Employment marginally down
The number of employee jobs declined by 4 thousand in the fourth quarter of 2013 relative to the third quarter. In the preceding quarters, the decline was much more substantial. Figures about quarter-on-quarter developments are adjusted for seasonal variation.
Jobs of employees, seasonally adjusted
In the fourth quarter of last year, the number of employee jobs was 128 thousand down from the same period in 2012, a reduction by 1.6 percent. Employee job numbers have been below the level of twelve months previously for an uninterrupted period of twenty-four months now. In the fourth quarter, jobs were lost across nearly all sectors. The sectors health care and welfare (35 thousand) and construction (29 thousand) were hit hardest. In the sector trade, transport, hotels and restaurants employment was down by 18 thousand.
Altogether, there were nearly 7.7 million full-time and part-time employee jobs in the Netherlands in the fourth quarter. The number of labour years (defined as the number of jobs converted to full-time equivalents) stood at 5.7 million, i.e. 1.8 percent down from twelve months previously.
In the fourth quarter, wages per working year were 2.8 percent higher than one year previously, the largest increase in more than four years.
Growth rate of jobs and economic growth
More figures can be found in dossier Business cycle.
For more information on economic indicators, the reader is referred to the Economic Monitor.