FRED Graph

Source: U.S. Department of Labor  

Release: Minimum Wage Rates  

Units:  Dollars per Hour, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Frequency:  Monthly

The federal minimum wage is the minimum hourly wage employers are required to pay employees who are eligible under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938. The FLSA was generally only applicable to employees involved in interstate commerce, either directly or through the creation of goods. Many amendments have since been added to the FLSA, expanding its coverage and raising the minimum wage. Significant amendments occurred in 1961 and in 1966, when a separate minimum wage for farm workers was established. Starting in January of 1978 the minimum wages of all eligible workers, including farm workers, were made uniform. The values in the series for non-farm workers are those for the groups initially covered under the 1938 FLSA. Many states also have minimum wage laws. Some state laws provide greater employee protections; employers must comply with both.

For additional information go to: http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/coverage.htm or http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.htm#fn3

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  

Release: Employment Situation  

Units:  Dollars per Hour, Seasonally Adjusted

Frequency:  Monthly

Production and related employees include working supervisors and all nonsupervisory employees (including group leaders and trainees) engaged in fabricating, processing, assembling, inspecting, receiving, storing, handling, packing, warehousing, shipping, trucking, hauling, maintenance, repair, janitorial, guard services, product development, auxiliary production for plant's own use (for example, power plant), recordkeeping, and other services closely associated with the above production operations.
#Nonsupervisory employees include those individuals in private, service-providing industries who are not above the working-supervisor level. This group includes individuals such as office and clerical workers, repairers, salespersons, operators, drivers, physicians, lawyers, accountants, nurses, social workers, research aides, teachers, drafters, photographers, beauticians, musicians, restaurant workers, custodial workers, attendants, line installers and repairers, laborers, janitors, guards, and other employees at similar occupational levels whose services are closely associated with those of the employees listed.

The series comes from the 'Current Employment Statistics (Establishment Survey).'

The source code is: CES3000000008

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  

Release: Employment Situation  

Units:  Thousands of Persons, Seasonally Adjusted

Frequency:  Monthly

All Employees: Total Nonfarm, commonly known as Total Nonfarm Payroll, is a measure of the number of U.S. workers in the economy that excludes proprietors, private household employees, unpaid volunteers, farm employees, and the unincorporated self-employed. This measure accounts for approximately 80 percent of the workers who contribute to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

This measure provides useful insights into the current economic situation because it can represent the number of jobs added or lost in an economy. Increases in employment might indicate that businesses are hiring which might also suggest that businesses are growing. Additionally, those who are newly employed have increased their personal incomes, which means (all else constant) their disposable incomes have also increased, thus fostering further economic expansion.

Generally, the U.S. labor force and levels of employment and unemployment are subject to fluctuations due to seasonal changes in weather, major holidays, and the opening and closing of schools. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) adjusts the data to offset the seasonal effects to show non-seasonal changes: for example, women's participation in the labor force; or a general decline in the number of employees, a possible indication of a downturn in the economy. To closely examine seasonal and non-seasonal changes, the BLS releases two monthly statistical measures: the seasonally adjusted All Employees: Total Nonfarm (PAYEMS) and All Employees: Total Nonfarm (PAYNSA), which is not seasonally adjusted.

The series comes from the 'Current Employment Statistics (Establishment Survey).'

The source code is: CES0000000001