jan 1983

88,990,000 219,000

Feb 1983

88,917,000 -73,000

Mar 1983

89,090,000 173,000

Apr 1983

89,364,000 274,000

May 1983

89,644,000 280,000

Jun 1983

90,021,000 377,000

Jul 1983

90,437,000 416,000

Aug 1983

90,129,000 -308,000

Sep 1983

91,247,000 1,118,000

Oct 1983

91,520,000 273,000

Nov 1983

91,875,000 355,000

Dec 1983

92,230,000 355,000

Jan 1984

92,673,000 443,000

Feb 1984

93,157,000 484,000

Mar 1984

93,429,000 272,000

Apr 1984

93,792,000 363,000

May 1984

94,098,000 306,000

Jun 1984

94,479,000 381,000

Jul 1984

94,789,000 310,000

Aug 1984

95,032,000 243,000

Sep 1984

95,344,000 312,000

Oct 1984

95,629,000 285,000

Nov 1984

95,982,000 353,000

Dec 1984

96,107,000 125,000

Jan 1985

96,372,000 265,000

Feb 1985

96,503,000 131,000

Mar 1985

96,842,000 339,000

Apr 1985

97,038,000 196,000

May 1985

97,312,000 274,000

Jun 1985

97,459,000 147,000

Jul 1985

97,648,000 189,000

Aug 1985

97,840,000 192,000

Sep 1985

98,045,000 205,000

Oct 1985

98,233,000 188,000

Nov 1985

98,443,000 210,000

Dec 1985

98,609,000 166,000

Jan 1986

98,732,000 123,000

Feb 1986

98,847,000 115,000

Mar 1986

98,934,000 87,000

Apr 1986

99,121,000 187,000

May 1986

99,248,000 127,000

Jun 1986

99,155,000 -93,000

Jul 1986

99,473,000 318,000

Aug 1986

99,588,000 115,000

Sep 1986

99,934,000 346,000

Oct 1986

100,121,000 187,000

Nov 1986

100,308,000 187,000

Dec 1986

100,509,000 201,000

Jan 1987

100,678,000 169,000

Feb 1987

100,919,000 241,000

Mar 1987

101,164,000 245,000

Apr 1987

101,499,000 335,000

May 1987

101,728,000 229,000

Jun 1987

101,900,000 172,000

Jul 1987

102,247,000 347,000

Aug 1987

102,420,000 173,000

Sep 1987

102,647,000 227,000

Oct 1987

103,138,000 491,000

Nov 1987

103,372,000 234,000

Dec 1987

103,661,000 289,000

Jan 1988

103,753,000 92,000

Feb 1988

104,214,000 461,000

Mar 1988

104,489,000 275,000

Apr 1988

104,732,000 243,000

May 1988

104,962,000 230,000

Jun 1988

105,326,000 364,000

Jul 1988

105,550,000 224,000

Aug 1988

105,674,000 124,000

Sep 1988

106,013,000 339,000

Oct 1988

106,276,000 263,000

Nov 1988

106,617,000 341,000

Dec 1988

106,898,000 281,000

Jan 1989

107,161,000 263,000

Feb 1989

107,427,000 266,000

Mar 1989

107,621,000 194,000

Apr 1989

107,791,000 170,000

May 1989

107,913,000 122,000

Jun 1989

108,027,000 114,000

Jul 1989

108,069,000 42,000

Aug 1989

108,120,000 51,000

Sep 1989

108,369,000 249,000

Oct 1989

108,476,000 107,000

Nov 1989

108,752,000 276,000

Dec 1989

108,836,000 84,000

Jan 1990

109,199,000 363,000

Feb 1990

109,435,000 236,000

Mar 1990

109,644,000 209,000

Apr 1990

109,686,000 42,000

May 1990

109,839,000 153,000

Jun 1990

109,856,000 17,000

Jul 1990

109,824,000 -32,000

Aug 1990

109,616,000 -208,000

Sep 1990

109,518,000 -98,000

Oct 1990

109,367,000 -151,000

Nov 1990

109,214,000 -153,000

Dec 1990

109,166,000 -48,000

Jan 1991

109,055,000 -111,000

Feb 1991

108,734,000 -321,000

Mar 1991

108,574,000 -160,000

Apr 1991

108,364,000 -210,000

May 1991

108,249,000 -115,000

Jun 1991

108,334,000 85,000

Jul 1991

108,292,000 -42,000

Aug 1991

108,310,000 18,000

Sep 1991

108,336,000 26,000

Oct 1991

108,357,000 21,000

Nov 1991

108,296,000 -61,000

Dec 1991

108,328,000 32,000

Jan 1992

108,369,000 41,000

Feb 1992

108,311,000 -58,000

Mar 1992

108,365,000 54,000

Apr 1992

108,519,000 154,000

May 1992

108,649,000 130,000

Jun 1992

108,715,000 66,000

Jul 1992

108,793,000 78,000

Aug 1992

108,925,000 132,000

Sep 1992

108,959,000 34,000

Oct 1992

109,139,000 180,000

Nov 1992

109,272,000 133,000

Dec 1992

109,495,000 223,000

Jan 1993

109,794,000 299,000

Feb 1993

110,044,000 250,000

Mar 1993

109,994,000 -50,000

Apr 1993

110,296,000 302,000

May 1993

110,568,000 272,000

Jun 1993

110,749,000 181,000

Jul 1993

111,055,000 306,000

Aug 1993

111,206,000 151,000

Sep 1993

111,448,000 242,000

Oct 1993

111,733,000 285,000

Nov 1993

111,984,000 251,000

Dec 1993

112,314,000 330,000

Jan 1994

112,595,000 281,000

Feb 1994

112,781,000 186,000

Mar 1994

113,242,000 461,000

Apr 1994

113,586,000 344,000

May 1994

113,921,000 335,000

Jun 1994

114,238,000 317,000

Jul 1994

114,610,000 372,000

Aug 1994

114,896,000 286,000

Sep 1994

115,247,000 351,000

Oct 1994

115,458,000 211,000

Nov 1994

115,869,000 411,000

Dec 1994

116,165,000 296,000

Jan 1995

116,501,000 336,000

Feb 1995

116,697,000 196,000

Mar 1995

116,907,000 210,000

Apr 1995

117,069,000 162,000

May 1995

117,049,000 -20,000

Jun 1995

117,286,000 237,000

Jul 1995

117,380,000 94,000

Aug 1995

117,634,000 254,000

Sep 1995

117,875,000 241,000

Oct 1995

118,031,000 156,000

Nov 1995

118,175,000 144,000

Dec 1995

118,320,000 145,000

Jan 1996

118,316,000 -4,000

Feb 1996

118,739,000 423,000

Mar 1996

118,993,000 254,000

Apr 1996

119,158,000 165,000

May 1996

119,486,000 328,000

Jun 1996

119,769,000 283,000

Jul 1996

120,015,000 246,000

Aug 1996

120,199,000 184,000

Sep 1996

120,410,000 211,000

Oct 1996

120,665,000 255,000

Nov 1996

120,961,000 296,000

Dec 1996

121,143,000 182,000

Jan 1997

121,363,000 220,000

Feb 1997

121,675,000 312,000

Mar 1997

121,990,000 315,000

Apr 1997

122,286,000 296,000

May 1997

122,546,000 260,000

Jun 1997

122,814,000 268,000

Jul 1997

123,111,000 297,000

Aug 1997

123,093,000 -18,000

Sep 1997

123,585,000 492,000

Oct 1997

123,929,000 344,000

Nov 1997

124,235,000 306,000

Dec 1997

124,549,000 314,000

Jan 1998

124,812,000 263,000

Feb 1998

125,016,000 204,000

Mar 1998

125,164,000 148,000

Apr 1998

125,442,000 278,000

May 1998

125,844,000 402,000

Jun 1998

126,076,000 232,000

Jul 1998

126,205,000 129,000

Aug 1998

126,544,000 339,000

Sep 1998

126,752,000 208,000

Oct 1998

126,954,000 202,000

Nov 1998

127,231,000 277,000

Dec 1998

127,596,000 365,000

Jan 1999

127,702,000 106,000

Feb 1999

128,120,000 418,000

Mar 1999

128,227,000 107,000

Apr 1999

128,597,000 370,000

May 1999

128,808,000 211,000

Jun 1999

129,089,000 281,000

Jul 1999

129,414,000 325,000

Aug 1999

129,569,000 155,000

Sep 1999

129,772,000 203,000

Oct 1999

130,177,000 405,000

Nov 1999

130,466,000 289,000

Dec 1999

130,772,000 306,000

Jan 2000

131,005,000 233,000

Feb 2000

131,124,000 119,000

Mar 2000

131,596,000 472,000

Apr 2000

131,888,000 292,000

May 2000

132,105,000 217,000

Jun 2000

132,061,000 -44,000

Jul 2000

132,236,000 175,000

Aug 2000

132,230,000 -6,000

Sep 2000

132,353,000 123,000

Oct 2000

132,351,000 -2,000

Nov 2000

132,556,000 205,000

Dec 2000

132,709,000 153,000

Jan 2001

132,698,000 -11,000

Feb 2001

132,789,000 91,000

Mar 2001

132,747,000 -42,000

Apr 2001

132,463,000 -284,000

May 2001

132,410,000 -53,000

Jun 2001

132,299,000 -111,000

Jul 2001

132,177,000 -122,000

Aug 2001

132,028,000 -149,000

Sep 2001

131,771,000 -257,000

Oct 2001

131,454,000 -317,000

Nov 2001

131,142,000 -312,000

Dec 2001

130,982,000 -160,000

Jan 2002

130,852,000 -130,000

Feb 2002

130,736,000 -116,000

Mar 2002

130,717,000 -19,000

Apr 2002

130,623,000 -94,000

May 2002

130,634,000 11,000

Jun 2002

130,684,000 50,000

Jul 2002

130,590,000 -94,000

Aug 2002

130,587,000 -3,000

Sep 2002

130,501,000 -86,000

Oct 2002

130,628,000 127,000

Nov 2002

130,615,000 -13,000

Dec 2002

130,472,000 -143,000

Jan 2003

130,580,000 108,000

Feb 2003

130,444,000 -136,000

Mar 2003

130,232,000 -212,000

Apr 2003

130,177,000 -55,000

May 2003

130,196,000 19,000

Jun 2003

130,194,000 -2,000

Jul 2003

130,191,000 -3,000

Aug 2003

130,149,000 -42,000

Sep 2003

130,254,000 105,000

Oct 2003

130,454,000 200,000

Nov 2003

130,474,000 20,000

Dec 2003

130,588,000 114,000

Jan 2004

130,769,000 181,000

Feb 2004

130,825,000 56,000

Mar 2004

131,142,000 317,000

Apr 2004

131,411,000 269,000

May 2004

131,694,000 283,000

Jun 2004

131,793,000 99,000

Jul 2004

131,848,000 55,000

Aug 2004

131,937,000 89,000

Sep 2004

132,093,000 156,000

Oct 2004

132,447,000 354,000

Nov 2004

132,503,000 56,000

Dec 2004

132,624,000 121,000

Jan 2005

132,774,000 150,000

Feb 2005

133,032,000 258,000

Mar 2005

133,156,000 124,000

Apr 2005

133,518,000 362,000

May 2005

133,690,000 172,000

Jun 2005

133,942,000 252,000

Jul 2005

134,296,000 354,000

Aug 2005

134,498,000 202,000

Sep 2005

134,566,000 68,000

Oct 2005

134,655,000 89,000

Nov 2005

134,993,000 338,000

Dec 2005

135,149,000 156,000

Jan 2006

135,429,000 280,000

Feb 2006

135,737,000 308,000

Mar 2006

136,047,000 310,000

Apr 2006

136,205,000 158,000

May 2006

136,244,000 39,000

Jun 2006

136,325,000 81,000

Jul 2006

136,520,000 195,000

Aug 2006

136,694,000 174,000

Sep 2006

136,843,000 149,000

Oct 2006

136,852,000 9,000

Nov 2006

137,063,000 211,000

Dec 2006

137,249,000 186,000

Jan 2007

137,477,000 228,000

Feb 2007

137,558,000 81,000

Mar 2007

137,793,000 235,000

Apr 2007

137,842,000 49,000

May 2007

137,993,000 151,000

Jun 2007

138,069,000 76,000

Jul 2007

138,038,000 -31,000

Aug 2007

138,015,000 -23,000

Sep 2007

138,095,000 80,000

Oct 2007

138,174,000 79,000

Nov 2007

138,284,000 110,000

Dec 2007

138,392,000 108,000

Jan 2008

138,403,000 11,000

Feb 2008

138,324,000 -79,000

Mar 2008

138,275,000 -49,000

Apr 2008

138,035,000 -240,000

May 2008

137,858,000 -177,000

Jun 2008

137,687,000 -171,000

Jul 2008

137,491,000 -196,000

Aug 2008

137,213,000 -278,000

Sep 2008

136,753,000 -460,000

Oct 2008

136,272,000 -481,000

Nov 2008

135,545,000 -727,000

Dec 2008

134,839,000 -706,000

Jan 2009

134,055,000 -784,000

Feb 2009

133,312,000 -743,000

Mar 2009

132,512,000 -800,000

Apr 2009

131,817,000 -695,000

May 2009

131,475,000 -342,000

Jun 2009

131,008,000 -467,000

Jul 2009

130,668,000 -340,000

Aug 2009

130,485,000 -183,000

Sep 2009

130,244,000 -241,000

Oct 2009

130,045,000 -199,000

Nov 2009

130,057,000 12,000

Dec 2009

129,788,000 -269,000

Jan 2010

129,790,000 2,000

Feb 2010

129,698,000 -92,000

Mar 2010

129,879,000 181,000

Apr 2010

130,110,000 231,000

May 2010

130,650,000 540,000

Jun 2010

130,511,000 -139,000

Jul 2010

130,427,000 -84,000

Aug 2010

130,422,000 -5,000

Sep 2010

130,357,000 -65,000

Oct 2010

130,625,000 268,000

Nov 2010

130,750,000 125,000

Dec 2010

130,822,000 72,000

Jan 2011

130,841,000 19,000

Feb 2011

131,053,000 212,000

Mar 2011

131,288,000 235,000

Apr 2011

131,602,000 314,000

May 2011

131,703,000 101,000

Jun 2011

131,939,000 236,000

Jul 2011

131,999,000 60,000

Aug 2011

132,125,000 126,000

Sep 2011

132,358,000 233,000

Oct 2011

132,562,000 204,000

Nov 2011

132,694,000 132,000

Dec 2011

132,896,000 202,000

Jan 2012

133,250,000 354,000

Feb 2012

133,512,000 262,000

Mar 2012

133,752,000 240,000

Apr 2012

133,834,000 82,000

May 2012

133,934,000 100,000

Jun 2012

134,007,000 73,000

Jul 2012

134,159,000 152,000

Aug 2012

134,331,000 172,000

Sep 2012

134,518,000 187,000

Oct 2012

134,677,000 159,000

Nov 2012

134,833,000 156,000

Dec 2012

135,072,000 239,000

Jan 2013

135,263,000 191,000

Feb 2013

135,541,000 278,000

Mar 2013

135,680,000 139,000

Apr 2013

135,871,000 191,000

May 2013

136,093,000 222,000

Jun 2013

136,274,000 181,000

Jul 2013

136,386,000 112,000

Aug 2013

136,628,000 242,000

Sep 2013

136,815,000 187,000

Oct 2013

137,040,000 225,000

Nov 2013

137,304,000 264,000

Dec 2013

137,373,000 69,000

Jan 2014

137,548,000 175,000

Feb 2014

137,714,000 166,000

Mar 2014

137,968,000 254,000

Apr 2014

138,293,000 325,000

May 2014

138,511,000 218,000

Jun 2014

138,837,000 326,000

Jul 2014

139,069,000 232,000

Aug 2014

139,257,000 188,000

Sep 2014

139,566,000 309,000

Oct 2014

139,818,000 252,000

Nov 2014

140,109,000 291,000

Dec 2014

140,377,000 268,000

Jan 2015

140,568,000 191,000

Feb 2015

140,839,000 271,000

Mar 2015

140,910,000 71,000

Apr 2015

141,194,000 284,000

May 2015

141,525,000 331,000

Jun 2015

141,699,000 174,000

Jul 2015

142,001,000 302,000

Aug 2015

142,126,000 125,000

Sep 2015

142,281,000 155,000

Oct 2015

142,587,000 306,000

Nov 2015

142,824,000 237,000

Dec 2015

143,097,000 273,000

Jan 2016

143,170,000 73,000

Feb 2016

143,433,000 263,000

Mar 2016

143,662,000 229,000

Apr 2016

143,849,000 187,000

May 2016

143,891,000 42,000

Jun 2016

144,158,000 267,000

Jul 2016

144,512,000 354,000

Aug 2016

144,647,000 135,000

Sep 2016

144,916,000 269,000

Oct 2016

145,061,000 145,000

Nov 2016

145,212,000 151,000

Dec 2016

145,442,000 230,000

Jan 2017

145,627,000 185,000

Feb 2017

145,815,000 188,000

Mar 2017

145,944,000 129,000

Apr 2017

146,141,000 197,000

May 2017

146,296,000 155,000

Jun 2017

146,512,000 216,000

Jul 2017

146,727,000 215,000

Aug 2017

146,911,000 184,000

Sep 2017

146,929,000 18,000

Oct 2017

147,196,000 267,000

Nov 2017

147,421,000 225,000

Dec 2017

147,551,000 130,000

Jan 2018

147,672,000 121,000

Feb 2018

148,078,000 406,000

Mar 2018

148,254,000 176,000

Apr 2018

148,391,000 137,000

May 2018

148,669,000 278,000

Jun 2018

148,888,000 219,000

Jul 2018

149,024,000 136,000

Aug 2018

149,268,000 244,000

Sep 2018

149,348,000 80,000

Oct 2018

149,549,000 201,000

Nov 2018

149,683,000 134,000

Dec 2018

149,865,000 182,000

Jan 2019

150,134,000 269,000

Feb 2019

150,135,000 1,000

Mar 2019

150,282,000 147,000

Apr 2019

150,492,000 210,000

May 2019

150,577,000 85,000

Jun 2019

150,759,000 182,000

Jul 2019

150,953,000 194,000

Aug 2019

151,160,000 207,000

Sep 2019

151,368,000 208,000

Oct 2019

151,553,000 185,000

Nov 2019

151,814,000 261,000

Dec 2019

151,998,000 184,000

Jan 2020

152,212,000 214,000

Feb 2020

152,463,000 251,000

Mar 2020

151,090,000 -1,373,000

Apr 2020

130,303,000 -20,787,000

May 2020

133,028,000 2,725,000

Jun 2020

137,809,000 4,781,000

Jul 2020

139,570,000 1,761,000

Aug 2020

141,063,000 1,493,000

Sep 2020

141,774,000 711,000

Oct 2020

142,428,000 654,000

Nov 2020

142,764,000 336,000

Dec 2020

142,624,000 -140,000

Employment in leisure and hospitality fell by 498,000 in December, with three-quarters of the decrease in food services and drinking places (−372,000). Since February, employment in leisure and hospitality is down by 3.9 million, or 23.2 percent. Employment also declined in government (−45,000), education and health services (−31,000), and other services (−22,000) in December.

1-month change in nonfarm payroll employment by industry, December 2020
Industry Net change December 2020 employment

Professional and business services

161,000 20,692,000

Retail trade

120,500 15,261,300

Construction

51,000 7,413,000

Transportation and warehousing

46,600 5,588,800

Manufacturing

38,000 12,309,000

Wholesale trade

25,100 5,683,500

Financial activities

12,000 8,743,000

Mining and logging

4,000 630,000

Utilities

-400 537,700

Information

-1,000 2,626,000

Other services

-22,000 5,488,000

Education and health services

-31,000 23,292,000

Government

-45,000 21,401,000

Leisure and hospitality

-498,000 12,959,000

In December, employment in professional and business services increased by 161,000, with a large gain in temporary help services (+68,000). Retail trade added 121,000 jobs, with nearly half of the growth occurring in general merchandise stores (+57,000). Employment rose in construction (+51,000), transportation and warehousing (+47,000), manufacturing (+38,000), and wholesale trade (+25,000) in December.

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary. To learn more, see "The Employment Situation — December 2020." Also see more charts of national employment, hours, and earnings data and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the December data.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Payroll employment down 140,000 in December 2020 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/payroll-employment-down-140000-in-december-2020.htm (visited May 02, 2024).

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