Full text of February 2006 : Text File, USDL-06-637
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Technical information: (202) 691-5870 USDL 06-637
http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact: 691-5902 Tuesday, April 11, 2006
JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: FEBRUARY 2006
The job openings, hires, and total separations rates were all essentially
unchanged in February, 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 February 2006, there were 4.1 million job
openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.9 percent.
(See table 1.) The job openings rate was unchanged in February but has
generally trended upward since September 2003. In February, the job
openings rate did not change significantly in any industry or region.
Hires and Separations
The hires rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent in February. (See table 2.)
Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. Over the month,
the hires rate increased in the leisure and hospitality industry. The hires
rate did not change significantly in any region.
The total separations, or turnover, rate was little changed at 3.3 per-
cent in February. (See table 3.) Separations are terminations of employment
that occur at any time during the month. In February, the total separations
rate increased in the trade, transportation, and utilities industry. The
total separations rate did not change significantly in any region.
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 2.0 percent in
February. (See table 4.) The quits rate rose in the education and health
services industry. The quits rate did not change significantly in any
region.
The other two components of total separations--layoffs and discharges,
and other separations--are not seasonally adjusted. From February 2005 to
February 2006, the layoffs and discharges rate fell to 0.9 percent but the
other separations rate was unchanged at 0.2 percent. (See tables 9 and 10.)
- 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.
| 2005 | 2006 | 2006p| 2005 | 2006 | 2006p| 2005 | 2006 | 2006p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Levels (in thousands)
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........|3,494 |3,981 |4,054 |4,832 |4,941 |4,972 |4,481 |4,285 |4,492
| | | | | | | | |
Total private(1).|3,099 |3,533 |3,591 |4,503 |4,584 |4,601 |4,215 |3,995 |4,209
Construction...| 127 | 114 | 143 | 430 | 379 | 412 | 402 | 374 | 306
Manufacturing..| 256 | 324 | 329 | 335 | 366 | 327 | 345 | 353 | 387
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and| | | | | | | | |
utilities.....| 631 | 687 | 708 |1,055 |1,177 |1,110 | 969 | 880 | 990
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services......| 605 | 777 | 727 | 920 | 953 | 850 | 874 | 780 | 833
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices.........| 601 | 627 | 637 | 479 | 446 | 440 | 392 | 353 | 395
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality...| 426 | 507 | 536 | 786 | 847 |1,042 | 814 | 848 | 853
Government.......| 392 | 449 | 458 | 325 | 352 | 376 | 270 | 300 | 288
|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Rates (percent)
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........| 2.6 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.3
| | | | | | | | |
Total private(1).| 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.7
Construction...| 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 6.0 | 5.1 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.0 | 4.1
Manufacturing..| 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.7
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and| | | | | | | | |
utilities.....| 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.8
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services......| 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 4.8
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices.........| 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.2
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality...| 3.2 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 8.0 | 6.4 | 6.6 | 6.6
Government.......| 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
Hires and separations data help show dynamic flows in the labor market.
Over the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.8 million per month and
separations have averaged 4.5 million per month (not seasonally adjusted).
The comparable figures a year earlier were 4.6 million hires and 4.4 mil-
lion separations. (See the Technical Note for additional information on
these measures.)
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 March 2006 is scheduled
to be issued on Tuesday, May 9, 2006.
- 3 -
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 Workforce Agencies verify with employers and update,
if necessary, the industry code, location, and ownership classification of
all establishments on a 3-year cycle. Changes in establishment characteris-
tics 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.
- 4 -
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.
Annual estimates. Annual estimates of rates and levels of hires, quits,
layoffs and discharges, other separations, and total separations are released
with the January news release each year.
The JOLTS annual level estimates for hires, quits, layoffs and discharges,
other separations, and total separations are the sum of the 12 published
monthly levels. The annual rate estimates are computed by dividing the an-
nual level by the Current Employment Statistics (CES) annual average employ-
ment level, and multiplying that quotient by 100. This figure will be ap-
proximately equal to the sum of the 12 monthly rates. Note that both the
JOLTS and CES annual levels are rounded to the nearest thousand before the
annual estimates are calculated. Consistent with BLS practices, annual es-
timates will be published only for not seasonally adjusted data.
Annual estimates are not calculated for job openings because job
openings are a stock, or point-in-time, measurement for the last business
day of each month. Only jobs still open on the last day of the month are
counted. For the same reason job openings cannot be cumulated throughout
each month, annual figures for job openings cannot be created by summing
the monthly estimates. Hires and separations are flow measures and are
cumulated over the month with a total reported for the month. Therefore,
the annual figures can be created by summing the monthly estimates.
- 5 -
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.
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.
- 6 -
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.
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.
2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006p 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006p
Total(4)............................... 3,494 3,728 3,867 4,031 3,941 3,981 4,054 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.8 2.9 2.9
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 3,099 3,285 3,460 3,604 3,509 3,533 3,591 2.7 2.8 3.0 3.1 3.0 3.0 3.1
Construction......................... 127 152 148 146 170 114 143 1.7 2.0 2.0 1.9 2.2 1.5 1.9
Manufacturing........................ 256 285 297 333 313 324 329 1.8 2.0 2.1 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 631 629 654 696 661 687 708 2.4 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.6 2.6
Professional and business services... 605 671 723 782 750 777 727 3.5 3.8 4.1 4.4 4.2 4.3 4.1
Education and health services........ 601 630 613 601 618 627 637 3.4 3.5 3.4 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5
Leisure and hospitality.............. 426 431 498 519 522 507 536 3.2 3.3 3.7 3.9 3.9 3.8 4.0
Government............................ 392 443 416 434 435 449 458 1.8 2.0 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.0
REGION(5)
Northeast............................ 602 661 704 704 718 740 734 2.3 2.6 2.7 2.7 2.8 2.8 2.8
South................................ 1,352 1,451 1,515 1,562 1,612 1,550 1,574 2.8 2.9 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.1 3.2
Midwest.............................. 718 760 762 748 738 745 769 2.3 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.4
West................................. 824 890 873 1,046 919 928 977 2.7 2.9 2.9 3.4 3.0 3.0 3.2
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.
5 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.
p = preliminary.
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.
2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006p 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006p
Total(4)............................... 4,832 4,748 4,822 4,813 4,694 4,941 4,972 3.6 3.5 3.6 3.6 3.5 3.7 3.7
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 4,503 4,418 4,488 4,498 4,397 4,584 4,601 4.1 3.9 4.0 4.0 3.9 4.1 4.1
Construction......................... 430 436 430 393 426 379 412 6.0 6.0 5.9 5.3 5.8 5.1 5.5
Manufacturing........................ 335 346 449 335 307 366 327 2.3 2.4 3.2 2.4 2.2 2.6 2.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 1,055 983 967 954 1,011 1,177 1,110 4.1 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.9 4.5 4.3
Professional and business services... 920 904 849 907 849 953 850 5.5 5.3 5.0 5.3 5.0 5.6 4.9
Education and health services........ 479 468 460 459 467 446 440 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.5 2.5
Leisure and hospitality.............. 786 836 859 895 853 847 1,042 6.2 6.5 6.7 6.9 6.6 6.6 8.0
Government............................ 325 314 319 314 293 352 376 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.6 1.7
REGION(5)
Northeast............................ 810 796 744 747 698 727 827 3.2 3.2 2.9 3.0 2.8 2.9 3.3
South................................ 1,861 1,842 1,886 1,813 1,817 1,946 2,040 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.8 3.8 4.1 4.2
Midwest.............................. 1,090 965 1,017 1,031 1,038 1,043 1,051 3.5 3.1 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3
West................................. 1,104 1,139 1,154 1,188 1,127 1,176 1,088 3.8 3.8 3.9 4.0 3.8 4.0 3.7
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.
5 See footnote 5, table 1.
p = preliminary.
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.
2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006p 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006p
Total(4)............................... 4,481 4,798 4,359 4,476 4,359 4,285 4,492 3.4 3.6 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.3
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 4,215 4,503 4,103 4,205 4,067 3,995 4,209 3.8 4.0 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.7
Construction......................... 402 423 392 371 348 374 306 5.6 5.8 5.3 5.0 4.7 5.0 4.1
Manufacturing........................ 345 437 340 388 355 353 387 2.4 3.1 2.4 2.7 2.5 2.5 2.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 969 1,000 935 1,003 1,027 880 990 3.8 3.9 3.6 3.9 3.9 3.4 3.8
Professional and business services... 874 856 757 753 735 780 833 5.2 5.0 4.5 4.4 4.3 4.6 4.8
Education and health services........ 392 433 404 418 400 353 395 2.3 2.5 2.3 2.4 2.3 2.0 2.2
Leisure and hospitality.............. 814 871 798 834 843 848 853 6.4 6.8 6.2 6.5 6.5 6.6 6.6
Government............................ 270 302 255 270 270 300 288 1.2 1.4 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.3
REGION(5)
Northeast............................ 717 797 657 619 685 701 735 2.9 3.2 2.6 2.4 2.7 2.8 2.9
South................................ 1,699 1,779 1,710 1,711 1,759 1,653 1,650 3.6 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.4 3.4
Midwest.............................. 1,002 1,065 961 1,081 934 987 1,072 3.2 3.4 3.1 3.5 3.0 3.1 3.4
West................................. 1,041 1,127 1,012 1,004 997 970 1,015 3.5 3.8 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.4
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.
5 See footnote 5, table 1.
p = preliminary.
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.
2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006p 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006p
Total(4)............................... 2,325 2,681 2,619 2,683 2,567 2,577 2,638 1.8 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.9 1.9 2.0
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 2,203 2,529 2,470 2,540 2,428 2,435 2,497 2.0 2.3 2.2 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.2
Construction......................... 145 210 205 183 189 179 145 2.0 2.9 2.8 2.5 2.6 2.4 1.9
Manufacturing........................ 181 213 200 210 184 196 203 1.3 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.3 1.4 1.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 512 566 573 606 634 551 598 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.1 2.3
Professional and business services... 402 448 345 359 365 415 449 2.4 2.6 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.4 2.6
Education and health services........ 252 283 258 277 254 225 269 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.4 1.3 1.5
Leisure and hospitality.............. 490 557 597 595 558 569 577 3.9 4.3 4.6 4.6 4.3 4.4 4.5
Government............................ 124 154 142 142 139 143 144 .6 .7 .6 .6 .6 .7 .7
REGION(5)
Northeast............................ 329 361 341 333 390 369 385 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.5
South................................ 938 1,125 1,109 1,102 1,069 1,068 1,081 2.0 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.2
Midwest.............................. 503 574 552 572 481 571 605 1.6 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.5 1.8 1.9
West................................. 546 627 601 657 618 569 554 1.9 2.1 2.0 2.2 2.1 1.9 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 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.
5 See footnote 5, table 1.
p = preliminary.
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.
2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p
Total........................................... 3,350 3,678 3,895 2.5 2.7 2.8
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 2,993 3,259 3,475 2.7 2.9 3.0
Natural resources and mining.................. 9 9 12 1.5 1.5 1.8
Construction.................................. 118 94 134 1.7 1.3 1.9
Manufacturing................................. 258 309 335 1.8 2.1 2.3
Durable goods................................ 174 214 242 1.9 2.3 2.6
Nondurable goods............................. 84 95 93 1.6 1.8 1.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 578 608 647 2.2 2.3 2.5
Wholesale trade.............................. 140 104 153 2.4 1.8 2.6
Retail trade................................. 347 395 371 2.3 2.5 2.4
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 91 110 123 1.8 2.2 2.5
Information................................... 81 111 112 2.6 3.5 3.5
Financial activities.......................... 235 294 314 2.8 3.5 3.7
Finance and insurance........................ 182 232 273 3.0 3.7 4.3
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 53 62 41 2.5 2.8 1.9
Professional and business services............ 601 719 715 3.5 4.1 4.1
Education and health services................. 591 599 629 3.3 3.3 3.4
Educational services......................... 47 59 68 1.6 2.1 2.2
Health care and social assistance............ 544 539 561 3.7 3.5 3.7
Leisure and hospitality....................... 398 445 508 3.2 3.5 3.9
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 57 63 51 3.3 3.6 2.9
Accommodations and food services............. 341 381 457 3.2 3.5 4.1
Other services................................ 125 71 69 2.3 1.3 1.3
Government..................................... 357 419 420 1.6 1.9 1.9
Federal....................................... 41 46 45 1.5 1.7 1.6
State and local............................... 316 374 375 1.6 1.9 1.9
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 561 665 685 2.2 2.6 2.7
South......................................... 1,343 1,481 1,565 2.8 3.0 3.2
Midwest....................................... 671 667 720 2.1 2.1 2.3
West.......................................... 774 865 925 2.6 2.9 3.0
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 See footnote 5, table 1.
p = preliminary.
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.
2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p
Total........................................... 4,004 4,196 4,144 3.1 3.2 3.1
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 3,778 3,877 3,879 3.5 3.5 3.5
Natural resources and mining.................. 20 15 17 3.3 2.4 2.6
Construction.................................. 354 291 340 5.3 4.1 4.8
Manufacturing................................. 314 361 302 2.2 2.6 2.1
Durable goods................................ 212 207 174 2.4 2.3 1.9
Nondurable goods............................. 101 153 128 1.9 3.0 2.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 804 861 850 3.2 3.3 3.3
Wholesale trade.............................. 117 99 114 2.1 1.7 2.0
Retail trade................................. 562 531 575 3.8 3.5 3.8
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 124 231 160 2.6 4.7 3.3
Information................................... 64 61 81 2.1 2.0 2.7
Financial activities.......................... 164 172 191 2.0 2.1 2.3
Finance and insurance........................ 95 124 119 1.6 2.1 2.0
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 70 47 72 3.4 2.2 3.4
Professional and business services............ 835 906 764 5.1 5.4 4.5
Education and health services................. 414 413 378 2.4 2.4 2.1
Educational services......................... 47 62 53 1.6 2.3 1.8
Health care and social assistance............ 367 351 325 2.6 2.4 2.2
Leisure and hospitality....................... 610 635 815 5.0 5.2 6.6
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 77 71 104 4.6 4.2 6.1
Accommodations and food services............. 533 564 712 5.1 5.3 6.7
Other services................................ 200 162 141 3.7 3.0 2.6
Government..................................... 226 319 265 1.0 1.5 1.2
Federal....................................... 31 43 43 1.1 1.6 1.6
State and local............................... 195 276 222 1.0 1.4 1.1
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 570 564 592 2.3 2.3 2.4
South......................................... 1,641 1,740 1,816 3.5 3.7 3.8
Midwest....................................... 851 878 823 2.8 2.8 2.6
West.......................................... 942 1,014 913 3.2 3.5 3.1
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 See footnote 5, table 1.
p = preliminary.
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.
2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p
Total........................................... 3,679 4,186 3,707 2.8 3.2 2.8
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 3,493 3,938 3,506 3.2 3.6 3.2
Natural resources and mining.................. 15 17 19 2.5 2.6 3.1
Construction.................................. 383 405 287 5.7 5.8 4.1
Manufacturing................................. 296 344 344 2.1 2.4 2.4
Durable goods................................ 193 192 201 2.2 2.2 2.3
Nondurable goods............................. 103 151 143 2.0 2.9 2.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 834 991 855 3.3 3.8 3.3
Wholesale trade.............................. 133 101 139 2.3 1.8 2.4
Retail trade................................. 569 761 605 3.8 5.0 4.0
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 132 129 112 2.7 2.6 2.3
Information................................... 45 63 63 1.5 2.1 2.1
Financial activities.......................... 157 165 202 2.0 2.0 2.5
Finance and insurance........................ 96 117 134 1.6 1.9 2.2
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 62 48 68 3.0 2.2 3.2
Professional and business services............ 692 720 668 4.2 4.3 4.0
Education and health services................. 330 345 333 1.9 2.0 1.9
Educational services......................... 24 38 24 .8 1.4 .8
Health care and social assistance............ 307 306 309 2.1 2.1 2.1
Leisure and hospitality....................... 571 751 604 4.7 6.1 4.9
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 74 57 43 4.5 3.4 2.5
Accommodations and food services............. 497 694 561 4.7 6.5 5.2
Other services................................ 171 137 130 3.2 2.6 2.4
Government..................................... 187 248 201 .8 1.1 .9
Federal....................................... 26 57 48 1.0 2.1 1.8
State and local............................... 161 191 153 .8 1.0 .8
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 546 667 577 2.2 2.7 2.3
South......................................... 1,449 1,580 1,399 3.1 3.3 2.9
Midwest....................................... 810 971 876 2.6 3.1 2.8
West.......................................... 875 968 855 3.0 3.3 2.9
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 See footnote 5, table 1.
p = preliminary.
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.
2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p
Total........................................... 1,914 2,262 2,177 1.5 1.7 1.6
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 1,817 2,142 2,063 1.7 1.9 1.9
Natural resources and mining.................. 6 9 8 1.0 1.4 1.2
Construction.................................. 127 142 124 1.9 2.0 1.8
Manufacturing................................. 153 166 174 1.1 1.2 1.2
Durable goods................................ 99 96 103 1.1 1.1 1.2
Nondurable goods............................. 54 69 71 1.0 1.3 1.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 425 516 498 1.7 2.0 1.9
Wholesale trade.............................. 73 52 69 1.3 .9 1.2
Retail trade................................. 300 406 361 2.0 2.7 2.4
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 52 58 68 1.1 1.2 1.4
Information................................... 32 41 44 1.0 1.4 1.4
Financial activities.......................... 80 100 120 1.0 1.2 1.5
Finance and insurance........................ 60 76 72 1.0 1.3 1.2
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 20 24 47 1.0 1.1 2.2
Professional and business services............ 308 371 349 1.9 2.2 2.1
Education and health services................. 208 213 225 1.2 1.2 1.3
Educational services......................... 15 23 16 .5 .8 .5
Health care and social assistance............ 194 190 210 1.3 1.3 1.4
Leisure and hospitality....................... 373 504 443 3.1 4.1 3.6
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 37 28 24 2.2 1.7 1.4
Accommodations and food services............. 337 476 419 3.2 4.5 3.9
Other services................................ 104 81 77 1.9 1.5 1.4
Government..................................... 97 120 114 .4 .6 .5
Federal....................................... 12 24 23 .4 .9 .9
State and local............................... 86 96 91 .4 .5 .5
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 257 305 305 1.0 1.2 1.2
South......................................... 795 939 920 1.7 2.0 1.9
Midwest....................................... 401 508 487 1.3 1.6 1.6
West.......................................... 462 510 464 1.6 1.7 1.6
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 See footnote 5, table 1.
p = preliminary.
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.
2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p
Total........................................... 1,463 1,564 1,230 1.1 1.2 0.9
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 1,417 1,494 1,179 1.3 1.4 1.1
Natural resources and mining.................. 5 4 11 .9 .6 1.7
Construction.................................. 242 248 144 3.6 3.5 2.0
Manufacturing................................. 115 132 121 .8 .9 .9
Durable goods................................ 75 66 65 .8 .7 .7
Nondurable goods............................. 39 65 57 .7 1.3 1.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 346 407 278 1.4 1.6 1.1
Wholesale trade.............................. 51 44 51 .9 .8 .9
Retail trade................................. 232 312 197 1.6 2.1 1.3
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 64 52 30 1.3 1.1 .6
Information................................... 10 12 13 .3 .4 .4
Financial activities.......................... 62 55 70 .8 .7 .9
Finance and insurance........................ 22 35 51 .4 .6 .8
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 40 20 19 1.9 .9 .9
Professional and business services............ 303 260 280 1.8 1.6 1.7
Education and health services................. 99 108 86 .6 .6 .5
Educational services......................... 7 12 7 .2 .4 .2
Health care and social assistance............ 92 96 79 .6 .7 .5
Leisure and hospitality....................... 182 218 131 1.5 1.8 1.1
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 37 25 16 2.2 1.5 .9
Accommodations and food services............. 146 193 115 1.4 1.8 1.1
Other services................................ 52 50 44 1.0 .9 .8
Government..................................... 46 70 50 .2 .3 .2
Federal....................................... 8 12 11 .3 .4 .4
State and local............................... 38 59 39 .2 .3 .2
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 243 293 222 1.0 1.2 .9
South......................................... 533 518 375 1.1 1.1 .8
Midwest....................................... 346 361 319 1.1 1.2 1.0
West.......................................... 340 392 314 1.2 1.3 1.1
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.
3 See footnote 5, table 1.
p = preliminary.
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.
2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p
Total........................................... 302 360 301 0.2 0.3 0.2
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 259 302 264 .2 .3 .2
Natural resources and mining.................. 3 4 1 .6 .6 .2
Construction.................................. 14 15 19 .2 .2 .3
Manufacturing................................. 28 46 48 .2 .3 .3
Durable goods................................ 18 30 33 .2 .3 .4
Nondurable goods............................. 9 16 15 .2 .3 .3
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 63 69 79 .2 .3 .3
Wholesale trade.............................. 9 6 19 .2 .1 .3
Retail trade................................. 38 44 47 .3 .3 .3
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 16 19 13 .3 .4 .3
Information................................... 3 10 6 .1 .3 .2
Financial activities.......................... 15 10 13 .2 .1 .2
Finance and insurance........................ 14 6 11 .2 .1 .2
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 2 4 2 .1 .2 .1
Professional and business services............ 81 89 39 .5 .5 .2
Education and health services................. 23 24 22 .1 .1 .1
Educational services......................... 2 3 2 .1 .1 .1
Health care and social assistance............ 21 21 20 .1 .1 .1
Leisure and hospitality....................... 15 28 30 .1 .2 .2
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 1 4 3 .1 .2 .2
Accommodations and food services............. 14 25 27 .1 .2 .3
Other services................................ 14 6 9 .3 .1 .2
Government..................................... 43 58 37 .2 .3 .2
Federal....................................... 7 21 13 .2 .8 .5
State and local............................... 36 37 23 .2 .2 .1
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 46 68 50 .2 .3 .2
South......................................... 121 124 104 .3 .3 .2
Midwest....................................... 63 103 70 .2 .3 .2
West.......................................... 73 65 77 .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 See footnote 5, table 1.
p = preliminary.