The BLS defines full-time as 35 hours. That means the average person works part-time.
Average Weekly Hours vs Year Ago
- Total Private: 34.2 Down 0.2
- Manufacturing: 40.0 Down 0.1
- Construction: 39.2 Up 0.1
- Production and Nonsupervisory: 33.7 Down 0.1
- Retail Trade: 29.5 Down 0.3
- Leisure and Hospitality: 25.3 Down 0.4
Total private down 0.2 hours may not sound like much. However, total private employment is 161,864,000. That works out to 32,372,800 hours.
At 34.2 hours per person, that is 946,573 employees.
Note that the rebound peak was 35.0 hours. Figure that’s millions of Leisure and Hospitality workers down from a workweek of 26.6 hours to a workweek of 25.3 hours.
But hey, we are still adding jobs, at least according to the BLS.
Small Businesses Reducing Workers for the Last Five Months
Also see my ADP report Small Businesses Reducing Workers for the Last Five Months
ADP data shows small businesses with 1-49 workers have been reducing workers for five months.
Government Employment Rose by an Amazing 785,000 in September
In case you missed it, please note the BLS says Government Employment Rose by an Amazing 785,000 in September
I am confident something (many things?) went totally nuts in BLS sampling or assumptions, and the economy did not suddenly add 785,000 government workers in September.