by Nick Dobbins
February 2016
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.*
Minnesota lost 5,000 jobs (0.2 percent) in January's final estimates on a seasonally adjusted basis after December estimates were revised up to 2,873,700 in the year-end benchmarking process. The Government supersector was hardest hit by the losses, down 3,800 (0.9 percent) on the month from losses of 4,200 (1.4 percent) in Local Government. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 2,100 jobs (0.4 percent). Annually, the state added 39,916 jobs (1.4 percent), with Private and Public employers as well as Goods Producers and Service Providers all adding employment for the year. The supersector with the most growth, both numerically and proportionally, was Educational and Health Services (up 16,719 or 3.4 percent) while the largest decline came in Mining and Logging (down 1,255 or 18.4 percent).
The Mining and Logging supersector continued to shed employment in January, losing 100 jobs (1.7 percent) from December estimates as it dropped to 5,900 total jobs, seasonally adjusted. Employment remained significantly off on an annual basis as well, losing 1,255 jobs (18.4 percent) from January of 2015.
Employment in Construction was up in January, adding 1,900 jobs (1.6 percent) over December estimates. This growth is in addition to the large upward revision the supersector got from annual benchmarking, where December estimates were increased by 7,600 jobs, moving from to 108,200 to 115,800. Similarly-sized upward revisions were applied to the rest of 2015. Over the year, employment in Construction was up by 4,699 (5 percent). That job growth primarily sprang from an increase in the Specialty Trade Contractors component sector, which added 4,713 jobs (7.7 percent) from January 2015.
Manufacturing employment dipped slightly in January as the supersector lost 900 jobs (0.3 percent) on a seasonally adjusted basis. Durable Goods manufacturers lost 200 jobs (0.1 percent) while Non-Durable Goods manufacturers lost 700 (0.6 percent). Manufacturing also lost jobs on an annual basis, albeit on nearly the smallest scale possible, as the supersector shed four jobs (0.0 percent) from January 2015. While small, this decline is notable as it is the first annual job loss in over two years for the supersector. Durable Goods employment remained up on the year, adding 432 jobs (0.2 percent) while Non-Durable Goods lost 436 jobs (0.4 percent). Paper Manufacturing and Printing and Related Support Activities, a component of Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, lost 868 jobs (2.6 percent) on the year, accounting for a large segment of the overall losses in the sector.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment was off by 2,100 jobs (0.4 percent) in January, while December's previous estimate of 521,500 jobs was revised upward to 524,400. January's job losses came primarily in Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities, which lost 1,800 jobs (1.8 percent,) while Wholesale Trade lost 600 jobs (0.5 percent) and Retail Trade added 300 (0.1 percent). Over the year the supersector added 6,040 jobs (1.2 percent) with gains in all three major component sectors.
Employment in the Information supersector was down sharply in January, shedding 1,800 jobs (3.5 percent) from December's estimate. The estimate of 50,000 jobs is a new historical low for Information, which has seen a steady decline in employment since 2001. Annually, the supersector has lost 832 jobs (1.6 percent) with declines in both published component sectors, Telecommunications and Publishing Industries (except Internet).
The Financial Activities supersector lost 200 jobs (0.1 percent) in January following gains of 200 and 900 jobs in the prior two months. The monthly dip was shared between the two components, with both Finance and Insurance and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing each losing 100 jobs (declines of 0.1 and 0.2 percent, respectively). Annually, Financial Activities added 3,242 jobs (1.8 percent).
The Professional and Business Services supersector lost 1,600 jobs (0.4 percent) in January. The supersector also underwent significant revisions in the annual benchmarking process, with larger adjustments than any other supersector. December estimates declined from 368,500 all the way to 357,800, a difference of over 10,000 jobs. Despite the annual revisions, Professional and Business Services still experienced job growth from January 2015 to January 2016, adding 1,517 jobs (0.4 percent). Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services added 5,143 jobs (3.6 percent) while Management of Companies and Enterprises lost 877 (1.1 percent), and Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services lost 2,749 (2.2 percent).
Educational Services added 2,000 jobs (2.9 percent) while Health Care and Social Assistance added 1,000 (0.2 percent). Annually, the supersector added 16,719 jobs (3.4 percent). Educational Services was up 3,010 jobs (4.7 percent). Health Care and Social Assistance added 13,709 jobs (3.2 percent) with gains in all three major component industry groups. Ambulatory Health Care Services added 7,256 jobs (5.2 percent), Hospitals added 1,820 (1.8 percent), and Nursing and Residential Care Facilities added 2,305 (2.2 percent).
Leisure and Hospitality employment ticked up in January, adding 900 jobs (0.3 percent) on a seasonally adjusted basis. The entirety of that gain came from Accommodation and Food Services (up 0.4 percent) as employment in Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation was flat. Annually, Leisure and Hospitality added 6,373 jobs (2.7 percent).
Employment in Other Services was down by 300 (0.3 percent) in January. Annually, Other Services added 2,875 jobs (2.6 percent). Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations led the increase, adding 1,890 jobs (3 percent) while Repair and Maintenance added 443 jobs (2.1 percent), and Personal and Laundry Services added 542 (2 percent).
Government employers saw a steep drop in January as they lost 3,800 jobs (0.9 percent) from December estimates. Most of that loss came from Local Government, which shed 4,200 jobs (1.4 percent). Annually, Government employers added 542 jobs (0.1 percent).
| Minnesota Seasonally Adjusted Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Data In Thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Jan-16 | Dec-15 | Nov-15 |
| Total Nonfarm | 2,870.7 | 2,875.7 | 2,867.8 |
| Goods-Producing | 440.3 | 439.4 | 438.5 |
| Mining and Logging | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.6 |
| Construction | 117.7 | 115.8 | 115.3 |
| Manufacturing | 316.7 | 317.6 | 316.6 |
| Service-Providing | 2,430.4 | 2,436.3 | 2,429.3 |
| Trade, Transportation and Utilities | 522.3 | 524.4 | 524.1 |
| Information | 50.0 | 51.8 | 51.9 |
| Financial Activities | 182.8 | 183.0 | 182.1 |
| Professional and Business Services | 356.2 | 357.8 | 359.3 |
| Educational and Health | 519.1 | 516.1 | 514.6 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 263.2 | 262.3 | 260.1 |
| Other Services | 115.8 | 116.1 | 115.7 |
| Government | 421.0 | 424.8 | 421.5 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2015 | |||
*Over-the-year data are not seasonally adjusted because of small changes in seasonal adjustment factors from year to year. Also, there is no seasonality in over-the-year changes.
