The Employment Situation: January 2001 — 2001-02-02

Unemployment increased in January, and payroll employment rose by 268,000, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Construction employment increased by 145,000, after seasonal adjustment, as unusual weather patterns over the last 3 months contributed to extremely light layoffs in January. Manufacturing experienced another sizable employment decline over the month. Average hourly earnings were unchanged. The number of unemployed rose by about 300,000 to nearly 6.0 million, pushing the unemployment rate from 4.0 to 4.2 percent. The jobless rate had ranged from 3.9 to 4.1 percent since October 1999. The unemployment rates for each of the major worker groups--adult men (3.6 percent), adult women (3.6 percent), teenagers (13.8 percent), whites (3.6 percent), blacks (8.4 percent), and Hispanics (6.0 percent)--were marginally higher in January. (See tables A-1 and A-2.) Total employment was essentially unchanged at 136.0 million, seasonally adjusted, in January.