Bob Marshall’s May 2026 BLS Analysis for Recruiters; 6/5/26
May BLS Coaching Preface
*Be sure to visit our New Website @ www.themarshallplan.org
**“HIRE WIRE” – The Podcast for Recruiters**
Continuing with this BLS report—and again thanks to Kevin Franks, our marketing guru—we will provide the monthly podcast for recruiters, “Hire Wire”, the deep dive that explores my report in a short, 15 minute or so, audio format. So, for those of you who have asked for a shorter summary, we now have that available. Just click on the following links and enjoy the audio.
Here is the link: https://youtu.be/bsXhkP2E6-A
Recruiting Has Changed. The Fundamentals Haven’t.
The recruiting industry is evolving faster than ever.
AI is changing sourcing.
Automation is changing workflows.
Candidates are becoming harder to reach.
And many recruiters are finding themselves busier than ever—but producing less.
The reason?
Too many recruiters are focused on activity when they should be focused on outcomes.
After more than 46 years in this profession, I’ve watched our industry move through recessions, booms, talent shortages, technology revolutions, and dramatic market shifts.
Yet one principle has remained remarkably consistent:
The recruiters who earn the biggest fees are rarely the busiest people in the office.
They are the recruiters who gain access to decision-makers.
They ask better questions.
They qualify opportunities more thoroughly.
And they spend their time where revenue is most likely to be created.
That’s exactly what I teach.
My coaching is designed for recruiters who want to:
• Develop stronger relationships with Hiring Managers
• Consistently secure quality job orders they can actually fill
• Build a predictable business development process
• Eliminate wasted activity and focus on revenue-producing actions
• Create a realistic path toward $500K+ annual production
This isn’t theory.
These are field-tested principles developed over four decades and refined through thousands of placements, hundreds of recruiter coaching engagements, and every type of market imaginable.
No contracts.
No long-term commitments.
Just practical coaching that can be implemented immediately.
A Brief Story
Years ago, a recruiter named David came to me frustrated.
He was talented.
He worked hard.
He was billing respectable numbers.
But he felt stuck.
Every day looked productive.
Phone calls.
Candidate interviews.
Client conversations.
Endless activity.
Yet his production had plateaued.
After reviewing his process, we discovered the issue wasn’t effort.
It was focus.
He was spending too much time reacting and not enough time controlling the recruiting process.
Together, we redesigned how he qualified opportunities, managed Hiring Manager relationships, and prioritized his daily activity.
Within twelve months, David became a million-dollar biller.
The remarkable part wasn’t that he worked harder.
He didn’t.
He simply started doing more of what produced results and less of what didn’t.
Sometimes the biggest breakthrough isn’t adding something new.
It’s eliminating what no longer works.
If you’re serious about improving your recruiting production in 2026, I’d be happy to have a conversation.
Email: bob@themarshallplan.org
Call: 770-898-5550
TBMG, Int’l
Home of the $500K in 12 Months Program
Pointed in Approach. Precise in Delivery.
Bob Marshall began his recruiting career over 46 years ago at MR in Reno, NV. In 1986 he established The Bob Marshall Group, International, where he has trained recruiters throughout the United States and also in the United Kingdom, Malta and Cyprus. With a dedication to executive recruiting, he continues to offer his proven training systems to individuals, firms, and private corporations both domestic and in select international territories. To learn more about his activities and descriptions of his products and services, contact him directly @770-898-5550/470-456-0386(cell); bob@themarshallplan.org; or visit his website @ www.TheMarshallPlan.org.
May Business Articles
AI poised to tilt job market leverage toward older workers
SIA, Bloomberg News, Victor Swezey, May 18, 2026
When it comes to job cuts, older workers are often disproportionately affected. But a new survey of chief executive officers suggests this won’t be a given as companies adopt artificial intelligence.
More than 40% of CEOs plan to cut junior roles over the next one to two years and shift the composition of their workforce toward mid-level or senior positions, while only 17% plan to make junior roles a bigger part of the mix, according to a global survey by Oliver Wyman. The numbers essentially flipped from a year ago.
“I think the junior level is definitely finding it harder now to enter the workforce,” said John Romeo, who leads the consulting firm’s research arm, the Oliver Wyman Forum. “It’s those mid- and senior-level employees that CEOs are now looking at to drive productivity.”
That’s because of the types of tasks AI agents are able to perform, from writing code at the level of a junior developer to evaluating sales leads. What the agents can’t do in many fields is make judgment calls using the insight that comes from on-the-job experience, according to labor experts.
Companies are saying, “I need someone who’s actually done this before because her experience, her wisdom, her critical thinking and the fact that she solved these problems makes her much more valuable,” said consultant and lecturer Ravin Jesuthasan, who has written multiple books on the future of work.
The Oliver Wyman survey results build on findings from a Harvard University study showing that firms adopting generative AI have significantly reduced junior-level positions, while keeping senior employment largely stable. Foregoing younger talent now in favor of AI agents comes with significant risks, though, as it may leave companies with a shortage of experienced workers in the future, according to Helen Leis, global head of leadership and change at Oliver Wyman.
To “have the mid-level people that can manage an agentic workforce, they need to learn the company and the job,” Leis said.
With that in mind, IBM said in February it plans to triple entry-level hiring in the US this year and will rewrite job descriptions for the AI era. IBM appears to be an outlier, though. A study from Stanford University in November found young workers were 16% more likely to lose their jobs in the most AI-exposed fields.
But even if AI is tipping the scales in the job market toward older workers, it’s no guarantee of job security. “Firms’ commitment to workers is weaker and weaker,” said Teresa Ghilarducci, a labor economist at the New School in New York.
Making AI Productivity Pay Off
Boston Consulting Group, May 5, 2026
CEOs are under relentless pressure to deliver on two fronts: driving growth while keeping costs firmly under control. Recent BCG research suggests that managing costs ranks as the second-highest source of stress for CEOs today, just behind hitting growth targets. AI and automation can address both challenges, but that isn’t always what happens.
AI enables organizations to produce more, respond faster, and improve service levels. But in most cases, that capacity is not strategically redeployed, as the underlying structure of work remains intact. Steps, layers, approvals, and other kinds of drag persist, even as capacity grows. Despite significant investment, many companies find their cost bases unchanged, or even rising, as new technology adds to the burden.
To solve this challenge, CEOs must translate AI-driven capacity into lower costs and higher performance, freeing up the financial resources needed to fund growth. The path forward is to connect AI deployment with deliberate choices about work, roles, and structure.
From Productivity to Performance
Cost transformations are difficult to maintain. Over time, layers are added, processes fragment, ownership becomes diffused, and overhead builds. Work accumulates without being fundamentally rethought, and a culture of cost discipline begins to erode.
Under pressure, leadership attention gravitates toward what is most visible—budgets, headcount, discretionary spending, short-term targets. These levers are tangible and immediate, but leave the underlying structure of work untouched, allowing complexity to build over time. In this environment, introducing AI often accelerates activity but fails to eliminate it.
Leaders need to look beneath the surface: at how decisions are made, how roles are defined, and how much low-value activity is embedded in day-to-day operations. As AI reshapes roles, the nature of work is shifting toward higher levels of judgment, coordination, emotional intelligence, and problem solving. Leaders need to rethink what work should exist in the first place and how it should be executed.
That means going beyond acceleration to elimination and simplification, reducing the number of steps in a process, collapsing layers of review, clarifying decision rights, and removing
duplicative efforts. It also means redefining roles rather than simply reducing them, stripping out unnecessary steps before digitizing processes, and aligning incentives and behaviors with new ways of working.
The Big Questions
Organizations that layer AI onto existing structures will see incremental gains. Those that use it as a catalyst to redesign work will unlock durable improvement in both cost and performance. To create maximum value, CEOs must begin by asking the following questions:
Where is AI increasing output, but not reducing effort or cost? Consider communications: AI can generate content instantly, but if it still takes days to align stakeholders and secure approvals, much of the underlying effort hasn’t changed.
What work still exists today that no longer needs to? Are teams producing gold-plated outputs—overengineered reports, excessive analyses, or multiple review cycles—where the level of effort required far exceeds the value created?
Where are we accelerating complexity instead of removing it? In many functions, AI increases output while expanding the system around it. More content to manage, more leads to qualify, and more code to maintain. How is freed-up capacity being used—and who decides? Teams may use it to take on additional projects, increase service levels, or expand scope. In some cases, individuals may simply reclaim time. These outcomes could be desirable. But they should be the result of deliberate choices, not default outcomes.
Which roles are being redefined, versus simply asked to do more? Too often, roles aren’t fundamentally redesigned. Employees take on higher volumes, more complex tasks, and greater cognitive load while AI absorbs routine tasks. However, without adjusted support and recalibrated expectations, increased effort may not reach the bottom line.
Without clear answers, productivity gains will continue to be absorbed rather than translated into value. For CEOs, this requires connecting agendas that are rarely sequenced: cost, AI, and operating model redesign. When these come together, a new dynamic emerges. Capacity freed up through productivity gains is intentionally redirected. Work is simplified. Structural cost is removed. Resources are reinvested into capabilities that drive further efficiency and growth.
Only when leaders fundamentally rethink how work gets done will productivity translate into lasting advantage.
ADP National Employment Report: Private Sector Employment Increased by 122,000 Jobs in May; Almost 68% of New Job Creation (84,000) came from Small and Mid-sized Establishments; Annual Pay was Up 4.4%
ROSELAND, N.J. – June 3, 2026
– Private sector employment increased by 122,000 jobs in May and pay was up 4.4% year-over-year according to the May ADP National Employment Report® produced by ADP Research in collaboration with the Stanford Digital Economy Lab (“Stanford Lab”).
The ADP National Employment Report is an independent measure of the labor market based on the anonymized weekly payroll data of more than 26,000,000 private-sector employees in the United States.
ADP’s Pay Insights captures over 15,000,000 individual pay change observations each month. Together, the jobs report and pay insights use ADP’s fine-grained data to provide a representative and high-frequency picture of the private-sector labor market.
*The April total number of jobs added was revised from 109,000 to 105,000.
“Hiring was more broad-based in May than we’ve seen in the last few years,” said Dr. Nela Richardson, chief economist, ADP. “The labor market continues to show sustained momentum going into the summer hiring season.”
JOBS REPORT
Private employers added 122,000 jobs in May
Eight out of 10 supersectors showed gains last month, and employers of all sizes were hiring.
Change in U.S. Private Employment: 122,000
Change by Industry
Goods-producing: 8,000
Natural resources/mining <-3,000>
Construction 8,000
Manufacturing 3,000
Service-providing: 114,000
Trade/transportation/utilities 36,000
Information <-9,000>
Financial activities 7,000
Professional/business services 11,000
Education/health services 57,000
Leisure/hospitality 8,000
Other services 4,000
Change by U.S. Regions
Northeast: 35,000
New England 18,000
Middle Atlantic 17,000
Midwest: 21,000
East North Central 13,000
West North Central 8,000
South: 23,000
South Atlantic <-12,000>
East South Central 14,000
West South Central 21,000
West: 45,000
Mountain 20,000
Pacific 25,000
Change by Establishment Size
Small establishments: 67,000
1-19 employees 49,000
20-49 employees 18,000
Medium establishments: 17,000
50-249 employees 10,000
250-499 employees 7,000
Large establishments: 40,000
500+ employees 40,000
PAY INSIGHTS
Pay for job-stayers rose 4.4% in May
Year-over-year pay growth for job-stayers was steady at 4.4%. For job-changers, the pace of growth slowed slightly, to 6.5% from 6.6% in April.
Median Change in Annual Pay
Job-Stayers 4.4%
Job-Changers 6.5%
Median Change in Annual Pay for Job-Stayers by Industry
Goods-producing:
Natural resources/mining 4.2%
Construction 4.5%
Manufacturing 4.8%
Service-providing:
Trade/transportation/utilities 4.4%
Information 4.0%
Financial activities 5.1%
Professional/business services 4.1%
Education/health services 4.2%
Leisure/hospitality 4.5%
Other services 4.1%
Median Change in Annual Pay for Job-Stayers by Firm Size
Small firms:
1-19 employees 2.5%
20-49 employees 4.1%
Medium firms:
50-249 employees 4.7%
250-499 employees 4.8%
Large firms:
500+ employees 4.8%
The June 2026 ADP National Employment Report will be released on July 1, 2026 at 8:15 a.m. ET.
Bottom-line: To my audience of recruiters, always remember this: Our ‘bread and butter’, especially on the contingency side of the house, has historically been, and continues to be, small and medium-sized client companies. Along with the large companies, these companies need to be included in your niche!
Job Openings and Labor Turnover – April 2026
June 2nd, 2026
The number of job openings increased to 7,600,000 in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and total separations decreased to 5,100,000 and 5,000,000, respectively. Within separations, both quits (3,000,000) and layoffs and discharges (1,700,000) were little changed.
This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector, by industry, and by establishment size class. Job openings include all positions that are open on the last business day of the month. Hires and separations include all changes to the payroll during the entire month.
Job Openings
The number and rate of job openings increased to 7,600,000 (+731,000) and 4.6%, respectively, in April. Job openings increased over the year by 520,000. In April, the number of job openings increased in professional and business services (+668,000) but decreased in finance and insurance (-135,000).
Hires
The number and rate of hires decreased to 5,100,000 (-419,000) and 3.2%, respectively, in April. Hires were little changed in all industries
Separations
Total separations include quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee. Therefore, the quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs. Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer. Other separations include separations due to retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.
In April, the number and rate of total separations decreased to 5,000,000 (-399,000) and 3.1%, respectively. Total separations decreased in retail trade (-136,000).
In April, the number and rate of quits were little changed at 3,000,000 and 1.9%, respectively. Quits were little changed in all industries.
The number and rate of layoffs and discharges were little changed at 1,700,000 and 1.1%, respectively, in April. Layoffs and discharges decreased in retail trade (-88,000).
The number of other separations was little changed at 310,000 in April.
Establishment Size Class
In April, for establishments with 1 to 9 employees, hires and separations rates showed little change, while the job openings rate increased. For establishments with 5,000 or more employees, the job openings, hires, layoffs and discharges, and total separations rates showed little or no change, while the quits rate increased.
March 2026 Revisions
The number of job openings for March was revised up by 21,000 to 6,900,000, the number of hires was revised down by 19,000 to 5,500,000 million, and the number of total separations was revised down by 1,000 to 5,400,000.
Within separations, the number of quits was revised down by 11,000 to 3,200,000, and the number of layoffs and discharges was revised up by 17,000 to 1,900,000.
(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 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for May 2026 are scheduled to be released on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
As we recruiters know, that 7,600,000 number only represents 20% of the jobs currently available in the marketplace. The other 80% of job openings are unpublished and are filled through networking or word of mouth or by using a RECRUITER. So, those 7,600,000 published job openings now become a total of 38,000,000 published and hidden job orders.
Online Labor Demand Increased in April
May 13, 2026
The Conference Board−Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Index increased in April 2026 to 108.4 (July 2018=100), up from a downwardly revised 104.9 in March
The 3.8% increase between March and February followed a 4.9% decrease between February and January. Overall, the Index is up 2.7% from one year ago.
The HWOL Index measures the change in advertised online job vacancies over time, reflecting monthly trends in employment opportunities across the US. The Help Wanted OnLine® Index is produced in collaboration with Lightcast, the global leader in real-time labor market data and analysis. This collaboration enhances the Help Wanted OnLine® program by providing additional insights into important labor market trends.
PROGRAM NOTES
The June 2025 data release reflects an update to our job board coverage as a few job boards made changes to their access policy. To minimize any impact, and improve and supplement our job board coverage, we have broadened and updated our job board coverage.
Prior to 2020, The Conference Board constructed the HWOL Index based solely on online job ads over time. Using a methodology designed to reduce non-economic volatility contributed by online job sources, the HWOL Index served an effective measure of changes in labor demand over time.
Beginning January 2020, the HWOL Index was refined as an estimate of change in job openings (based on BLS JOLTS), using a series of econometric models which incorporate job ads with other macroeconomic indicators such as employment and aggregate hours worked. By adopting a modeled approach which combines other data sources with data on online job ads, the HWOL Index more accurately tracks important movements in the labor market.
HWOL Annual Revision
With the April 2025 press release, the HWOL program has incorporated its annual revision, which helps ensure the accuracy and consistency of the HWOL Data Series. This year’s annual revision includes updates to the Occupational coding and the Geographical coding for the HWOL Data Series from January 2015-forward. The HWOL Index has also been updated from January 2020-forward.
The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Index measures changes over time in advertised online job vacancies, reflecting monthly trends in employment opportunities across the US. The HWOL Data Series aggregates the total number of ads available by month from the HWOL universe of online job ads. Ads in the HWOL universe are collected in real-time from over 50,000 online job domains including traditional job boards, corporate boards, social media sites, and smaller job sites that serve niche markets and smaller geographic areas.
Like The Conference Board’s long-running Help Wanted Advertising Index of print ads (which was published for over 55 years and discontinued in July 2008), Help Wanted OnLine® measures help wanted advertising—i.e. labor demand. The HWOL Data Series began in May 2005 and was revised in December 2018. With the December 2018 revision, The Conference Board released the HWOL Index, improving upon the HWOL Data Series’ ability to assess local labor market trends by reducing volatility and non-economic noise and improving correlation with local labor market conditions.
In 2019, Lightcast (formerly Emsi Burning Glass) joined the Help Wanted OnLine® program as the new sole provider of online job ad data for HWOL. With this partnership, the HWOL Data Series has been revised historically to reflect a new universe and methodology of online job advertisements and therefore cannot be used in conjunction with the pre-revised HWOL Data Series. The HWOL Data Series begins in January 2015 and the HWOL Index begins in December 2005. HWOL Index values prior to 2020 are based on job ads collected by CEB, Inc.
Those using this data are urged to review the information on the database and methodology available on The Conference Board website and contact us with questions and comments.
About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead®. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States.
About Lightcast
As the global leader in labor market analytics, Lightcast illuminates the future of work with data-driven talent strategies. Formerly Emsi Burning Glass, Lightcast finds purpose in sharing the insights that build communities, educators, and companies, and takes pride in knowing our work helps others find fulfillment, too. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and Moscow, Idaho, Lightcast is active in more than 30 countries and has offices in the United Kingdom, Italy, New Zealand, and India. Lightcast is backed by global private equity leader KKR.
Next release for May 2026 to be released Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 10am.
May U-6 Update
In May 2026, the regular unemployment rate remained at 4.3% and the broader U-6 measure fell to 8.1%.
The above 8.1% is referred to as the U-6 unemployment rate (found in the monthly BLS Employment Situation Summary, Table A-15; Table A-12 in 2008 and before). It counts not only people without work seeking full-time employment (the more familiar U-3 rate) but also counts “marginally attached workers and those working part-time for economic reasons.” Note that some of these part-time workers counted as employed by U-3 could be working as little as an hour a week. And the “marginally attached workers” include those who have gotten discouraged and stopped looking but still want to work. The age considered for this calculation is 16 years and over.
Here is a look at the May U-6 numbers for the previous 22 years:
| MONTH | YEAR | PERCENTAGE |
| May | 2025 | 7.8% |
| May | 2024 | 7.4% |
| May | 2023 | 6.8% |
| May | 2022 | 7.1% |
| May | 2021 | 10.1% |
| May | 2020 | 21.2% |
| May | 2019 | 7.2% |
| May | 2018 | 7.7% |
| May | 2017 | 8.4% |
| May | 2016 | 9.7% |
| May | 2015 | 10.7% |
| May | 2014 | 12.1% |
| May | 2013 | 13.8% |
| May | 2012 | 14.8% |
| May | 2011 | 15.8% |
| May | 2010 | 16.5% |
| May | 2009 | 16.4% |
| May | 2008 | 9.8% |
| May | 2007 | 8.3% |
| May | 2006 | 8.2% |
| May | 2005 | 8.9% |
| May | 2004 | 9.7% |
The MAY 2026 BLS Analysis
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 172,000 in May, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, local government, and health care. Employment in financial activities declined.
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for March was revised up by 29,000, from +185,000 to +214,000, and the change for April was revised up by 64,000, from +115,000 to +179,000. With these revisions, employment in March and April combined is 91,000 higher 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 unemployment rate is also published by the BLS. That rate is found by dividing the number of unemployed by the total civilian labor force. On June 5th, 2026, the BLS published the most recent unemployment rate for May 2026 of 4.3% (actually, it is 4.296%, down by .041% from 4.337% in April).
The unemployment rate was determined by dividing the unemployed of 7,307,000
(–down from the month before by 66,000—since May 2025, this number has increased by 59,000) by the total civilian labor force of 170,078,000 (up by 83,000 from April 2026). Since May 2025, our total civilian labor force has decreased by 414,000 workers.
(The continuing ‘Strange BLS Math’ saga—after a detour in December 2016 when the BLS {for the first time in years} DECREASED the total Civilian Noninstitutional Population—this month the BLS increased this total to 275,054,000. This is an increase of 99,000 from last month’s increase of 97,000. In one year, this population has increased by 1,669,000. For the last several years the Civilian Noninstitutional Population has increased each month—except in December 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2023—by…)
| Up from April 2026 | by | 99,000 |
| Up from March 2026 | by | 97,000 |
| Up from February 2026 | by | 92,000 |
| Up from January 2026 | by | 90,000 |
| Up from December 2025 | by | 166,000 |
| Up from November 2025 | by | 183,000 |
| Up from October 2025 | by | NR |
| Up from September 2025 | by | – |
| Up from August 2025 | by | 225,000 |
| Up from July 2025 | by | 216,000 |
| Up from June 2025 | by | 200,000 |
| Up from May 2025 | by | 200,000 |
| Up from April 2025 | by | 188,000 |
| Up from March 2025 | by | 174,000 |
| Up from February 2025 | by | 176,000 |
| Up from January 2025 | by | 162,000 |
| Up from December 2024 | by | 3,047,000 |
| Up from November 2024 | by | 175,000 |
| Up from October 2024 | by | 174,000 |
| Up from September 2024 | by | 209,000 |
| Up from August 2024 | by | 224,000 |
| Up from July 2024 | by | 212,000 |
| Up from June 2024 | by | 206,000 |
| Up from May 2024 | by | 190,000 |
| Up from April 2024 | by | 182,000 |
| Up from March 2024 | by | 182,000 |
| Up from February 2024 | by | 173,000 |
| Up from January 2024 | by | 171,000 |
| Down from December 2023 | by | 451,000 |
| Up from November 2023 | by | 169,000 |
| Up from October 2023 | by | 180,000 |
| Up from September 2023 | by | 214,000 |
| Up from August 2023 | by | 215,000 |
| Up from July 2023 | by | 211,000 |
| Up from June 2023 | by | 152,000 |
| Up from May 2023 | by | 183,000 |
Subtract the ‘civilian labor force’ from the ‘civilian noninstitutional population’) and you get 104,976,000 ‘Not in Labor Force’—up by 17,000 from last month’s 104,959,000. In one year, this NILF population has increased by 2,083,000. The government tells us that most of these NILFs got discouraged and just gave up looking for a job. My monthly recurring question is: “If that is the case, how do they survive when they don’t earn any money because they don’t have a job? Are they ALL relying on the government to support them??”
This month, our Employment Participation Rate—the population 16 years and older working or seeking work—remained at 61.8%. This rate is .6% below the historically low rate of 62.4% recorded in September 2015—and, before that, the rate recorded in October 1977—9 months into Jimmy Carter’s presidency—almost 49 years ago!
Final take on these numbers: Fewer people looking for work will always bring down the unemployment rate.
Anyway, back to the point I am trying to make. On the surface, these new unemployment
rates are scary, but let’s look a little deeper and consider some other numbers.
The unemployment rate includes all types of workers—construction workers, government workers, etc. We recruiters, on the other hand, mainly place management, professional and related types of workers. That unemployment rate in May was 2.5% (this rate was .3% higher than last month’s 2.2%). Or you can look at it another way. We usually place people who have college degrees. That unemployment rate in May was 2.7% (this rate was .1% lower than last month’s 2.8%).
Now stay with me a little longer. This gets better. It’s important to understand (and none of the pundits mention this) that the unemployment rate, for many reasons, will never be 0%, no matter how good the economy is. Without boring you any more than I have already, let me add here that Milton Friedman (the renowned Nobel Prize-winning economist), is famous for the theory of the “natural rate of unemployment” (or the term he preferred, NAIRU, which is the acronym for Non-Accelerating Inflation Rate of Unemployment). Basically, this theory states that full employment presupposes an ‘unavoidable and acceptable’ unemployment rate of somewhere between 4-6% with it. Economists often settle on 5%, although the “New Normal Unemployment Rate” has been suggested to fall at 6.7%.
Nevertheless (if you will allow me to apply a ‘macro’ concept to a ‘micro’ issue), if this rate is applied to our main category of Management, Professional and Related types of potential recruits, and/or our other main category of College-Degreed potential recruits,
we are well below the 4-6% threshold for full employment…we find no unemployment! None! Zilch! A Big Goose Egg!
THE IMPORTANCE OF GDP
“The economic goal of any nation, as of any individual, is to get the greatest results with the least effort. The whole economic progress of mankind has consisted in getting more production with the same labor…Translated into national terms, this first principle means that our real objective is to maximize production. In doing this, full employment—that is, the absence of involuntary idleness—becomes a necessary by-product. But production is the end, employment merely the means. We cannot continuously have the fullest production without full employment. But we can very easily have full employment without full production.”
–Economics in One Lesson, by Henry Hazlitt, Chapter X, “The Fetish of Full Employment”
On May 28th, 2026, the Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 1.6% in the first quarter of 2026 (January, February, and March), according to the second estimate released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth quarter of 2025, real GDP increased 0.5%.
The contributors to the increase in real GDP in the first quarter were exports, investment, consumer spending, and government spending. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, also increased.
Compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, the acceleration in real GDP in the first quarter of 2026 reflected upturns in government spending and exports, and an acceleration in investment that were partly offset by a deceleration in consumer spending. Imports turned up.
Next release:
June 25, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. EDT
GDP (Third Estimate), Industries, Corporate Profits, State GDP, and State Personal Income, 1st Quarter 2026
Technical Notes
Sources of change for real GDP
Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 1.6% (0.4% at a quarterly rate) in the first quarter, a downward revision of 0.4% from the previous estimate, primarily reflecting downward revisions to investment and consumer spending.
- Within investment, the revision primarily reflected a downward revision to private nonfarm inventory investment, led by manufacturing and retail trade, based primarily on revised U.S. Census Bureau inventory book value data.
- The revision to consumer spending reflected a downward revision to services that was partly offset by an upward revision to goods. Within services, the largest contributor to the downward revision was health care (outpatient services as well as hospital and nursing home services), based primarily on U.S. Census Bureau Quarterly Services Survey data. Within goods, the upward revision was led by recreational goods and vehicles, other nondurable goods (specifically pharmaceuticals), and food and beverages, based on revised Census Bureau Monthly Retail Trade Survey data for February and March.
More information on the source data and BEA assumptions that underlie the first-quarter estimate is shown in the key source data and assumptions table.
Legal services prices
The PCE price index for legal services was adjusted for the months of January and March. No adjustment was made for February.
International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariff refunds
In February 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States determined that certain tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were unlawful, and it obligated the federal government to refund affected businesses. The refunds are treated as a capital transfer and do not affect first-quarter GDP.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT EVER TO BE ZERO
‘Unemployment’ is an emotional ‘trigger’ word…a ‘third rail’, if you will. It conjures up negative thoughts. But it is important to realize that, while we want everyone who wants a job to have the opportunity to work, unemployment can never be zero and, in fact, can be disruptive to an economy if it gets too close to zero. Very low unemployment can actually hurt the economy by creating an upward pressure on wages which invariably leads to higher production costs and prices. This can lead to inflation. The lowest the unemployment rate has been in the US was 2.5%. That was in May and June 1953 when the economy overheated due to the Korean War. When this bubble burst, it kicked off the Recession of 1953. A healthy economy will always include some percentage of unemployment.
There are five main sources of unemployment:
1. Cyclical (or demand-deficient) unemployment – This type of unemployment fluctuates with the business cycle. It rises during a recession and falls during the subsequent recovery. Workers who are most affected by this type of unemployment are laid off during a recession when production volumes fall, and companies use lay-offs as the easiest way to reduce costs. These workers are usually rehired, some months later, when the economy improves.
2. Frictional unemployment – This comes from the normal turnover in the labor force. This is where new workers are entering the workforce and older workers are retiring and leaving vacancies to be filled by the new workers or those re-entering the workforce. This category includes workers who are between jobs.
3. Structural unemployment – This happens when the skills possessed by the unemployed worker don’t match the requirements of the opening—whether those be in characteristics and skills or in location. This can come from new technology or foreign competition (e.g., foreign outsourcing). This type of unemployment usually lasts longer than frictional unemployment because retraining, and sometimes relocation, is involved. Occasionally jobs in this category can just disappear overseas.
4. Seasonal unemployment – This happens when the workforce is affected by the climate or time of year. Construction workers and agricultural workers aren’t needed as much during the winter season because of the inclement weather. On the other hand, retail workers experience an increase in hiring shortly before, and during, the holiday season, but can be laid off shortly thereafter.
5. Surplus unemployment – This is caused by minimum wage laws and unions. When wages are set at a higher level, unemployment can often result. Why? To keep within the same payroll budget, the company must let go of some workers to pay the remaining workers a higher salary.
Other factors influencing the unemployment rate:
1. Length of unemployment – Some studies indicate that an important factor influencing a worker’s decision to accept a new job is directly related to the length of the unemployment benefit they are receiving. Currently, workers in most states are eligible for up to 26 weeks of benefits from the regular state-funded unemployment compensation program.
Extended Benefits are available to workers who have exhausted regular unemployment insurance benefits during periods of high unemployment. The basic Extended Benefits program provides up to 13 additional weeks of benefits when a State is experiencing high unemployment. Some States have also enacted a voluntary program to pay up to 7 additional weeks (20 weeks maximum) of Extended Benefits during periods of extremely high unemployment.
Studies suggest that additional weeks of benefits reduce the incentive of the unemployed to seek and accept less-desirable jobs.
2. Changes in GDP – Since hiring workers takes time, the improvement in the unemployment rate usually lags the improvement in the GDP.
WHERE RECRUITERS PLACE
Now back to the issue at hand, namely the recruiting, and placing, of professionals and those with college degrees.
If you look at the past 26 years of unemployment in the April “management, professional and related” types of worker category, you will find the following rates:
| MONTH | YEAR | PERCENTAGE |
| May | 2025 | 2.4% |
| May | 2024 | 2.0% |
| May | 2023 | 1.8% |
| May | 2022 | 1.6% |
| May | 2021 | 2.8% |
| May | 2020 | 6.6% |
| May | 2019 | 1.7% |
| May | 2018 | 1.7% |
| May | 2017 | 1.9% |
| May | 2016 | 2.1% |
| May | 2015 | 2.4% |
| May | 2014 | 3.1% |
| May | 2013 | 3.5% |
| May | 2012 | 4.0% |
| May | 2011 | 4.4% |
| May | 2010 | 4.5% |
| May | 2009 | 4.3% |
| May | 2008 | 2.6% |
| May | 2007 | 1.9% |
| May | 2006 | 2.0% |
| May | 2005 | 2.4% |
| May | 2004 | 2.8% |
| May | 2003 | 3.0% |
| May | 2002 | 3.1% |
| May | 2001 | 2.0% |
| May | 2000 | 1.8% |
Here are the rates, during those same time periods, for “college-degreed” workers:
| MONTH | YEAR | PERCENTAGE |
| May | 2025 | 2.6% |
| May | 2024 | 2.1% |
| May | 2023 | 2.0% |
| May | 2022 | 2.0% |
| May | 2021 | 3.1% |
| May | 2020 | 7.4% |
| May | 2019 | 2.1% |
| May | 2018 | 2.0% |
| May | 2017 | 2.3% |
| May | 2016 | 2.4% |
| May | 2015 | 2.7% |
| May | 2014 | 3.2% |
| May | 2013 | 3.8% |
| May | 2012 | 3.9% |
| May | 2011 | 4.5% |
| May | 2010 | 4.6% |
| May | 2009 | 4.8% |
| May | 2008 | 2.3% |
| May | 2007 | 2.0% |
| May | 2006 | 2.1% |
| May | 2005 | 2.4% |
| May | 2004 | 2.9% |
| May | 2003 | 3.1% |
| May | 2002 | 3.0% |
| May | 2001 | 2.1% |
| May | 2000 | 1.6% |
The May 2026 rates for these two categories, 2.5% and 2.7%, respectively, are pretty low. But regardless, these unemployment numbers usually include a good number of job-hoppers, job-shoppers and rejects. We, on the other hand, are engaged by our client companies to find those candidates who are happy, well-appreciated, making good money and currently working and we entice them to move for even better opportunities—especially where new technologies are expanding. This will never change. And that is why, no matter the overall unemployment rate, we still need to MARKET to find the best possible job orders to work and we still need to RECRUIT to find the best possible candidates for those Job Orders.
Below are the numbers for the over 25-year old’s:
Less than H.S. diploma – Unemployment Rate
| 1/08 | 2/08 | 3/08 | 4/08 | 5/08 | 6/08 | 7/08 | 8/08 | 9/08 | 10/08 | 11/08 | 12/08 |
| 7.7% | 7.4% | 8.2% | 7.9% | 8.4% | 8.9% | 8.6% | 9.7% | 9.8% | 10.4% | 10.6% | 10.9% |
| 1/09 | 2/09 | 3/09 | 4/09 | 5/09 | 6/09 | 7/09 | 8/09 | 9/09 | 10/09 | 11/09 | 12/09 |
| 12.0% | 12.6% | 13.3% | 14.8% | 15.5% | 15.5% | 15.4% | 15.6% | 15.0% | 15.5% | 15.0% | 15.3% |
| 1/10 | 2/10 | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 11/10 | 12/10 |
| 15.2% | 15.6% | 14.5% | 14.7% | 15.0% | 14.1% | 13.8% | 14.0% | 15.4% | 15.3% | 15.7% | 15.3% |
| 1/11 | 2/11 | 3/11 | 4/11 | 5/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 | 10/11 | 11/11 | 12/11 |
| 14.2% | 13.9% | 13.7% | 14.6% | 14.7% | 14.3% | 15.0% | 14.3% | 14.0% | 13.8% | 13.2% | 13.8% |
| 1/12 | 2/12 | 3/12 | 4/12 | 5/12 | 6/12 | 7/12 | 8/12 | 9/12 | 10/12 | 11/12 | 12/12 |
| 13.1% | 12.9% | 12.6% | 12.5% | 13.0% | 12.6% | 12.7% | 12.0% | 11.3% | 12.2% | 12.2% | 11.7% |
| 1/13 | 2/13 | 3/13 | 4/13 | 5/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 | 8/13 | 9/13 | 10/13 | 11/13 | 12/13 |
| 12.0% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% | 11.1% | 10.7% | 11.0% | 11.3% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 10.8% | 9.8% |
| 1/14 | 2/14 | 3/14 | 4/14 | 5/14 | 6/14 | 7/14 | 8/14 | 9/14 | 10/14 | 11/14 | 12/14 |
| 9.6% | 9.8% | 9.6% | 8.9% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 9.6% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 7.9% | 8.5% | 8.8% |
| 1/15 | 2/15 | 3/15 | 4/15 | 5/15 | 6/15 | 7/15 | 8/15 | 9/15 | 10/15 | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| 8.5% | 8.4% | 8.6% | 8.6% | 8.6% | 8.2% | 8.3% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 7.3% | 6.8% | 6.7% |
| 1/16 | 2/16 | 3/16 | 4/16 | 5/16 | 6/16 | 7/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 10/16 | 11/16 | 12/16 |
| 7.4% | 7.3% | 7.4% | 7.5% | 7.1% | 7.5% | 6.3% | 7.2% | 8.5% | 7.3% | 7.9% | 7.9% |
| 1/17 | 2/17 | 3/17 | 4/17 | 5/17 | 6/17 | 7/17 | 8/17 | 9/17 | 10/17 | 11/17 | 12/17 |
| 7.3% | 7.9% | 6.8% | 6.5% | 6.1% | 6.4% | 6.9% | 6.0% | 6.5% | 5.7% | 5.2% | 6.3% |
| 1/18 | 2/18 | 3/18 | 4/18 | 5/18 | 6/18 | 7/18 | 8/18 | 9/18 | 10/18 | 11/18 | 12/18 |
| 5.4% | 5.7% | 5.5% | 5.9% | 5.4% | 5.5% | 5.1% | 5.7% | 5.5% | 6.0% | 5.6% | 5.8% |
| 1/19 | 2/19 | 3/19 | 4/19 | 5/19 | 6/19 | 7/19 | 8/19 | 9/19 | 10/19 | 11/19 | 12/19 |
| 5.7% | 5.3% | 5.9% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.3% | 5.1% | 5.4% | 4.8% | 5.6% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| 1/20 | 2/20 | 3/20 | 4/20 | 5/20 | 6/20 | 7/20 | 8/20 | 9/20 | 10/20 | 11/20 | 12/20 |
| 5.5% | 5.7% | 6.8% | 21.2% | 19.9% | 16.6% | 15.4% | 12.6% | 10.7% | 9.9% | 9.2% | 9.8% |
| 1/21 | 2/21 | 3/21 | 4/21 | 5/21 | 6/21 | 7/21 | 8/21 | 9/21 | 10/21 | 11/21 | 12/21 |
| 9.1% | 10.1% | 8.2% | 9.3% | 9.1% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 7.8% | 7.9% | 7.4% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| 1/22 | 2/22 | 3/22 | 4/22 | 5/22 | 6/22 | 7/22 | 8/22 | 9/22 | 10/22 | 11/22 | 12/22 |
| 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% | 5.2% | 5.8% | 5.9% | 6.2% | 5.6% | 6.3% | 4.4% | 5.0% |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 4.5% | 5.8% | 4.8% | 5.4% | 5.7% | 6.0% | 5.2% | 5.4% | 5.5% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 6.0% |
| 1/24 | 2/24 | 3/24 | 4/24 | 5/24 | 6/24 | 7/24 | 8/24 | 9/24 | 10/24 | 11/24 | 12/24 |
| 6.0% | 6.1% | 4.9% | 6.0% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 6.7% | 7.1% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 6.0% | 5.6% |
| 1/25 | 2/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 | 5/25 | 6/25 | 7/25 | 8/25 | 9/25 | 10/25 | 11/25 | 12/25 |
| 5.2% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 6.1% | 5.5% | 5.8% | 5.5% | 6.7% | 6.8% | N/P | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 1/26 | 2/26 | 3/26 | 4/26 | 5/26 | 6/26 | 7/26 | 8/26 | 9/26 | 10/26 | 11/26 | 12/26 |
| 5.3% | 5.6% | 5.9% | 6.4% | 6.0% |
H.S. Grad; no college – Unemployment Rate
| 1/08 | 2/08 | 3/08 | 4/08 | 5/08 | 6/08 | 7/08 | 8/08 | 9/08 | 10/08 | 11/08 | 12/08 |
| 4.6% | 4.7% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.3% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 6.5% | 6.9% | 7.7% |
| 1/09 | 2/09 | 3/09 | 4/09 | 5/09 | 6/09 | 7/09 | 8/09 | 9/09 | 10/09 | 11/09 | 12/09 |
| 8.1% | 8.3% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 10.0% | 9.8% | 9.4% | 9.7% | 10.8% | 11.2% | 10.4% | 10.5% |
| 1/10 | 2/10 | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 11/10 | 12/10 |
| 10.1% | 10.5% | 10.8% | 10.6% | 10.9% | 10.8% | 10.1% | 10.3% | 10.0% | 10.1% | 10.0% | 9.8% |
| 1/11 | 2/11 | 3/11 | 4/11 | 5/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 | 10/11 | 11/11 | 12/11 |
| 9.4% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 9.5% | 10.0% | 9.3% | 9.6% | 9.7% | 9.6% | 8.8% | 8.7% |
| 1/12 | 2/12 | 3/12 | 4/12 | 5/12 | 6/12 | 7/12 | 8/12 | 9/12 | 10/12 | 11/12 | 12/12 |
| 8.4% | 8.3% | 8.0% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 8.4% | 8.7% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 8.0% |
| 1/13 | 2/13 | 3/13 | 4/13 | 5/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 | 8/13 | 9/13 | 10/13 | 11/13 | 12/13 |
| 8.1% | 7.9% | 7.6% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 7.3% | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| 1/14 | 2/14 | 3/14 | 4/14 | 5/14 | 6/14 | 7/14 | 8/14 | 9/14 | 10/14 | 11/14 | 12/14 |
| 6.5% | 6.4% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 6.5% | 5.8% | 6.1% | 6.2% | 5.3% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.3% |
| 1/15 | 2/15 | 3/15 | 4/15 | 5/15 | 6/15 | 7/15 | 8/15 | 9/15 | 10/15 | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.3% | 5.4% | 5.8% | 5.4% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 1/16 | 2/16 | 3/16 | 4/16 | 5/16 | 6/16 | 7/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 10/16 | 11/16 | 12/16 |
| 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.2% | 5.5% | 4.9% | 5.1% |
| 1/17 | 2/17 | 3/17 | 4/17 | 5/17 | 6/17 | 7/17 | 8/17 | 9/17 | 10/17 | 11/17 | 12/17 |
| 5.2% | 5.0% | 4.9% | 4.6% | 4.7% | 4.6% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.2% |
| 1/18 | 2/18 | 3/18 | 4/18 | 5/18 | 6/18 | 7/18 | 8/18 | 9/18 | 10/18 | 11/18 | 12/18 |
| 4.5% | 4.4% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 4.2% | 4.0% | 3.9% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 3.5% | 3.8% |
| 1/19 | 2/19 | 3/19 | 4/19 | 5/19 | 6/19 | 7/19 | 8/19 | 9/19 | 10/19 | 11/19 | 12/19 |
| 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| 1/20 | 2/20 | 3/20 | 4/20 | 5/20 | 6/20 | 7/20 | 8/20 | 9/20 | 10/20 | 11/20 | 12/20 |
| 3.8% | 3.6% | 4.4% | 17.3% | 15.3% | 12.1% | 10.8% | 9.8% | 9.0% | 8.1% | 7.8% | 7.8% |
| 1/21 | 2/21 | 3/21 | 4/21 | 5/21 | 6/21 | 7/21 | 8/21 | 9/21 | 10/21 | 11/21 | 12/21 |
| 7.1% | 7.2% | 6.7% | 6.9% | 6.8% | 7.0% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.4% | 5.2% | 4.6% |
| 1/22 | 2/22 | 3/22 | 4/22 | 5/22 | 6/22 | 7/22 | 8/22 | 9/22 | 10/22 | 11/22 | 12/22 |
| 4.6% | 4.5% | 4.0% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 4.2% | 3.7% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.6% |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 3.7% | 3.6% | 4.0% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.4% | 3.8% | 4.1% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 4.2% |
| 1/24 | 2/24 | 3/24 | 4/24 | 5/24 | 6/24 | 7/24 | 8/24 | 9/24 | 10/24 | 11/24 | 12/24 |
| 4.3% | 4.2% | 4.1% | 4.0% | 4.3% | 4.2% | 4.6% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.6% | 4.3% |
| 1/25 | 2/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 | 5/25 | 6/25 | 7/25 | 8/25 | 9/25 | 10/25 | 11/25 | 12/25 |
| 4.5% | 4.2% | 4.1% | 4.0% | 4.5% | 4.0% | 4.4% | 4.3% | 4.2% | N/P | 4.4% | 4.0% |
| 1/26 | 2/26 | 3/26 | 4/26 | 5/26 | 6/26 | 7/26 | 8/26 | 9/26 | 10/26 | 11/26 | 12/26 |
| 4.5% | 4.8% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4,4% |
Some College; or AA/AS – Unemployment Rate
| 1/08 | 2/08 | 3/08 | 4/08 | 5/08 | 6/08 | 7/08 | 8/08 | 9/08 | 10/08 | 11/08 | 12/08 |
| 3.7% | 3.8% | 3.9% | 4.0% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.3% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 1/09 | 2/09 | 3/09 | 4/09 | 5/09 | 6/09 | 7/09 | 8/09 | 9/09 | 10/09 | 11/09 | 12/09 |
| 6.2% | 7.0% | 7.2% | 7.4% | 7.7% | 8.0% | 7.9% | 8.2% | 8.5% | 9.0% | 9.0% | 9.0% |
| 1/10 | 2/10 | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 11/10 | 12/10 |
| 8.5% | 8.0% | 8.2% | 8.3% | 8.3% | 8.2% | 8.3% | 8.7% | 9.1% | 8.5% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 1/11 | 2/11 | 3/11 | 4/11 | 5/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 | 10/11 | 11/11 | 12/11 |
| 8.0% | 7.8% | 7.4% | 7.5% | 8.0% | 8.4% | 8.3% | 8.2% | 8.4% | 8.3% | 7.6% | 7.7% |
| 1/12 | 2/12 | 3/12 | 4/12 | 5/12 | 6/12 | 7/12 | 8/12 | 9/12 | 10/12 | 11/12 | 12/12 |
| 7.2% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 7.6% | 7.9% | 7.5% | 7.1% | 6.6% | 6.5% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 6.9% |
| 1/13 | 2/13 | 3/13 | 4/13 | 5/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 | 8/13 | 9/13 | 10/13 | 11/13 | 12/13 |
| 7.0% | 6.7% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.5% | 6.4% | 6.0% | 6.1% | 6.0% | 6.3% | 6.4% | 6.1% |
| 1/14 | 2/14 | 3/14 | 4/14 | 5/14 | 6/14 | 7/14 | 8/14 | 9/14 | 10/14 | 11/14 | 12/14 |
| 6.0% | 6.2% | 6.1% | 5.7% | 5.5% | 5.0% | 5.3% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 4.8% | 4.9% | 5.0% |
| 1/15 | 2/15 | 3/15 | 4/15 | 5/15 | 6/15 | 7/15 | 8/15 | 9/15 | 10/15 | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| 5.2% | 5.1% | 4.8% | 4.7% | 4.4% | 4.2% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 4.1% |
| 1/16 | 2/16 | 3/16 | 4/16 | 5/16 | 6/16 | 7/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 10/16 | 11/16 | 12/16 |
| 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 3.9% | 4.2% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| 1/17 | 2/17 | 3/17 | 4/17 | 5/17 | 6/17 | 7/17 | 8/17 | 9/17 | 10/17 | 11/17 | 12/17 |
| 3.8% | 4.0% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| 1/18 | 2/18 | 3/18 | 4/18 | 5/18 | 6/18 | 7/18 | 8/18 | 9/18 | 10/18 | 11/18 | 12/18 |
| 3.4% | 3.5% | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.5% | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 3.3% |
| 1/19 | 2/19 | 3/19 | 4/19 | 5/19 | 6/19 | 7/19 | 8/19 | 9/19 | 10/19 | 11/19 | 12/19 |
| 3.4% | 3.2% | 3.4% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.7% |
| 1/20 | 2/20 | 3/20 | 4/20 | 5/20 | 6/20 | 7/20 | 8/20 | 9/20 | 10/20 | 11/20 | 12/20 |
| 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.7% | 15.0% | 13.3% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 8.0% | 8.1% | 6.6% | 6.3% | 6.3% |
| 1/21 | 2/21 | 3/21 | 4/21 | 5/21 | 6/21 | 7/21 | 8/21 | 9/21 | 10/21 | 11/21 | 12/21 |
| 6.2% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.8% | 5.9% | 5.8% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 4.5% | 4.4% | 3,7% | 3.6% |
| 1/22 | 2/22 | 3/23 | 4/22 | 5/22 | 6/22 | 7/22 | 8/22 | 9/22 | 10/22 | 11/22 | 12/22 |
| 3.6% | 3.8% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 3.4% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 2.9% |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 2.9% | 3.2% | 3.0% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 2.9% | 3.2% | 3.0% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| 1/24 | 2/24 | 3/24 | 4/24 | 5/24 | 6/24 | 7/24 | 8/24 | 9/24 | 10/24 | 11/24 | 12/24 |
| 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.4% | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.6% | 3.5% |
| 1/25 | 2/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 | 5/25 | 6/25 | 7/25 | 8/25 | 9/25 | 10/25 | 11/25 | 12/25 |
| 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.7% | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.4% | N/P | 3.5% | 3.8% |
| 1/26 | 2/26 | 3/26 | 4/26 | 5/26 | 6/26 | 7/26 | 8/26 | 9/26 | 10/26 | 11/26 | 12/26 |
| 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.6% | 3.2% | 3.6% |
BS/BS + – Unemployment Rate
| 1/08 | 2/08 | 3/08 | 4/08 | 5/08 | 6/08 | 7/08 | 8/08 | 9/08 | 10/08 | 11/08 | 12/08 |
| 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2.7% | 2.6% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 3.7% |
| 1/09 | 2/09 | 3/09 | 4/09 | 5/09 | 6/09 | 7/09 | 8/09 | 9/09 | 10/09 | 11/09 | 12/09 |
| 3.9% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 4.8% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.9% | 4.7% | 4.9% | 5.0% |
| 1/10 | 2/10 | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 11/10 | 12/10 |
| 4.8% | 5.0% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.7% | 4.4% | 4.5% | 4.6% | 4.4% | 4.7% | 5.1% | 4.8% |
| 1/11 | 2/11 | 3/11 | 4/11 | 5/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 | 10/11 | 11/11 | 12/11 |
| 4.2% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.4% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.2% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.1% |
| 1/12 | 2/12 | 3/12 | 4/12 | 5/12 | 6/12 | 7/12 | 8/12 | 9/12 | 10/12 | 11/12 | 12/12 |
| 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.0% | 3.9% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.9% |
| 1/13 | 2/13 | 3/13 | 4/13 | 5/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 | 8/13 | 9/13 | 10/13 | 11/13 | 12/13 |
| 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.9% | 3.8% | 3.9% | 3.8% | 3.5% | 3.7% | 3.8% | 3.4% | 3.3% |
| 1/14 | 2/14 | 3/14 | 4/14 | 5/14 | 6/14 | 7/14 | 8/14 | 9/14 | 10/14 | 11/14 | 12/14 |
| 3.3% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 2.8% |
| 1/15 | 2/15 | 3/15 | 4/15 | 5/15 | 6/15 | 7/15 | 8/15 | 9/15 | 10/15 | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.5% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| 1/16 | 2/16 | 3/16 | 4/16 | 5/16 | 6/16 | 7/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 10/16 | 11/16 | 12/16 |
| 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.7% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| 1/17 | 2/17 | 3/17 | 4/17 | 5/17 | 6/17 | 7/17 | 8/17 | 9/17 | 10/17 | 11/17 | 12/17 |
| 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| 1/18 | 2/18 | 3/18 | 4/18 | 5/18 | 6/18 | 7/18 | 8/18 | 9/18 | 10/18 | 11/18 | 12/18 |
| 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 2.1% |
| 1/19 | 2/19 | 3/19 | 4/19 | 5/19 | 6/19 | 7/19 | 8/19 | 9/19 | 10/19 | 11/19 | 12/19 |
| 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| 1/20 | 2/20 | 3/20 | 4/20 | 5/20 | 6/20 | 7/20 | 8/20 | 9/20 | 10/20 | 11/20 | 12/20 |
| 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.5% | 8.4% | 7.4% | 6.9% | 6.7% | 5.3% | 4.7% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 3.8% |
| 1/21 | 2/21 | 3/21 | 4/21 | 5/21 | 6/21 | 7/21 | 8/21 | 9/21 | 10/21 | 11/21 | 12/21 |
| 4.0% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3.2% | 3.5% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.1% |
| 1/22 | 2/22 | 3/22 | 4/22 | 5/22 | 6/22 | 7/22 | 8/22 | 9/22 | 10/22 | 11/22 | 12/22 |
| 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| 1/24 | 2/24 | 3/24 | 4/24 | 5/24 | 6/24 | 7/24 | 8/24 | 9/24 | 10/24 | 11/24 | 12/24 |
| 2.1% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.4% |
| 1/25 | 2/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 | 5/25 | 6/25 | 7/25 | 8/25 | 9/25 | 10/25 | 11/25 | 12/25 |
| 2.3% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.8% | N/P | 2.9% | 2.8% |
| 1/26 | 2/26 | 3/26 | 4/26 | 5/26 | 6/26 | 7/26 | 8/26 | 9/26 | 10/26 | 11/26 | 12/26 |
| 2.9% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.7% |
Management, Professional & Related – Unemployment Rate
| 1/08 | 2/08 | 3/08 | 4/08 | 5/08 | 6/08 | 7/08 | 8/08 | 9/08 | 10/08 | 11/08 | 12/08 |
| 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.6% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.3% |
| 1/09 | 2/09 | 3/09 | 4/09 | 5/09 | 6/09 | 7/09 | 8/09 | 9/09 | 10/09 | 11/09 | 12/09 |
| 4.1% | 3.9% | 4.2% | 4.0% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.2% | 4.7% | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| 1/10 | 2/10 | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 11/10 | 12/10 |
| 5.0% | 4.8% | 4.7% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.9% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 4.4% | 4.5% | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| 1/11 | 2/11 | 3/11 | 4/11 | 5/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 | 10/11 | 11/11 | 12/11 |
| 4.7% | 4.4% | 4.3% | 4.0% | 4.4% | 4.7% | 5.0% | 4.9% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.2% | 4.2% |
| 1/12 | 2/12 | 3/12 | 4/12 | 5/12 | 6/12 | 7/12 | 8/12 | 9/12 | 10/12 | 11/12 | 12/12 |
| 4.3% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 4.4% | 4.8% | 4.5% | 3.9% | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3.9% |
| 1/13 | 2/13 | 3/13 | 4/13 | 5/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 | 8/13 | 9/13 | 10/13 | 11/13 | 12/13 |
| 3.9% | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 4.2% | 4.1% | 3.8% | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3.1% | 2.9% |
| 1/14 | 2/14 | 3/14 | 4/14 | 5/14 | 6/14 | 7/14 | 8/14 | 9/14 | 10/14 | 11/14 | 12/14 |
| 3.1% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 2.9% | 3.1% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.4% | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.8% | 2.7% |
| 1/15 | 2/15 | 3/15 | 4/15 | 5/15 | 6/15 | 7/15 | 8/15 | 9/15 | 10/15 | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| 2.9% | 2.7% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.9% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.0% |
| 1/16 | 2/16 | 3/16 | 4/16 | 5/16 | 6/16 | 7/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 10/16 | 11/16 | 12/16 |
| 2.3% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 2.7% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.2% |
| 1/17 | 2/17 | 3/17 | 4/17 | 5/17 | 6/17 | 7/17 | 8/17 | 9/17 | 10/17 | 11/17 | 12/17 |
| 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 2.7% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.0% |
| 1/18 | 2/18 | 3/18 | 4/18 | 5/18 | 6/18 | 7/18 | 8/18 | 9/18 | 10/18 | 11/18 | 12/18 |
| 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| 1/19 | 2/19 | 3/19 | 4/19 | 5/19 | 6/19 | 7/19 | 8/19 | 9/19 | 10/19 | 11/19 | 12/19 |
| 2.5% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1.6% | 1.7% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| 1/20 | 2/20 | 3/20 | 4/20 | 5/20 | 6/20 | 7/20 | 8/20 | 9/20 | 10/20 | 11/20 | 12/20 |
| 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.5% | 7.7% | 6.6% | 6.5% | 6.6% | 5.5% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| 1/21 | 2/21 | 3/21 | 4/21 | 5/21 | 6/21 | 7/21 | 8/21 | 9/21 | 10/21 | 11/21 | 12/21 |
| 3.7% | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 3.3% | 3.2% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 1.7% |
| 1/22 | 2/22 | 3/22 | 4/22 | 5/22 | 6/22 | 7/22 | 8/22 | 9/22 | 10/22 | 11/22 | 12/22 |
| 2.3% | 2.2% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 1.7% |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 2.1% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 2.2% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| 1/24 | 2/24 | 3/24 | 4/24 | 5/24 | 6/24 | 7/24 | 8/24 | 9/24 | 10/24 | 11/24 | 12/24 |
| 2.1% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 2.0% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.1% |
| 1/25 | 2/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 | 5/25 | 6/25 | 7/25 | 8/25 | 9/25 | 10/25 | 11/25 | 12/25 |
| 2.2% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.4% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 2.7% | 2.5% | N/P | 2.5% | 2.4% |
| 1/26 | 2/26 | 3/26 | 4/26 | 5/26 | 6/26 | 7/26 | 8/26 | 9/26 | 10/26 | 11/26 | 12/26 |
| 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.5% |
Or employed… (,000)
| 1/08 | 2/08 | 3/08 | 4/08 | 5/08 | 6/08 | 7/08 | 8/08 | 9/08 | 10/08 | 11/08 | 12/08 |
| 52,165 | 52,498 | 52,681 | 52,819 | 52,544 | 52,735 | 52,655 | 52,626 | 53,104 | 53,485 | 53,274 | 52,548 |
| 1/09 | 2/09 | 3/09 | 4/09 | 5/09 | 6/09 | 7/09 | 8/09 | 9/09 | 10/09 | 11/09 | 12/09 |
| 52,358 | 52,196 | 52,345 | 52,597 | 52,256 | 51,776 | 51,810 | 51,724 | 52,186 | 52,981 | 52,263 | 52,131 |
| 1/10 | 2/10 | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 11/10 | 12/10 |
| 52,159 | 52,324 | 52,163 | 52,355 | 51,839 | 51,414 | 50,974 | 50,879 | 51,757 | 51,818 | 52,263 | 51,704 |
| 1/11 | 2/11 | 3/11 | 4/11 | 5/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 | 10/11 | 11/11 | 12/11 |
| 51,866 | 52,557 | 53,243 | 53,216 | 52,778 | 52,120 | 51,662 | 51,997 | 52,665 | 52,864 | 52,787 | 52,808 |
| 1/12 | 2/12 | 3/12 | 4/12 | 5/12 | 6/12 | 7/12 | 8/12 | 9/12 | 10/12 | 11/12 | 12/12 |
| 53,152 | 53,208 | 53,771 | 54,055 | 54,156 | 53,846 | 53,165 | 53,696 | 54,655 | 55,223 | 54,951 | 54,635 |
| 1/13 | 2/13 | 3/13 | 4/13 | 5/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 | 8/13 | 9/13 | 10/13 | 11/13 | 12/13 |
| 54,214 | 54,563 | 54,721 | 54,767 | 54,740 | 54,323 | 54,064 | 54,515 | 55,013 | 55,155 | 55,583 | 54,880 |
| 1/14 | 2/14 | 3/14 | 4/14 | 5/14 | 6/14 | 7/14 | 8/14 | 9/14 | 10/14 | 11/14 | 12/14 |
| 55,096 | 55,501 | 56,036 | 55,896 | 56,202 | 55,714 | 55,381 | 55,646 | 56,365 | 56,759 | 57,110 | 56,888 |
| 1/15 | 2/15 | 3/15 | 4/15 | 5/15 | 6/15 | 7/15 | 8/15 | 9/15 | 10/15 | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| 57,367 | 57,596 | 57,805 | 57,953 | 58,155 | 57,710 | 57,392 | 57,288 | 58,105 | 58,456 | 58,667 | 59,030 |
| 1/16 | 2/16 | 3/16 | 4/16 | 5/16 | 6/16 | 7/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 10/16 | 11/16 | 12/16 |
| 59,014 | 59,583 | 60,080 | 59,690 | 59,613 | 59,181 | 58,434 | 58,526 | 59,599 | 59,766 | 59,707 | 60,069 |
| 1/17 | 2/17 | 3/17 | 4/17 | 5/17 | 6/17 | 7/17 | 8/17 | 9/17 | 10/17 | 11/17 | 12/17 |
| 59,921 | 61,064 | 61,156 | 61,317 | 61,174 | 60,705 | 59,923 | 59,559 | 60,990 | 61,062 | 61,818 | 62,121 |
| 1/18 | 2/18 | 3/18 | 4/18 | 5/18 | 6/18 | 7/18 | 8/18 | 9/18 | 10/18 | 11/18 | 12/18 |
| 62,123 | 62,908 | 63,067 | 62,561 | 62,360 | 61,349 | 61,433 | 61,593 | 62,181 | 62,929 | 63,084 | 63,642 |
| 1/19 | 2/19 | 3/19 | 4/19 | 5/19 | 6/19 | 7/19 | 8/19 | 9/19 | 10/19 | 11/19 | 12/19 |
| 63,818 | 64,281 | 64,299 | 63,560 | 63,594 | 63,418 | 63,394 | 63,679 | 64,343 | 64,997 | 65,548 | 65,682 |
| 1/20 | 2/20 | 3/20 | 4/20 | 5/20 | 6/20 | 7/20 | 8/20 | 9/20 | 10/20 | 11/20 | 12/20 |
| 65,533 | 66,091 | 65,881 | 61,152 | 62,330 | 63,290 | 62,451 | 63,095 | 62,759 | 63,277 | 63,387 | 64,007 |
| 1/21 | 2/21 | 3/21 | 4/21 | 5/21 | 6/21 | 7/21 | 8/21 | 9/21 | 10/21 | 11/21 | 12/21 |
| 63,886 | 64,471 | 64,503 | 64,264 | 64,268 | 64,316 | 64,179 | 64,122 | 65,163 | 65,335 | 66,060 | 66,366 |
| 1/22 | 2/22 | 3/22 | 4/22 | 5/22 | 6/22 | 7/22 | 8/22 | 9/22 | 10/22 | 11/22 | 12/22 |
| 66,740 | 67,754 | 67,823 | 67,319 | 67,652 | 67,224 | 67,874 | 68,377 | 69,056 | 68,918 | 69.156 | 69,297 |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 69,249 | 69,986 | 70,651 | 70,403 | 70,388 | 69,956 | 69,662 | 69,280 | 70,417 | 71,387 | 71,350 | 70,572 |
| 1/24 | 2/24 | 3/24 | 4/24 | 5/24 | 6/24 | 7/24 | 8/24 | 9/24 | 10/24 | 11/24 | 12/24 |
| 70,650 | 70,217 | 70,786 | 70,548 | 70.897 | 71,002 | 70,167 | 69,892 | 70,916 | 71,553 | 71,258 | 71,042 |
| 1/25 | 2/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 | 5/25 | 6/25 | 7/25 | 8/25 | 9/25 | 10/25 | 11/25 | 12/25 |
| 71,547 | 71,477 | 72,019 | 72,168 | 70,912 | 70,250 | 69,809 | 70,866 | 71.646 | N/P | 72,090 | 71,918 |
| 1/26 | 2/26 | 3/26 | 4/26 | 5/26 | 6/26 | 7/26 | 8/26 | 9/26 | 10/26 | 11/26 | 12/26 |
| 71,992 | 71,884 | 71,995 | 71,339 | 71,111 |
And unemployed… (,000)
| 1/08 | 2/08 | 3/08 | 4/08 | 5/08 | 6/08 | 7/08 | 8/08 | 9/08 | 10/08 | 11/08 | 12/08 |
| 1,164 | 1,159 | 1,121 | 1,088 | 1,407 | 1,478 | 1,585 | 1,779 | 1,539 | 1,647 | 1,786 | 1,802 |
| 1/09 | 2/09 | 3/09 | 4/09 | 5/09 | 6/09 | 7/09 | 8/09 | 9/09 | 10/09 | 11/09 | 12/09 |
| 2,238 | 2,137 | 2,292 | 2,164 | 2,373 | 2,720 | 3,034 | 2,925 | 2,859 | 2,593 | 2,530 | 2,509 |
| 1/10 | 2/10 | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 11/10 | 12/10 |
| 2,762 | 2,637 | 2,600 | 2,464 | 2,450 | 2,644 | 2,687 | 2,762 | 2,381 | 2,417 | 2,525 | 2,468 |
| 1/11 | 2/11 | 3/11 | 4/11 | 5/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 | 10/11 | 11/11 | 12/11 |
| 2,557 | 2,435 | 2,381 | 2,196 | 2,419 | 2,598 | 2,742 | 2,671 | 2,450 | 2,410 | 2,336 | 2,303 |
| 1/12 | 2/12 | 3/12 | 4/12 | 5/12 | 6/12 | 7/12 | 8/12 | 9/12 | 10/12 | 11/12 | 12/12 |
| 2,410 | 2,336 | 2,330 | 2,062 | 2,275 | 2,472 | 2,666 | 2,556 | 2,245 | 2,170 | 2,077 | 2,221 |
| 1/13 | 2/13 | 3/13 | 4/13 | 5/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 | 8/13 | 9/13 | 10/13 | 11/13 | 12/13 |
| 2,211 | 2,164 | 2,020 | 1,980 | 1,990 | 2,358 | 2,286 | 2,130 | 1,978 | 1,930 | 1,749 | 1,637 |
| 1/14 | 2/14 | 3/14 | 4/14 | 5/14 | 6/14 | 7/14 | 8/14 | 9/14 | 10/14 | 11/14 | 12/14 |
| 1,784 | 1,845 | 1,890 | 1,642 | 1,795 | 2,001 | 2,011 | 1,930 | 1,617 | 1,582 | 1,656 | 1,568 |
| 1/15 | 2/15 | 3/15 | 4/15 | 5/15 | 6/15 | 7/15 | 8/15 | 9/15 | 10/15 | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| 1,741 | 1,601 | 1,398 | 1,435 | 1,460 | 1,714 | 1,807 | 1,686 | 1,414 | 1,312 | 1,276 | 1,208 |
| 1/16 | 2/16 | 3/16 | 4/16 | 5/16 | 6/16 | 7/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 10/16 | 11/16 | 12/16 |
| 1,404 | 1,456 | 1,477 | 1,251 | 1,305 | 1,712 | 1,782 | 1,869 | 1,652 | 1,506 | 1,382 | 1,361 |
| 1/17 | 2/17 | 3/17 | 4/17 | 5/17 | 6/17 | 7/17 | 8/17 | 9/17 | 10/17 | 11/17 | 12/17 |
| 1,425 | 1,313 | 1,265 | 1,254 | 1,208 | 1,440 | 1,656 | 1,731 | 1,463 | 1,285 | 1,266 | 1,290 |
| 1/18 | 2/18 | 3/18 | 4/18 | 5/18 | 6/18 | 7/18 | 8/18 | 9/18 | 10/18 | 11/18 | 12/18 |
| 1,374 | 1,301 | 1,310 | 1,134 | 1,083 | 1,575 | 1,539 | 1,591 | 1,299 | 1,246 | 1,330 | 1,368 |
| 1/19 | 2/19 | 3/19 | 4/19 | 5/19 | 6/19 | 7/19 | 8/19 | 9/19 | 10/19 | 11/19 | 12/19 |
| 1,607 | 1,317 | 1,289 | 1,040 | 1,086 | 1,540 | 1,591 | 1,476 | 1,235 | 1,161 | 1,208 | 1,171 |
| 1/20 | 2/20 | 3/20 | 4/20 | 5/20 | 6/20 | 7/20 | 8/20 | 9/20 | 10/20 | 11/20 | 12/20 |
| 1,454 | 1,207 | 1,663 | 5,079 | 4,432 | 4,390 | 4,400 | 3,680 | 2,946 | 2,448 | 2,415 | 2,235 |
| 1/21 | 2/21 | 3/21 | 4/21 | 5/21 | 6/21 | 7/21 | 8/21 | 9/21 | 10/21 | 11/21 | 12/21 |
| 2,433 | 2,158 | 2,063 | 2,014 | 1,879 | 2,303 | 2,203 | 2,123 | 1,580 | 1,453 | 1,308 | 1,146 |
| 1/22 | 2/22 | 3/22 | 4/22 | 5/22 | 6/22 | 7/22 | 8/22 | 9/22 | 10/22 | 11/22 | 12/22 |
| 1,583 | 1,490 | 1,053 | 1,088 | 1,098 | 1,520 | 1,650 | 1,647 | 1,291 | 1,398 | 1,247 | 1,198 |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 1,460 | 1,406 | 1,368 | 1,153 | 1,281 | 1,609 | 1,701 | 1,712 | 1,466 | 1,415 | 1,301 | 1,314 |
| 1/24 | 2/24 | 3/24 | 4/24 | 5/24 | 6/24 | 7/24 | 8/24 | 9/24 | 10/24 | 11/24 | 12/24 |
| 1,527 | 1,580 | 1,580 | 1,399 | 1,423 | 1,887 | 2,095 | 2,056 | 1,647 | 1,689 | 1,581 | 1,490 |
| 1/25 | 2/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 | 5/25 | 6/25 | 7/25 | 8/25 | 9/25 | 10/25 | 11/25 | 12/25 |
| 1,604 | 1,720 | 1,706 | 1,596 | 1,719 | 2,000 | 2,162 | 1,975 | 1,831 | N/P | 1,851 | 1,760 |
| 1/26 | 2/26 | 3/26 | 4/26 | 5/26 | 6/26 | 7/26 | 8/26 | 9/26 | 10/26 | 11/26 | 12/26 |
| 2,019 | 1,965 | 1,816 | 1,621 | 1,810 |
For a total Management, Professional & Related workforce of…(,000)
| 1/08 | 2/08 | 3/08 | 4/08 | 5/08 | 6/08 | 7/08 | 8/08 | 9/08 | 10/08 | 11/08 | 12/08 |
| 53,329 | 53,657 | 53,802 | 53,907 | 53,951 | 54,213 | 54,240 | 54,405 | 54,643 | 55,132 | 55,060 | 54,350 |
| 1/09 | 2/09 | 3/09 | 4/09 | 5/09 | 6/09 | 7/09 | 8/09 | 9/09 | 10/09 | 11/09 | 12/09 |
| 54,596 | 54,333 | 54,637 | 54,761 | 54,629 | 54,496 | 54,844 | 54,649 | 55,045 | 55,574 | 54,793 | 54,640 |
| 1/10 | 2/10 | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 11/10 | 12/10 |
| 54,921 | 54,961 | 54,763 | 54,819 | 54,289 | 54,058 | 53,661 | 53,641 | 54,138 | 54,235 | 54,788 | 54,172 |
| 1/11 | 2/11 | 3/11 | 4/11 | 5/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 | 10/11 | 11/11 | 12/11 |
| 54,423 | 54,992 | 55,624 | 55,412 | 55,197 | 54,718 | 54,404 | 54,668 | 55,115 | 55,274 | 55,123 | 55,111 |
| 1/12 | 2/12 | 3/12 | 4/12 | 5/12 | 6/12 | 7/12 | 8/12 | 9/12 | 10/12 | 11/12 | 12/12 |
| 55,562 | 55,544 | 56,101 | 56,117 | 56,431 | 56,318 | 55,831 | 56,252 | 56,900 | 57,393 | 57,028 | 56,856 |
| 1/13 | 2/13 | 3/13 | 4/13 | 5/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 | 8/13 | 9/13 | 10/13 | 11/13 | 12/13 |
| 56,425 | 56,727 | 56,741 | 56,747 | 56,730 | 56,681 | 56,350 | 56,645 | 56,991 | 57,085 | 57,332 | 56,517 |
| 1/14 | 2/14 | 3/14 | 4/14 | 5/14 | 6/14 | 7/14 | 8/14 | 9/14 | 10/14 | 11/14 | 12/14 |
| 56,880 | 57,346 | 57,926 | 57,538 | 57,997 | 57,715 | 57,392 | 57,576 | 57,982 | 58,341 | 58,766 | 58,456 |
| 1/15 | 2/15 | 3/15 | 4/15 | 5/15 | 6/15 | 7/15 | 8/15 | 9/15 | 10/15 | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| 59,108 | 59,197 | 59,203 | 59,388 | 59,615 | 59,424 | 59,199 | 58,974 | 59,519 | 59,768 | 59,943 | 60,238 |
| 1/16 | 2/16 | 3/16 | 4/16 | 5/16 | 6/16 | 7/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 10/16 | 11/16 | 12/16 |
| 60,418 | 61,039 | 61,557 | 60,941 | 60,918 | 60,893 | 60,216 | 60,395 | 61,251 | 61,272 | 61,089 | 61,430 |
| 1/17 | 2/17 | 3/17 | 4/17 | 5/17 | 6/17 | 7/17 | 8/17 | 9/17 | 10/17 | 11/17 | 12/17 |
| 61,346 | 62,377 | 62,421 | 62,571 | 62,382 | 62,145 | 61,579 | 61,290 | 62,453 | 62,347 | 63,084 | 63,411 |
| 1/18 | 2/18 | 3/18 | 4/18 | 5/18 | 6/18 | 7/18 | 8/18 | 9/18 | 10/18 | 11/18 | 12/18 |
| 63,497 | 64,209 | 64,377 | 63,695 | 63,443 | 62,924 | 62,972 | 63,184 | 63,480 | 64,175 | 64,414 | 65,010 |
| 1/19 | 2/19 | 3/19 | 4/19 | 5/19 | 6/19 | 7/19 | 8/19 | 9/19 | 10/19 | 11/19 | 12/19 |
| 65,425 | 65,598 | 65,588 | 64,600 | 64,680 | 64,958 | 64,985 | 65,155 | 65,578 | 66,158 | 66,756 | 66,853 |
| 1/20 | 2/20 | 3/20 | 4/20 | 5/20 | 6/20 | 7/20 | 8/20 | 9/20 | 10/20 | 11/20 | 12/20 |
| 66,987 | 67,298 | 67,544 | 66,231 | 66,762 | 67,680 | 66,851 | 66,775 | 65,705 | 65,675 | 65,802 | 66,242 |
| 1/21 | 2/21 | 3/21 | 4/21 | 5/21 | 6/21 | 7/21 | 8/21 | 9/21 | 10/21 | 11/21 | 12/21 |
| 66,319 | 66,629 | 66,566 | 66,278 | 66,147 | 66,619 | 66,382 | 66,245 | 66,743 | 66,788 | 67,368 | 67,512 |
| 1/22 | 2/22 | 3/22 | 4/22 | 5/22 | 6/22 | 7/22 | 8/22 | 9/22 | 10/22 | 11/22 | 12/22 |
| 68,323 | 69,244 | 68,876 | 68,407 | 68,750 | 68,744 | 69,524 | 70,024 | 70,347 | 70,316 | 70.403 | 70,495 |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 70,709 | 71,392 | 72,019 | 71,556 | 71,669 | 71,565 | 71,363 | 70,992 | 71,883 | 72,802 | 72,651 | 71,886 |
| 1/24 | 2/24 | 3/24 | 4/24 | 5/24 | 6/24 | 7/24 | 8/24 | 9/24 | 10/24 | 11/24 | 12/24 |
| 72,177 | 71,797 | 72,366 | 71,947 | 72,320 | 72,889 | 72,262 | 71,948 | 72,563 | 73,242 | 72,839 | 72,532 |
| 1/25 | 2/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 | 5/25 | 6/25 | 7/25 | 8/25 | 9/25 | 10/25 | 11/25 | 12/25 |
| 73,151 | 73,197 | 73,725 | 73,764 | 72,631 | 72,250 | 71,971 | 72,841 | 73,477 | N/P | 73,941 | 73,678 |
| 1/26 | 2/26 | 3/26 | 4/26 | 5/26 | 6/26 | 7/26 | 8/26 | 9/26 | 10/26 | 11/26 | 12/26 |
| 74,011 | 73,849 | 73,811 | 72,960 | 72,921 |
Management, Business and Financial Operations – Unemployment Rate
| 1/08 | 2/08 | 3/08 | 4/08 | 5/08 | 6/08 | 7/08 | 8/08 | 9/08 | 10/08 | 11/08 | 12/08 |
| 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.7% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.6% | 3.9% |
| 1/09 | 2/09 | 3/09 | 4/09 | 5/09 | 6/09 | 7/09 | 8/09 | 9/09 | 10/09 | 11/09 | 12/09 |
| 4.6% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% | 4.9% | 5.0% | 5.2% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| 1/10 | 2/10 | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 11/10 | 12/10 |
| 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.4% | 5.1% | 4.9% | 4.8% | 4.7% | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.0% | 5.5% | 5.7% |
| 1/11 | 2/11 | 3/11 | 4/11 | 5/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 | 10/11 | 11/11 | 12/11 |
| 5.3% | 4.9% | 4.8% | 4.6% | 4.9% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.7% | 4.6% | 4.4% |
| 1/12 | 2/12 | 3/12 | 4/12 | 5/12 | 6/12 | 7/12 | 8/12 | 9/12 | 10/12 | 11/12 | 12/12 |
| 4.5% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3.6% | 3.8% | 4.1% |
| 1/13 | 2/13 | 3/13 | 4/13 | 5/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 | 8/13 | 9/13 | 10/13 | 11/13 | 12/13 |
| 4.0% | 3.9% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.8% | 3.5% | 3.1% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.7% | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| 1/14 | 2/14 | 3/14 | 4/14 | 5/14 | 6/14 | 7/14 | 8/14 | 9/14 | 10/14 | 11/14 | 12/14 |
| 3.4% | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| 1/15 | 2/15 | 3/15 | 4/15 | 5/15 | 6/15 | 7/15 | 8/15 | 9/15 | 10/15 | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| 3.0% | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 1.9% |
| 1/16 | 2/16 | 3/16 | 4/16 | 5/16 | 6/16 | 7/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 10/16 | 11/16 | 12/16 |
| 2.3% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2.8% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.4% |
| 1/17 | 2/17 | 3/17 | 4/17 | 5/17 | 6/17 | 7/17 | 8/17 | 9/17 | 10/17 | 11/17 | 12/17 |
| 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.0% |
| 1/18 | 2/18 | 3/18 | 4/18 | 5/18 | 6/18 | 7/18 | 8/18 | 9/18 | 10/18 | 11/18 | 12/18 |
| 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.2% |
| 1/19 | 2/19 | 3/19 | 4/19 | 5/19 | 6/19 | 7/19 | 8/19 | 9/19 | 10/19 | 11/19 | 12/19 |
| 2.5% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 1.6% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| 1/20 | 2/20 | 3/20 | 4/20 | 5/20 | 6/20 | 7/20 | 8/20 | 9/20 | 10/20 | 11/20 | 12/20 |
| 2.3% | 1.8% | 2.2% | 6.2% | 5.1% | 4.8% | 5.1% | 4.7% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 3.6% |
| 1/21 | 2/21 | 3/21 | 4/21 | 5/21 | 6/21 | 7/21 | 8/21 | 9/21 | 10/21 | 11/21 | 12/21 |
| 3.8% | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 1.8% |
| 1/22 | 2/22 | 3/22 | 4/22 | 5/22 | 6/22 | 7/22 | 8/22 | 9/22 | 10/22 | 11/22 | 12/22 |
| 2.1% | 2.1% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 1.8% |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 2.0% |
| 1/24 | 2/24 | 3/24 | 4/24 | 5/24 | 6/24 | 7/24 | 8/24 | 9/24 | 10/24 | 11/24 | 12/24 |
| 2.1% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.0% |
| 1/25 | 2/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 | 5/25 | 6/25 | 7/25 | 8/25 | 9/25 | 10/25 | 11/25 | 12/25 |
| 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 2.1% | 2.2% | 2.1% | N/P | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| 1/26 | 2/26 | 3/26 | 4/26 | 5/26 | 6/26 | 7/26 | 8/26 | 9/26 | 10/26 | 11/26 | 12/26 |
| 2.6% | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
Professional & Related – Unemployment Rate
| 1/08 | 2/08 | 3/08 | 4/08 | 5/08 | 6/08 | 7/08 | 8/08 | 9/08 | 10/08 | 11/08 | 12/08 |
| 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.5% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 2.9% |
| 1/10 | 2/10 | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 11/10 | 12/10 |
| 4.9% | 4.6% | 4.3% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 5.0% | 5.2% | 5.3% | 4.4% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 3.8% |
| 1/11 | 2/11 | 3/11 | 4/11 | 5/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 | 10/11 | 11/11 | 12/11 |
| 4.3% | 4.1% | 3.9% | 3.5% | 4.0% | 4.9% | 5.3% | 5.1% | 4.4% | 4.1% | 4.0% | 4.0% |
| 1/12 | 2/12 | 3/12 | 4/12 | 5/12 | 6/12 | 7/12 | 8/12 | 9/12 | 10/12 | 11/12 | 12/12 |
| 4.2% | 4.1% | 4.0% | 3.5% | 4.0% | 4.8% | 5.5% | 5.2% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 3.5% | 3.8% |
| 1/13 | 2/13 | 3/13 | 4/13 | 5/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 | 8/13 | 9/13 | 10/13 | 11/13 | 12/13 |
| 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 4.6% | 4.7% | 4.0% | 3.6% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 2.7% |
| 1/14 | 2/14 | 3/14 | 4/14 | 5/14 | 6/14 | 7/14 | 8/14 | 9/14 | 10/14 | 11/14 | 12/14 |
| 2.9% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 3.9% | 3.1% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 2.8% |
| 1/15 | 2/15 | 3/15 | 4/15 | 5/15 | 6/15 | 7/15 | 8/15 | 9/15 | 10/15 | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| 2.9% | 2.7% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 2.1% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 3.3% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.1% |
| 1/16 | 2/16 | 3/16 | 4/16 | 5/16 | 6/16 | 7/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 10/16 | 11/16 | 12/16 |
| 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 3.1% | 3.4% | 3.5% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.1% |
| 1/17 | 2/17 | 3/17 | 4/17 | 5/17 | 6/17 | 7/17 | 8/17 | 9/17 | 10/17 | 11/17 | 12/17 |
| 2.2% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.1% |
| 1/18 | 2/18 | 3/18 | 4/18 | 5/18 | 6/18 | 7/18 | 8/18 | 9/18 | 10/18 | 11/18 | 12/18 |
| 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.9% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| 1/19 | 2/19 | 3/19 | 4/19 | 5/19 | 6/19 | 7/19 | 8/19 | 9/19 | 10/19 | 11/19 | 12/19 |
| 2.4% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 2.6% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 1.7% |
| 1/20 | 2/20 | 3/20 | 4/20 | 5/20 | 6/20 | 7/20 | 8/20 | 9/20 | 10/20 | 11/20 | 12/20 |
| 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.6% | 8.8% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 7.6% | 6.1% | 4.3% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 3.2% |
| 1/21 | 2/21 | 3/21 | 4/21 | 5/21 | 6/21 | 7/21 | 8/21 | 9/21 | 10/21 | 11/21 | 12/21 |
| 3.5% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.8% | 3.9% | 3.4% | 2.4% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 1.6% |
| 1/22 | 2/22 | 3/22 | 4/22 | 5/22 | 6/22 | 7/22 | 8/22 | 9/22 | 10/22 | 11/22 | 12/22 |
| 2.5% | 2.2% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.7% | 2.6% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.7% | 1.6% |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 2.1% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.4% | 1.7% | 2.5% | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 1.7% |
| 1/24 | 2/24 | 3/24 | 4/24 | 5/24 | 6/24 | 7/24 | 8/24 | 9/24 | 10/24 | 11/24 | 12/24 |
| 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1.6% | 1.9% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 3.2% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| 1/25 | 2/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 | 5/25 | 6/25 | 7/25 | 8/25 | 9/25 | 10/25 | 11/25 | 12/25 |
| 2.3% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.1% | 2.2% | 3.1% | 3.7% | 3.1% | 2.1% | N/P | 2.5% | 2.3% |
| 1/26 | 2/26 | 3/26 | 4/26 | 5/26 | 6/26 | 7/26 | 8/26 | 9/26 | 10/26 | 11/26 | 12/26 |
| 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 2.1% | 2.6% |
Sales & Related – Unemployment Rate
| 1/08 | 2/08 | 3/08 | 4/08 | 5/08 | 6/08 | 7/08 | 8/08 | 9/08 | 10/08 | 11/08 | 12/08 |
| 5.2% | 5.2% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.1% | 5.6% | 6.2% | 6.3% | 5.7% | 6.1% | 6.5% | 7.0% |
| 1/09 | 2/09 | 3/09 | 4/09 | 5/09 | 6/09 | 7/09 | 8/09 | 9/09 | 10/09 | 11/09 | 12/09 |
| 7.7% | 8.4% | 8.9% | 8.6% | 8.9% | 9.1% | 8.3% | 8.7% | 8.9% | 9.5% | 9.1% | 8.9% |
| 1/10 | 2/10 | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 11/10 | 12/10 |
| 10.1% | 10.2% | 9.7% | 9.2% | 9.6% | 9.4% | 10.1% | 9.0% | 9.4% | 9.1% | 8.8% | 8.3% |
| 1/11 | 2/11 | 3/11 | 4/11 | 5/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 | 10/11 | 11/11 | 12/11 |
| 9.3% | 9.0% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 9.4% | 9.7% | 9.4% | 8.6% | 9.4% | 8.2% | 7.8% | 7.7% |
| 1/12 | 2/12 | 3/12 | 4/12 | 5/12 | 6/12 | 7/12 | 8/12 | 9/12 | 10/12 | 11/12 | 12/12 |
| 8.2% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 7.6% | 7.9% | 8.4% | 8.3% | 8.6% | 7.9% | 7.0% | 7.3% | 7.0% |
| 1/13 | 2/13 | 3/13 | 4/13 | 5/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 | 8/13 | 9/13 | 10/13 | 11/13 | 12/13 |
| 8.5% | 8.2% | 7.7% | 6.9% | 7.1% | 6.7% | 6.9% | 7.2% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 7.0% | 6.3% |
| 1/14 | 2/14 | 3/14 | 4/14 | 5/14 | 6/14 | 7/14 | 8/14 | 9/14 | 10/14 | 11/14 | 12/14 |
| 7.1% | 7.7% | 6.8% | 5.8% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 6.2% | 5.6% | 5.4% | 5.2% | 5.3% | 5.0% |
| 1/15 | 2/15 | 3/15 | 4/15 | 5/15 | 6/15 | 7/15 | 8/15 | 9/15 | 10/15 | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| 5.8% | 5.2% | 5.8% | 5.5% | 5.8% | 5.6% | 5.8% | 5.4% | 5.6% | 5.3% | 5.1% | 4.3% |
| 1/16 | 2/16 | 3/16 | 4/16 | 5/16 | 6/16 | 7/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 10/16 | 11/16 | 12/16 |
| 5.0% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| 1/17 | 2/17 | 3/17 | 4/17 | 5/17 | 6/17 | 7/17 | 8/17 | 9/17 | 10/17 | 11/17 | 12/17 |
| 5.2% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 4.2% | 4.5% | 4.8% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 3.8% |
| 1/18 | 2/18 | 3/18 | 4/18 | 5/18 | 6/18 | 7/18 | 8/18 | 9/18 | 10/18 | 11/18 | 12/18 |
| 4.6% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 4.2% | 4.4% | 4.0% | 3.5% | 4.0% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 3.6% |
| 1/19 | 2/19 | 3/19 | 4/19 | 5/19 | 6/19 | 7/19 | 8/19 | 9/19 | 10/19 | 11/19 | 12/19 |
| 4.5% | 5.0% | 4.6% | 3.9% | 3.6% | 3.4% | 3.2% | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| 1/20 | 2/20 | 3/20 | 4/20 | 5/20 | 6/20 | 7/20 | 8/20 | 9/20 | 10/20 | 11/20 | 12/20 |
| 4.5% | 4.2% | 4.3% | 17.1% | 16.2% | 13.3% | 10.9% | 8.6% | 8.9% | 7.0% | 6.3% | 5.3% |
| 1/21 | 2/21 | 3/21 | 4/21 | 5/21 | 6/21 | 7/21 | 8/21 | 9/21 | 10/21 | 11/21 | 12/21 |
| 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 6.4% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 5.5% | 5.2% | 4.5% | 4.2% | 3.6% |
| 1/22 | 2/22 | 3/22 | 4/22 | 5/22 | 6/22 | 7/22 | 8/22 | 9/22 | 10/22 | 11/22 | 12/22 |
| 4.2% | 3.6% | 4.3% | 4.1% | 4.2% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.0% | 3.8% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| 1/23 | 2/23 | 3/23 | 4/23 | 5/23 | 6/23 | 7/23 | 8/23 | 9/23 | 10/23 | 11/23 | 12/23 |
| 4.4% | 4.0% | 3.7% | 3.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 3.7% | 3.9% | 4.1% | 3.9% | 3.7% | 4.4% |
| 1/24 | 2/24 | 3/24 | 4/24 | 5/24 | 6/24 | 7/24 | 8/24 | 9/24 | 10/24 | 11/24 | 12/24 |
| 4.5% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 3.6% | 3.8% | 4.5% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.5% | 3.9% | 4.2% | 4.1% |
| 1/25 | 2/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 | 5/25 | 6/25 | 7/25 | 8/25 | 9/25 | 10/25 | 11/25 | 12/25 |
| 4.9% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 4.2% | 4.5% | 4.9% | 3.9% | 4.8% | 4.8% | N/P | 5/0% | 4.5% |
| 1/26 | 2/26 | 3/26 | 4/26 | 5/26 | 6/26 | 7/26 | 8/26 | 9/26 | 10/26 | 11/26 | 12/26 |
| 5.2% | 4.9% | 5.0% | 4.3% | 3.7% |