Full text of November 2007 : Text File, USDL-08-0044
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Technical information: (202) 691-5870 USDL 08-0044
http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact: 691-5902 Thursday, January 10, 2008
JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: NOVEMBER 2007
On the last business day of November, there were 4.0 million job openings in
the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.8 percent, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The job openings,
hires, and total separations rates were all essentially unchanged in November.
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.
Although the month-to-month changes in job openings, hires, and turnover data
are often small, some over-the-year changes are significant. From November 2006
to November 2007, the job openings, hires, quits, and total separations rates
all fell significantly for total nonfarm and total private employment. (See
tables 5, 6, 7, and 8.)
Job Openings
In November, the job openings rate remained at 2.8 percent. Job openings
include only those jobs open on the last business day of the month. Over the
month, the job openings rate rose in retail trade and fell in accommodation and
food services. The job openings rate did not change significantly in any region
in November. As occurs nearly every month, the seasonally adjusted job openings
rate was highest in November in the accommodation and food services industry
(4.0 percent). (See table 1.)
Over the year, the job openings rate rose significantly only in federal gov-
ernment (to 1.4 percent). The rate fell over the year in natural resources and
mining (1.0 percent), durable goods manufacturing (1.7 percent), information
(2.6 percent), arts, entertainment, and recreation (2.7 percent), and state and
local government (1.9 percent). Regionally, the job openings rate fell over the
year in the Northeast (2.2 percent) and in the West (2.7 percent). (See table 5.)
Hires
The hires rate was little changed at 3.4 percent in November. Hires are any
additions to the payroll during the month. In November, the hires rate decreased
in retail trade, in accommodation and food services, and in the West region. The
hires rate did not increase significantly in November in any industry or region.
As occurs nearly every month, the seasonally adjusted hires rate was highest in
November in accommodation and food services (6.0 percent). (See table 2.)
From November 2006 to November 2007, the hires rate decreased over the year
in retail trade (to 4.9 percent), information (1.5 percent), the South region
(3.3 percent), and the West region (3.1 per-cent). The hires rate did not
increase significantly in any industry or region over the year. (See table 6.)
- 2 -
Table A. Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally
adjusted
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Job openings | Hires | Total separations
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Industry | Nov. | Oct. | Nov. | Nov. | Oct. | Nov. | Nov. | Oct. | Nov.
| 2006 | 2007 | 2007p| 2006 | 2007 | 2007p| 2006 | 2007 | 2007p
---------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Levels (in thousands)
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total (1)............|4,200 |4,059 |4,021 |4,994 |4,870 |4,650 |4,844 |4,639 |4,541
| | | | | | | | |
Total private (1)..|3,735 |3,597 |3,571 |4,665 |4,507 |4,277 |4,543 |4,376 |4,259
Construction.....| 106 | 155 | 142 | 395 | 334 | 351 | 413 | 359 | 338
Manufacturing....| 328 | 304 | 305 | 363 | 407 | 367 | 360 | 408 | 393
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and | | | | | | | | |
utilities (2)...| 671 | 598 | 639 |1,012 |1,034 | 913 |1,020 |1,007 | 980
Retail trade....| 417 | 298 | 357 | 737 | 709 | 628 | 719 | 703 | 697
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services........| 705 | 730 | 724 |1,010 | 840 | 894 | 974 | 888 | 843
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices...........| 713 | 701 | 715 | 492 | 514 | 523 | 430 | 428 | 423
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality (3).| 625 | 653 | 560 | 903 | 916 | 836 | 838 | 803 | 809
Accommodation | | | | | | | | |
and food | | | | | | | | |
services.......| 528 | 590 | 488 | 748 | 796 | 702 | 721 | 686 | 682
Government (4).....| 463 | 465 | 453 | 348 | 377 | 359 | 305 | 289 | 287
State and local | | | | | | | | |
government......| 427 | 414 | 407 | 303 | 313 | 290 | 256 | 237 | 238
|-------------------------------------------------------------
| Rates (percent)
|-------------------------------------------------------------
Total (1)............| 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.3
| | | | | | | | |
Total private (1)..| 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.7
Construction.....| 1.4 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 5.1 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 4.5
Manufacturing....| 2.3 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.8
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and | | | | | | | | |
utilities (2)...| 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.7
Retail trade....| 2.7 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.5
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services........| 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 5.7 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 4.9 | 4.7
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices...........| 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.3
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality (3).| 4.5 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 5.9
Accommodation | | | | | | | | |
and food | | | | | | | | |
services.......| 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 6.0 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 5.8
Government (4).....| 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.3
State and local | | | | | | | | |
government......| 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
2 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities, not
shown separately.
3 Includes arts, entertainment, and recreation, not shown separately.
4 Includes federal government, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
- 3 -
Separations
The total separations, or turnover, rate was essentially unchanged at 3.3 per-
cent in November. Separations are terminations of employment that occur at any
time during the month. Over the month, the separations rate did not change sig-
nificantly in any industry or region. (See table 3.) From November 2006 to
November 2007, the total separations rate decreased in construction (to 4.6 per-
cent), in federal government (0.8 percent), and in the South region (2.9 percent).
The separations rate did not increase significantly in any industry or region over
the year. (See tables 7.)
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, fell
slightly from 1.9 percent in October to 1.8 percent in November. The quits rate
fell over the month in professional and business services, and in the South and
West regions. As has occurred every month since the series began in December 2000,
the seasonally adjusted quits rate was highest in November in the accommodation and
food services industry (4.3 percent). (See table 4.)
Over the year, the quits rate did not rise significantly in any industry but did
fall in several industries, including wholesale trade (to 0.8 percent), retail trade
(2.4 percent), professional and business services (2.0 percent), and federal govern-
ment (0.3 percent). Geographically, the quits rate fell over the year in 3 of the
4 regions--Northeast (1.2 percent), South (1.6 percent), and West (1.6 percent).
(See table 8.)
The other two components of total separations--layoffs and discharges, and other
separations--are not seasonally adjusted. For November, the layoffs and discharges
rate (1.3 percent) and level (1.8 million) were little changed from a year earlier.
The layoffs and discharges rate in November 2007 was highest in arts, entertainment,
and recreation (6.0 percent). (See table 9.) The other separations rate (0.2 per-
cent) and level (252,000) were essentially unchanged over the year. (See table 10.)
Flows in the Labor Market
Several industries consistently have high rates of both hires and separations.
These include construction; retail trade; professional and business services;
arts, entertainment, and recreation; and accommodation and food services. In the
12 months ending in November 2007, these 5 industries produced 33.6 million hires
and 32.1 million separations. Thus, these five industries accounted for 58 percent
of total nonfarm hires and 59 percent of total nonfarm separations while comprising
only 39 percent of total nonfarm employment.
- 4 -
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 December 2007 is scheduled to be
issued on Tuesday, February 12.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
| |
| Upcoming Changes to Job Openings |
| and Labor Turnover Data |
| |
| With the release of January 2008 data on March 12, 2008, the Job |
| Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) will revise the basis for |
| industry classification from the 2002 North American Industry Classi- |
| fication System (NAICS) to the 2007 North American Industry Classifi- |
| cation System. The new classification reflects minor definitional |
| changes within manufacturing, telecommunications, financial activi- |
| ties, and professional, scientific, and technical services. None of |
| the changes will impact published JOLTS data. |
| |
| For more information on the 2007 NAICS, see http://www.census. |
| gov/epcd/www/naics.html. |
| |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
- 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 Workforce Agencies verify with employers and up-
date, if necessary, the industry code, location, and ownership classi-
fication 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
received pay for the pay period that includes the 12th day of the refer-
ence month. Full-time, part-time, permanent, short-term, seasonal, sala-
ried, and hourly employees are included, as are employees on paid vaca-
tions 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 contrac-
tors, 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 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 out-
side the establishment to fill the position. Included are full-time,
part-time, permanent, short-term, and seasonal openings. Active re-
cruiting 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, out-
side 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 ocur-
ring 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 contrac-
tors, 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 separa-
tions by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. The quits,
layoffs and discharges, and other separations rates are computed simi-
larly, dividing 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 dis-
charges, other separations, and total separations are the sum of the
12 published monthly levels. The annual rate estimates are computed by
dividing the annual level by the Current Employment Statistics (CES)
annual average employment level, and multiplying that quotient by 100.
This figure will be approximately 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. Con-
sistent with BLS practices, annual estimates 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 busi-
ness 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 mea-
sures 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.
- 7 -
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 esti-
mates 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 en-
rolled 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 sup-
plemental 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 reor-
ganization was a massive one-time event, and the inclusion of these inter-
governmental 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, par-
ticularly those associated with general economic expansions and contrac-
tions. 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.
- 8 -
Prior to the January 2007 benchmark release in March 2007, seasonal ajust-
ment of the JOLTS series was conducted using the stable seasonal filter option
since there were not enough data observations available for the standard use
of moving averages as seasonal filters. Although the seasonal adjustment of
the JOLTS series is conducted with fewer data observations than is customary,
the number of observations is now above the minimum required by X-12-ARIMA to
use the normal seasonal filters. Therefore, the standard use of moving aver-
ages as seasonal filter is now in place for JOLTS seasonal adjustment. JOLTS
seasonal adjustment now includes both additive and multiplicative seasonal
adjustment models and REGARIMA (regression with autocorrelated errors)
modeling to improve the seasonal adjustment factors at the beginning and end
of the series and to detect and adjust for outliers in the series. Due to
the improved diagnostics, three additional industries are now seasonally
adjusted: retail trade, accommodations and food services, and state and local
government. It is expected that more series 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 explain net
changes in nonfarm payroll employment. Some reasons why it is problematic to
compare changes in payroll employment with JOLTS hires and separations, espe-
cially 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. Addi-
tionally, 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.
Table 1. Job openings levels (1) and rates (2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
Levels (3) (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Nov. June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Nov. June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov.
2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p
Total (4).................................. 4,200 4,280 4,186 4,168 4,119 4,059 4,021 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.8 2.8
INDUSTRY
Total private (4)......................... 3,735 3,810 3,711 3,709 3,664 3,597 3,571 3.1 3.2 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.0 3.0
Construction............................. 106 139 167 149 138 155 142 1.4 1.8 2.1 1.9 1.8 2.0 1.8
Manufacturing............................ 328 344 340 328 319 304 305 2.3 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.1 2.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities (5). 671 676 684 703 691 598 639 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.2 2.4
Retail trade............................ 417 409 399 380 367 298 357 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.3 1.9 2.3
Professional and business services....... 705 763 693 676 661 730 724 3.8 4.1 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.9 3.9
Education and health services............ 713 711 717 700 720 701 715 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.7 3.6 3.7
Leisure and hospitality (6).............. 625 568 547 585 653 653 560 4.5 4.0 3.9 4.1 4.6 4.6 3.9
Accommodation and food services......... 528 497 497 518 587 590 488 4.4 4.1 4.1 4.3 4.8 4.8 4.0
Government (7)............................ 463 465 475 449 455 465 453 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0
State and local government............... 427 424 430 410 408 414 407 2.2 2.1 2.2 2.1 2.0 2.1 2.0
REGION (8)
Northeast................................ 772 732 741 682 611 664 619 2.9 2.8 2.8 2.6 2.3 2.5 2.3
South.................................... 1,572 1,635 1,612 1,690 1,651 1,641 1,639 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.2
Midwest.................................. 770 805 754 778 828 742 792 2.4 2.5 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.3 2.4
West..................................... 1,034 1,106 1,120 1,024 1,048 1,019 950 3.3 3.5 3.5 3.2 3.3 3.2 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 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 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities, not shown separately.
6 Includes arts, entertainment, and recreation, not shown separately.
7 Includes federal government, not shown separately.
8 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 Nov. June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Nov. June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov.
2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p
Total (4).................................. 4,994 4,741 4,802 4,836 4,714 4,870 4,650 3.6 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.5 3.4
INDUSTRY
Total private (4)......................... 4,665 4,335 4,443 4,369 4,355 4,507 4,277 4.1 3.7 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.9 3.7
Construction............................. 395 358 408 371 336 334 351 5.1 4.7 5.3 4.9 4.4 4.4 4.6
Manufacturing............................ 363 355 359 349 365 407 367 2.6 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.6 2.9 2.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities (5). 1,012 910 924 922 994 1,034 913 3.8 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.7 3.9 3.4
Retail trade............................ 737 605 613 666 709 709 628 4.8 3.9 4.0 4.3 4.6 4.6 4.1
Professional and business services....... 1,010 865 879 797 800 840 894 5.7 4.8 4.9 4.4 4.5 4.7 5.0
Education and health services............ 492 493 502 501 448 514 523 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.4 2.8 2.8
Leisure and hospitality (6).............. 903 854 874 901 906 916 836 6.8 6.3 6.4 6.6 6.6 6.7 6.1
Accommodation and food services......... 748 736 748 758 749 796 702 6.6 6.4 6.5 6.5 6.4 6.8 6.0
Government (7)............................ 348 395 385 396 370 377 359 1.6 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.6
State and local government............... 303 312 293 314 296 313 290 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.5
REGION (8)
Northeast................................ 713 684 750 761 689 672 721 2.8 2.6 2.9 2.9 2.7 2.6 2.8
South.................................... 1,979 1,842 1,898 1,841 1,848 1,925 1,824 4.0 3.7 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.9 3.7
Midwest.................................. 1,061 1,082 1,039 1,081 1,125 1,084 1,067 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.4 3.3
West..................................... 1,249 1,117 1,135 1,148 1,068 1,211 1,008 4.1 3.6 3.7 3.7 3.5 3.9 3.3
1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.
2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
5 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities, not shown separately.
6 Includes arts, entertainment, and recreation, not shown separately.
7 Includes federal government, not shown separately.
8 See footnote 8, 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 Nov. June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Nov. June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov.
2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p
Total (4).................................. 4,844 4,543 4,507 4,446 4,430 4,639 4,541 3.5 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.4 3.3
INDUSTRY
Total private (4)......................... 4,543 4,234 4,173 4,120 4,146 4,376 4,259 4.0 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.8 3.7
Construction............................. 413 363 384 371 364 359 338 5.4 4.7 5.0 4.9 4.8 4.7 4.5
Manufacturing............................ 360 382 379 380 379 408 393 2.5 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.9 2.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities (5). 1,020 974 987 926 954 1,007 980 3.9 3.7 3.7 3.5 3.6 3.8 3.7
Retail trade............................ 719 688 687 652 676 703 697 4.7 4.5 4.5 4.2 4.4 4.6 4.5
Professional and business services....... 974 728 733 742 832 888 843 5.5 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.6 4.9 4.7
Education and health services............ 430 473 414 430 411 428 423 2.4 2.6 2.2 2.3 2.2 2.3 2.3
Leisure and hospitality (6).............. 838 850 837 808 723 803 809 6.3 6.3 6.2 6.0 5.3 5.9 5.9
Accommodation and food services......... 721 730 735 703 627 686 682 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.1 5.4 5.9 5.8
Government (7)............................ 305 310 323 322 289 289 287 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.3
State and local government............... 256 239 254 255 213 237 238 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.1 1.2 1.2
REGION (8)
Northeast................................ 707 634 622 667 631 680 749 2.8 2.5 2.4 2.6 2.4 2.6 2.9
South.................................... 2,011 1,699 1,744 1,710 1,760 1,802 1,710 4.1 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.6 3.6 3.4
Midwest.................................. 985 1,033 1,014 1,038 998 992 1,017 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.1 3.1 3.2
West..................................... 1,079 1,191 1,149 1,053 1,018 1,160 1,065 3.5 3.9 3.7 3.4 3.3 3.8 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 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities, not shown separately.
6 Includes arts, entertainment, and recreation, not shown separately.
7 Includes federal government, not shown separately.
8 See footnote 8, 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 Nov. June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Nov. June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov.
2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p
Total (4).................................. 2,774 2,627 2,640 2,539 2,450 2,682 2,457 2.0 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.8
INDUSTRY
Total private (4)......................... 2,625 2,475 2,493 2,391 2,308 2,534 2,317 2.3 2.1 2.2 2.1 2.0 2.2 2.0
Construction............................. 144 129 176 145 135 137 113 1.9 1.7 2.3 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.5
Manufacturing............................ 211 195 186 202 189 208 189 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities (5). 661 618 572 545 559 607 547 2.5 2.3 2.2 2.1 2.1 2.3 2.1
Retail trade............................ 472 448 427 401 412 443 407 3.1 2.9 2.8 2.6 2.7 2.9 2.6
Professional and business services....... 486 411 418 395 420 482 412 2.7 2.3 2.3 2.2 2.3 2.7 2.3
Education and health services............ 278 271 276 270 253 260 265 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.4
Leisure and hospitality (6).............. 565 595 597 557 410 558 553 4.2 4.4 4.4 4.1 3.0 4.1 4.0
Accommodation and food services......... 520 540 552 505 363 514 508 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.4 3.1 4.4 4.3
Government (7)............................ 147 152 148 148 146 147 145 .7 .7 .7 .7 .7 .7 .6
State and local government............... 125 123 125 126 123 129 129 .6 .6 .6 .6 .6 .7 .7
REGION (8)
Northeast................................ 409 380 314 313 306 340 340 1.6 1.5 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.3
South.................................... 1,167 1,049 1,097 1,070 1,012 1,121 974 2.4 2.1 2.2 2.2 2.0 2.3 2.0
Midwest.................................. 543 555 553 564 543 542 542 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.7
West..................................... 645 648 669 598 582 697 576 2.1 2.1 2.2 1.9 1.9 2.3 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 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities, not shown separately.
6 Includes arts, entertainment, and recreation, not shown separately.
7 Includes federal government, not shown separately.
8 See footnote 8, 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 Nov. Oct. Nov. Nov. Oct. Nov.
2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p
Total........................................... 3,834 4,102 3,667 2.7 2.9 2.6
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 3,401 3,647 3,248 2.9 3.0 2.7
Natural resources and mining.................. 18 9 7 2.4 1.2 1.0
Construction.................................. 89 136 115 1.1 1.7 1.5
Manufacturing................................. 284 293 264 2.0 2.1 1.9
Durable goods................................ 187 169 157 2.0 1.9 1.7
Nondurable goods............................. 97 124 107 1.8 2.4 2.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 635 690 600 2.3 2.5 2.2
Wholesale trade.............................. 107 154 111 1.8 2.5 1.8
Retail trade................................. 393 392 344 2.4 2.5 2.1
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 135 144 145 2.6 2.7 2.7
Information................................... 153 86 82 4.8 2.7 2.6
Financial activities.......................... 224 229 212 2.6 2.6 2.5
Finance and insurance........................ 179 179 172 2.8 2.8 2.7
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 45 50 40 2.0 2.2 1.8
Professional and business services............ 653 741 685 3.5 3.9 3.6
Education and health services................. 661 688 672 3.5 3.5 3.4
Educational services......................... 55 65 63 1.7 2.0 1.9
Health care and social assistance............ 605 623 610 3.9 3.9 3.8
Leisure and hospitality....................... 543 616 485 4.0 4.3 3.5
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 76 69 52 4.0 3.4 2.7
Accommodation and food services............. 467 547 432 4.0 4.5 3.6
Other services................................ 142 159 126 2.6 2.8 2.3
Government..................................... 433 455 419 1.9 2.0 1.8
Federal....................................... 29 47 38 1.0 1.7 1.4
State and local............................... 404 408 381 2.0 2.0 1.9
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 747 724 598 2.8 2.7 2.2
South......................................... 1,446 1,612 1,486 2.8 3.1 2.9
Midwest....................................... 681 743 706 2.1 2.3 2.1
West.......................................... 960 1,022 877 3.0 3.2 2.7
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 8, 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 Nov. Oct. Nov. Nov. Oct. Nov.
2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p
Total........................................... 4,569 4,931 4,203 3.3 3.5 3.0
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 4,294 4,584 3,941 3.7 3.9 3.4
Natural resources and mining.................. 16 18 22 2.3 2.4 3.0
Construction.................................. 307 295 271 4.0 3.8 3.6
Manufacturing................................. 295 375 299 2.1 2.7 2.1
Durable goods................................ 172 211 175 1.9 2.4 2.0
Nondurable goods............................. 123 164 125 2.4 3.2 2.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 1,179 1,165 1,024 4.4 4.4 3.8
Wholesale trade.............................. 100 174 131 1.7 2.9 2.2
Retail trade................................. 931 850 771 5.9 5.5 4.9
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 149 142 122 2.9 2.8 2.4
Information................................... 74 57 47 2.4 1.8 1.5
Financial activities.......................... 197 235 176 2.3 2.8 2.1
Finance and insurance........................ 123 173 108 2.0 2.8 1.7
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 74 62 68 3.4 2.8 3.1
Professional and business services............ 930 860 840 5.2 4.7 4.6
Education and health services................. 411 534 447 2.3 2.8 2.4
Educational services......................... 37 67 47 1.2 2.1 1.4
Health care and social assistance............ 374 467 400 2.5 3.0 2.6
Leisure and hospitality....................... 767 874 706 5.9 6.4 5.3
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 120 97 107 6.6 5.0 5.8
Accommodation and food services............. 647 777 599 5.7 6.7 5.2
Other services................................ 120 172 108 2.2 3.2 2.0
Government..................................... 275 346 262 1.2 1.5 1.1
Federal....................................... 40 40 46 1.5 1.5 1.7
State and local............................... 235 307 216 1.2 1.5 1.1
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 636 672 649 2.5 2.6 2.5
South......................................... 1,793 1,956 1,649 3.6 3.9 3.3
Midwest....................................... 951 1,059 946 3.0 3.3 2.9
West.......................................... 1,188 1,243 960 3.8 4.0 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 8, 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 Nov. Oct. Nov. Nov. Oct. Nov.
2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p
Total........................................... 4,411 4,673 4,150 3.2 3.4 3.0
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 4,198 4,449 3,956 3.6 3.8 3.4
Natural resources and mining.................. 16 18 24 2.3 2.4 3.2
Construction.................................. 447 378 352 5.7 4.9 4.6
Manufacturing................................. 322 417 348 2.3 3.0 2.5
Durable goods................................ 196 240 204 2.2 2.7 2.3
Nondurable goods............................. 127 177 144 2.4 3.4 2.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 954 962 928 3.6 3.6 3.4
Wholesale trade.............................. 137 164 112 2.3 2.7 1.9
Retail trade................................. 668 660 657 4.2 4.3 4.2
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 148 138 160 2.9 2.7 3.1
Information................................... 74 55 57 2.4 1.8 1.8
Financial activities.......................... 194 234 173 2.3 2.8 2.1
Finance and insurance........................ 106 159 90 1.7 2.6 1.4
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 88 75 83 4.0 3.4 3.8
Professional and business services............ 907 916 845 5.1 5.0 4.7
Education and health services................. 348 384 342 1.9 2.0 1.8
Educational services......................... 36 35 43 1.2 1.1 1.3
Health care and social assistance............ 312 349 299 2.1 2.2 1.9
Leisure and hospitality....................... 806 933 782 6.2 6.9 5.8
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 130 148 148 7.2 7.6 8.0
Accommodation and food services............. 675 785 633 6.0 6.7 5.5
Other services................................ 131 153 105 2.4 2.8 1.9
Government..................................... 213 224 194 .9 1.0 .9
Federal....................................... 31 26 23 1.1 1.0 .8
State and local............................... 182 198 172 .9 1.0 .9
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 635 702 688 2.5 2.7 2.6
South......................................... 1,778 1,837 1,454 3.6 3.7 2.9
Midwest....................................... 992 951 1,030 3.1 3.0 3.2
West.......................................... 1,005 1,183 978 3.3 3.8 3.1
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 8, 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 Nov. Oct. Nov. Nov. Oct. Nov.
2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p
Total........................................... 2,408 2,626 2,100 1.7 1.9 1.5
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 2,302 2,506 1,997 2.0 2.1 1.7
Natural resources and mining.................. 9 9 12 1.2 1.2 1.6
Construction.................................. 122 147 91 1.6 1.9 1.2
Manufacturing................................. 164 211 148 1.2 1.5 1.1
Durable goods................................ 95 115 80 1.1 1.3 .9
Nondurable goods............................. 69 95 68 1.3 1.9 1.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 604 581 488 2.3 2.2 1.8
Wholesale trade.............................. 86 87 51 1.4 1.4 .8
Retail trade................................. 441 430 374 2.8 2.8 2.4
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 77 64 63 1.5 1.2 1.2
Information................................... 46 33 37 1.5 1.1 1.2
Financial activities.......................... 116 131 88 1.4 1.6 1.0
Finance and insurance........................ 74 99 64 1.2 1.6 1.0
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 42 32 24 1.9 1.4 1.1
Professional and business services............ 422 455 355 2.4 2.5 2.0
Education and health services................. 237 242 224 1.3 1.3 1.2
Educational services......................... 18 21 24 .6 .7 .7
Health care and social assistance............ 218 221 200 1.4 1.4 1.3
Leisure and hospitality....................... 511 588 490 3.9 4.3 3.6
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 38 48 34 2.1 2.4 1.8
Accommodation and food services............. 472 540 456 4.2 4.6 3.9
Other services................................ 72 109 64 1.3 2.0 1.2
Government..................................... 106 120 103 .5 .5 .5
Federal....................................... 15 10 8 .5 .4 .3
State and local............................... 91 110 95 .5 .6 .5
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 355 340 309 1.4 1.3 1.2
South......................................... 999 1,119 818 2.0 2.2 1.6
Midwest....................................... 486 513 484 1.5 1.6 1.5
West.......................................... 567 653 489 1.8 2.1 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 8, 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 Nov. Oct. Nov. Nov. Oct. Nov.
2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p
Total........................................... 1,719 1,796 1,798 1.2 1.3 1.3
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 1,646 1,723 1,739 1.4 1.5 1.5
Natural resources and mining.................. 5 7 10 .8 .9 1.4
Construction.................................. 294 217 243 3.8 2.8 3.2
Manufacturing................................. 135 185 175 1.0 1.3 1.3
Durable goods................................ 87 114 111 1.0 1.3 1.3
Nondurable goods............................. 47 72 64 .9 1.4 1.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 289 324 380 1.1 1.2 1.4
Wholesale trade.............................. 44 72 52 .7 1.2 .9
Retail trade................................. 184 196 241 1.2 1.3 1.5
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 61 55 87 1.2 1.1 1.7
Information................................... 22 13 15 .7 .4 .5
Financial activities.......................... 69 88 73 .8 1.0 .9
Finance and insurance........................ 24 50 21 .4 .8 .3
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 45 38 53 2.1 1.7 2.4
Professional and business services............ 422 424 448 2.4 2.3 2.5
Education and health services................. 81 107 92 .4 .6 .5
Educational services......................... 13 12 16 .4 .4 .5
Health care and social assistance............ 68 95 76 .4 .6 .5
Leisure and hospitality....................... 281 324 270 2.1 2.4 2.0
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 89 97 112 4.9 5.0 6.0
Accommodation and food services............. 192 227 159 1.7 1.9 1.4
Other services................................ 49 34 32 .9 .6 .6
Government..................................... 72 73 59 .3 .3 .3
Federal....................................... 8 9 8 .3 .3 .3
State and local............................... 64 64 51 .3 .3 .3
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 214 307 327 .8 1.2 1.3
South......................................... 688 621 553 1.4 1.2 1.1
Midwest....................................... 445 387 494 1.4 1.2 1.5
West.......................................... 371 481 424 1.2 1.5 1.4
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 8, 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 Nov. Oct. Nov. Nov. Oct. Nov.
2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p
Total........................................... 285 251 252 0.2 0.2 0.2
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 250 220 221 .2 .2 .2
Natural resources and mining.................. 2 2 2 .3 .3 .2
Construction.................................. 30 13 18 .4 .2 .2
Manufacturing................................. 23 21 25 .2 .1 .2
Durable goods................................ 13 11 14 .1 .1 .2
Nondurable goods............................. 10 10 12 .2 .2 .2
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 61 57 60 .2 .2 .2
Wholesale trade.............................. 7 4 9 .1 .1 .2
Retail trade................................. 44 33 41 .3 .2 .3
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 10 20 10 .2 .4 .2
Information................................... 6 9 5 .2 .3 .2
Financial activities.......................... 9 16 12 .1 .2 .1
Finance and insurance........................ 8 10 5 .1 .2 .1
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 1 6 7 (4) .3 .3
Professional and business services............ 64 36 42 .4 .2 .2
Education and health services................. 30 35 26 .2 .2 .1
Educational services......................... 5 2 3 .1 .1 .1
Health care and social assistance............ 26 32 23 .2 .2 .1
Leisure and hospitality....................... 14 21 21 .1 .2 .2
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 3 3 3 .2 .1 .1
Accommodation and food services............. 11 19 19 .1 .2 .2
Other services................................ 11 11 9 .2 .2 .2
Government..................................... 35 31 32 .2 .1 .1
Federal....................................... 8 7 6 .3 .3 .2
State and local............................... 27 24 26 .1 .1 .1
REGION (3)
Northeast..................................... 66 55 52 .3 .2 .2
South......................................... 91 96 83 .2 .2 .2
Midwest....................................... 61 51 53 .2 .2 .2
West.......................................... 67 49 65 .2 .2 .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 See footnote 8, table 1.
4 Data round to zero.
p = preliminary.