Full text of October 2005 : Text File, USDL-05-2311
The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
Technical information: (202) 691-5870 USDL 05-2311
http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact: 691-5902 Tuesday, December 13, 2005
JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: OCTOBER 2005
The job openings rate increased to 2.9 percent in October, while the
total separations rate decreased to 3.1 percent and the hires rate was
unchanged at 3.5 percent, 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 October 2005, there were 4.0 million job
openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.9 percent.
(See table 1.) The job openings rate rose over the month, continuing the
generally upward trend that began in September 2003. In October, the job
openings rate increased for private industries overall and for government.
The job openings rate also rose in the professional and business services
industry and in the Northeast region.
Hires and Separations
The hires rate was unchanged at 3.5 percent in October. (See table 2.)
Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. Over the month,
the hires rate increased in the manufacturing industry but decreased in the
professional and business services industry.
The total separations, or turnover, rate decreased to 3.1 percent in
October. (See table 3.) Separations are terminations of employment that
occur at any time during the month. In October, the total separations rate
decreased for government and for private industries overall, and in the
manufacturing; trade, transportation, and utilities; and professional and
business services industries. The total separations rate also decreased
in the South and Midwest regions.
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, decreased to 1.9 percent in October. (See table
4.) The quits rate decreased for private industries overall and for pro-
fessional and business services. Geographically, the rate was down in
the South and Midwest regions.
- 2 -
Table A. Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally
adjusted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Job openings | Hires | Total separations
|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------
Industry | Oct. | Sept.| Oct. | Oct. | Sept.| Oct. | Oct. | Sept.| Oct.
| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Levels (in thousands)
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........|3,300 |3,836 |3,992 |4,552 |4,719 |4,716 |4,215 |4,779 |4,140
Total private(1).|2,924 |3,406 |3,568 |4,216 |4,356 |4,370 |3,957 |4,487 |3,890
Construction...| 114 | 156 | 163 | 353 | 422 | 428 | 425 | 417 | 391
Manufacturing..| 250 | 293 | 292 | 353 | 338 | 450 | 354 | 408 | 310
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and| | | | | | | | |
utilities.....| 559 | 630 | 601 | 977 |1,001 | 944 | 889 |1,039 | 878
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services......| 602 | 725 | 886 | 812 | 925 | 770 | 585 | 897 | 742
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices.........| 547 | 606 | 603 | 420 | 460 | 467 | 376 | 430 | 397
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality...| 413 | 469 | 493 | 801 | 808 | 840 | 767 | 814 | 725
Government.......| 400 | 420 | 463 | 318 | 336 | 327 | 263 | 295 | 252
|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Rates (percent)
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........| 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.1
Total private(1).| 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.5
Construction...| 1.6 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 5.7 | 5.3
Manufacturing..| 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.2
Trade, trans- | | | | | | | | |
portation, and| | | | | | | | |
utilities.....| 2.1 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.4
Professional | | | | | | | | |
and business | | | | | | | | |
services......| 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 4.3
Education and | | | | | | | | |
health ser- | | | | | | | | |
vices.........| 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2.3
Leisure and | | | | | | | | |
hospitality...| 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 6.4 | 6.3 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 5.7
Government.......| 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
The other two components of total separations--layoffs and discharges,
and other separations--are not seasonally adjusted. From October 2004 to
October 2005, the layoffs and discharges rate decreased to 1.1 percent,
but the other separations rate was unchanged at 0.2 percent. (See tables
9 and 10.)
Hires and separations data help show dynamic flows in the labor market.
Over the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.7 million per month and
separations have averaged 4.4 million per month (not seasonally adjusted).
The comparable figures a year earlier were 4.4 million hires and 4.2
million separations. (See the Technical Note for additional information on
these measures.)
- 3 -
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 November 2005 is
scheduled to be issued on Tuesday, January 10, 2006.
- 4 -
Technical Note
The data for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) are
collected and compiled monthly from a sample of business establishments
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Collection
Each month, data are collected in a survey of business establishments
for total employment, job openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges,
and other separations. Data collection methods include computer-assisted
telephone interviewing, touchtone data entry, fax, and mail.
Coverage
The JOLTS program covers all private nonfarm establishments such as
factories, offices, and stores, as well as federal, state, and local
government entities in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Concepts
Industry classification. The industry classifications in this release
are in accordance with the 2002 version of the North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS). In order to ensure the highest possible
quality of data, State Employment Security Agencies verify with employers
and update, if necessary, the industry code, location, and ownership clas-
sification of all establishments on a 3-year cycle. Changes in establish-
ment characteristics resulting from the verification process are always
introduced into the JOLTS sampling frame with the data reported for the
first month of the year.
Employment. Employment includes persons on the payroll who worked or re-
ceived pay for the pay period that includes the 12th day of the reference
month. Full-time, part-time, permanent, short-term, seasonal, salaried,
and hourly employees are included, as are employees on paid vacations or
other paid leave. Proprietors or partners of unincorporated businesses,
unpaid family workers, or persons on leave without pay or on strike for
the entire pay period, are not counted as employed. Employees of tempo-
rary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, and
consultants are counted by their employer of record, not by the establish-
ment where they are working.
Job openings. Establishments submit job openings information for the
last business day of the reference month. A job opening requires that:
1) a specific position exists and there is work available for that posi-
tion, 2) work could start within 30 days regardless of whether a suitable
candidate is found, and 3) the employer is actively recruiting from outside
the establishment to fill the position. Included are full-time, part-time,
permanent, short-term, and seasonal openings. Active recruiting means that
the establishment is taking steps to fill a position by advertising in news-
papers or on the Internet, posting help-wanted signs, accepting applications,
or using other similar methods.
Jobs to be filled only by internal transfers, promotions, demotions, or
recall from layoffs are excluded. Also excluded are jobs with start dates
more than 30 days in the future, jobs for which employees have been hired
but have not yet reported for work, and jobs to be filled by employees of
temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors,
or consultants. The job openings rate is computed by dividing the number
of job openings by the sum of employment and job openings and multiplying
that quotient by 100.
- 5 -
Hires. Hires are the total number of additions to the payroll occurring
at any time during the reference month, including both new and rehired em-
ployees, full-time and part-time, permanent, short-term and seasonal em-
ployees, employees recalled to the location after a layoff lasting more
than 7 days, on-call or intermittent employees who returned to work after
having been formally separated, and transfers from other locations. The
hires count does not include transfers or promotions within the reporting
site, employees returning from strike, employees of temporary help agencies
or employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants. The
hires rate is computed by dividing the number of hires by employment and
multiplying that quotient by 100.
Separations. Separations are the total number of terminations of
employment occurring at any time during the reference month, and are
reported by type of separation--quits, layoffs and discharges, and
other separations. Quits are voluntary separations by employees (ex-
cept for retirements, which are reported as other separations). Lay-
offs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the em-
ployer and include layoffs with no intent to rehire, formal layoffs
lasting or expected to last more than 7 days, discharges resulting
from mergers, downsizing, or closings, firings or other discharges
for cause, terminations of permanent or short-term employees, and
terminations of seasonal employees. Other separations include re-
tirements, transfers to other locations, deaths, and separations
due to disability. Separations do not include transfers within the
same location or employees on strike.
The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations
by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. The quits, layoffs
and discharges, and other separations rates are computed similarly, divid-
ing the number by employment and multiplying by 100.
Sample methodology
The JOLTS sample design is a random sample of 16,000 nonfarm business
establishments, including factories, offices, and stores, as well as
federal, state, and local governments in the 50 states and the District
of Columbia. The establishments are drawn from a universe of over eight
million establishments compiled as part of the operations of the Quarterly
Census of Employment and Wages, or QCEW, program. This program includes
all employers subject to state Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws and federal
agencies subject to Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE).
The sampling frame is stratified by ownership, region, industry sector,
and size class. Large firms fall into the sample with virtual certainty.
JOLTS total employment estimates are controlled to the employment estimates
of the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey. A ratio of CES to JOLTS
employment is used to adjust the levels for all other JOLTS data elements.
Rates are then computed from the adjusted levels.
- 6 -
Using JOLTS data
The JOLTS data series on job openings, hires, and separations are rel-
atively new. The full sample is divided into panels, with one panel
enrolled each month. A full complement of panels for the original data
series based on the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system
was not completely enrolled in the survey until January 2002. The supple-
mental panels of establishments needed to create NAICS estimates were not
completely enrolled until May 2003. The data collected up until those
points are from less than a full sample. Therefore, estimates from earlier
months should be used with caution, as fewer sampled units were reporting
data at that time.
In March 2002, BLS procedures for collecting hires and separations data
were revised to address possible underreporting. As a result, JOLTS hires
and separations estimates for months prior to March 2002 may not be compar-
able with estimates for March 2002 and later.
The federal government reorganization that involved transferring approx-
imately 180,000 employees to the new Department of Homeland Security is not
reflected in the JOLTS hires and separations estimates for the federal gov-
ernment. The Office of Personnel Management's record shows these transfers
were completed in March 2003. The inclusion of transfers in the JOLTS defi-
nitions of hires and separations is intended to cover ongoing movements of
workers between establishments. The Department of Homeland Security reorgan-
ization was a massive one-time event, and the inclusion of these intergovern-
mental transfers would distort the federal government time series.
Seasonal adjustment
BLS seasonally adjusts several JOLTS series using the X-12-ARIMA
seasonal adjustment program. Seasonal adjustment is the process of
estimating and removing periodic fluctuations caused by events such
as weather, holidays, and the beginning and ending of the school year.
Seasonal adjustment makes it easier to observe fundamental changes in
the level of the series, particularly those associated with general
economic expansions and contractions. A concurrent seasonal adjust-
ment methodology is used in which new seasonal adjustment factors are
calculated each month, using all relevant data, up to and including
the data for the current month.
Data users should note that seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS series is
conducted with fewer data observations than is customary. The historical
data, therefore, may be subject to larger than normal revisions. Since the
seasonal patterns in economic data series typically emerge over time, the
standard use of moving averages as seasonal filters to capture these effects
requires longer series than are currently available. As a result, the stable
seasonal filter option is used in the seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS data.
When calculating seasonal factors, this filter takes an average for each cal-
endar month after detrending the series. The stable seasonal filter assumes
that the seasonal factors are fixed; a necessary assumption until sufficient
data are available. When the stable seasonal filter is no longer needed,
other program features also may be introduced, such as outlier adjustment
and extended diagnostic testing. Additionally, it is expected that more
series, such as layoffs and discharges and additional industries, may be
seasonally adjusted when more data are available.
- 7 -
Reliability of the estimates
JOLTS estimates are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error.
When a sample rather than the entire population is surveyed, there is a
chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true" population
values they represent. The exact difference, or sampling error, varies
depending on the particular sample selected, and this variability is
measured by the standard error of the estimate. BLS analysis is generally
conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence. That means that there is
a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a
sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true"
population value because of sampling error. Estimates of sampling errors
are available upon request.
The JOLTS estimates also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling
error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to include a seg-
ment of the population, the inability to obtain data from all units in the
sample, the inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide data on a
timely basis, mistakes made by respondents, errors made in the collection
or processing of the data, and errors from the employment benchmark data
used in estimation.
JOLTS hires and separations estimates cannot be used to exactly ex-
plain net changes in nonfarm payroll employment. Some reasons why it is
problematic to compare changes in payroll employment with JOLTS hires and
separations, especially on a monthly basis, are: 1) the reference period
for payroll employment is the pay period including the 12th of the month,
while the reference period for hires and separations is the calendar month;
and 2) payroll employment can vary from month to month simply because part-
time and on-call workers may not always work during the pay period that in-
cludes the 12th of the month. Additionally, research has found that some
reporters systematically underreport separations relative to hires due to a
number of factors, including the nature of their payroll systems and prac-
tices. The shortfall appears to be about 2 percent or less over a 12-month
period.
Other information
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone: 1-800-877-8339.
Table 1. Job openings levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
Levels(3) (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Oct. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Oct. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct.
2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p
Total(4)............................... 3,300 3,416 3,647 3,588 3,487 3,836 3,992 2.4 2.5 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.8 2.9
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 2,924 3,050 3,239 3,204 3,130 3,406 3,568 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.8 2.7 2.9 3.1
Construction......................... 114 107 104 128 136 156 163 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.7 1.8 2.1 2.2
Manufacturing........................ 250 240 269 287 266 293 292 1.7 1.6 1.8 2.0 1.8 2.0 2.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 559 597 624 600 620 630 601 2.1 2.3 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.3
Professional and business services... 602 659 686 666 590 725 886 3.5 3.8 3.9 3.8 3.4 4.1 4.9
Education and health services........ 547 611 609 607 604 606 603 3.1 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.4 3.3
Leisure and hospitality.............. 413 440 517 439 427 469 493 3.2 3.3 3.9 3.3 3.2 3.5 3.7
Government............................ 400 378 394 388 370 420 463 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.9 2.1
REGION
Northeast............................ 562 563 634 610 609 728 803 2.2 2.2 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.8 3.1
South................................ 1,318 1,303 1,333 1,343 1,353 1,466 1,512 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.8 3.0 3.1
Midwest.............................. 688 786 781 764 704 754 760 2.1 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.3 2.4
West................................. 742 799 869 832 841 895 914 2.5 2.7 2.9 2.8 2.8 3.0 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.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the regions are: Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of
Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,
Virginia, and West Virginia; Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,
South Dakota, and Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming.
Table 2. Hires levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
Levels(3) (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Oct. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Oct. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct.
2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p
Total(4)............................... 4,552 4,740 4,694 4,649 4,601 4,719 4,716 3.4 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.5 3.5
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 4,216 4,398 4,365 4,342 4,276 4,356 4,370 3.8 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.8 3.9 3.9
Construction......................... 353 420 393 381 435 422 428 5.0 5.8 5.4 5.3 6.0 5.8 5.9
Manufacturing........................ 353 342 347 345 344 338 450 2.5 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 3.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 977 1,030 1,045 990 998 1,001 944 3.8 4.0 4.0 3.8 3.8 3.9 3.7
Professional and business services... 812 887 835 832 786 925 770 4.9 5.3 4.9 4.9 4.6 5.4 4.5
Education and health services........ 420 466 457 453 465 460 467 2.5 2.7 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.6 2.7
Leisure and hospitality.............. 801 750 877 834 771 808 840 6.4 5.9 6.9 6.5 6.0 6.3 6.6
Government............................ 318 339 337 330 337 336 327 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5
REGION
Northeast............................ 811 764 794 772 738 759 748 3.2 3.0 3.1 3.0 2.9 3.0 2.9
South................................ 1,809 1,816 1,786 1,689 1,750 1,840 1,783 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.7 3.9 3.7
Midwest.............................. 1,013 1,129 1,054 1,045 970 996 1,033 3.2 3.6 3.4 3.3 3.1 3.2 3.3
West................................. 916 1,048 1,070 1,081 1,144 1,136 1,141 3.2 3.6 3.7 3.7 3.9 3.9 3.9
1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.
2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 3. Total separations levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
Levels(3) (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Oct. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Oct. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct.
2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p
Total(4)............................... 4,215 4,504 4,477 4,270 4,499 4,779 4,140 3.2 3.4 3.4 3.2 3.4 3.6 3.1
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 3,957 4,256 4,223 4,007 4,235 4,487 3,890 3.6 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.8 4.0 3.5
Construction......................... 425 408 380 370 452 417 391 6.0 5.6 5.3 5.1 6.2 5.7 5.3
Manufacturing........................ 354 369 350 361 369 408 310 2.5 2.6 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.9 2.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 889 989 980 948 1,019 1,039 878 3.5 3.8 3.8 3.7 3.9 4.0 3.4
Professional and business services... 585 851 818 747 670 897 742 3.5 5.1 4.8 4.4 3.9 5.3 4.3
Education and health services........ 376 405 401 391 406 430 397 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.5 2.3
Leisure and hospitality.............. 767 750 803 750 785 814 725 6.1 5.9 6.3 5.9 6.1 6.4 5.7
Government............................ 263 254 254 257 271 295 252 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.2
REGION
Northeast............................ 711 714 761 715 734 752 670 2.8 2.8 3.0 2.8 2.9 2.9 2.6
South................................ 1,614 1,743 1,653 1,567 1,639 1,787 1,589 3.5 3.7 3.5 3.3 3.4 3.8 3.3
Midwest.............................. 952 976 946 1,011 1,047 1,135 925 3.0 3.1 3.0 3.2 3.3 3.6 2.9
West................................. 896 1,034 1,062 1,001 1,094 1,085 980 3.1 3.5 3.6 3.4 3.7 3.7 3.3
1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month.
2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 4. Quits levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
Levels(3) (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Oct. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Oct. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct.
2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005p
Total(4)............................... 2,344 2,514 2,475 2,474 2,605 2,778 2,547 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.9 2.1 1.9
INDUSTRY
Total private(4)...................... 2,217 2,391 2,348 2,351 2,467 2,630 2,405 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.1
Construction......................... 182 168 139 140 222 202 196 2.6 2.3 1.9 1.9 3.1 2.8 2.7
Manufacturing........................ 187 183 190 189 184 214 194 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities. 517 589 588 577 604 580 552 2.0 2.3 2.3 2.2 2.3 2.2 2.1
Professional and business services... 281 420 386 353 374 497 361 1.7 2.5 2.3 2.1 2.2 2.9 2.1
Education and health services........ 239 249 256 271 260 276 260 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.5
Leisure and hospitality.............. 474 488 510 525 517 563 558 3.8 3.8 4.0 4.1 4.0 4.4 4.4
Government............................ 123 123 124 125 139 149 137 .6 .6 .6 .6 .6 .7 .6
REGION
Northeast............................ 333 373 350 381 380 377 365 1.3 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.4
South................................ 943 1,020 960 964 1,054 1,147 1,017 2.0 2.2 2.0 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.1
Midwest.............................. 500 554 542 548 570 613 558 1.6 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.8
West................................. 550 562 653 577 585 643 590 1.9 1.9 2.2 2.0 2.0 2.2 2.0
1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.
2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 5. Job openings levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Oct. Sept. Oct. Oct. Sept. Oct.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 3,269 4,008 3,995 2.4 2.9 2.9
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 2,886 3,604 3,547 2.5 3.1 3.0
Natural resources and mining.................. 10 13 8 1.6 2.0 1.2
Construction.................................. 99 155 147 1.3 2.0 1.9
Manufacturing................................. 243 307 285 1.7 2.1 2.0
Durable goods................................ 153 203 195 1.7 2.2 2.1
Nondurable goods............................. 90 104 89 1.6 1.9 1.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 665 721 709 2.5 2.7 2.7
Wholesale trade.............................. 83 118 124 1.4 2.0 2.1
Retail trade................................. 498 473 468 3.2 3.0 3.0
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 84 130 116 1.7 2.5 2.3
Information................................... 90 109 115 2.8 3.3 3.5
Financial activities.......................... 217 275 288 2.6 3.2 3.4
Finance and insurance........................ 179 208 221 2.9 3.3 3.5
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 38 67 67 1.8 3.0 3.0
Professional and business services............ 543 756 817 3.1 4.2 4.5
Education and health services................. 542 618 595 3.0 3.4 3.3
Educational services......................... 54 57 60 1.8 2.0 1.9
Health care and social assistance............ 489 560 536 3.3 3.7 3.5
Leisure and hospitality....................... 364 461 441 2.8 3.4 3.4
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 41 42 51 2.2 2.1 2.8
Accommodations and food services............. 323 419 390 2.9 3.7 3.4
Other services................................ 113 191 143 2.0 3.4 2.6
Government..................................... 383 404 448 1.7 1.8 2.0
Federal....................................... 41 43 34 1.5 1.6 1.2
State and local............................... 342 360 415 1.7 1.9 2.1
REGION
Northeast..................................... 553 781 823 2.1 3.0 3.1
South......................................... 1,274 1,516 1,477 2.6 3.1 3.0
Midwest....................................... 687 796 758 2.1 2.5 2.3
West.......................................... 755 915 938 2.5 3.0 3.1
1 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day of the month.
2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a
percent of total employment plus job openings.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 6. Hires levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Oct. Sept. Oct. Oct. Sept. Oct.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 4,535 5,284 4,698 3.4 3.9 3.5
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 4,222 4,757 4,378 3.8 4.2 3.9
Natural resources and mining.................. 23 17 16 3.8 2.7 2.4
Construction.................................. 321 435 390 4.4 5.8 5.2
Manufacturing................................. 323 360 423 2.2 2.5 3.0
Durable goods................................ 208 211 258 2.3 2.4 2.9
Nondurable goods............................. 115 149 165 2.1 2.8 3.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 1,160 1,146 1,104 4.5 4.4 4.3
Wholesale trade.............................. 164 160 146 2.9 2.8 2.5
Retail trade................................. 853 788 800 5.6 5.2 5.3
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 144 198 158 2.9 4.0 3.2
Information................................... 65 80 92 2.1 2.6 2.9
Financial activities.......................... 199 189 210 2.5 2.3 2.5
Finance and insurance........................ 126 117 115 2.1 1.9 1.9
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 73 72 95 3.5 3.3 4.4
Professional and business services............ 828 938 766 4.9 5.5 4.4
Education and health services................. 426 590 472 2.5 3.4 2.7
Educational services......................... 68 128 55 2.3 4.6 1.8
Health care and social assistance............ 358 463 417 2.5 3.2 2.9
Leisure and hospitality....................... 709 806 757 5.7 6.2 6.0
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 71 87 72 4.0 4.5 4.0
Accommodations and food services............. 638 719 685 6.0 6.5 6.3
Other services................................ 168 194 149 3.1 3.6 2.7
Government..................................... 313 527 319 1.4 2.4 1.4
Federal....................................... 39 57 33 1.4 2.1 1.2
State and local............................... 275 470 286 1.4 2.5 1.5
REGION
Northeast..................................... 828 971 758 3.2 3.8 3.0
South......................................... 1,797 1,885 1,768 3.8 3.9 3.7
Midwest....................................... 979 1,171 1,004 3.1 3.7 3.2
West.......................................... 932 1,257 1,168 3.2 4.3 3.9
1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.
2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 7. Total separations levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Oct. Sept. Oct. Oct. Sept. Oct.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 4,278 5,353 4,168 3.2 4.0 3.1
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 4,046 4,983 3,949 3.6 4.4 3.5
Natural resources and mining.................. 20 18 12 3.3 2.7 1.9
Construction.................................. 452 451 408 6.2 6.0 5.4
Manufacturing................................. 391 414 336 2.7 2.9 2.4
Durable goods................................ 247 248 205 2.8 2.8 2.3
Nondurable goods............................. 144 166 130 2.7 3.1 2.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 897 1,115 876 3.5 4.3 3.4
Wholesale trade.............................. 126 157 116 2.2 2.7 2.0
Retail trade................................. 645 768 612 4.3 5.1 4.0
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 126 190 148 2.6 3.8 3.0
Information................................... 87 96 73 2.8 3.1 2.3
Financial activities.......................... 208 202 151 2.6 2.4 1.8
Finance and insurance........................ 120 112 80 2.0 1.8 1.3
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 88 90 71 4.2 4.1 3.3
Professional and business services............ 570 910 707 3.4 5.3 4.1
Education and health services................. 346 463 364 2.0 2.7 2.1
Educational services......................... 45 84 34 1.5 3.0 1.1
Health care and social assistance............ 301 380 330 2.1 2.6 2.3
Leisure and hospitality....................... 923 1,099 853 7.4 8.5 6.7
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 177 224 137 9.9 11.7 7.6
Accommodations and food services............. 746 876 716 7.0 7.9 6.6
Other services................................ 154 215 168 2.8 4.0 3.1
Government..................................... 232 369 219 1.1 1.7 1.0
Federal....................................... 33 53 18 1.2 1.9 .7
State and local............................... 199 317 201 1.0 1.7 1.0
REGION
Northeast..................................... 735 936 675 2.9 3.7 2.6
South......................................... 1,676 1,868 1,606 3.6 3.9 3.3
Midwest....................................... 943 1,323 914 3.0 4.2 2.9
West.......................................... 924 1,226 973 3.2 4.2 3.3
1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month.
2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of
total employment.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 8. Quits levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Oct. Sept. Oct. Oct. Sept. Oct.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 2,300 3,211 2,489 1.7 2.4 1.8
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 2,192 3,046 2,368 2.0 2.7 2.1
Natural resources and mining.................. 9 10 7 1.6 1.6 1.1
Construction.................................. 178 228 201 2.5 3.0 2.7
Manufacturing................................. 191 244 196 1.3 1.7 1.4
Durable goods................................ 128 150 117 1.4 1.7 1.3
Nondurable goods............................. 63 94 79 1.2 1.8 1.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 527 672 551 2.0 2.6 2.1
Wholesale trade.............................. 64 95 56 1.1 1.7 1.0
Retail trade................................. 402 486 419 2.7 3.2 2.8
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 61 92 77 1.2 1.8 1.5
Information................................... 48 66 54 1.5 2.1 1.7
Financial activities.......................... 124 118 90 1.5 1.4 1.1
Finance and insurance........................ 67 74 55 1.1 1.2 .9
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 56 44 35 2.7 2.0 1.6
Professional and business services............ 281 516 348 1.7 3.0 2.0
Education and health services................. 226 312 244 1.3 1.8 1.4
Educational services......................... 27 44 20 .9 1.6 .7
Health care and social assistance............ 199 267 224 1.4 1.8 1.5
Leisure and hospitality....................... 489 750 580 3.9 5.8 4.6
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 48 73 64 2.7 3.8 3.6
Accommodations and food services............. 441 678 516 4.1 6.1 4.7
Other services................................ 119 129 99 2.2 2.4 1.8
Government..................................... 107 165 121 .5 .8 .5
Federal....................................... 12 20 8 .4 .7 .3
State and local............................... 95 145 113 .5 .8 .6
REGION
Northeast..................................... 341 492 376 1.3 1.9 1.5
South......................................... 949 1,254 1,021 2.0 2.6 2.1
Midwest....................................... 483 723 535 1.5 2.3 1.7
West.......................................... 527 741 557 1.8 2.5 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.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 9. Layoffs and discharges levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Oct. Sept. Oct. Oct. Sept. Oct.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 1,697 1,844 1,427 1.3 1.4 1.1
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 1,614 1,704 1,360 1.5 1.5 1.2
Natural resources and mining.................. 5 6 4 .8 1.0 .6
Construction.................................. 247 205 180 3.4 2.7 2.4
Manufacturing................................. 180 143 122 1.3 1.0 .9
Durable goods................................ 107 79 77 1.2 .9 .9
Nondurable goods............................. 73 64 45 1.3 1.2 .8
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 297 384 280 1.2 1.5 1.1
Wholesale trade.............................. 56 43 55 1.0 .7 1.0
Retail trade................................. 190 255 170 1.3 1.7 1.1
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 51 86 55 1.0 1.7 1.1
Information................................... 34 20 14 1.1 .6 .4
Financial activities.......................... 61 73 52 .8 .9 .6
Finance and insurance........................ 31 29 19 .5 .5 .3
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 30 44 32 1.4 2.0 1.5
Professional and business services............ 248 354 321 1.5 2.1 1.9
Education and health services................. 96 121 93 .6 .7 .5
Educational services......................... 15 37 12 .5 1.3 .4
Health care and social assistance............ 81 84 81 .6 .6 .6
Leisure and hospitality....................... 418 325 251 3.3 2.5 2.0
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 126 146 72 7.0 7.6 4.0
Accommodations and food services............. 292 179 179 2.7 1.6 1.6
Other services................................ 27 74 43 .5 1.4 .8
Government..................................... 84 141 67 .4 .6 .3
Federal....................................... 8 13 5 .3 .5 .2
State and local............................... 76 127 62 .4 .7 .3
REGION
Northeast..................................... 326 407 259 1.3 1.6 1.0
South......................................... 616 519 519 1.3 1.1 1.1
Midwest....................................... 415 509 324 1.3 1.6 1.0
West.......................................... 341 409 324 1.2 1.4 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.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.
Table 10. Other separations levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
Levels (in thousands) Rates
Industry and region Oct. Sept. Oct. Oct. Sept. Oct.
2004 2005 2005p 2004 2005 2005p
Total........................................... 281 298 252 0.2 0.2 0.2
INDUSTRY
Total private.................................. 240 234 220 .2 .2 .2
Natural resources and mining.................. 6 1 1 1.0 .2 .2
Construction.................................. 26 18 28 .4 .2 .4
Manufacturing................................. 19 27 18 .1 .2 .1
Durable goods................................ 12 19 11 .1 .2 .1
Nondurable goods............................. 8 8 7 .1 .2 .1
Trade, transportation, and utilities.......... 73 59 44 .3 .2 .2
Wholesale trade.............................. 6 19 6 .1 .3 .1
Retail trade................................. 53 28 23 .3 .2 .2
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities... 14 12 15 .3 .2 .3
Information................................... 5 10 6 .2 .3 .2
Financial activities.......................... 24 11 10 .3 .1 .1
Finance and insurance........................ 22 10 6 .4 .2 .1
Real estate and rental and leasing........... 2 2 4 .1 .1 .2
Professional and business services............ 40 40 38 .2 .2 .2
Education and health services................. 23 31 28 .1 .2 .2
Educational services......................... 3 3 2 .1 .1 .1
Health care and social assistance............ 20 28 25 .1 .2 .2
Leisure and hospitality....................... 16 24 22 .1 .2 .2
Arts, entertainment, and recreation.......... 3 5 (3) .2 .3 (3)
Accommodations and food services............. 13 19 21 .1 .2 .2
Other services................................ 8 12 26 .1 .2 .5
Government..................................... 40 64 31 .2 .3 .1
Federal....................................... 12 19 5 .5 .7 .2
State and local............................... 28 45 26 .1 .2 .1
REGION
Northeast..................................... 68 37 41 .3 .1 .2
South......................................... 111 95 65 .2 .2 .1
Midwest....................................... 46 91 54 .1 .3 .2
West.......................................... 56 76 91 .2 .3 .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 Data round to zero.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.