NEW YORK - August 6, 2010 - Total nonfarm payroll employment declined by 131,000 in July, and the official unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.5% percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Federal government employment fell, as 143,000 temporary workers hired for the decennial census completed their work. Private-sector payroll employment edged up by 71,000.

Census 2010 hiring decreased 143,000 in July. Non-farm payroll employment increased 12,000 in July ex-Census. Also June was revised down sharply to 221,000 jobs lost (revised from 125,000 jobs lost).

Nonfarm payrolls decreased by 131,000 in July. The economy has lost 52,000 jobs over the last year, and 7.7 million jobs since the Depression started in December 2007.

For the current employment Depression, employment peaked in December 2007, and this Depression is by far the worst since WWII in percentage terms, and second worst in terms of the unemployment rate (only early '80s recession with a peak of 10.8% was worse).

This is a very weak report, especially considering the downward revision to June. The participation rate declined again, and that is why the unemployment rate was steady - and that is bad news.