Full text of August 2005 : Text File, USDL-05-1962
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Technical information: (202) 691-5870 USDL 05-1962
http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact: 691-5902 Wednesday, October 12, 2005
JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: AUGUST 2005
The job openings, hires, and total separations rates were all essentially
unchanged in August, 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
industry and geographic region.
Job Openings
On the last business day of August 2005, there were 3.5 million job
openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.6 percent.
(See table 1.) The job openings rate was unchanged in August, but has
generally trended upward since September 2003. In August, the job openings
rate did not change significantly in any industry or region.
Hires and Separations
The hires rate was unchanged at 3.5 percent in August. (See table 2.)
Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. In August, the
hires rate did not change significantly in any industry, but did decrease
in the Midwest region.
The total separations, or turnover, rate was little changed at 3.3 per-
cent in August. (See table 3.) Separations are terminations of employment
that occur at any time during the month. In August, the total separations
rate decreased in the professional and business services industry. The
total separations rates in all other industries and the regions did not
change significantly from July.
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 essentially unchanged at 1.9 percent in August.
(See table 4.) The quits rate increased in the construction industry but
did not change significantly in any other industry or in any of the
regions.
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| Hurricane Katrina |
| |
| Hurricane Katrina struck Florida and the Gulf Coast at the end |
| of August, the reference month for the estimates in this release. |
| All possible efforts were made to contact survey respondents in |
| the hurricane-affected areas. Special estimation procedures were |
| used for selected nonresponding sample units as discussed in the |
| note on page 3. |
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Table A. Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally
adjusted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Job openings | Hires | Total separations
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Industry | Aug. | July | Aug. | Aug. | July | Aug. | Aug. | July | Aug.
| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Levels (in thousands)
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........|3,206 |3,588 |3,549 |4,504 |4,649 |4,654 |4,271 |4,270 |4,457
Total private(1).|2,855 |3,204 |3,173 |4,174 |4,342 |4,341 |4,038 |4,007 |4,202
Construction...| 110 | 128 | 133 | 398 | 381 | 427 | 412 | 370 | 436
Manufacturing..| 238 | 287 | 275 | 356 | 345 | 350 | 383 | 361 | 377
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and| | | | | | | | |
utilities.....| 548 | 600 | 601 | 975 | 990 |1,046 | 942 | 948 |1,048
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services......| 589 | 666 | 633 | 770 | 832 | 783 | 663 | 747 | 634
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices.........| 533 | 607 | 622 | 450 | 453 | 463 | 401 | 391 | 414
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality...| 418 | 439 | 428 | 770 | 834 | 798 | 789 | 750 | 783
Government.......| 348 | 388 | 379 | 339 | 330 | 332 | 248 | 257 | 263
|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Rates (percent)
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........| 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.3
Total private(1).| 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.7
Construction...| 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 5.7 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.1 | 6.0
Manufacturing..| 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.6
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and| | | | | | | | |
utilities.....| 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.0
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services......| 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 3.7
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices.........| 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.4
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality...| 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 6.2 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 6.1
Government.......| 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
The other two components of total separations--layoffs and discharges,
and other separations--are not seasonally adjusted. From August 2004 to
August 2005, the layoffs and discharges rate decreased to 1.3 percent, but
the other separations rate was unchanged at 0.3 percent. (See tables 9 and
10.)
Hires and separations data help show dynamic flows in the labor market.
Over the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.7 million per month and
separations have averaged 4.4 million per month (not seasonally adjusted).
The comparable figures a year earlier were 4.4 million hires and 4.2 mil-
lion separations. (See the Technical Note for additional information on
these measures.)
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For More Information
For additional information, please read the Technical Note or visit the
JOLTS Web site at http://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 September 2005 is
scheduled to be issued on Tuesday, November 8, 2005.
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| Hurricane Katrina |
| |
| The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) sample is designed |
| to produce estimates of job openings, hires, and separations for the |
| nation as a whole and for four geographic regions. Industry detail is |
| produced only for the national-level estimates. While JOLTS does not |
| produce data at the detailed local level, some effect of the storm and |
| ensuing flooding may be reflected in the JOLTS estimates. |
| |
| All possible efforts were made to contact survey respondents in the |
| areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, and special treatment procedures |
| were used for selected cases as described below. Nonresponding sample |
| units that met the following criteria were given special treatment in |
| the August estimation: 1) the unit had established a consistent pattern |
| of reporting survey data in the months preceding the storm, 2) the unit |
| was located in one of the most heavily damaged or flooded areas as de- |
| fined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 3) research |
| produced independent corroboration that the business location itself |
| was physically damaged, and 4) research produced no evidence that the |
| unit's workforce was still being paid or was otherwise considered em- |
| ployed. For such sample units, BLS assumed that they had no job open- |
| ings as of the last business day of the month, and that by the end of |
| August the business was closed and their entire workforce was laid off. |
| There were very few units subject to the special procedures. |
| |
| While the preliminary estimates in this release reflect this special |
| treatment, it is not possible to quantify the effect of Hurricane Ka- |
| trina on the overall JOLTS estimates. Attempts to collect August data |
| in the affected areas will continue, and final August estimates will be |
| released next month. |
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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.
- 5 -
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.
- 6 -
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.
- 7 -
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 Aug. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Aug. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug.
2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p
Total(4)............................... 3,206 3,598 3,576 3,416 3,647 3,588 3,549 2.4 2.6 2.6 2.5 2.7 2.6 2.6
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 2,855 3,212 3,178 3,050 3,239 3,204 3,173 2.5 2.8 2.8 2.7 2.8 2.8 2.8
Construction......................... 110 170 113 107 104 128 133 1.6 2.3 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.7 1.8
Manufacturing........................ 238 258 259 240 269 287 275 1.6 1.8 1.8 1.6 1.8 2.0 1.9
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 548 624 627 597 624 600 601 2.1 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.4 2.3 2.3
Professional and business services... 589 646 691 659 686 666 633 3.5 3.7 3.9 3.8 3.9 3.8 3.6
Education and health services........ 533 616 608 611 609 607 622 3.0 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.5
Leisure and hospitality.............. 418 440 457 440 517 439 428 3.2 3.4 3.5 3.3 3.9 3.3 3.2
Government............................ 348 383 396 378 394 388 379 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.7 1.7
REGION
Northeast............................ 562 615 602 563 634 610 607 2.2 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.4 2.3 2.3
South................................ 1,248 1,447 1,414 1,303 1,333 1,343 1,366 2.6 3.0 2.9 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.8
Midwest.............................. 671 737 742 786 781 764 720 2.1 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.2
West................................. 738 806 818 799 869 832 862 2.5 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.9 2.8 2.9
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 Aug. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Aug. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug.
2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p
Total(4)............................... 4,504 4,841 4,538 4,740 4,694 4,649 4,654 3.4 3.6 3.4 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.5
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 4,174 4,497 4,212 4,398 4,365 4,342 4,341 3.8 4.0 3.8 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.9
Construction......................... 398 414 412 420 393 381 427 5.7 5.8 5.7 5.8 5.4 5.3 5.9
Manufacturing........................ 356 334 319 342 347 345 350 2.5 2.3 2.2 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 975 1,047 1,042 1,030 1,045 990 1,046 3.8 4.1 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.8 4.0
Professional and business services... 770 895 792 887 835 832 783 4.7 5.3 4.7 5.3 4.9 4.9 4.6
Education and health services........ 450 472 487 466 457 453 463 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.6 2.7
Leisure and hospitality.............. 770 798 742 750 877 834 798 6.2 6.3 5.8 5.9 6.9 6.5 6.2
Government............................ 339 336 329 339 337 330 332 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.5
REGION
Northeast............................ 785 856 825 764 794 772 779 3.1 3.4 3.3 3.0 3.1 3.0 3.1
South................................ 1,668 1,922 1,701 1,816 1,786 1,689 1,766 3.6 4.1 3.6 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.7
Midwest.............................. 996 1,034 1,020 1,129 1,054 1,045 936 3.2 3.3 3.3 3.6 3.4 3.3 3.0
West................................. 1,057 1,036 1,037 1,048 1,070 1,081 1,158 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.7 3.9
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 Aug. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Aug. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug.
2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p
Total(4)............................... 4,271 4,502 4,562 4,504 4,477 4,270 4,457 3.2 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.2 3.3
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 4,038 4,237 4,306 4,256 4,223 4,007 4,202 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.7
Construction......................... 412 303 421 408 380 370 436 5.9 4.2 5.8 5.6 5.3 5.1 6.0
Manufacturing........................ 383 360 369 369 350 361 377 2.7 2.5 2.6 2.6 2.4 2.5 2.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 942 980 1,018 989 980 948 1,048 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.7 4.0
Professional and business services... 663 924 869 851 818 747 634 4.0 5.5 5.2 5.1 4.8 4.4 3.7
Education and health services........ 401 445 433 405 401 391 414 2.4 2.6 2.5 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.4
Leisure and hospitality.............. 789 743 709 750 803 750 783 6.3 5.9 5.6 5.9 6.3 5.9 6.1
Government............................ 248 267 256 254 254 257 263 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2
REGION
Northeast............................ 748 802 807 714 761 715 718 3.0 3.2 3.2 2.8 3.0 2.8 2.8
South................................ 1,563 1,763 1,766 1,743 1,653 1,567 1,653 3.4 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.5 3.3 3.5
Midwest.............................. 915 1,051 982 976 946 1,011 1,018 2.9 3.4 3.1 3.1 3.0 3.2 3.2
West................................. 1,084 926 1,006 1,034 1,062 1,001 1,086 3.8 3.2 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.4 3.7
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 Aug. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Aug. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug.
2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p
Total(4)............................... 2,288 2,516 2,520 2,514 2,475 2,474 2,590 1.7 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.9
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 2,178 2,383 2,395 2,391 2,348 2,351 2,461 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.2
Construction......................... 156 150 146 168 139 140 211 2.2 2.1 2.0 2.3 1.9 1.9 2.9
Manufacturing........................ 166 186 178 183 190 189 191 1.2 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 543 583 577 589 588 577 626 2.1 2.3 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.2 2.4
Professional and business services... 326 424 417 420 386 353 350 2.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.3 2.1 2.1
Education and health services........ 241 280 272 249 256 271 271 1.4 1.6 1.6 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.6
Leisure and hospitality.............. 477 458 506 488 510 525 519 3.8 3.6 4.0 3.8 4.0 4.1 4.0
Government............................ 116 124 125 123 124 125 130 .5 .6 .6 .6 .6 .6 .6
REGION
Northeast............................ 342 410 446 373 350 381 401 1.4 1.6 1.8 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.6
South................................ 897 1,003 992 1,020 960 964 1,038 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.2 2.0 2.0 2.2
Midwest.............................. 484 561 540 554 542 548 547 1.6 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.7
West................................. 562 562 573 562 653 577 597 2.0 1.9 2.0 1.9 2.2 2.0 2.0
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 Aug. July Aug. Aug. July Aug.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 3,466 3,821 3,821 2.6 2.8 2.8
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 3,084 3,402 3,410 2.7 2.9 2.9
Natural resources and mining.................. 8 14 12 1.3 2.2 1.8
Construction.................................. 118 152 149 1.6 2.0 1.9
Manufacturing................................. 257 311 297 1.7 2.1 2.0
Durable goods................................ 154 204 203 1.7 2.2 2.2
Nondurable goods............................. 102 107 94 1.8 2.0 1.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 607 613 661 2.3 2.3 2.5
Wholesale trade.............................. 113 128 128 1.9 2.2 2.2
Retail trade................................. 410 372 425 2.7 2.4 2.7
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 85 113 107 1.7 2.3 2.1
Information................................... 68 79 87 2.1 2.4 2.7
Financial activities.......................... 211 246 237 2.5 2.9 2.8
Finance and insurance........................ 173 197 191 2.8 3.1 3.0
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 39 48 45 1.8 2.1 2.0
Professional and business services............ 642 720 683 3.7 4.0 3.8
Education and health services................. 571 629 665 3.3 3.6 3.8
Educational services......................... 57 65 73 2.3 2.5 2.9
Health care and social assistance............ 514 564 592 3.5 3.7 3.9
Leisure and hospitality....................... 471 500 476 3.5 3.6 3.4
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 52 73 66 2.4 3.3 3.0
Accommodations and food services............. 419 426 411 3.7 3.6 3.5
Other services................................ 131 139 142 2.3 2.4 2.5
Government..................................... 382 419 411 1.8 2.0 2.0
Federal....................................... 45 50 43 1.6 1.8 1.5
State and local............................... 338 369 368 1.9 2.0 2.0
REGION
Northeast..................................... 627 631 677 2.4 2.4 2.6
South......................................... 1,302 1,468 1,425 2.7 3.0 2.9
Midwest....................................... 748 822 790 2.4 2.6 2.5
West.......................................... 789 900 929 2.7 3.0 3.1
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 Aug. July Aug. Aug. July Aug.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 5,209 4,847 5,363 4.0 3.6 4.0
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 4,686 4,479 4,855 4.2 4.0 4.3
Natural resources and mining.................. 20 22 24 3.2 3.5 3.7
Construction.................................. 399 396 446 5.5 5.2 5.9
Manufacturing................................. 409 375 401 2.8 2.6 2.8
Durable goods................................ 255 221 229 2.8 2.5 2.6
Nondurable goods............................. 154 154 172 2.8 2.9 3.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 1,072 956 1,156 4.2 3.7 4.5
Wholesale trade.............................. 174 120 148 3.1 2.1 2.6
Retail trade................................. 716 681 819 4.8 4.5 5.4
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 183 156 189 3.8 3.2 3.8
Information................................... 75 59 77 2.4 1.9 2.4
Financial activities.......................... 186 205 184 2.3 2.5 2.2
Finance and insurance........................ 125 128 118 2.1 2.1 1.9
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 61 76 66 2.9 3.5 3.0
Professional and business services............ 858 854 860 5.1 5.0 5.0
Education and health services................. 561 489 574 3.4 2.9 3.4
Educational services......................... 90 69 97 3.7 2.8 3.9
Health care and social assistance............ 472 420 477 3.3 2.9 3.3
Leisure and hospitality....................... 877 889 910 6.7 6.6 6.8
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 118 133 103 5.7 6.2 4.9
Accommodations and food services............. 758 756 807 6.9 6.7 7.1
Other services................................ 230 234 223 4.2 4.2 4.0
Government..................................... 522 368 509 2.6 1.8 2.5
Federal....................................... 38 39 40 1.4 1.4 1.5
State and local............................... 484 329 468 2.7 1.8 2.6
REGION
Northeast..................................... 845 851 836 3.4 3.4 3.3
South......................................... 1,956 1,778 2,072 4.2 3.7 4.4
Midwest....................................... 1,228 1,037 1,142 4.0 3.3 3.6
West.......................................... 1,180 1,181 1,313 4.1 4.0 4.5
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 Aug. July Aug. Aug. July Aug.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 5,455 4,470 5,683 4.2 3.3 4.3
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 5,074 4,153 5,277 4.6 3.7 4.7
Natural resources and mining.................. 21 15 27 3.5 2.3 4.1
Construction.................................. 480 315 525 6.6 4.2 6.9
Manufacturing................................. 467 384 463 3.2 2.7 3.2
Durable goods................................ 311 247 302 3.5 2.8 3.4
Nondurable goods............................. 156 137 161 2.9 2.5 3.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 1,105 944 1,243 4.3 3.6 4.8
Wholesale trade.............................. 176 134 154 3.1 2.3 2.7
Retail trade................................. 768 675 898 5.1 4.4 5.9
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 161 135 191 3.3 2.7 3.9
Information................................... 89 82 91 2.8 2.6 2.9
Financial activities.......................... 241 171 226 3.0 2.1 2.7
Finance and insurance........................ 164 123 160 2.7 2.0 2.6
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 77 49 65 3.6 2.2 3.0
Professional and business services............ 855 835 803 5.1 4.9 4.7
Education and health services................. 523 436 539 3.1 2.6 3.2
Educational services......................... 75 61 76 3.1 2.4 3.1
Health care and social assistance............ 448 375 464 3.2 2.6 3.2
Leisure and hospitality....................... 1,002 773 1,011 7.7 5.8 7.5
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 165 83 183 7.9 3.9 8.7
Accommodations and food services............. 838 690 827 7.6 6.1 7.3
Other services................................ 290 199 350 5.3 3.6 6.3
Government..................................... 381 317 407 1.9 1.5 2.0
Federal....................................... 32 31 39 1.2 1.1 1.4
State and local............................... 349 286 368 2.0 1.6 2.1
REGION
Northeast..................................... 976 697 930 3.9 2.8 3.7
South......................................... 2,036 1,701 2,141 4.4 3.6 4.5
Midwest....................................... 1,194 1,009 1,337 3.8 3.2 4.3
West.......................................... 1,248 1,062 1,276 4.3 3.6 4.3
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 Aug. July Aug. Aug. July Aug.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 3,120 2,730 3,576 2.4 2.0 2.7
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 2,934 2,583 3,358 2.6 2.3 3.0
Natural resources and mining.................. 10 9 12 1.7 1.5 1.8
Construction.................................. 195 164 253 2.7 2.2 3.3
Manufacturing................................. 234 227 272 1.6 1.6 1.9
Durable goods................................ 141 140 166 1.6 1.6 1.8
Nondurable goods............................. 93 87 107 1.7 1.6 2.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 722 597 844 2.8 2.3 3.3
Wholesale trade.............................. 80 82 92 1.4 1.4 1.6
Retail trade................................. 558 439 636 3.7 2.9 4.2
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 83 76 117 1.7 1.5 2.4
Information................................... 66 48 68 2.1 1.5 2.1
Financial activities.......................... 136 104 160 1.7 1.3 1.9
Finance and insurance........................ 93 77 109 1.5 1.3 1.8
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 44 26 52 2.1 1.2 2.3
Professional and business services............ 451 400 467 2.7 2.3 2.7
Education and health services................. 321 293 362 1.9 1.7 2.1
Educational services......................... 35 34 50 1.4 1.4 2.0
Health care and social assistance............ 287 259 312 2.0 1.8 2.1
Leisure and hospitality....................... 658 593 721 5.0 4.4 5.4
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 63 60 66 3.0 2.8 3.2
Accommodations and food services............. 596 533 654 5.4 4.7 5.8
Other services................................ 140 148 199 2.6 2.7 3.6
Government..................................... 185 148 218 .9 .7 1.1
Federal....................................... 13 14 21 .5 .5 .8
State and local............................... 172 134 197 1.0 .7 1.1
REGION
Northeast..................................... 481 414 570 1.9 1.6 2.2
South......................................... 1,171 1,106 1,398 2.5 2.3 2.9
Midwest....................................... 699 574 788 2.3 1.8 2.5
West.......................................... 769 636 820 2.7 2.2 2.8
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.
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 Aug. July Aug. Aug. July Aug.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 1,984 1,442 1,771 1.5 1.1 1.3
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 1,853 1,335 1,636 1.7 1.2 1.4
Natural resources and mining.................. 7 5 9 1.1 .7 1.4
Construction.................................. 268 144 248 3.7 1.9 3.3
Manufacturing................................. 203 122 155 1.4 .9 1.1
Durable goods................................ 148 82 109 1.6 .9 1.2
Nondurable goods............................. 54 40 45 1.0 .8 .8
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 305 290 342 1.2 1.1 1.3
Wholesale trade.............................. 77 45 51 1.4 .8 .9
Retail trade................................. 163 198 230 1.1 1.3 1.5
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 64 47 61 1.3 1.0 1.2
Information................................... 19 23 18 .6 .7 .6
Financial activities.......................... 80 46 53 1.0 .6 .6
Finance and insurance........................ 49 26 43 .8 .4 .7
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 32 20 10 1.5 .9 .4
Professional and business services............ 357 395 281 2.1 2.3 1.6
Education and health services................. 163 110 143 1.0 .6 .8
Educational services......................... 35 21 22 1.5 .8 .9
Health care and social assistance............ 128 89 121 .9 .6 .8
Leisure and hospitality....................... 304 156 250 2.3 1.2 1.9
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 100 21 113 4.8 1.0 5.4
Accommodations and food services............. 205 135 137 1.9 1.2 1.2
Other services................................ 146 44 138 2.7 .8 2.5
Government..................................... 131 108 134 .6 .5 .7
Federal....................................... 9 9 9 .3 .3 .3
State and local............................... 123 98 126 .7 .5 .7
REGION
Northeast..................................... 416 236 302 1.7 .9 1.2
South......................................... 747 490 616 1.6 1.0 1.3
Midwest....................................... 419 350 483 1.3 1.1 1.5
West.......................................... 403 366 369 1.4 1.2 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 Aug. July Aug. Aug. July Aug.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 351 297 336 0.3 0.2 0.3
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 286 236 282 .3 .2 .2
Natural resources and mining.................. 4 1 6 .6 .2 .9
Construction.................................. 16 7 23 .2 .1 .3
Manufacturing................................. 30 35 36 .2 .2 .3
Durable goods................................ 22 26 27 .2 .3 .3
Nondurable goods............................. 8 10 9 .1 .2 .2
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 78 57 57 .3 .2 .2
Wholesale trade.............................. 18 7 12 .3 .1 .2
Retail trade................................. 46 38 32 .3 .3 .2
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 13 11 14 .3 .2 .3
Information................................... 4 11 6 .1 .3 .2
Financial activities.......................... 25 22 13 .3 .3 .2
Finance and insurance........................ 23 20 9 .4 .3 .1
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 2 2 4 .1 .1 .2
Professional and business services............ 47 40 54 .3 .2 .3
Education and health services................. 38 33 34 .2 .2 .2
Educational services......................... 5 6 4 .2 .2 .2
Health care and social assistance............ 34 27 30 .2 .2 .2
Leisure and hospitality....................... 40 23 40 .3 .2 .3
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 2 2 4 .1 .1 .2
Accommodations and food services............. 37 22 36 .3 .2 .3
Other services................................ 4 7 12 .1 .1 .2
Government..................................... 64 61 55 .3 .3 .3
Federal....................................... 11 8 9 .4 .3 .3
State and local............................... 54 54 46 .3 .3 .3
REGION
Northeast..................................... 79 47 58 .3 .2 .2
South......................................... 119 105 127 .3 .2 .3
Midwest....................................... 76 84 65 .2 .3 .2
West.......................................... 77 61 87 .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.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.