The Employment Situation: October 1999 — 1999-11-05

Employment rose in October, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 4.1 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 310,000, following an increase of only 41,000 (as revised) in September. Average hourly earnings rose by 1 cent in October. The number of unemployed persons, 5.8 million, and the unemployment rate, 4.1 percent, were essentially unchanged in October. The jobless rate has been 4.3 percent or lower since March. Unemployment rates for the major demographic groups--adult men (3.5 percent), adult women (3.5 percent), teenagers (13.9 percent), whites (3.5 percent), blacks (8.3 percent), and Hispanics (6.4 percent)--showed little or no change over the month. (See tables A-1 and A-2.) The civilian labor force, at 139.7 million, and the labor force participation rate, at 67.0 percent, were little changed in October. Total employment rose by 346,000 to 133.9 million. The employment-population ratio (64.2 percent) remained near its September level.