Measuring Jobs in U.S.

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2004-9-9

This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Economics Report.

Last Friday, the United States Labor Department released the
employment numbers for August. The report said the number of
unemployed people and the unemployment rate were both about the same
as in July.

Unemployment was down one-tenth of one percent, to five point
four percent. More than one hundred fifty thousand people left the
labor force for whatever reason. Last summer the unemployment rate
reached six point three percent.

The report said the number of jobs increased by one hundred
forty-four thousand in August. There were gains in health care and
several other industries that provide services. Manufacturers added
twenty two thousand jobs.

The Labor Department also said almost sixty thousand more jobs
were created in June and July than first reported.

President Bush said the new information shows that the "economy
is strong and getting stronger." Democratic presidential candidate
John Kerry saw the numbers differently. He said Mister Bush is now
sure to be, in his words, "the first president since the Great
Depression to face re-election without creating a single job." Both
could be right, depending on which measure they use.

The Department of Labor measures employment in two ways. One is
known as the household survey. Sixty thousand households are asked
if anyone age sixteen and over had worked during the past week. Even
those who worked without pay in a family business or farm are
considered employed.

The other measure is taken from information from one hundred
sixty thousand employers. This is known as the establishment survey.
It does not include farm workers or the self-employed.

The number of Americans counted as employed is about eight
million higher in the household survey. The Republicans use numbers
from this survey to point to job growth among the self-employed and
others. The Democrats use the establishment survey to talk about the
economy having fewer jobs than four years ago. But the two surveys
measure employment differently.

In any case, many economists noted that the rate of job creation
has slowed compared to earlier this year. They say more jobs are
needed just to meet population growth.

This VOA Special English Economics Report was written by Mario
Ritter. This is Gwen Outen.


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