FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

Date: Thursday, January 29, 2004

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STATEWIDE PRELIMINARY November 2003
NON-FARM EMPLOYMENT statistics AND LABOR FORCE/UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

This report is produced by the Economic Research and Analysis division of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission as a free service to the Oklahoma community. All of the information contained within is available free of charge at the OESC website (www.oesc.state.ok.us) and through publications developed by the Economic Research and Analysis division.

Please be aware that unless otherwise noted, all statistics contained within are preliminary statistics and have not been adjusted for seasonal factors. All data is collected under strict guidelines provided by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The mission of the OESC Economic Research and Analysis division is to develop, refine and manage a comprehensive system of state and local labor market information. Any individual and/or organization needing to track the economic health of the State of Oklahoma and its local areas may access this information. This customer base includes, but is not limited to, job seekers, employers, economic development entities, students, occupational and educational planners, labor organizations and all levels of government. Labor market information can be used for economic, education, labor force and fiscal planning, as well as serving as a valuable tool for marketing, research and individual career planning.

The OESC strives to produce the highest quality of labor market information possible which will meet the varied needs of our customers. It is our intention that all information released is the highest quality possible, and all publications and information produced are available at no cost.

MANUFACTURING, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND OTHER SERVICES ALL GAIN OVER THE MONTH AND YEAR 

  STATE OF OKLAHOMA

TOTAL NONFARM EMPLOYMENT for the state of Oklahoma contracted to 1,478,400 jobs in December 2003. This was a loss of 3,900 jobs (-0.3 percent) over the month and a loss of 11,200 jobs (-0.8 percent) from December 2002. The Construction, Information, and Education & Health Services supersectors all lost jobs over the month and the year. Other highlights include:

  • Natural Resources and Mining increased over the month by 700 workers and over the year by 1,700 workers. Manufacturing increased to 149,400 jobs by adding 300 employees (+0.2 percent) in December. This supersector grew by 500 jobs (+0.3 percent) when compared to the same period last year. Other Services added 1,700 jobs (+2.3 percent) during December 2003 and 200 employees (+0.3 percent) over the year.

  • Construction declined by 3,000 workers (-4.7 percent) from November 2003 and by 2,000 jobs (-3.1 percent) since December 2002. Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction and Specialty Trade Contractors accounted for the employment reduction for both periods.

  • Trade, Transportation and Utilities, the largest sector in the state with 288,200 employees, gained 1,300 jobs (+0.5 percent) over the month but lost 4,200 workers (-1.4 percent) when compared to December 2002. Retail Trade added 300 jobs over the month while losing 3,800 jobs over the year. Wholesale Trade added 700 jobs for the month while losing 1,600 jobs for the year.

  • Information lost 400 jobs (-1.2 percent) over the month and declined by 2,300 jobs (-6.4 percent) when compared to the same period last year. The Telecommunications sub-sector generated the losses for both periods.

  • Financial Activities remained unchanged for the month while experiencing a growth of 2,200 jobs (+2.6 percent) over the year. Insurance Carriers contributed to the job gains.

  • Professional and Business Services weakened by 1,700 employees (-4.2 percent) in December while remaining unchanged since December 2002. The Employment Services sub-sector was responsible for the change.

  • Educational and Health Services lost 900 employees (-0.5 percent) over the month and declined by 4,400 jobs (-2.5 percent) since December 2002. Social Assistance worker reduction caused most of the over-the-year loss.

  • Leisure and Hospitality employment was reduced over the month by 2,400 workers (-1.9 percent) while adding 1,800 jobs (+1.5 percent) over the year.

  • Total Government employment expanded by 1,100 jobs over the month, primarily in State Government. Yet this supersector contracted by 4,700 jobs (-1.5 percent) over the year, with Local Government accounting for the decline.

Click here to view the Oklahoma NonAg. Wage and Salary Employment Information

OKLAHOMA CITY

FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES AND OTHER SERVICES CONTRIBUTE TO GAINS IN THE OKC MSA

  OKLAHOMA CITY METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA

          TOTAL NONFARM EMPLOYMENT in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) decreased by 1,800 jobs (-0.3 percent) to 543,600 jobs in December 2003.  The Goods Producing Industries recorded a decline of 1,000 jobs (-1.4 percent) over the month.  At the same time, employment was 300 jobs higher than December 2002.  Employment in the Service Providing Industries decreased by 800 jobs (-0.2 percent) over the month and 6,400 jobs (-1.3 percent) since this time last year. Other highlights include:

  • Employment in Natural Resources and Mining gained 100 jobs (+1.5 percent) in December 2003 and 400 jobs (+6.2 percent) since December 2002.  Construction was reduced by 700 jobs (-3.3 percent) over the month and 400 jobs (-1.9 percent) over the year.  The over-the-month loss was due to seasonal factors.  Manufacturing lost 400 jobs (-1.0 percent) in December 2003.  Non-Durable Goods contributed the most job losses with a decrease of 500 jobs (-3.9 percent).

  • Trade, Transportation, and Utilities contracted by 300 jobs (-0.3 percent) in December 2003.  Over the year, this supersector declined by 3,800 jobs (-3.7 percent).  The declines are largely due to losses in Retail Trade (-2,500 jobs since December 2002) and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (-400 jobs over the month and –500 jobs over the year).  Retail Trade gained 400 jobs (+0.6 percent) in December 2003.

  • Information added 100 jobs (+0.7 percent) over the month and lost 200 jobs (-1.4 percent) since this time last year.

  • Financial Activities grew by 700 jobs (+2.1 percent) in December.  Employment in Professional and Business Services was reduced by 1,400 jobs in December, mainly due to job losses in Management of Companies and Enterprises.  Administrative and Support Services contributed a decline of 800 jobs over the month.

  • The only supersector to remain unchanged in December 2003 was Educational and Health Services, which held steady at 70,200 jobs.  Leisure and Hospitality Services declined by 1,300 jobs (-2.5 percent) this month and 2,500 jobs (-4.7 percent) since this time last year.  These declines were mainly seen in Food Services and Drinking Places (Full-Service and Limited-Service Eating Places).  Other Services gained 1,300 jobs (+4.9 percent) in December.  Increases were experienced in Repair and Maintenance Services and Personal and Laundry Services.

  • Federal Government and State Government each added 200 jobs in December 2003, while Local Government decreased by 300 jobs.
 

  Click here to view the Oklahoma City NonAg. Wage and Salary Employment Information

TULSA

FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES ONLY SUPERSECTOR TO GAIN EMPLOYMENT OVER THE YEAR

  TULSA METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA  

        TOTAL NONFARM EMPLOYMENT in the Tulsa Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) contracted to 384,400 jobs in December 2003. This was a loss of 800 jobs (-0.2 percent) over the month and a loss of 7,800 jobs (-2.0 percent) from December 2002. Financial Activities is the only supersector to gain employment compared to its December 2002 level. Other highlights include:

  • Natural Resources and Mining was unchanged over the month and the year.

  • Construction declined by 400 workers (-2.0 percent) from November 2003 and by 200 jobs (-1.0 percent) since December 2002.

  • Manufacturing increased by 200 employees (+0.4 percent) in December but lost 1,300 jobs (-2.8 percent) when compared to the same period last year.

  • Trade, Transportation and Utilities, the MSA’s largest supersector with 82,500 employees, gained 700 jobs (+0.9 percent) over the month but lost 1,400 workers (-1.7 percent) when compared to December 2002. Retail Trade added 700 jobs over the month while losing 1,800 jobs over the year.

  • Information lost 100 jobs (-0.8 percent) since November 2003 and declined by 1,100 jobs (-7.8 percent) when compared to the same period last year.

  • Financial Activities lost 200 workers over the month while growing by 500 jobs (+2.0 percent) over the year.

  • Professional and Business Services weakened by 1,200 employees (-2.4 percent) in December 2003 while losing only 100 jobs (-0.2 percent) since December 2002.

  • Educational and Health Services grew by 200 employees (+0.4 percent) over the month but declined by 1,500 jobs (-3.0 percent) since December 2002.

  • Leisure and Hospitality was reduced by 400 workers (-1.3 percent) over the month and by 1,200 jobs (-3.7 percent) over the year.

  • Other Services grew by 300 jobs (+1.5 percent) during December 2003 and contracted by 500 employees (-2.5 percent) over the year.

  • Total Government expanded by 100 jobs over the month and contracted by 1,000 jobs (-2.2 percent) over the year with Local Government accounting for the annual decline.

 

Click here to view the Tulsa NonAg. Wage and Salary Employment Information

LAWTON
SEASONAL FACTORS INCREASE EMPLOYMENT IN RETAIL TRADE

  LAWTON METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA

TOTAL NONFARM EMPLOYMENT in December 2003 held steady at 37,600 jobs but decreased by 1,300 jobs (-3.3 percent) over the year. Other highlights include:

  • Retail Trade saw a seasonal increase of 100 jobs in December due to the holiday shopping season.  Manufacturing also increased by 100 jobs (+2.9 percent) over the month but lost 100 jobs since last year.

  • Construction lost 100 jobs in December 2003 and has lost 200 jobs since December 2002.  Wholesale Trade and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities were both unchanged over the month.  Professional and Business Services and Educational and Health Services held steady in December.  Both sectors lost 100 jobs over the year.

  • Leisure and Hospitality Services decreased by 100 jobs over the month and by 400 jobs since December 2002.

  • Total Government remained unchanged over the month. At the same time, Federal Government and State Government lost 100 jobs and 200 jobs, respectively, since December 2002.

  • Natural Resources and Mining, Information, Financial Activities, and Other Services each remained constant over the month and over the year.

Click here to view the Lawton NonAg. Wage and Salary Employment Information

ENID
TRADE, TRANSPORTATION & UTILITIES INCREASES EMPLOYMENT FOR BOTH MONTH AND YEAR

  ENID METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA

Enid’s TOTAL NONFARM EMPLOYMENT of 23,300 jobs for December 2003 was unchanged over the month but declined by 500 jobs (-2.1 percent) over the year. Other highlights include:

  1. Natural Resources and Mining, Financial Activities, Professional and Business Services, Other Services and Government employment levels remained constant over the month and over the year.

  2. Construction lost 100 jobs (-11.1 percent) both over the month and over the year.

  3. At 2,200 jobs, Manufacturing was unchanged for the month but declined by 100 jobs (-4.3 percent) since December 2002.

  4. Trade, Transportation and Utilities, the largest of Enid’s employment sectors, increased by 200 jobs (+3.3 percent) over the month and by 100 jobs over the year, reaching  6,200 jobs.

  5. The Information supersector was unchanged for the month but declined by 100 jobs (-33.3 percent) since December 2002.

  6. Educational and Health Services was unchanged for the month but declined by 100 jobs (-2.7 percent) since December 2002

  7. Leisure and Hospitality Services lost 100 jobs (-5.6 percent) over the month and 200 jobs (-10.5 percent) over the year.
Click here to view the Enid NonAg. Wage and Salary Employment Information

OKLAHOMA LABOR FORCE

LABOR FORCE AND TOTAL EMPLOYMENT BOTH EXPERIENCE RECORD LOSSES

   LABOR FORCE STATISTICS

Oklahoma’s Non-seasonally Adjusted Labor Force lost 20,000 persons (-1.2 percent) from last month’s upward revised number to reach 1,701,800 in November, the largest over-the-month loss for the October-November period in Oklahoma since 1978. The labor force declined to the lowest level it has seen since May of this year.   Over the year, the civilian labor force reading was little changed, dropping by less than 1,000 people (-0.1 percent). 

Oklahoma’s Non-seasonally Adjusted Total Employment also experienced its’ biggest monthly loss for the same period since 1978. Over the month, total employment lost 15,000 jobs from 1,630,800 in October to 1,615,800 in November. Like the labor force, employment was also at the lowest level since May of this year.  Since the same time period last year, total employment has lost 12,500 jobs (-0.8 percent).

* Oklahoma labor force data record started from January 1978.
Click here to View the December 2003  Preliminary Labor Force Statistics

For labor market information, news releases, addresses of OESC’s local offices, please check OESC’s home page at 
http:// www.oesc.state.ok.us/

Last Updated 12/08/2009