Full text of January 2005 : Text File, USDL - 05-431
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Technical information: (202) 691-5870 USDL 05-431
http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact: 691-5902 Tuesday, March 15, 2005
JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: JANUARY 2005
The job openings rate fell slightly in January to 2.4 percent, while the
hires and total separations rates were unchanged at 3.5 and 3.3 percent,
respectively, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor
reported today. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of
job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector by indus-
try and geographic region.
Job Openings
On the last business day of January 2005, there were 3.3 million job
openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.4 percent.
(See table 1.) The job openings rate trended upward from September 2003
through May 2004, but then leveled off. In January, the job openings rate
decreased for private industries overall and for government. The job open-
ings rate fell in the West region, but showed little or no change in the
other regions of the country.
Hires and Separations
The hires rate (the number of hires during the month divided by employ-
ment) was 3.5 percent in January, unchanged from a month earlier. (See
table 2.) Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. No in-
dustries or regions showed a significant change in their hires rates from
December to January.
The total separations, or turnover, rate (the total number of separations
during the month divided by employment) was 3.3 percent in January. Separa-
tions are terminations of employment that occur at any time during the month.
(See table 3.) The total separations rate fell in government and in the
trade, transportation, and utilities industry in January.
------------------------------------------------------------
| Revisions to the JOLTS Data |
| |
| The job openings, hires, and separations data in this |
| release have been revised to incorporate annual updates to |
| the Current Employment Statistics employment counts and |
| the JOLTS seasonal adjustment factors. See page 3 for |
| more information. |
------------------------------------------------------------
- 2 -
Table A. Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally
adjusted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Job openings | Hires | Total separations
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Industry | Jan. | Dec. | Jan. | Jan. | Dec. | Jan. | Jan. | Dec. | Jan.
| 2004 | 2004 | 2005p| 2004 | 2004 | 2005p| 2004 | 2004 | 2005p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Levels (in thousands)
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1/...........|2,864 |3,507 |3,305 |4,310 |4,639 |4,669 |3,994 |4,435 |4,361
Total private 1/.|2,527 |3,106 |2,953 |4,010 |4,337 |4,356 |3,703 |4,146 |4,086
Construction...| 144 | 132 | 121 | 374 | 368 | 293 | 411 | 355 | 403
Manufacturing..| 223 | 266 | 252 | 369 | 324 | 292 | 314 | 353 | 340
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and| | | | | | | | |
utilities.....| 442 | 561 | 536 | 970 | 986 |1,066 | 901 |1,062 | 887
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services......| 507 | 699 | 682 | 723 | 878 | 882 | 551 | 833 | 851
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices.........| 537 | 557 | 551 | 427 | 452 | 443 | 391 | 375 | 346
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality...| 369 | 450 | 437 | 759 | 834 | 856 | 693 | 758 | 797
Government.......| 327 | 396 | 340 | 306 | 307 | 321 | 276 | 274 | 250
|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Rates (percent)
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1/...........| 2.1 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.3
Total private 1/.| 2.3 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.7
Construction...| 2.1 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 4.1 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 5.7
Manufacturing..| 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2.4
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and| | | | | | | | |
utilities.....| 1.7 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.5
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services......| 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 3.4 | 5.0 | 5.1
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices.........| 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.0
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality...| 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 6.1 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 6.3
Government.......| 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/ Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
Total separations include quits (voluntary separations), layoffs and
discharges (involuntary separations), and other separations (including
retirements). The quits rate, which can serve as a barometer of workers'
ability to change jobs, was unchanged at 1.9 percent in January. (See
table 4.) The quits rate did not change significantly in any industry
- 3 -
in January, but did rise slightly in the Northeast region. The other
two components of total separations, layoffs and discharges and other
separations, are not seasonally adjusted. The layoffs and discharges
rate (1.3 percent) was little changed from January 2004 to January 2005;
the other separations rate (0.3 percent) was unchanged. (See tables 9
and 10.)
Hires and separations help show dynamic flows in the labor market. Over
the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.5 million per month and separations
have averaged 4.3 million per month. (See the Technical Note for additional
information on these measures.)
For More Information
For additional information, please see the Technical Note or the JOLTS
Web site at www.bls.gov/jlt/. Additional information about JOLTS also may
be obtained by e-mailing Joltsinfo@bls.gov or by calling (202) 691-5870.
______________________________
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover release for February 2005 is
scheduled to be issued on Tuesday, April 12, 2005.
------------------------------------------------------------------
| Revisions to Job Openings and Labor Turnover Data |
| |
| In accordance with annual practice, the Job Openings and |
| Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data have been revised to reflect |
| annual updates to the Current Employment Statistics (CES), or |
| establishment survey, employment counts. The JOLTS employment |
| levels (not published) are ratio-adjusted to the CES employment |
| levels, and the resulting ratios are applied to all JOLTS data |
| elements. This annual benchmark process resulted in revisions |
| to all not seasonally adjusted JOLTS data series from April 2003 |
| forward. Additionally, the seasonally adjusted JOLTS data series |
| have been recalculated from December 2000 forward to reflect up- |
| dated seasonal adjustment factors. |
| |
| Table B presents updated seasonally adjusted job openings |
| data for April 2003 forward, while Table C presents updated |
| hires data, and Table D presents updated total separations |
| data. |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- 4 -
Table B. Revisions in job openings data, seasonally adjusted, April 2003 -
December 2004
_________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Levels (in thousands) | Rates (percent)
Year |-----------------------------------|----------------------------------
and | As | As | | As | As |
month | previously | revised | Difference | previously | revised | Difference
| published | | | published | |
_________________________________________________________________________________
2003 | | | | | |
April.....| 2,807 | 2,759 | -48 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 0.0
May.......| 2,723 | 2,719 | -4 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 0.0
June......| 2,859 | 2,876 | 17 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 0.0
July......| 2,738 | 2,769 | 31 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 0.0
August....| 2,688 | 2,773 | 85 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 0.1
September.| 2,755 | 2,657 | -98 | 2.1 | 2.0 | -0.1
October...| 2,823 | 2,814 | -9 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 0.0
November..| 2,952 | 2,902 | -50 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 0.0
December..| 3,062 | 2,978 | -84 | 2.3 | 2.2 | -0.1
2004 | | | | | |
January...| 2,868 | 2,864 | -4 | 2.2 | 2.1 | -0.1
February..| 2,906 | 2,961 | 55 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 0.0
March.....| 3,079 | 3,105 | 26 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 0.0
April.....| 3,135 | 3,111 | -24 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 0.0
May.......| 3,105 | 3,181 | 76 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 0.1
June......| 3,022 | 3,140 | 118 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 0.0
July......| 3,237 | 3,231 | -6 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 0.0
August....| 3,195 | 3,206 | 11 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 0.0
September.| 3,294 | 3,265 | -29 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 0.0
October...| 3,420 | 3,300 | -120 | 2.5 | 2.4 | -0.1
November..| 3,205 | 3,277 | 72 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 0.0
December..| 3,385 | 3,507 | 122 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 0.1
__________|____________|_________|____________|____________|_________|___________
- 5 -
Table C. Revisions in hires data, seasonally adjusted, April 2003 - December 2004
_________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Levels (in thousands) | Rates (percent)
Year |-----------------------------------|----------------------------------
and | As | As | | As | As |
month | previously | revised | Difference | previously | revised | Difference
| published | | | published | |
_________________________________________________________________________________
2003 | | | | | |
April.....| 3,911 | 3,903 | -8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0.0
May.......| 3,958 | 4,027 | 69 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 0.1
June......| 4,035 | 4,107 | 72 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
July......| 4,014 | 4,165 | 151 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
August....| 4,010 | 4,150 | 140 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
September.| 4,061 | 4,182 | 121 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
October...| 4,108 | 4,240 | 132 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 0.1
November..| 4,135 | 4,177 | 42 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 0.0
December..| 4,216 | 4,348 | 132 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 0.1
2004 | | | | | |
January...| 4,106 | 4,310 | 204 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 0.1
February..| 4,103 | 4,159 | 56 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 0.0
March.....| 4,603 | 4,838 | 235 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 0.2
April.....| 4,398 | 4,509 | 111 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 0.0
May.......| 4,206 | 4,339 | 133 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 0.1
June......| 4,433 | 4,492 | 59 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 0.0
July......| 4,229 | 4,297 | 68 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 0.1
August....| 4,375 | 4,504 | 129 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 0.1
September.| 4,253 | 4,406 | 153 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 0.1
October...| 4,469 | 4,552 | 83 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 0.0
November..| 4,780 | 4,990 | 210 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 0.2
December..| 4,488 | 4,639 | 151 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 0.1
__________|____________|_________|____________|____________|_________|___________
- 6 -
Table D. Revisions in total separations data, seasonally adjusted, April 2003 -
December 2004
_________________________________________________________________________________
| | |
| Levels (in thousands) | Rates (percent)
Year |-----------------------------------|----------------------------------
and | As | As | | As | As |
month | previously | revised | Difference | previously | revised | Difference
| published | | | published | |
_________________________________________________________________________________
2003 | | | | | |
April.....| 3,975 | 3,946 | -29 | 3.1 | 3.0 | -0.1
May.......| 3,736 | 3,824 | 88 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 0.0
June......| 4,002 | 4,186 | 184 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
July......| 3,861 | 3,944 | 83 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0.0
August....| 3,815 | 3,909 | 94 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 0.1
September.| 3,845 | 4,013 | 168 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 0.1
October...| 3,859 | 4,073 | 214 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 0.1
November..| 3,797 | 3,948 | 151 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 0.1
December..| 4,022 | 4,298 | 276 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 0.2
2004 | | | | | |
January...| 3,968 | 3,994 | 26 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 0.1
February..| 4,073 | 4,196 | 123 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
March.....| 4,134 | 4,289 | 155 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 0.1
April.....| 4,088 | 4,334 | 246 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 0.2
May.......| 4,040 | 4,254 | 214 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
June......| 4,069 | 4,235 | 166 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
July......| 4,074 | 4,190 | 116 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
August....| 4,134 | 4,271 | 137 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
September.| 4,158 | 4,214 | 56 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 0.0
October...| 4,129 | 4,215 | 86 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
November..| 4,131 | 4,266 | 135 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 0.1
December..| 4,278 | 4,435 | 157 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 0.1
__________|____________|_________|____________|____________|_________|___________
- 7 -
Technical Note
The data for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) are
collected and compiled monthly from a sample of business establishments
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Collection
Each month, data are collected in a survey of business establishments
for total employment, job openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges,
and other separations. Data collection methods include computer-assisted
telephone interviewing, touchtone data entry, fax, and mail.
Coverage
The JOLTS program covers all private nonfarm establishments such as
factories, offices, and stores, as well as federal, state, and local
government entities in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Concepts
Industry classification. The industry classifications in this release
are in accordance with the 2002 version of the North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS). In order to ensure the highest possible
quality of data, State Employment Security Agencies verify with employers
and update, if necessary, the industry code, location, and ownership clas-
sification of all establishments on a 3-year cycle. Changes in establish-
ment characteristics resulting from the verification process are always
introduced into the JOLTS sampling frame with the data reported for the
first month of the year.
Employment. Employment includes persons on the payroll who worked or re-
ceived pay for the pay period that includes the 12th day of the reference
month. Full-time, part-time, permanent, short-term, seasonal, salaried,
and hourly employees are included, as are employees on paid vacations or
other paid leave. Proprietors or partners of unincorporated businesses,
unpaid family workers, or persons on leave without pay or on strike for
the entire pay period, are not counted as employed. Employees of tempo-
rary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, and
consultants are counted by their employer of record, not by the establish-
ment where they are working.
Job openings. Establishments submit job openings information for the
last business day of the reference month. A job opening requires that:
1) a specific position exists and there is work available for that posi-
tion, 2) work could start within 30 days regardless of whether a suitable
candidate is found, and 3) the employer is actively recruiting from outside
the establishment to fill the position. Included are full-time, part-time,
permanent, short-term, and seasonal openings. Active recruiting means that
the establishment is taking steps to fill a position by advertising in news-
papers or on the Internet, posting help-wanted signs, accepting applications,
or using other similar methods.
Jobs to be filled only by internal transfers, promotions, demotions, or
recall from layoffs are excluded. Also excluded are jobs with start dates
more than 30 days in the future, jobs for which employees have been hired
but have not yet reported for work, and jobs to be filled by employees of
temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors,
or consultants. The job openings rate is computed by dividing the number
of job openings by the sum of employment and job openings and multiplying
that quotient by 100.
- 8 -
Hires. Hires are the total number of additions to the payroll occurring
at any time during the reference month, including both new and rehired em-
ployees, full-time and part-time, permanent, short-term and seasonal em-
ployees, employees recalled to the location after a layoff lasting more
than 7 days, on-call or intermittent employees who returned to work after
having been formally separated, and transfers from other locations. The
hires count does not include transfers or promotions within the reporting
site, employees returning from strike, employees of temporary help agencies
or employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants. The
hires rate is computed by dividing the number of hires by employment and
multiplying that quotient by 100.
Separations. Separations are the total number of terminations of
employment occurring at any time during the reference month, and are
reported by type of separation--quits, layoffs and discharges, and
other separations. Quits are voluntary separations by employees (ex-
cept for retirements, which are reported as other separations). Lay-
offs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the em-
ployer and include layoffs with no intent to rehire, formal layoffs
lasting or expected to last more than 7 days, discharges resulting
from mergers, downsizing, or closings, firings or other discharges
for cause, terminations of permanent or short-term employees, and
terminations of seasonal employees. Other separations include re-
tirements, transfers to other locations, deaths, and separations
due to disability. Separations do not include transfers within the
same location or employees on strike.
The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations
by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. The quits, layoffs
and discharges, and other separations rates are computed similarly, divid-
ing the number by employment and multiplying by 100.
Sample methodology
The JOLTS sample design is a random sample of 16,000 nonfarm business
establishments, including factories, offices, and stores, as well as
federal, state, and local governments in the 50 states and the District
of Columbia. The establishments are drawn from a universe of over eight
million establishments compiled as part of the operations of the Quarterly
Census of Employment and Wages, or QCEW, program. This program includes
all employers subject to state Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws and federal
agencies subject to Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE).
The sampling frame is stratified by ownership, region, industry sector,
and size class. Large firms fall into the sample with virtual certainty.
JOLTS total employment estimates are controlled to the employment estimates
of the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey. A ratio of CES to JOLTS
employment is used to adjust the levels for all other JOLTS data elements.
Rates are then computed from the adjusted levels.
- 9 -
Using JOLTS data
The JOLTS data series on job openings, hires, and separations are rel-
atively new. The full sample is divided into panels, with one panel
enrolled each month. A full complement of panels for the original data
series based on the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system
was not completely enrolled in the survey until January 2002. The supple-
mental panels of establishments needed to create NAICS estimates were not
completely enrolled until May 2003. The data collected up until those
points are from less than a full sample. Therefore, estimates from earlier
months should be used with caution, as fewer sampled units were reporting
data at that time.
In March 2002, BLS procedures for collecting hires and separations data
were revised to address possible underreporting. As a result, JOLTS hires
and separations estimates for months prior to March 2002 may not be compar-
able with estimates for March 2002 and later.
The federal government reorganization that involved transferring approx-
imately 180,000 employees to the new Department of Homeland Security is not
reflected in the JOLTS hires and separations estimates for the federal gov-
ernment. The Office of Personnel Management's record shows these transfers
were completed in March 2003. The inclusion of transfers in the JOLTS defi-
nitions of hires and separations is intended to cover ongoing movements of
workers between establishments. The Department of Homeland Security reorgan-
ization was a massive one-time event, and the inclusion of these intergovern-
mental transfers would distort the federal government time series.
Seasonal adjustment
BLS seasonally adjusts several JOLTS series using the X-12-ARIMA
seasonal adjustment program. Seasonal adjustment is the process of
estimating and removing periodic fluctuations caused by events such
as weather, holidays, and the beginning and ending of the school year.
Seasonal adjustment makes it easier to observe fundamental changes in
the level of the series, particularly those associated with general
economic expansions and contractions. A concurrent seasonal adjust-
ment methodology is used in which new seasonal adjustment factors are
calculated each month, using all relevant data, up to and including
the data for the current month.
Data users should note that seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS series is
conducted with fewer data observations than is customary. The historical
data, therefore, may be subject to larger than normal revisions. Since the
seasonal patterns in economic data series typically emerge over time, the
standard use of moving averages as seasonal filters to capture these effects
requires longer series than are currently available. As a result, the stable
seasonal filter option is used in the seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS data.
When calculating seasonal factors, this filter takes an average for each cal-
endar month after detrending the series. The stable seasonal filter assumes
that the seasonal factors are fixed; a necessary assumption until sufficient
data are available. When the stable seasonal filter is no longer needed,
other program features also may be introduced, such as outlier adjustment
and extended diagnostic testing. Additionally, it is expected that more
series, such as layoffs and discharges and additional industries, may be
seasonally adjusted when more data are available.
- 10 -
Reliability of the estimates
JOLTS estimates are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error.
When a sample rather than the entire population is surveyed, there is a
chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true" population
values they represent. The exact difference, or sampling error, varies
depending on the particular sample selected, and this variability is
measured by the standard error of the estimate. BLS analysis is generally
conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence. That means that there is
a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a
sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true"
population value because of sampling error. Estimates of sampling errors
are available upon request.
The JOLTS estimates also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling
error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to include a seg-
ment of the population, the inability to obtain data from all units in the
sample, the inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide data on a
timely basis, mistakes made by respondents, errors made in the collection
or processing of the data, and errors from the employment benchmark data
used in estimation.
JOLTS hires and separations estimates cannot be used to exactly ex-
plain net changes in nonfarm payroll employment. Some reasons why it is
problematic to compare changes in payroll employment with JOLTS hires and
separations, especially on a monthly basis, are: 1) the reference period
for payroll employment is the pay period including the 12th of the month,
while the reference period for hires and separations is the calendar month;
and 2) payroll employment can vary from month to month simply because part-
time and on-call workers may not always work during the pay period that in-
cludes the 12th of the month. Additionally, research has found that some
reporters systematically underreport separations relative to hires due to a
number of factors, including the nature of their payroll systems and prac-
tices. The shortfall appears to be about 2 percent or less over a 12-month
period.
Other information
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone: 1-800-877-8339.
Table 1. Job openings levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
Levels(3) (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.
2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p
Total(4)............................... 2,864 3,206 3,265 3,300 3,277 3,507 3,305 2.1 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.6 2.4
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 2,527 2,855 2,905 2,924 2,910 3,106 2,953 2.3 2.5 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.6
Construction......................... 144 110 105 114 118 132 121 2.1 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.7
Manufacturing........................ 223 238 245 250 248 266 252 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 442 548 609 559 554 561 536 1.7 2.1 2.3 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.0
Professional and business services... 507 589 583 602 620 699 682 3.0 3.5 3.4 3.5 3.6 4.0 3.9
Education and health services........ 537 533 529 547 543 557 551 3.1 3.0 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1
Leisure and hospitality.............. 369 418 419 413 411 450 437 2.9 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.4 3.3
Government............................ 327 348 360 400 369 396 340 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.5
REGION
Northeast............................ 487 562 564 562 560 620 595 1.9 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.4 2.3
South................................ 1,140 1,248 1,239 1,318 1,250 1,329 1,306 2.4 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.6 2.8 2.7
Midwest.............................. 672 671 699 688 726 740 727 2.1 2.1 2.2 2.1 2.3 2.3 2.3
West................................. 578 738 797 742 759 792 692 2.0 2.5 2.7 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.3
1 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day of the month.
2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a percent of total employment plus
job openings.
3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the regions are: Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of
Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,
Virginia, and West Virginia; Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,
South Dakota, and Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming.
Table 2. Hires levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
Levels(3) (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.
2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p
Total(4)............................... 4,310 4,504 4,406 4,552 4,990 4,639 4,669 3.3 3.4 3.3 3.4 3.8 3.5 3.5
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 4,010 4,174 3,957 4,216 4,652 4,337 4,356 3.7 3.8 3.6 3.8 4.2 3.9 3.9
Construction......................... 374 398 363 353 373 368 293 5.5 5.7 5.2 5.0 5.3 5.2 4.1
Manufacturing........................ 369 356 361 353 386 324 292 2.6 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.7 2.3 2.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 970 975 908 977 1,077 986 1,066 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.8 4.2 3.8 4.2
Professional and business services... 723 770 761 812 935 878 882 4.5 4.7 4.6 4.9 5.6 5.3 5.3
Education and health services........ 427 450 416 420 447 452 443 2.5 2.6 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.6 2.6
Leisure and hospitality.............. 759 770 772 801 858 834 856 6.1 6.2 6.2 6.4 6.8 6.6 6.8
Government............................ 306 339 375 318 335 307 321 1.4 1.6 1.7 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.5
REGION
Northeast............................ 811 785 794 811 851 858 777 3.2 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.4 3.4 3.1
South................................ 1,637 1,668 1,754 1,809 1,903 1,770 1,833 3.6 3.6 3.8 3.9 4.1 3.8 3.9
Midwest.............................. 956 996 889 1,013 1,149 1,043 1,098 3.1 3.2 2.8 3.2 3.7 3.3 3.5
West................................. 897 1,057 963 916 1,014 970 944 3.2 3.7 3.3 3.2 3.5 3.4 3.3
1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.
2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 3. Total separations levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
Levels(3) (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.
2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p
Total(4)............................... 3,994 4,271 4,214 4,215 4,266 4,435 4,361 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.3
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 3,703 4,038 3,918 3,957 3,996 4,146 4,086 3.4 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.7
Construction......................... 411 412 377 425 351 355 403 6.0 5.9 5.4 6.0 5.0 5.0 5.7
Manufacturing........................ 314 383 368 354 327 353 340 2.2 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.3 2.5 2.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 901 942 909 889 943 1,062 887 3.6 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.7 4.1 3.5
Professional and business services... 551 663 686 585 822 833 851 3.4 4.0 4.2 3.5 4.9 5.0 5.1
Education and health services........ 391 401 380 376 408 375 346 2.3 2.4 2.2 2.2 2.4 2.2 2.0
Leisure and hospitality.............. 693 789 732 767 727 758 797 5.6 6.3 5.8 6.1 5.8 6.0 6.3
Government............................ 276 248 305 263 275 274 250 1.3 1.1 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.2
REGION
Northeast............................ 747 748 725 711 756 773 783 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.8 3.0 3.0 3.1
South................................ 1,539 1,563 1,604 1,614 1,594 1,707 1,678 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.4 3.6 3.6
Midwest.............................. 876 915 922 952 1,041 986 989 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.0 3.3 3.1 3.1
West................................. 849 1,084 982 896 826 953 929 3.0 3.8 3.4 3.1 2.9 3.3 3.2
1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month.
2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 4. Quits levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
Levels(3) (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.
2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p
Total(4)............................... 2,074 2,288 2,291 2,344 2,436 2,495 2,496 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 1,957 2,178 2,166 2,217 2,319 2,366 2,382 1.8 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.1
Construction......................... 139 156 159 182 159 162 165 2.0 2.2 2.3 2.6 2.2 2.3 2.3
Manufacturing........................ 158 166 181 187 185 194 186 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 483 543 529 517 568 570 599 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.3
Professional and business services... 253 326 358 281 401 415 408 1.6 2.0 2.2 1.7 2.4 2.5 2.4
Education and health services........ 255 241 235 239 250 232 226 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.3
Leisure and hospitality.............. 405 477 451 474 499 506 508 3.3 3.8 3.6 3.8 4.0 4.0 4.0
Government............................ 120 116 127 123 118 129 116 .6 .5 .6 .6 .5 .6 .5
REGION
Northeast............................ 299 342 317 333 359 392 439 1.2 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.7
South................................ 868 897 950 943 1,014 1,021 1,033 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.2
Midwest.............................. 453 484 492 500 551 544 523 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.7 1.7
West................................. 469 562 541 550 492 536 526 1.6 2.0 1.9 1.9 1.7 1.9 1.8
1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.
2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 5. Job openings levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.
2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p
Total........................................... 2,671 3,043 3,083 2.0 2.2 2.3
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 2,366 2,677 2,765 2.2 2.4 2.5
Natural resources and mining.................. 7 10 10 1.2 1.7 1.7
Construction.................................. 118 89 98 1.8 1.3 1.5
Manufacturing................................. 209 220 236 1.5 1.5 1.6
Durable goods................................ 133 140 163 1.5 1.5 1.8
Nondurable goods............................. 76 81 74 1.4 1.5 1.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 394 451 478 1.5 1.7 1.8
Wholesale trade.............................. 81 105 100 1.4 1.8 1.7
Retail trade................................. 243 269 284 1.6 1.7 1.9
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 70 76 93 1.5 1.5 1.9
Information................................... 56 87 89 1.8 2.7 2.8
Financial activities.......................... 151 198 198 1.9 2.4 2.4
Finance and insurance........................ 125 160 158 2.1 2.6 2.6
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 26 38 40 1.3 1.8 1.9
Professional and business services............ 466 638 627 2.9 3.7 3.7
Education and health services................. 518 526 532 3.0 2.9 3.0
Educational services......................... 30 51 47 1.1 1.7 1.7
Health care and social assistance............ 488 475 485 3.4 3.2 3.3
Leisure and hospitality....................... 328 355 388 2.7 2.8 3.1
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 56 46 58 3.3 2.7 3.5
Accommodations and food services............. 272 309 330 2.6 2.8 3.1
Other services................................ 120 103 108 2.2 1.9 2.0
Government..................................... 306 366 318 1.4 1.6 1.4
Federal....................................... 42 38 36 1.5 1.4 1.3
State and local............................... 264 328 282 1.4 1.7 1.5
REGION
Northeast..................................... 432 527 528 1.7 2.0 2.1
South......................................... 1,093 1,165 1,252 2.4 2.4 2.6
Midwest....................................... 609 650 659 2.0 2.0 2.1
West.......................................... 537 702 644 1.9 2.4 2.2
1 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day of the month.
2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a
percent of total employment plus job openings.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 6. Hires levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.
2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p
Total........................................... 3,640 3,449 3,944 2.8 2.6 3.0
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 3,369 3,244 3,660 3.2 2.9 3.4
Natural resources and mining.................. 15 14 24 2.8 2.4 4.0
Construction.................................. 298 228 234 4.6 3.3 3.5
Manufacturing................................. 361 225 285 2.5 1.6 2.0
Durable goods................................ 242 136 190 2.8 1.5 2.1
Nondurable goods............................. 118 89 95 2.2 1.7 1.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 703 810 773 2.8 3.1 3.0
Wholesale trade.............................. 135 70 148 2.4 1.2 2.6
Retail trade................................. 440 582 465 3.0 3.7 3.1
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 128 158 161 2.7 3.2 3.3
Information................................... 46 43 58 1.5 1.4 1.9
Financial activities.......................... 133 138 196 1.7 1.7 2.4
Finance and insurance........................ 79 84 131 1.3 1.4 2.2
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 54 53 64 2.6 2.5 3.1
Professional and business services............ 680 681 830 4.3 4.1 5.1
Education and health services................. 411 332 427 2.5 1.9 2.5
Educational services......................... 49 36 53 1.8 1.2 1.9
Health care and social assistance............ 362 295 373 2.6 2.1 2.6
Leisure and hospitality....................... 570 621 642 4.8 5.0 5.3
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 108 72 117 6.6 4.4 7.3
Accommodations and food services............. 462 549 525 4.6 5.2 5.0
Other services................................ 152 153 191 2.8 2.8 3.5
Government..................................... 271 205 284 1.3 .9 1.3
Federal....................................... 46 32 29 1.7 1.2 1.1
State and local............................... 225 173 254 1.2 .9 1.3
REGION
Northeast..................................... 639 624 612 2.6 2.4 2.4
South......................................... 1,451 1,339 1,624 3.2 2.8 3.5
Midwest....................................... 787 718 904 2.6 2.3 2.9
West.......................................... 764 768 804 2.7 2.6 2.8
1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.
2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 7. Total separations levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.
2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p
Total........................................... 3,926 4,275 4,287 3.1 3.2 3.3
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 3,700 4,039 4,083 3.5 3.6 3.8
Natural resources and mining.................. 15 18 24 2.7 3.0 4.1
Construction.................................. 449 399 440 7.0 5.7 6.6
Manufacturing................................. 308 322 334 2.2 2.2 2.4
Durable goods................................ 187 199 201 2.1 2.2 2.3
Nondurable goods............................. 121 123 134 2.3 2.3 2.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 1,024 1,116 1,008 4.1 4.3 4.0
Wholesale trade.............................. 119 121 125 2.1 2.1 2.2
Retail trade................................. 755 789 740 5.1 5.0 4.9
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 150 206 143 3.2 4.2 3.0
Information................................... 61 55 61 2.0 1.8 2.0
Financial activities.......................... 139 171 205 1.8 2.1 2.5
Finance and insurance........................ 90 100 116 1.5 1.7 1.9
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 49 71 89 2.4 3.4 4.3
Professional and business services............ 530 824 819 3.4 4.9 5.0
Education and health services................. 394 339 349 2.4 2.0 2.0
Educational services......................... 51 38 37 1.9 1.3 1.3
Health care and social assistance............ 343 301 312 2.4 2.1 2.2
Leisure and hospitality....................... 607 625 698 5.2 5.1 5.8
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 65 97 67 4.0 5.8 4.2
Accommodations and food services............. 542 529 631 5.4 5.0 6.1
Other services................................ 172 170 144 3.2 3.1 2.7
Government..................................... 226 236 205 1.1 1.1 .9
Federal....................................... 45 41 37 1.7 1.5 1.4
State and local............................... 181 195 168 1.0 1.0 .9
REGION
Northeast..................................... 717 790 751 2.9 3.1 3.0
South......................................... 1,484 1,597 1,617 3.3 3.4 3.5
Midwest....................................... 873 966 985 2.9 3.1 3.2
West.......................................... 853 922 934 3.0 3.2 3.3
1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month.
2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of
total employment.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 8. Quits levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.
2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p
Total........................................... 1,841 2,073 2,215 1.4 1.6 1.7
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 1,742 1,972 2,120 1.6 1.8 1.9
Natural resources and mining.................. 5 6 10 .9 .9 1.7
Construction.................................. 101 122 128 1.6 1.7 1.9
Manufacturing................................. 133 137 157 .9 1.0 1.1
Durable goods................................ 81 85 95 .9 .9 1.1
Nondurable goods............................. 52 53 63 1.0 1.0 1.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 456 502 566 1.8 1.9 2.2
Wholesale trade.............................. 65 63 69 1.2 1.1 1.2
Retail trade................................. 343 371 429 2.3 2.4 2.9
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 49 68 68 1.0 1.4 1.4
Information................................... 32 33 38 1.0 1.0 1.2
Financial activities.......................... 70 88 101 .9 1.1 1.3
Finance and insurance........................ 48 64 58 .8 1.1 1.0
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 22 24 43 1.1 1.1 2.1
Professional and business services............ 230 354 371 1.5 2.1 2.3
Education and health services................. 248 207 221 1.5 1.2 1.3
Educational services......................... 21 20 21 .8 .7 .8
Health care and social assistance............ 227 187 200 1.6 1.3 1.4
Leisure and hospitality....................... 348 403 437 3.0 3.3 3.6
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 21 38 29 1.3 2.3 1.8
Accommodations and food services............. 328 365 408 3.2 3.4 3.9
Other services................................ 117 120 92 2.2 2.2 1.7
Government..................................... 99 102 95 .5 .5 .4
Federal....................................... 14 10 10 .5 .4 .4
State and local............................... 84 92 85 .5 .5 .5
REGION
Northeast..................................... 247 311 361 1.0 1.2 1.4
South......................................... 764 846 909 1.7 1.8 2.0
Midwest....................................... 403 460 465 1.3 1.5 1.5
West.......................................... 427 456 479 1.5 1.6 1.7
1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.
2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 9. Layoffs and discharges levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.
2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p
Total........................................... 1,737 1,923 1,723 1.4 1.4 1.3
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 1,669 1,839 1,669 1.6 1.7 1.5
Natural resources and mining.................. 7 7 8 1.3 1.2 1.4
Construction.................................. 309 266 303 4.8 3.8 4.6
Manufacturing................................. 150 161 145 1.1 1.1 1.0
Durable goods................................ 92 98 83 1.0 1.1 .9
Nondurable goods............................. 58 63 61 1.1 1.2 1.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 496 549 359 2.0 2.1 1.4
Wholesale trade.............................. 45 44 47 .8 .8 .8
Retail trade................................. 371 382 256 2.5 2.4 1.7
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 79 124 56 1.7 2.5 1.2
Information................................... 24 16 20 .8 .5 .6
Financial activities.......................... 48 66 75 .6 .8 .9
Finance and insurance........................ 22 26 38 .4 .4 .6
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 26 40 37 1.3 1.9 1.8
Professional and business services............ 263 430 396 1.7 2.6 2.4
Education and health services................. 111 110 102 .7 .6 .6
Educational services......................... 26 16 13 1.0 .6 .5
Health care and social assistance............ 86 94 89 .6 .7 .6
Leisure and hospitality....................... 222 195 216 1.9 1.6 1.8
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 43 57 34 2.6 3.4 2.1
Accommodations and food services............. 179 138 183 1.8 1.3 1.8
Other services................................ 39 38 45 .7 .7 .8
Government..................................... 68 84 54 .3 .4 .2
Federal....................................... 8 17 7 .3 .6 .3
State and local............................... 60 68 46 .3 .4 .2
REGION
Northeast..................................... 408 412 327 1.7 1.6 1.3
South......................................... 593 653 605 1.3 1.4 1.3
Midwest....................................... 381 456 435 1.3 1.4 1.4
West.......................................... 355 403 356 1.3 1.4 1.3
1 Layoffs and discharges are the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month.
2 The layoffs and discharges rate is the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month as a
percent of total employment.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 10. Other separations levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.
2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p
Total........................................... 349 279 349 0.3 0.2 0.3
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 289 229 293 .3 .2 .3
Natural resources and mining.................. 3 5 6 .5 .8 1.1
Construction.................................. 40 10 9 .6 .1 .1
Manufacturing................................. 25 24 32 .2 .2 .2
Durable goods................................ 14 16 22 .2 .2 .3
Nondurable goods............................. 11 7 10 .2 .1 .2
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 72 65 83 .3 .2 .3
Wholesale trade.............................. 8 14 9 .1 .3 .2
Retail trade................................. 41 36 55 .3 .2 .4
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 23 15 19 .5 .3 .4
Information................................... 5 6 4 .2 .2 .1
Financial activities.......................... 21 17 29 .3 .2 .4
Finance and insurance........................ 20 10 20 .3 .2 .3
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 1 7 9 (3) .3 .4
Professional and business services............ 38 40 52 .2 .2 .3
Education and health services................. 34 22 26 .2 .1 .2
Educational services......................... 4 2 3 .2 .1 .1
Health care and social assistance............ 30 20 23 .2 .1 .2
Leisure and hospitality....................... 37 28 44 .3 .2 .4
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 2 2 4 .1 .1 .2
Accommodations and food services............. 35 26 41 .3 .2 .4
Other services................................ 16 12 7 .3 .2 .1
Government..................................... 60 50 56 .3 .2 .3
Federal....................................... 23 15 20 .8 .5 .7
State and local............................... 37 35 36 .2 .2 .2
REGION
Northeast..................................... 62 67 62 .3 .3 .2
South......................................... 127 98 103 .3 .2 .2
Midwest....................................... 89 51 85 .3 .2 .3
West.......................................... 71 63 99 .3 .2 .3
1 Other separations are the number of other separations during the entire month.
2 The other separations rate is the number of other separations during the entire month as a percent of
total employment.
3 Data round to zero.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.