Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release — 2010-01-08

Advance copies of this statement are made available to the press under lock-up conditions with the explicit understanding that the data are embargoed until 8:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Nonfarm payroll employment edged down in December (-85,000), and the unemployment rate held at 10.0 percent. In 2009, payroll employment declined by 4.2 million. Over the course of the year, job losses moderated substantially. In the first quarter of 2009, job declines averaged 691,000 per month, compared with 69,000 per month in the last quarter. In December, job losses continued in construction, manufacturing, and wholesale trade, while employment continued to rise in temporary help services and health care. Over the month, construction employment fell by 53,000, in line with average monthly job losses since May 2009. Over the year, the industry shed 934,000 jobs. Nonresidential and heavy construction accounted for the majority of the loss in 2009.