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1 Technical information: (202) 691-5870 http://www.bls.gov/jlt/ Media contact: USDL 04-1199 For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT Wednesday, July 7, 2004 691-5902 JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: MAY 2004 There were 4.2 million hires and 4.0 million separations in May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The number of hires outpaced the number of separations for the 13th straight month, and there were fewer hires and separations than in April. The job openings rate was unchanged at 2.3 percent in May. The series in this report include estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector by industry and geographic region. Chart 1. Job openings rate, seasonally adjusted, Percent December 2000 - May 2004 Chart 2. Hires and separations rates, seasonally adjusted, Percent December 2000 - May 2004 4.0 4.0 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.6 3.4 3.4 3.2 3.2 3.0 3.0 2.8 2.8 2.6 2.6 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.2 2.0 2.0 1.8 2001 2002 2003 2004 Hires Separations 1.8 2001 2002 2003 2004 Job Openings On the last business day of May 2004, there were 3.1 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 2.3 percent. (See table 1.) The job openings rate has ranged from 2.0 percent to 2.4 percent since October 2001. In May, the job openings rate edged down in manufacturing and showed little or no change for other major industry categories. Hires and Separations The hires rate (the number of hires during the month divided by employment) decreased to 3.2 percent in May. (See table 2.) Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. The hires rate decreased in trade, transportation, and utilities and government over the month, while other major industries showed little or no change in their hires rates. The total separations, or turnover, rate (the number of separations during the month divided by employment) was 3.1 percent in May and has remained in the range of 2.9 percent to 3.3 percent since 2 Table A. Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally adjusted Job openings Industry May 2003 Apr. 2004 May 2004p May 2003 Hires Apr. 2004 May 2004p Total separations May Apr. May 2004 2004p 2003 Levels (in thousands) Total ............................................................ Total private 1....................................... Construction ................................... Manufacturing ................................ Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................... Professional and business services ......................................... Education and health services .... Leisure and hospitality ................. Government .......................................... 2,723 2,370 90 180 3,135 2,778 105 251 3,104 2,727 98 231 3,958 3,652 430 305 4,398 4,090 421 354 4,173 3,907 405 332 3,736 3,456 364 375 4,088 3,843 391 353 4,003 3,745 360 375 422 531 522 837 1,032 927 784 1,013 903 461 563 326 350 518 576 376 354 521 556 387 375 527 609 624 425 460 452 686 766 725 307 300 268 Rates (percent) 437 410 700 267 606 386 679 245 571 375 697 257 Total 1......................................................... Total private 1....................................... Construction ................................... Manufacturing ................................ Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................... Professional and business services ......................................... Education and health services .... Leisure and hospitality ................. Government .......................................... 2.1 2.1 1.3 1.2 2.3 2.5 1.5 1.7 2.3 2.4 1.4 1.6 3.0 3.4 6.4 2.1 3.4 3.7 6.1 2.5 3.2 3.6 5.9 2.3 2.9 3.2 5.4 2.6 3.1 3.5 5.7 2.5 3.1 3.4 5.2 2.6 1.6 2.0 2.0 3.3 4.1 3.6 3.1 4.0 3.5 2.8 3.3 2.6 1.6 3.1 3.3 3.0 1.6 3.1 3.2 3.0 1.7 3.3 2.6 5.7 1.4 3.7 2.7 6.2 1.4 3.8 2.7 5.9 1.2 2.7 2.5 5.8 1.2 3.7 2.3 5.5 1.1 3.5 2.2 5.6 1.2 1 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately. p = preliminary. December 2001. Separations are terminations of employment that occur at any time during the month. The total separations rate for trade, transportation, and utilities decreased to 3.5 percent in May, and the total separations rate in construction continued on a downward trend. The other major industries showed little change in their total separations rates over the month. (See table 3.) 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, edged down to 1.6 percent in May. (See table 4.) The quits rate fell in professional and business services and edged down in manufacturing over the month. Quits as a percent of total separations fell to 53.8 percent in May, after increasing each month since December 2003. The other two components of total separations, layoffs and discharges (1.0 percent) and other separations (0.2 percent), are not seasonally adjusted and were unchanged over the year. (See tables 9 and 10.) Hires and separations help show dynamic flows in the labor market. Over the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.2 million per month and separations have averaged 4.0 million per month. (See the Technical Note for additional information on these measures.) Hires have outpaced separations in each of the last 13 months. In April and May, hires outpaced separations in every industry except manufacturing. 3 For More Information For additional information, please see the Technical Note or the JOLTS website 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 for June 2004 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 11, 2004. 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 classification of all establishments on a 3-year cycle. Changes in establishment 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 received 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 temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, and consultants are counted by their employer of record, not by the establishment 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 position, 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 newspapers 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. Hires. Hires are the total number of additions to the payroll occurring at any time during the reference month, including both new and rehired employees, full-time and part-time, permanent, short-term, and seasonal employees, 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 (except for retirements, which are reported as other separations). Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer 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 retirements, 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, dividing 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. Using JOLTS data The JOLTS data series on job openings, hires, and separations are relatively 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 supplemental 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 comparable with estimates for March 2002 and later. The federal government reorganization that involved transferring approximately 180,000 employees to the new Department of Homeland Security is not reflected in the JOLTS hires and separations estimates for the federal government. The Office of Personnel Management’s record shows these transfers were completed in March 2003. The inclusion of transfers in the JOLTS definitions of hires and separations is intended to cover ongoing movements of workers between establishments. The Department of Homeland Security reorganization was a massive one-time event, and the inclusion of these intergovernmental 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 adjustment 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 calendar 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 segment 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 explain 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 includes 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 practices. 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. 1 2 Table 1. Job openings levels and rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted 3 Levels (in thousands) Industry and region May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. 2003 2003 2004 2004 Rates May May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. 2004 Apr. 2004 2004p 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004 Apr. 2004 2004p Total4…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2,723 3,062 2,868 2,906 3,079 3,135 3,104 2.1 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.3 113 232 524 502 559 370 353 2,778 105 251 531 518 576 376 354 2,727 98 231 522 521 556 387 375 2.1 1.3 1.2 1.6 2.8 3.3 2.6 1.6 2.4 1.6 1.6 2.0 3.5 3.0 3.2 1.6 2.3 1.5 1.6 1.7 3.0 3.2 2.9 1.6 2.3 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.9 3.2 3.0 1.7 2.5 1.6 1.6 2.0 3.0 3.2 2.9 1.6 2.5 1.5 1.7 2.0 3.1 3.3 3.0 1.6 2.4 1.4 1.6 2.0 3.1 3.2 3.0 1.7 569 1,176 663 655 560 1,191 692 694 515 1,195 679 734 2.0 2.2 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.6 2.1 2.2 1.9 2.4 2.2 2.0 2.0 2.4 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.5 2.1 2.2 2.2 2.5 2.2 2.4 2.0 2.5 2.1 2.5 May INDUSTRY 4 Total private ……………………………………………………………………………….. 2,370 2,719 2,518 2,534 2,740 Construction……………………………………………………………… 90 110 106 99 Manufacturing………………………………………………………. 180 234 233 226 Trade, transportation, and utilities………………………… 422 520 430 458 Professional and business services……………………. 461 594 501 491 Education and health services…………………………………………. 563 520 549 551 Leisure and hospitality………………...…………………………… 326 399 368 383 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 350 351 350 364 REGION Northeast………………………………………………………………. 513 541 476 500 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,026 1,204 1,132 1,112 Midwest…………………………………………………………………………….. 591 666 679 680 West………………………………………………………………………….. 607 649 586 1 632 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day the regions are: Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, of the month. 2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and 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 Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, seasonal adjustment of the various series. 4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and West Virginia; Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, and other services, not shown separately. P = preliminary. and Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise and Wyoming. Table 2. Hires levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted Levels3 (in thousands) Industry and region May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Rates May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. 2004 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004 Apr. 2004 2004p 4,398 4,173 3.0 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.5 3.4 3.2 437 361 1,009 713 444 810 343 4,090 421 354 1,032 609 460 766 300 3,907 405 332 927 624 452 725 268 3.4 6.4 2.1 3.3 3.3 2.6 5.7 1.4 3.6 6.0 2.4 3.6 4.0 2.5 6.2 1.4 3.5 5.3 2.4 3.8 4.4 2.5 5.9 1.4 3.5 5.6 2.5 3.7 3.3 2.7 6.3 1.5 3.9 6.4 2.5 4.0 4.4 2.6 6.6 1.6 3.7 6.1 2.5 4.1 3.7 2.7 6.2 1.4 3.6 5.9 2.3 3.6 3.8 2.7 5.9 1.2 744 1,781 1,040 1,029 810 1,582 991 1,093 695 1,612 941 944 2.7 3.2 2.9 3.3 3.2 3.3 2.9 3.5 2.9 3.4 3.0 3.1 2.8 3.5 3.1 3.1 3.0 3.9 3.4 3.6 3.2 3.4 3.2 3.8 2.8 3.5 3.0 3.3 2004 Apr. 2004 Total4…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3,958 4,216 4,106 4,103 4,603 2003 2003 2004 2004 May p May INDUSTRY 4 Total private ……………………………………………………………………………….. 3,652 3,923 3,800 3,772 4,256 Construction……………………………………………………………… 430 404 358 382 Manufacturing………………………………………………………. 305 340 349 355 Trade, transportation, and utilities………………………… 837 913 957 945 Professional and business services……………………. 527 650 708 529 Education and health services…………………………………………. 425 427 416 447 Leisure and hospitality………………...…………………………… 686 753 715 766 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 307 300 295 323 REGION Northeast………………………………………………………………. 675 792 722 689 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,468 1,517 1,585 1,608 Midwest…………………………………………………………………………….. 881 897 921 953 West………………………………………………………………………….. 927 992 883 876 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. 1 2 Table 3. Total separations levels and rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted 3 Levels (in thousands) Industry and region May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. 2003 2003 2004 2004 Rates May May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. 2004 Apr. 2004 2004p 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004 Apr. 2004 2004p Total4…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3,736 4,022 3,968 4,073 4,134 4,088 4,003 2.9 3.1 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.1 3.1 392 377 978 597 382 715 284 3,843 391 353 1,013 606 386 679 245 3,745 360 375 903 571 375 697 257 3.2 5.4 2.6 3.1 2.7 2.5 5.8 1.2 3.4 5.8 2.4 3.8 3.6 2.0 5.9 1.2 3.4 6.4 2.3 3.7 3.5 2.3 5.8 1.2 3.5 5.9 2.5 3.5 3.6 2.3 5.9 1.2 3.5 5.7 2.6 3.8 3.7 2.3 5.8 1.3 3.5 5.7 2.5 4.0 3.7 2.3 5.5 1.1 3.4 5.2 2.6 3.5 3.5 2.2 5.6 1.2 666 1,612 938 1,003 716 1,524 877 959 644 1,483 837 1,001 2.8 2.9 2.8 3.1 2.8 3.3 2.9 3.2 2.9 3.3 2.9 3.2 2.8 3.3 3.0 3.3 2.7 3.5 3.0 3.5 2.9 3.3 2.8 3.4 2.6 3.2 2.7 3.5 May INDUSTRY 4 Total private ……………………………………………………………………………….. 3,456 3,723 3,716 3,807 3,868 Construction……………………………………………………………… 364 391 436 400 Manufacturing………………………………………………………. 375 343 323 355 Trade, transportation, and utilities………………………… 784 968 936 899 Professional and business services……………………. 437 575 572 590 Education and health services…………………………………………. 410 330 389 388 Leisure and hospitality………………...…………………………… 700 723 709 727 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 267 269 258 268 REGION Northeast………………………………………………………………. 697 687 712 688 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,337 1,518 1,505 1,499 Midwest…………………………………………………………………………….. 848 901 903 929 West………………………………………………………………………….. 867 898 896 941 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 levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted Levels3 (in thousands) Industry and region May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. 2003 2003 2004 2004 Rates May May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. 2004 Apr. 2004 2004p 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004 Apr. 2004 2004p Total4…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2,013 2,131 2,118 2,178 2,271 2,278 2,152 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.6 154 176 530 309 252 465 129 2,151 149 189 563 323 245 429 129 2,014 139 167 520 257 220 454 130 1.7 2.0 1.0 1.9 1.5 1.4 3.6 .6 1.9 2.5 1.2 2.1 1.6 1.3 3.8 .6 1.8 2.2 1.2 2.1 1.6 1.4 3.5 .5 1.9 2.0 1.2 1.9 1.9 1.4 3.7 .6 2.0 2.3 1.2 2.1 1.9 1.5 3.8 .6 2.0 2.2 1.3 2.2 2.0 1.5 3.5 .6 1.8 2.0 1.2 2.0 1.6 1.3 3.7 .6 314 957 474 565 390 888 479 524 312 851 473 518 1.2 1.7 1.5 1.5 1.3 1.9 1.5 1.5 1.2 1.9 1.7 1.7 1.3 1.9 1.5 1.8 1.3 2.1 1.5 2.0 1.6 1.9 1.5 1.8 1.2 1.8 1.5 1.8 May INDUSTRY Total private4……………………………………………………………………………….. 1,889 2,010 2,002 2,051 2,144 Construction……………………………………………………………… 134 171 148 133 Manufacturing………………………………………………………. 149 178 165 169 Trade, transportation, and utilities………………………… 475 534 530 493 Professional and business services……………………. 240 256 261 302 Education and health services…………………………………………. 228 212 237 234 Leisure and hospitality………………...…………………………… 439 462 428 447 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 120 119 116 126 REGION Northeast………………………………………………………………. 311 315 288 319 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 798 894 852 867 Midwest…………………………………………………………………………….. 459 465 513 455 West………………………………………………………………………….. 426 436 475 520 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 levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Industry and region Rates May Apr. May May Apr. May 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 3,381 2.2 2.5 2.5 2,970 6 6 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 118 137 126 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 198 254 259 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 114 166 165 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 84 88 95 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 435 553 541 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 75 118 120 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 283 351 345 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities………………....77 84 76 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 45 70 77 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 171 220 199 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 138 177 154 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 33 43 45 Professional and business services…………………………………. 497 546 561 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 581 578 575 Educational services………………………………………………………. 45 51 52 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 536 527 523 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 381 446 457 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 36 45 59 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 344 401 398 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 142 141 168 2.3 .9 1.7 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.7 1.3 1.9 1.6 1.4 2.1 2.3 1.6 3.0 3.4 1.6 3.7 3.0 1.9 3.2 2.6 2.6 1.0 2.0 1.7 1.8 1.6 2.1 2.0 2.3 1.7 2.2 2.7 2.9 2.1 3.2 3.3 1.7 3.6 3.5 2.5 3.7 2.5 2.6 1.0 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.7 2.1 2.1 2.2 1.6 2.4 2.4 2.5 2.1 3.3 3.3 1.8 3.6 3.5 3.1 3.6 3.0 411 42 369 1.7 1.5 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.5 1.9 572 1,289 710 810 2.3 2.3 2.0 2.3 2.3 2.6 2.4 2.5 2.2 2.7 2.2 2.7 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2,954 3,307 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 2,575 2,951 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 5 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 379 355 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 41 46 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 338 310 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 580 585 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,102 1,249 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 614 746 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 657 727 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 levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Industry and region Rates May Apr. May May Apr. May 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 4,761 3.5 3.6 3.6 4,476 27 23 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 532 552 502 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 359 377 382 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 225 227 232 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 133 150 150 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 921 1,013 1,026 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 133 174 136 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 689 708 728 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities………………....99 130 163 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 70 66 64 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 192 190 218 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 112 112 119 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 81 78 99 Professional and business services…………………………………. 582 695 692 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 410 401 439 Educational services………………………………………………………. 40 37 37 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 370 365 401 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 914 930 956 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 191 167 148 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 724 763 808 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 192 192 174 3.9 4.6 7.9 2.5 2.5 2.4 3.7 2.4 4.6 2.1 2.2 2.4 1.9 3.9 3.7 2.5 1.5 2.7 7.4 10.2 7.0 3.6 4.1 4.7 8.2 2.6 2.5 2.8 4.0 3.1 4.8 2.7 2.1 2.4 1.9 3.8 4.3 2.4 1.3 2.6 7.6 9.5 7.3 3.5 4.1 4.0 7.2 2.7 2.6 2.8 4.0 2.4 4.9 3.4 2.0 2.7 2.0 4.7 4.2 2.6 1.3 2.8 7.6 7.9 7.6 3.2 285 35 250 1.5 1.9 1.4 1.0 1.3 1.0 1.3 1.3 1.3 821 1,789 1,122 1,029 3.3 3.5 3.5 3.6 3.2 3.5 3.6 3.9 3.2 3.8 3.6 3.6 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4,527 4,668 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 4,200 4,444 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 26 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 327 224 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 54 36 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 273 188 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 814 794 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,625 1,638 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 1,067 1,115 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 1,021 1,121 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 levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Rates Industry and region May Apr. May May Apr. May 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 3,870 2.8 2.9 2.9 3,595 18 19 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 322 322 305 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 347 339 357 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 215 196 207 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 132 143 150 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 804 886 878 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 134 135 149 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 566 629 605 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities……………….... 104 122 124 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 63 85 57 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 144 146 155 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 91 86 96 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 53 60 59 Professional and business services…………………………………. 469 606 598 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 424 355 384 Educational services………………………………………………………. 68 30 56 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 356 325 328 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 675 678 659 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 80 118 71 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 596 560 588 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 138 144 183 3.1 2.9 4.8 2.4 2.4 2.4 3.2 2.4 3.8 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.5 2.6 2.9 2.5 2.5 2.6 5.5 4.3 5.7 2.6 3.3 3.1 4.8 2.4 2.2 2.6 3.5 2.4 4.2 2.6 2.7 1.8 1.5 2.9 3.7 2.1 1.0 2.3 5.5 6.7 5.3 2.7 3.3 3.2 4.4 2.5 2.3 2.8 3.5 2.6 4.0 2.6 1.8 1.9 1.6 2.8 3.6 2.3 2.0 2.3 5.2 3.8 5.5 3.4 276 29 247 1.3 1.2 1.3 .8 .9 .8 1.3 1.1 1.3 569 1,517 824 960 2.5 3.0 2.7 2.9 2.5 3.1 2.5 3.2 2.3 3.3 2.6 3.3 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3,689 3,759 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 3,402 3,578 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 16 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 287 181 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 32 26 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 255 156 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 634 624 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,388 1,456 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 848 776 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 820 903 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 levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Industry and region Rates May Apr. May May Apr. May 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 2,233 1.6 1.7 1.7 2,085 10 8 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 137 151 140 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 158 191 176 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 95 116 108 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 63 75 68 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 501 543 531 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 68 65 92 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 377 422 384 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities………………....56 56 55 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 37 51 32 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 80 95 110 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 53 57 66 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 27 38 44 Professional and business services…………………………………. 262 305 266 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 244 231 231 Educational services………………………………………………………. 30 16 24 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 215 214 207 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 452 413 473 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 39 44 35 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 413 369 438 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 84 96 116 1.8 1.2 2.0 1.1 1.1 1.1 2.0 1.2 2.5 1.2 1.2 1.0 .9 1.3 1.6 1.5 1.1 1.5 3.7 2.1 4.0 1.6 1.9 1.7 2.2 1.3 1.3 1.4 2.2 1.1 2.8 1.2 1.6 1.2 1.0 1.9 1.9 1.4 .6 1.5 3.4 2.5 3.5 1.8 1.9 1.4 2.0 1.2 1.2 1.2 2.1 1.6 2.6 1.1 1.0 1.4 1.1 2.1 1.6 1.4 .9 1.5 3.8 1.9 4.1 2.1 149 13 136 .6 .6 .6 .4 .4 .4 .7 .5 .7 313 881 500 540 1.3 1.8 1.6 1.6 1.3 1.9 1.5 1.8 1.2 1.9 1.6 1.9 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2,098 2,184 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 1,962 2,085 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 7 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 136 98 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 16 12 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 120 86 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 319 339 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 837 888 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 488 450 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 454 507 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 levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Rates Industry and region May Apr. May May Apr. May 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 1,323 1.0 1.0 1.0 1,250 5 7 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 179 155 156 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 158 122 146 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 100 61 75 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 58 61 71 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 240 287 287 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 51 61 51 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 151 176 178 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities………………....38 50 58 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 23 25 22 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 43 30 32 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 24 14 21 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 19 16 12 Professional and business services…………………………………. 176 270 281 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 150 103 117 Educational services………………………………………………………. 34 10 27 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 116 93 89 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 199 238 155 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 39 72 34 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 160 166 121 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 39 44 49 1.1 1.1 2.6 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 .9 1.0 .8 .7 .5 .4 .9 1.1 .9 1.2 .8 1.6 2.1 1.5 .7 1.2 .9 2.3 .9 .7 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.2 1.1 .8 .4 .2 .8 1.7 .6 .3 .7 1.9 4.1 1.6 .8 1.1 1.3 2.2 1.0 .8 1.3 1.1 .9 1.2 1.2 .7 .4 .3 .6 1.7 .7 1.0 .6 1.2 1.8 1.1 .9 72 6 67 .4 .2 .5 .2 .2 .2 .3 .2 .3 187 539 266 331 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 .9 1.0 .9 1.2 .7 1.2 .9 1.1 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,308 1,328 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 1,212 1,280 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 6 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 96 47 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 6 6 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 90 42 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 252 238 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 456 473 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 303 272 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 296 345 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 levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Rates Industry and region May Apr. May May Apr. May 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 314 0.2 0.2 0.2 260 3 10 35 24 11 60 7 43 11 4 12 9 3 50 36 5 32 30 2 29 19 .2 .6 .1 .2 .2 .2 .2 .3 .3 .2 .1 .3 .2 .3 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .1 .2 .3 .2 .5 .2 .2 .2 .1 .2 .2 .2 .3 .3 .3 .2 .3 .2 .1 .1 .1 .2 .1 .2 .1 .2 .5 .1 .2 .3 .2 .2 .1 .3 .2 .1 .1 .1 .1 .3 .2 .2 .2 .2 .1 .3 .3 54 10 45 .3 .3 .2 .2 .3 .1 .2 .4 .2 70 96 58 90 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .3 .2 .2 .3 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 284 248 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 229 213 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 3 3 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 6 16 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 31 26 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 19 19 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 12 7 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 62 56 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 14 10 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 38 30 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities………………....10 16 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 2 9 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 22 21 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 15 15 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 7 6 Professional and business services…………………………………. 31 32 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 30 21 Educational services………………………………………………………. 5 4 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 25 17 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 25 26 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 2 1 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 23 25 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 15 4 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 55 36 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 9 8 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 46 28 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 62 47 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 95 96 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 57 54 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 69 51 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.