Full text of February 2004 : Text File, USDL-04-645
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Technical information: (202) 691-5870 USDL 04-645
http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact: 691-5902 Thursday, April 15, 2004
JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: FEBRUARY 2004
New monthly data on job openings and labor turnover were announced
today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.
For the first time, these data are seasonally adjusted, allowing analysis
of over-the-month change. There were 2.9 million job openings, 4.1 mil-
lion hires, and 4.0 million separations in February 2004, about the same
as in January. These series include estimates of the number and rate of
job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector with
breakouts by industry and geographic region.
Job Openings
On the last business day of February 2004, there were 2.9 million job
openings in the United States, and the job openings rate (the number of
job openings on the last business day of the month divided by employment
plus job openings) was 2.2 percent. Over the month, the job openings
rate showed little or no change overall and for the major industries.
(See table 1.) The job openings rate has been relatively unchanged since
October 2001, ranging from 2.0 percent to 2.4 percent.
Hires and Separations
The hires rate (the number of hires during the month divided by employ-
ment) was little changed in February at 3.1 percent. (See table 2.) Hires
are any additions to the payroll during the month. The hires rate has ranged
from 3.0 percent to 3.2 percent since August 2002. The hires rate decreased
in professional and business services in February, while all other major in-
dustries showed little or no change over the month.
The total separations, or turnover, rate (the number of separations
during the month divided by employment) was 3.1 percent in February 2004
and has been essentially unchanged since early 2002. (See table 3.)
Separations are terminations of employment that occur at any time during
the month. The major industries showed little or no change in their total
separations rates over the month.
-------------------------------------------------------------
| The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data |
| in this release reflect the annual revisions to JOLTS esti- |
| mates that incorporate the most recent employment universe |
| counts. Historical JOLTS estimates from December 2000 for- |
| ward were subject to revision. See the note on page 4 for |
| more information on the JOLTS program. |
-------------------------------------------------------------
- 2 -
Table A. Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally
adjusted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Job openings | Hires | Total separations
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Industry | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Feb. | Jan. | Feb.
| 2003 | 2004 | 2004p| 2003 | 2004 | 2004p| 2003 | 2004 | 2004p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Levels (in thousands)
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1/...........|2,786 |2,868 |2,907 |3,991 |4,106 |4,064 |4,081 |3,968 |4,019
Total private 1/.|2,416 |2,518 |2,539 |3,680 |3,800 |3,733 |3,829 |3,716 |3,756
Construction...| 86 | 106 | 104 | 354 | 358 | 385 | 349 | 436 | 391
Manufacturing..| 182 | 233 | 224 | 321 | 349 | 346 | 404 | 323 | 349
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and| | | | | | | | |
utilities.....| 482 | 430 | 444 | 880 | 957 | 913 | 924 | 936 | 904
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services......| 471 | 501 | 481 | 623 | 708 | 537 | 606 | 572 | 581
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices.........| 570 | 549 | 540 | 435 | 416 | 439 | 363 | 389 | 384
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality...| 305 | 368 | 387 | 666 | 715 | 752 | 750 | 709 | 721
Government.......| 373 | 350 | 365 | 315 | 295 | 333 | 259 | 258 | 268
|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Rates (percent)
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1/...........| 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.1
Total private 1/.| 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.5
Construction...| 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.7 | 5.2 | 6.4 | 5.8
Manufacturing..| 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.4
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and| | | | | | | | |
utilities.....| 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.6
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services......| 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.6
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices.........| 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.3
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality...| 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 5.8 | 5.9
Government.......| 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/ Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
Total separations includes 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 in February at 1.7 per-
cent and has shown little movement since 2001. (See table 4.) Profes-
sional and business services showed an increase in the quits rate over
the month, while other major industries showed little or no change. The
other two components of total separations, layoffs and discharges (1.0 per-
cent) and other separations (0.2 percent), are not seasonally adjusted.
(See tables 9 and 10.)
Hires and separations help show dynamic flows in the labor market. Over
the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.1 million per month and separations
have averaged 3.9 million per month. (See the note on page 4 and the Tech-
nical Note for additional information on these measures.) The trade, trans-
portation, and utilities; professional and business services; and leisure and
hospitality industries typically report the largest share of hires and sepa-
rations.
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 report on Job Openings and Labor Turnover in March 2004 is scheduled
to be released on Tuesday, May 11, 2004.
- 3 -
Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey
The Bureau of Labor Statistics initiated the publication of the Job
Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data with a news release in
July 2002 that presented data from December 2000 through May 2002. Since
that time, data have been updated monthly on the BLS Web site. With the
release of January 2004 estimates, the Bureau introduced new seasonally
adjusted JOLTS data series and initiated several changes in the publication
of JOLTS estimates. Each month, the Bureau will issue a news release with
seasonally adjusted estimates and an analysis of significant over-the-month
changes. The monthly JOLTS news release will contain both the current
month's preliminary estimates and the previous month�s final estimates.
Background
JOLTS collects monthly job openings and labor turnover data from a
random sample of 16,000 nonfarm business establishments, including fac-
tories, offices, and stores, as well as federal, state, and local gov-
ernments in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The data collected monthly from each cooperating establishment are
employment for the pay period that includes the 12th of the month; job
openings on the last business day of the month; and hires, quits, layoffs
and discharges, and other separations for the entire month. The measure
of job openings is a one-day snapshot at the end of the month, while the
hires and separations measures represent flows of workers into and out of
jobs over the course of the full calendar month.
In responding to the survey, employers are asked to report only those
job openings for which: 1) a specific position exists, 2) work could start
within 30 days, and 3) the employer is actively recruiting from outside of
the establishment to fill the position. Hires are any additions to the pay-
roll, and separations are any separations from the payroll, including quits,
layoffs and discharges, and other separations (retirements or transfers to
other locations). For hires and separations, firms are asked to exclude em-
ployees returning from or going on strike; employees of temporary help agen-
cies, leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants; and employees
changing jobs within the establishment. Data on employees of temporary help
agencies, leasing companies, outside contractors, and consultants are report-
ed by employers in those industries.
Not seasonally adjusted data on job openings, hires, total separations,
quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations levels and rates are
available for the total nonfarm sector; for the total private sector and 16
private industry divisions based on the North American Industry Classifica-
tion System (NAICS); and government, with breakouts for the federal govern-
ment and for state and local government combined. Levels and rates also are
published for four geographic regions: the Northeast, South, Midwest, and
West. Seasonally adjusted job openings, hires, total separations, and quits
levels and rates are available for the nation, selected industry sectors, and
the four geographic regions. (See the Technical Note for additional informa-
tion on seasonal adjustment methodology.)
- 4 -
Uses of the Data
As the monthly JOLTS time series grow longer, their value will increase
in assessing, over the course of the business cycle, the ease or difficulty
that employers have in hiring workers and the extent of any mismatch be-
tween the unused supply of available workers and the unmet demand for labor
by employers. Of particular interest will be the study of the complex re-
lationship between job openings and unemployment. While these two measures
are expected to move in opposite directions over the course of the business
cycle, their relative levels and movements will depend on the efficiency of
the labor market in matching workers and jobs.
Together with the job openings rate, trends in hires and separations
estimates may broadly identify which aggregate industries face the tight-
est labor markets. Quits rates may provide clues about workers� views of
the labor market or their success in finding better jobs. In addition,
businesses will be able to compare their own turnover rate with the nation-
al, regional, and major industry division rates.
Hires and separations cannot completely explain net changes in payroll
employment. Research shows that some reporters systematically underreport
separations relative to hires due to a number of factors, including the
nature of their payroll systems and practices. The shortfall appears to be
about 2 percent or less over a 12-month period. Other reasons why it is
problematic to compare changes in payroll employment with JOLTS hires and
separations, especially over short-term periods, 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 in-
cluding the 12th of the month.
- 5 -
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.
- 6 -
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.
- 7 -
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.
- 8 -
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 Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb.
2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004p
Total(4)............................... 2,786 2,755 2,823 2,952 3,062 2,868 2,907 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.2 2.2
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 2,416 2,399 2,479 2,593 2,719 2,518 2,539 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.3 2.3
Construction......................... 86 58 78 89 110 106 104 1.3 .9 1.1 1.3 1.6 1.5 1.5
Manufacturing........................ 182 183 199 221 234 233 224 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 482 484 451 513 520 430 444 1.9 1.9 1.8 2.0 2.0 1.7 1.7
Professional and business services... 471 467 488 499 594 501 481 2.9 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.5 3.0 2.9
Education and health services........ 570 499 545 551 520 549 540 3.3 2.9 3.2 3.2 3.0 3.2 3.1
Leisure and hospitality.............. 305 348 367 364 399 368 387 2.5 2.8 2.9 2.9 3.2 2.9 3.1
Government............................ 373 364 346 358 351 350 365 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.7
REGION
Northeast............................ 503 488 499 526 541 476 489 2.0 1.9 2.0 2.1 2.1 1.9 1.9
South................................ 1,046 1,039 1,092 1,154 1,204 1,132 1,098 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.5 2.6 2.4 2.3
Midwest.............................. 620 581 628 655 666 679 692 2.0 1.9 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.2 2.2
West................................. 625 657 636 621 649 586 642 2.2 2.3 2.2 2.1 2.2 2.0 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.
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 Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb.
2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004p
Total(4)............................... 3,991 4,061 4,108 4,135 4,216 4,106 4,064 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.1
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 3,680 3,787 3,815 3,843 3,923 3,800 3,733 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.6 3.5 3.4
Construction......................... 354 405 391 397 404 358 385 5.3 6.0 5.8 5.9 6.0 5.3 5.7
Manufacturing........................ 321 336 335 345 340 349 346 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 880 859 880 875 913 957 913 3.5 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.6 3.8 3.6
Professional and business services... 623 606 590 613 650 708 537 3.9 3.8 3.7 3.8 4.0 4.4 3.3
Education and health services........ 435 439 433 436 427 416 439 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.5 2.5 2.6
Leisure and hospitality.............. 666 732 729 776 753 715 752 5.5 6.0 6.0 6.4 6.2 5.9 6.2
Government............................ 315 290 269 302 300 295 333 1.5 1.3 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.5
REGION
Northeast............................ 652 705 695 717 792 722 686 2.6 2.8 2.8 2.9 3.2 2.9 2.7
South................................ 1,495 1,524 1,500 1,508 1,517 1,585 1,588 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.4 3.5
Midwest.............................. 892 885 905 925 897 921 937 2.9 2.9 2.9 3.0 2.9 3.0 3.0
West................................. 957 973 969 924 992 883 857 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.5 3.1 3.0
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 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 Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb.
2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004p
Total(4)............................... 4,081 3,845 3,859 3,797 4,022 3,968 4,019 3.1 3.0 3.0 2.9 3.1 3.0 3.1
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 3,829 3,588 3,612 3,543 3,723 3,716 3,756 3.5 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5
Construction......................... 349 408 365 372 391 436 391 5.2 6.0 5.4 5.5 5.8 6.4 5.8
Manufacturing........................ 404 340 332 330 343 323 349 2.7 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.3 2.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 924 821 854 856 968 936 904 3.6 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.8 3.7 3.6
Professional and business services... 606 524 523 542 575 572 581 3.8 3.3 3.3 3.4 3.6 3.5 3.6
Education and health services........ 363 399 377 372 330 389 384 2.2 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.0 2.3 2.3
Leisure and hospitality.............. 750 657 725 678 723 709 721 6.2 5.4 6.0 5.6 5.9 5.8 5.9
Government............................ 259 259 257 259 269 258 268 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2
REGION
Northeast............................ 670 660 615 622 687 712 676 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.5 2.8 2.9 2.7
South................................ 1,557 1,468 1,465 1,438 1,518 1,505 1,469 3.4 3.2 3.2 3.1 3.3 3.3 3.2
Midwest.............................. 897 832 859 881 901 903 935 2.9 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.9 2.9 3.0
West................................. 954 878 877 858 898 896 930 3.4 3.1 3.1 3.0 3.2 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.
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 Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb.
2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004p
Total(4)............................... 2,121 2,072 2,129 2,104 2,131 2,118 2,166 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.7
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 2,005 1,949 1,995 1,999 2,010 2,002 2,036 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.8 1.9
Construction......................... 123 151 139 158 171 148 129 1.8 2.2 2.1 2.3 2.5 2.2 1.9
Manufacturing........................ 161 142 162 166 178 165 165 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 494 473 482 491 534 530 499 2.0 1.9 1.9 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.0
Professional and business services... 318 276 266 261 256 261 310 2.0 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.9
Education and health services........ 223 252 230 225 212 237 227 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.4
Leisure and hospitality.............. 456 392 515 463 462 428 450 3.8 3.2 4.2 3.8 3.8 3.5 3.7
Government............................ 114 123 135 100 119 116 126 .5 .6 .6 .5 .6 .5 .6
REGION
Northeast............................ 325 295 288 301 315 288 311 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.2 1.2
South................................ 827 811 840 869 894 852 852 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9
Midwest.............................. 468 462 464 466 465 513 463 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.5
West................................. 502 504 552 464 436 475 534 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.6 1.5 1.7 1.9
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 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 Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.
2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p
Total........................................... 2,714 2,700 2,811 2.1 2.1 2.1
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 2,384 2,374 2,482 2.2 2.2 2.3
Natural resources and mining.................. 5 7 5 .9 1.3 .9
Construction.................................. 75 85 92 1.2 1.3 1.4
Manufacturing................................. 187 224 228 1.3 1.6 1.6
Durable goods................................ 119 138 150 1.3 1.5 1.7
Nondurable goods............................. 68 86 78 1.2 1.6 1.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 461 385 406 1.8 1.5 1.6
Wholesale trade.............................. 84 85 75 1.5 1.5 1.3
Retail trade................................. 281 235 259 1.9 1.6 1.7
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 95 65 72 2.0 1.4 1.5
Information................................... 62 69 78 1.9 2.1 2.4
Financial activities.......................... 160 165 169 2.0 2.0 2.1
Finance and insurance........................ 121 137 142 2.0 2.3 2.3
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 39 28 27 1.9 1.4 1.3
Professional and business services............ 491 474 487 3.0 2.9 3.0
Education and health services................. 552 534 527 3.2 3.1 3.0
Educational services......................... 38 34 41 1.3 1.3 1.4
Health care and social assistance............ 514 500 486 3.6 3.5 3.4
Leisure and hospitality....................... 277 324 360 2.3 2.7 3.0
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 27 50 47 1.6 3.1 2.9
Accommodations and food services............. 249 274 313 2.4 2.7 3.0
Other services................................ 116 107 130 2.1 2.0 2.4
Government..................................... 330 326 329 1.5 1.5 1.5
Federal....................................... 29 41 50 1.0 1.5 1.8
State and local............................... 300 285 279 1.5 1.5 1.4
REGION
Northeast..................................... 469 420 450 1.9 1.7 1.8
South......................................... 1,067 1,110 1,095 2.3 2.4 2.4
Midwest....................................... 573 612 643 1.8 2.0 2.1
West.......................................... 604 558 622 2.1 2.0 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 Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.
2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p
Total........................................... 3,307 3,491 3,340 2.6 2.7 2.6
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 3,090 3,234 3,109 2.9 3.0 2.9
Natural resources and mining.................. 19 17 18 3.3 3.1 3.2
Construction.................................. 293 281 316 4.7 4.4 5.0
Manufacturing................................. 300 349 324 2.0 2.5 2.3
Durable goods................................ 186 237 213 2.0 2.7 2.4
Nondurable goods............................. 114 112 111 2.0 2.1 2.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 654 681 678 2.6 2.7 2.7
Wholesale trade.............................. 96 111 110 1.7 2.0 2.0
Retail trade................................. 483 448 451 3.3 3.0 3.1
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 76 122 117 1.6 2.6 2.5
Information................................... 68 47 65 2.1 1.5 2.1
Financial activities.......................... 147 128 115 1.9 1.6 1.4
Finance and insurance........................ 97 78 75 1.6 1.3 1.3
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 50 49 40 2.5 2.4 2.0
Professional and business services............ 578 659 494 3.7 4.2 3.1
Education and health services................. 367 400 373 2.2 2.4 2.2
Educational services......................... 37 47 49 1.3 1.8 1.7
Health care and social assistance............ 330 353 324 2.4 2.5 2.3
Leisure and hospitality....................... 530 530 604 4.6 4.6 5.2
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 60 64 80 3.7 4.0 5.0
Accommodations and food services............. 471 466 524 4.7 4.6 5.2
Other services................................ 135 143 122 2.5 2.7 2.3
Government..................................... 217 257 232 1.0 1.2 1.1
Federal....................................... 23 34 29 .8 1.3 1.1
State and local............................... 194 223 203 1.0 1.2 1.1
REGION
Northeast..................................... 506 572 514 2.0 2.3 2.1
South......................................... 1,307 1,409 1,409 2.9 3.1 3.1
Midwest....................................... 672 743 711 2.2 2.4 2.3
West.......................................... 822 766 706 2.9 2.7 2.5
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 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 Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.
2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p
Total........................................... 3,365 4,030 3,335 2.6 3.1 2.6
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 3,187 3,819 3,149 3.0 3.6 2.9
Natural resources and mining.................. 16 16 16 2.8 3.0 2.9
Construction.................................. 340 426 376 5.5 6.7 5.9
Manufacturing................................. 365 325 311 2.5 2.3 2.2
Durable goods................................ 233 193 176 2.6 2.2 2.0
Nondurable goods............................. 131 132 135 2.4 2.4 2.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 788 1,126 767 3.2 4.5 3.1
Wholesale trade.............................. 108 121 116 1.9 2.2 2.1
Retail trade................................. 569 866 533 3.9 5.8 3.6
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 110 140 118 2.3 3.0 2.5
Information................................... 68 56 70 2.1 1.8 2.2
Financial activities.......................... 135 138 142 1.7 1.7 1.8
Finance and insurance........................ 82 87 102 1.4 1.5 1.7
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 52 51 40 2.6 2.5 2.0
Professional and business services............ 478 576 465 3.1 3.6 2.9
Education and health services................. 304 398 328 1.8 2.4 1.9
Educational services......................... 23 46 29 .8 1.7 1.0
Health care and social assistance............ 281 352 299 2.0 2.5 2.1
Leisure and hospitality....................... 526 616 512 4.5 5.3 4.4
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 64 70 56 3.9 4.4 3.5
Accommodations and food services............. 463 547 456 4.6 5.4 4.5
Other services................................ 168 143 161 3.1 2.7 3.0
Government..................................... 178 211 186 .8 1.0 .8
Federal....................................... 29 36 34 1.0 1.3 1.2
State and local............................... 149 175 152 .8 .9 .8
REGION
Northeast..................................... 516 689 530 2.1 2.8 2.1
South......................................... 1,345 1,482 1,265 3.0 3.3 2.8
Midwest....................................... 720 912 758 2.4 3.0 2.5
West.......................................... 783 948 782 2.8 3.4 2.8
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 Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.
2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p
Total........................................... 1,765 1,877 1,808 1.4 1.5 1.4
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 1,677 1,780 1,707 1.6 1.7 1.6
Natural resources and mining.................. 6 5 5 1.0 .9 1.0
Construction.................................. 119 113 119 1.9 1.8 1.9
Manufacturing................................. 138 142 140 .9 1.0 1.0
Durable goods................................ 84 83 81 .9 .9 .9
Nondurable goods............................. 55 58 59 1.0 1.1 1.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 420 513 417 1.7 2.0 1.7
Wholesale trade.............................. 54 60 49 1.0 1.1 .9
Retail trade................................. 323 406 310 2.2 2.7 2.1
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 42 47 59 .9 1.0 1.2
Information................................... 33 27 42 1.0 .9 1.3
Financial activities.......................... 84 66 90 1.1 .8 1.1
Finance and insurance........................ 47 46 64 .8 .8 1.1
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 37 20 26 1.8 1.0 1.3
Professional and business services............ 237 239 244 1.5 1.5 1.5
Education and health services................. 189 234 192 1.1 1.4 1.1
Educational services......................... 11 20 16 .4 .8 .5
Health care and social assistance............ 178 213 176 1.3 1.5 1.3
Leisure and hospitality....................... 360 347 358 3.1 3.0 3.1
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 37 18 22 2.3 1.1 1.4
Accommodations and food services............. 324 329 336 3.2 3.3 3.3
Other services................................ 93 94 99 1.7 1.8 1.9
Government..................................... 88 97 101 .4 .5 .5
Federal....................................... 16 11 19 .6 .4 .7
State and local............................... 72 86 81 .4 .5 .4
REGION
Northeast..................................... 254 231 245 1.0 .9 1.0
South......................................... 715 744 731 1.6 1.6 1.6
Midwest....................................... 373 465 369 1.2 1.5 1.2
West.......................................... 422 436 464 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 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 Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.
2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p
Total........................................... 1,336 1,796 1,282 1.0 1.4 1.0
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 1,282 1,737 1,236 1.2 1.6 1.2
Natural resources and mining.................. 6 8 8 1.1 1.4 1.4
Construction.................................. 210 282 246 3.4 4.4 3.9
Manufacturing................................. 187 155 148 1.3 1.1 1.0
Durable goods................................ 123 91 80 1.4 1.0 .9
Nondurable goods............................. 63 64 67 1.1 1.2 1.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 290 534 299 1.2 2.1 1.2
Wholesale trade.............................. 42 52 57 .8 .9 1.0
Retail trade................................. 199 414 196 1.4 2.8 1.3
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 49 68 46 1.0 1.4 1.0
Information................................... 32 22 23 1.0 .7 .7
Financial activities.......................... 35 50 32 .4 .6 .4
Finance and insurance........................ 24 20 24 .4 .3 .4
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 11 30 8 .5 1.5 .4
Professional and business services............ 212 300 187 1.4 1.9 1.2
Education and health services................. 93 117 103 .6 .7 .6
Educational services......................... 9 21 12 .3 .8 .4
Health care and social assistance............ 84 96 91 .6 .7 .6
Leisure and hospitality....................... 151 231 139 1.3 2.0 1.2
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 26 50 33 1.6 3.1 2.0
Accommodations and food services............. 125 181 106 1.3 1.8 1.1
Other services................................ 65 36 52 1.2 .7 1.0
Government..................................... 54 59 46 .2 .3 .2
Federal....................................... 6 6 7 .2 .2 .3
State and local............................... 48 53 39 .3 .3 .2
REGION
Northeast..................................... 215 390 237 .9 1.6 1.0
South......................................... 521 617 434 1.1 1.4 1.0
Midwest....................................... 287 361 342 .9 1.2 1.1
West.......................................... 313 427 269 1.1 1.5 1.0
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 Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.
2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p
Total........................................... 264 357 245 0.2 0.3 0.2
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 228 302 207 .2 .3 .2
Natural resources and mining.................. 4 4 3 .7 .7 .6
Construction.................................. 11 30 11 .2 .5 .2
Manufacturing................................. 40 28 23 .3 .2 .2
Durable goods................................ 27 18 14 .3 .2 .2
Nondurable goods............................. 13 9 9 .2 .2 .2
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 78 80 51 .3 .3 .2
Wholesale trade.............................. 12 9 11 .2 .2 .2
Retail trade................................. 47 46 27 .3 .3 .2
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 19 25 13 .4 .5 .3
Information................................... 3 6 4 .1 .2 .1
Financial activities.......................... 17 22 20 .2 .3 .3
Finance and insurance........................ 12 21 14 .2 .4 .2
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 5 1 6 .2 .1 .3
Professional and business services............ 29 36 35 .2 .2 .2
Education and health services................. 22 47 34 .1 .3 .2
Educational services......................... 2 4 1 .1 .1 (3)
Health care and social assistance............ 19 43 33 .1 .3 .2
Leisure and hospitality....................... 15 38 15 .1 .3 .1
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 1 1 1 (3) .1 .1
Accommodations and food services............. 14 37 14 .1 .4 .1
Other services................................ 10 12 10 .2 .2 .2
Government..................................... 36 55 39 .2 .3 .2
Federal....................................... 7 18 7 .2 .7 .3
State and local............................... 29 36 32 .2 .2 .2
REGION
Northeast..................................... 47 67 48 .2 .3 .2
South......................................... 110 120 100 .2 .3 .2
Midwest....................................... 59 86 48 .2 .3 .2
West.......................................... 48 84 50 .2 .3 .2
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.