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1 Technical information: (202) 691-5870 http://www.bls.gov/jlt/ Media contact: USDL 04-2275 For release: 10:00 A.M. EST Tuesday, November 9, 2004 691-5902 JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: SEPTEMBER 2004 The job openings, hires, and total separations rates showed little or no change in September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The job openings rate was unchanged at 2.4 percent. The hires rate remained at 3.3 percent, and the total separations rate was essentially unchanged at 3.2 percent. 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. Chart 1. Job openings rate, seasonally adjusted, Percent December 2000 - September 2004 Chart 2. Hires and separations rates, seasonally adjusted, Percent December 2000 - September 2004 4.0 4.0 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.6 3.4 3.4 3.2 3.2 3.0 3.0 2.8 2.8 2.6 2.6 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.2 2.0 2.0 Hires Separations 1.8 1.8 2001 2002 2003 2004 2001 2002 2003 2004 Job Openings On the last business day of September 2004, there were 3.2 million job openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.4 percent. (See table 1.) The overall job openings rate is 0.4 percentage point higher than its most recent low in August 2003. In September, the job openings rate showed little or no change for the major industry categories. Hires and Separations The hires rate (the number of hires during the month divided by employment) was 3.3 percent in September, unchanged from a month earlier. (See table 2.) Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. The hires rate decreased in trade, transportation, and utilities and in education and health services over the month, while other major industries showed little change in their hires rates. The total separations, or turnover, rate (the total number of separations during the month divided by employment) was 3.2 percent in September and has remained in the range of 2.9 to 3.3 percent since December 2001. Separations are terminations of employment that occur at any time during the month. 2 Table A. Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally adjusted Job openings Industry 1 Total ............................................................ Total private 1........................................ Construction ................................... Manufacturing ................................ Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................... Professional and business services ......................................... Education and health services .... Leisure and hospitality ................. Government .......................................... Sept. 2003 Aug. 2004 Hires Aug. 2004 Sept. 2004p Sept. 2003 Levels (in thousands) 4,375 4,297 4,061 3,787 4,058 3,948 405 401 388 336 356 379 2,755 2,399 58 183 3,195 2,859 121 234 3,235 2,889 126 246 484 551 561 859 984 467 499 348 364 594 536 410 337 564 546 411 339 606 439 732 290 690 470 760 322 Sept. 2004p Total separations Sept. Sept. Aug. 2004 2004p 2003 3,845 3,588 408 340 4,134 3,894 391 379 4,165 3,876 367 379 879 821 951 906 674 403 834 339 524 399 657 259 575 380 760 246 588 386 769 290 Rates (percent) Total 1......................................................... Total private 1....................................... Construction ................................... Manufacturing ................................ Trade, transportation, and utilities ........................................... Professional and business services ......................................... Education and health services .... Leisure and hospitality ................. Government .......................................... 1 2.1 2.2 .9 1.3 2.4 2.5 1.7 1.6 2.4 2.6 1.8 1.7 3.1 3.5 6.0 2.3 3.3 3.7 5.8 2.5 3.3 3.6 5.6 2.6 3.0 3.3 6.0 2.4 3.1 3.5 5.6 2.6 3.2 3.5 5.3 2.6 1.9 2.1 2.2 3.4 3.9 3.4 3.3 3.7 3.6 2.8 2.9 2.8 1.7 3.5 3.1 3.2 1.5 3.3 3.1 3.2 1.5 3.8 2.6 6.0 1.3 4.2 2.8 6.1 1.5 4.1 2.4 6.7 1.6 3.3 2.4 5.4 1.2 3.5 2.2 6.2 1.1 3.6 2.3 6.2 1.3 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately. p = preliminary. (See table 3.) The total separations rate increased in government in September, following a decrease in August. Other major industries showed little or no change in their total separations rates in September. Total separations include quits (voluntary separations), layoffs and discharges (involuntary separations), and other separations (including retirements). The quits rate, which can serve as a barometer of workers’ ability to change jobs, was 1.7 percent in September and has been unchanged since February 2004. (See table 4.) The quits rate increased in manufacturing from a month earlier. The other two components of total separations, layoffs and discharges (1.3 percent) and other separations (0.2 percent) are not seasonally adjusted. The layoffs and discharges rate was little changed from a year earlier, and the other separations rate was unchanged. Hires and separations help show dynamic flows in the labor market. Over the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.3 million per month and separations have averaged 4.0 million per month. (See the Technical Note for additional information on these measures.) 3 For More Information For additional information, please see the Technical Note or the JOLTS Web site at www.bls.gov/jlt/. Additional information about JOLTS also may be obtained by e-mailing Joltsinfo@bls.gov or by calling (202) 691-5870. ______________________________ The Job Openings and Labor Turnover release for October 2004 is scheduled to be issued on Wednesday, December 8, 2004. Technical Note The data for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) are collected and compiled monthly from a sample of business establishments by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Collection Each month, data are collected in a survey of business establishments for total employment, job openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Data collection methods include computer-assisted telephone interviewing, touchtone data entry, fax, and mail. Coverage The JOLTS program covers all private nonfarm establishments such as factories, offices, and stores, as well as federal, state, and local government entities in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Concepts Industry classification. The industry classifications in this release are in accordance with the 2002 version of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). In order to ensure the highest possible quality of data, State Employment Security Agencies verify with employers and update, if necessary, the industry code, location, and ownership classification of all establishments on a 3-year cycle. Changes in establishment characteristics resulting from the verification process are always introduced into the JOLTS sampling frame with the data reported for the first month of the year. Employment. Employment includes persons on the payroll who worked or received pay for the pay period that includes the 12th day of the reference month. Full-time, part-time, permanent, short-term, seasonal, salaried, and hourly employees are included, as are employees on paid vacations or other paid leave. Proprietors or partners of unincorporated businesses, unpaid family workers, or persons on leave without pay or on strike for the entire pay period, are not counted as employed. Employees of temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, and consultants are counted by their employer of record, not by the establishment where they are working. Job openings. Establishments submit job openings information for the last business day of the reference month. A job opening requires that: 1) a specific position exists and there is work available for that position, 2) work could start within 30 days regardless of whether a suitable candidate is found, and 3) the employer is actively recruiting from outside the establishment to fill the position. Included are full-time, part-time, permanent, short-term, and seasonal openings. Active recruiting means that the establishment is taking steps to fill a position by advertising in newspapers or on the Internet, posting help-wanted signs, accepting applications, or using other similar methods. Jobs to be filled only by internal transfers, promotions, demotions, or recall from layoffs are excluded. Also excluded are jobs with start dates more than 30 days in the future, jobs for which employees have been hired but have not yet reported for work, and jobs to be filled by employees of temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants. The job openings rate is computed by dividing the number of job openings by the sum of employment and job openings and multiplying that quotient by 100. Hires. Hires are the total number of additions to the payroll occurring at any time during the reference month, including both new and rehired employees, full-time and part-time, permanent, short-term, and seasonal employees, employees recalled to the location after a layoff lasting more than 7 days, on-call or intermittent employees who returned to work after having been formally separated, and transfers from other locations. The hires count does not include transfers or promotions within the reporting site, employees returning from strike, employees of temporary help agencies or employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants. The hires rate is computed by dividing the number of hires by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. Separations. Separations are the total number of terminations of employment occurring at any time during the reference month, and are reported by type of separation— quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Quits are voluntary separations by employees (except for retirements, which are reported as other separations). Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer and include layoffs with no intent to rehire, formal layoffs lasting or expected to last more than 7 days, discharges resulting from mergers, downsizing, or closings, firings or other discharges for cause, terminations of permanent or short-term employees, and terminations of seasonal employees. Other separations include retirements, transfers to other locations, deaths, and separations due to disability. Separations do not include transfers within the same location or employees on strike. The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. The quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations rates are computed similarly, dividing the number by employment and multiplying by 100. Sample methodology The JOLTS sample design is a random sample of 16,000 nonfarm business establishments, including factories, offices, and stores, as well as federal, state, and local governments in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The establishments are drawn from a universe of over eight million establishments compiled as part of the operations of the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, or QCEW, program. This program includes all employers subject to state Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws and federal agencies subject to Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE). The sampling frame is stratified by ownership, region, industry sector, and size class. Large firms fall into the sample with virtual certainty. JOLTS total employment estimates are controlled to the employment estimates of the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey. A ratio of CES to JOLTS employment is used to adjust the levels for all other JOLTS data elements. Rates are then computed from the adjusted levels. Using JOLTS data The JOLTS data series on job openings, hires, and separations are relatively new. The full sample is divided into panels, with one panel enrolled each month. A full complement of panels for the original data series based on the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system was not completely enrolled in the survey until January 2002. The supplemental panels of establishments needed to create NAICS estimates were not completely enrolled until May 2003. The data collected up until those points are from less than a full sample. Therefore, estimates from earlier months should be used with caution, as fewer sampled units were reporting data at that time. In March 2002, BLS procedures for collecting hires and separations data were revised to address possible underreporting. As a result, JOLTS hires and separations estimates for months prior to March 2002 may not be comparable with estimates for March 2002 and later. The federal government reorganization that involved transferring approximately 180,000 employees to the new Department of Homeland Security is not reflected in the JOLTS hires and separations estimates for the federal government. The Office of Personnel Management’s record shows these transfers were completed in March 2003. The inclusion of transfers in the JOLTS definitions of hires and separations is intended to cover ongoing movements of workers between establishments. The Department of Homeland Security reorganization was a massive one-time event, and the inclusion of these intergovernmental transfers would distort the federal government time series. Seasonal adjustment BLS seasonally adjusts several JOLTS series using the X-12-ARIMA seasonal adjustment program. Seasonal adjustment is the process of estimating and removing periodic fluctuations caused by events such as weather, holidays, and the beginning and ending of the school year. Seasonal adjustment makes it easier to observe fundamental changes in the level of the series, particularly those associated with general economic expansions and contractions. A concurrent seasonal adjustment methodology is used in which new seasonal adjustment factors are calculated each month, using all relevant data, up to and including the data for the current month. Data users should note that seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS series is conducted with fewer data observations than is customary. The historical data, therefore, may be subject to larger than normal revisions. Since the seasonal patterns in economic data series typically emerge over time, the standard use of moving averages as seasonal filters to capture these effects requires longer series than are currently available. As a result, the stable seasonal filter option is used in the seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS data. When calculating seasonal factors, this filter takes an average for each calendar month after detrending the series. The stable seasonal filter assumes that the seasonal factors are fixed; a necessary assumption until sufficient data are available. When the stable seasonal filter is no longer needed, other program features also may be introduced, such as outlier adjustment and extended diagnostic testing. Additionally, it is expected that more series, such as layoffs and discharges and additional industries, may be seasonally adjusted when more data are available. Reliability of the estimates JOLTS estimates are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error. When a sample rather than the entire population is surveyed, there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the “true” population values they represent. The exact difference, or sampling error, varies depending on the particular sample selected, and this variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate. BLS analysis is generally conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence. That means that there is a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the “true” population value because of sampling error. Estimates of sampling errors are available upon request. The JOLTS estimates also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to include a segment of the population, the inability to obtain data from all units in the sample, the inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide data on a timely basis, mistakes made by respondents, errors made in the collection or processing of the data, and errors from the employment benchmark data used in estimation. JOLTS hires and separations estimates cannot be used to exactly explain net changes in nonfarm payroll employment. Some reasons why it is problematic to compare changes in payroll employment with JOLTS hires and separations, especially on a monthly basis, are: 1) the reference period for payroll employment is the pay period including the 12th of the month, while the reference period for hires and separations is the calendar month; and 2) payroll employment can vary from month to month simply because part-time and on-call workers may not always work during the pay period that includes the 12th of the month. Additionally, research has found that some reporters systematically underreport separations relative to hires due to a number of factors, including the nature of their payroll systems and practices. The shortfall appears to be about 2 percent or less over a 12-month period. Other information Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral phone: 1-800-877-8339. 1 2 Table 1. Job openings levels and rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted 3 Levels (in thousands) Industry and region Sept. Apr. May June July 2003 2004 2004 2004 Rates Sept. Sept. Apr. May June July 2004 Aug. 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004 2004 2004 Aug. 2004 2004p Total4…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2,755 3,135 3,105 3,022 3,237 3,195 3,235 2.1 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.4 2.4 88 240 567 583 537 435 343 2,859 121 234 551 594 536 410 337 2,889 126 246 561 564 546 411 339 2.2 .9 1.3 1.9 2.8 2.9 2.8 1.7 2.5 1.5 1.7 2.0 3.1 3.3 3.0 1.6 2.4 1.5 1.7 2.0 3.1 3.1 3.1 1.6 2.3 1.3 1.7 1.9 2.9 2.9 3.3 1.7 2.6 1.3 1.6 2.2 3.4 3.1 3.4 1.6 2.5 1.7 1.6 2.1 3.5 3.1 3.2 1.5 2.6 1.8 1.7 2.2 3.3 3.1 3.2 1.5 545 1,280 635 738 540 1,259 613 771 547 1,210 696 778 1.9 2.2 1.9 2.3 2.2 2.5 2.2 2.4 2.0 2.5 2.2 2.6 2.1 2.4 2.0 2.3 2.1 2.7 2.0 2.5 2.1 2.6 1.9 2.6 2.1 2.5 2.2 2.6 Sept. INDUSTRY 4 Total private ……………………………………………………………………………….. 2,399 2,778 2,746 2,640 2,894 Construction……………………………………………………………… 58 105 108 94 Manufacturing………………………………………………………. 183 251 244 247 Trade, transportation, and utilities………………………… 484 531 521 503 Professional and business services……………………. 467 518 530 494 Education and health services…………………………………………. 499 576 542 496 Leisure and hospitality………………...…………………………… 348 376 391 421 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 364 354 360 380 REGION Northeast………………………………………………………………. 488 560 526 546 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,039 1,191 1,164 1,164 Midwest…………………………………………………………………………….. 581 692 688 631 West………………………………………………………………………….. 657 694 765 1 677 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day the regions are: Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, of the month. 2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and day of the month as a percent of total employment plus job openings. 3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, seasonal adjustment of the various series. 4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and West Virginia; Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, and other services, not shown separately. P = preliminary. and Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise and Wyoming. Table 2. Hires levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted Levels3 (in thousands) Industry and region Sept. Apr. May June July Rates Sept. Sept. Apr. May June July p 2004 2003 2004 2004 2004 2004 Aug. 2004 2004p 4,375 4,297 3.1 3.4 3.2 3.4 3.2 3.3 3.3 368 352 957 621 418 760 310 4,058 401 356 984 690 470 760 322 3,948 388 379 879 674 403 834 339 3.5 6.0 2.3 3.4 3.8 2.6 6.0 1.3 3.7 6.1 2.5 4.1 3.7 2.7 6.2 1.4 3.6 5.9 2.3 3.7 3.8 2.7 6.0 1.3 3.7 6.3 2.6 3.7 4.2 2.5 6.1 1.5 3.6 5.3 2.4 3.8 3.8 2.5 6.2 1.4 3.7 5.8 2.5 3.9 4.2 2.8 6.1 1.5 3.6 5.6 2.6 3.4 4.1 2.4 6.7 1.6 720 1,640 935 865 763 1,643 945 1,018 758 1,659 939 960 2.8 3.3 2.9 3.4 3.2 3.4 3.2 3.8 2.8 3.5 3.1 3.3 2.8 3.7 3.2 3.6 2.9 3.5 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.5 3.0 3.5 3.0 3.6 3.0 3.3 2004 Aug. 2004 Total4…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4,061 4,398 4,206 4,433 4,229 2003 2004 2004 2004 Sept. INDUSTRY 4 Total private ……………………………………………………………………………….. 3,787 4,090 3,938 4,110 3,930 Construction……………………………………………………………… 405 421 406 436 Manufacturing………………………………………………………. 336 354 336 370 Trade, transportation, and utilities………………………… 859 1,032 938 945 Professional and business services……………………. 606 609 631 692 Education and health services…………………………………………. 439 460 451 428 Leisure and hospitality………………...…………………………… 732 766 739 749 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 290 300 272 328 REGION Northeast………………………………………………………………. 705 810 708 703 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,524 1,582 1,606 1,709 Midwest…………………………………………………………………………….. 885 991 956 1,009 West………………………………………………………………………….. 973 1,093 951 1,023 1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month. 2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series. 4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately. P = preliminary. NOTE: See NOTE, table 1. 1 2 Table 3. Total separations levels and rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted 3 Levels (in thousands) Industry and region Sept. Apr. May June July 2003 2004 2004 2004 Rates Sept. Sept. Apr. May June July 2004 Aug. 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004 2004 2004 Aug. 2004 2004p Total4…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3,845 4,088 4,040 4,069 4,074 4,134 4,165 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.2 364 367 972 613 363 694 273 3,894 391 379 951 575 380 760 246 3,876 367 379 906 588 386 769 290 3.3 6.0 2.4 3.3 3.3 2.4 5.4 1.2 3.5 5.7 2.5 4.0 3.7 2.3 5.5 1.1 3.4 5.3 2.6 3.6 3.4 2.2 5.6 1.2 3.5 5.5 2.4 3.6 3.7 2.1 5.9 1.3 3.5 5.3 2.5 3.8 3.7 2.1 5.6 1.3 3.5 5.6 2.6 3.7 3.5 2.2 6.2 1.1 3.5 5.3 2.6 3.6 3.6 2.3 6.2 1.3 674 1,545 935 945 717 1,527 831 1,087 724 1,504 934 991 2.6 3.2 2.7 3.1 2.9 3.3 2.8 3.4 2.6 3.2 2.7 3.5 2.8 3.3 2.7 3.4 2.7 3.3 3.0 3.3 2.8 3.3 2.7 3.8 2.9 3.2 3.0 3.5 Sept. INDUSTRY 4 Total private ……………………………………………………………………………….. 3,588 3,843 3,761 3,789 3,793 Construction……………………………………………………………… 408 391 367 382 Manufacturing………………………………………………………. 340 353 377 343 Trade, transportation, and utilities………………………… 821 1,013 917 927 Professional and business services……………………. 524 606 556 607 Education and health services…………………………………………. 399 386 379 362 Leisure and hospitality………………...…………………………… 657 679 696 734 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 259 245 268 270 REGION Northeast………………………………………………………………. 660 716 648 704 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,468 1,524 1,504 1,533 Midwest…………………………………………………………………………….. 832 877 833 853 West………………………………………………………………………….. 878 959 1,008 979 1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month. 2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series. 4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately. P = preliminary. NOTE: See NOTE, table 1. Table 4. Quits levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted Levels3 (in thousands) Industry and region Sept. Apr. May June July 2003 2004 2004 2004 Rates Sept. Sept. Apr. May June July 2004 Aug. 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004 2004 2004 Aug. 2004 2004p Total4…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2,072 2,278 2,173 2,284 2,265 2,252 2,258 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 101 174 559 322 271 442 126 2,140 147 165 552 308 239 476 116 2,130 132 186 539 309 244 457 129 1.8 2.2 1.0 1.9 1.7 1.5 3.2 .6 2.0 2.2 1.3 2.2 2.0 1.5 3.5 .6 1.9 2.1 1.2 2.1 1.6 1.3 3.7 .6 2.0 2.3 1.2 2.1 2.0 1.3 3.9 .6 2.0 1.5 1.2 2.2 2.0 1.6 3.6 .6 1.9 2.1 1.1 2.2 1.9 1.4 3.9 .5 1.9 1.9 1.3 2.1 1.9 1.4 3.7 .6 338 901 505 519 339 897 447 566 323 916 464 552 1.2 1.8 1.5 1.8 1.6 1.9 1.5 1.8 1.3 1.8 1.5 1.8 1.3 2.0 1.6 2.0 1.3 1.9 1.6 1.8 1.3 1.9 1.4 2.0 1.3 2.0 1.5 1.9 Sept. INDUSTRY Total private4……………………………………………………………………………….. 1,949 2,151 2,036 2,162 2,141 Construction……………………………………………………………… 151 149 144 156 Manufacturing………………………………………………………. 142 189 171 171 Trade, transportation, and utilities………………………… 473 563 525 536 Professional and business services……………………. 276 323 259 322 Education and health services…………………………………………. 252 245 223 225 Leisure and hospitality………………...…………………………… 392 429 455 480 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 123 129 129 123 REGION Northeast………………………………………………………………. 295 390 318 334 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 811 888 857 910 Midwest…………………………………………………………………………….. 462 479 479 485 West………………………………………………………………………….. 504 524 521 573 1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month. 2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series. 4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately. P = preliminary. NOTE: See NOTE, table 1. Table 5. Job openings levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Industry and region Rates Sept. Aug. Sept. Sept. Aug. Sept. 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 3,373 2.1 2.5 2.5 3,043 7 9 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 59 115 135 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 192 252 256 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 111 146 163 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 82 105 94 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 539 620 637 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 82 112 113 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 389 424 438 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities………………....68 84 86 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 59 76 68 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 172 215 242 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 134 175 203 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 38 40 38 Professional and business services…………………………………. 490 620 602 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 523 571 568 Educational services………………………………………………………. 33 54 55 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 490 518 513 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 342 455 407 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 37 51 53 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 306 403 355 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 104 130 118 2.2 1.0 .8 1.3 1.2 1.4 2.1 1.4 2.6 1.4 1.8 2.1 2.2 1.8 2.9 3.1 1.2 3.4 2.7 2.0 2.8 1.9 2.7 1.2 1.6 1.7 1.6 1.9 2.4 1.9 2.7 1.7 2.3 2.6 2.8 1.9 3.6 3.3 2.2 3.5 3.4 2.5 3.6 2.3 2.7 1.5 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.7 2.4 2.0 2.8 1.7 2.1 2.9 3.3 1.8 3.5 3.3 2.0 3.5 3.1 2.7 3.2 2.1 329 37 292 1.7 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.7 1.5 1.3 1.5 579 1,240 735 818 2.0 2.2 1.9 2.3 2.3 2.8 2.2 2.8 2.2 2.6 2.3 2.8 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2,844 3,413 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 2,486 3,061 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 6 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 358 352 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 41 41 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 317 311 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 509 600 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,058 1,312 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 607 688 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 669 813 1 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day of the month. 2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a percent of total employment plus job openings. P = preliminary. NOTE: See NOTE, table 1. Table 6. Hires levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Industry and region Rates Sept. Aug. Sept. Sept. Aug. Sept. 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 4,868 3.5 3.8 3.7 4,356 20 20 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 400 385 383 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 347 397 400 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 211 245 250 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 137 152 151 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 1,028 1,071 1,026 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 169 176 169 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 698 726 650 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities……………….... 161 169 207 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 59 76 68 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 195 185 201 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 122 122 118 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 73 62 83 Professional and business services…………………………………. 637 767 715 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 585 577 523 Educational services………………………………………………………. 117 89 111 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 468 488 411 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 728 841 838 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 84 111 122 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 644 730 716 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 201 215 182 3.9 2.3 5.7 2.4 2.4 2.5 4.1 3.0 4.7 3.4 1.9 2.4 2.1 3.5 3.9 3.5 4.5 3.4 5.9 4.6 6.1 3.7 4.1 3.3 5.3 2.7 2.7 2.8 4.2 3.1 4.8 3.5 2.4 2.3 2.0 2.9 4.6 3.5 3.7 3.4 6.5 5.5 6.7 3.9 3.9 3.4 5.3 2.8 2.8 2.8 4.0 3.0 4.3 4.3 2.2 2.5 2.0 3.9 4.3 3.1 4.2 2.9 6.7 6.6 6.7 3.4 512 42 470 2.0 1.4 2.1 2.5 1.3 2.7 2.4 1.5 2.5 960 1,740 1,134 1,035 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.7 3.2 4.2 3.8 3.9 3.8 3.7 3.6 3.6 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4,612 5,038 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 4,193 4,534 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 14 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 418 504 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 38 35 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 381 469 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 870 802 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,605 1,956 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 1,078 1,167 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 1,059 1,113 1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month. 2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment. P = preliminary. NOTE: See NOTE, table 1. Table 7. Total separations levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Rates Industry and region Sept. Aug. Sept. Sept. Aug. Sept. 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 4,672 3.3 4.0 3.5 4,330 22 19 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 443 466 388 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 338 455 378 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 201 298 244 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 136 157 135 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 883 1,117 967 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 150 160 146 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 621 796 682 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities……………….... 113 162 139 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 66 87 66 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 202 204 197 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 112 141 117 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 91 63 80 Professional and business services…………………………………. 548 727 617 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 430 492 420 Educational services………………………………………………………. 49 62 61 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 381 431 358 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 883 1,019 1,050 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 212 145 232 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 672 874 818 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 197 299 229 3.7 3.2 6.3 2.3 2.3 2.5 3.5 2.7 4.2 2.4 2.1 2.5 1.9 4.4 3.4 2.6 1.9 2.7 7.2 11.4 6.4 3.7 4.4 3.6 6.4 3.1 3.3 2.9 4.4 2.8 5.3 3.4 2.7 2.5 2.4 2.9 4.3 3.0 2.6 3.0 7.9 7.2 8.0 5.5 3.9 3.2 5.4 2.6 2.7 2.5 3.8 2.6 4.6 2.9 2.1 2.4 2.0 3.7 3.7 2.5 2.3 2.5 8.4 12.4 7.7 4.2 342 26 316 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.9 .9 2.0 1.6 1.0 1.7 914 1,600 1,075 1,083 3.3 3.4 3.1 3.4 3.8 4.2 3.6 4.4 3.6 3.4 3.4 3.8 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4,309 5,269 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 4,007 4,887 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 18 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 302 381 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 36 26 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 265 356 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 825 951 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,574 1,957 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 945 1,107 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 964 1,254 1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month. 2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of total employment. P = preliminary. NOTE: See NOTE, table 1. Table 8. Quits levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Industry and region Rates Sept. Aug. Sept. Sept. Aug. Sept. 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 2,613 1.8 2.4 2.0 2,475 11 12 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 175 191 153 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 161 237 215 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 98 139 131 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 63 98 84 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 544 740 608 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 85 82 90 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 398 586 453 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities………………....61 72 65 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 40 61 37 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 97 129 110 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 60 83 65 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 37 46 46 Professional and business services…………………………………. 301 438 333 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 293 315 279 Educational services………………………………………………………. 31 32 34 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 262 283 245 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 529 664 619 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 75 56 67 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 454 609 552 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 127 131 107 2.1 1.4 2.5 1.1 1.1 1.1 2.2 1.5 2.7 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.0 1.8 1.9 1.8 1.2 1.9 4.3 4.1 4.3 2.4 2.6 1.8 2.6 1.6 1.5 1.8 2.9 1.4 3.9 1.5 1.9 1.6 1.4 2.1 2.6 1.9 1.3 2.0 5.1 2.7 5.6 2.4 2.2 2.0 2.1 1.5 1.5 1.5 2.4 1.6 3.0 1.3 1.2 1.4 1.1 2.1 2.0 1.7 1.3 1.7 4.9 3.6 5.2 2.0 139 10 129 .6 .5 .6 .9 .5 1.0 .6 .4 .7 425 1,016 541 631 1.6 1.9 1.8 2.0 1.9 2.5 2.1 2.7 1.7 2.2 1.7 2.2 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2,406 3,103 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 2,276 2,916 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 8 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 131 186 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 14 13 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 117 173 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 398 484 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 893 1,181 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 541 665 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 575 773 1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month. 2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment. P = preliminary. NOTE: See NOTE, table 1. Table 9. Layoffs and discharges levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Rates Industry and region Sept. Aug. Sept. Sept. Aug. Sept. 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 1,760 1.2 1.4 1.3 1,604 7 4 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 257 259 214 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 147 186 135 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 86 136 92 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 61 49 44 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 265 303 302 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 52 64 47 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 175 165 194 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities………………....39 74 61 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 24 22 20 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 90 46 70 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 37 31 37 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 53 15 32 Professional and business services…………………………………. 206 249 247 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 106 144 107 Educational services………………………………………………………. 14 26 23 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 91 119 84 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 331 313 397 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 133 88 159 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 198 224 238 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 55 163 109 1.4 1.4 3.7 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.1 .9 1.2 .8 .7 1.1 .6 2.5 1.3 .6 .5 .7 2.7 7.2 1.9 1.0 1.5 1.2 3.6 1.3 1.5 .9 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.5 .7 .6 .5 .7 1.5 .9 1.1 .8 2.4 4.4 2.1 3.0 1.5 .7 3.0 .9 1.0 .8 1.2 .8 1.3 1.3 .6 .9 .6 1.5 1.5 .6 .9 .6 3.2 8.5 2.2 2.0 156 9 147 .6 .5 .6 .7 .2 .8 .7 .3 .8 413 480 475 392 1.5 1.3 1.1 1.1 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.0 1.5 1.4 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1,607 1,832 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 1,487 1,692 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 8 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 120 139 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 13 6 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 106 133 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 369 389 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 580 660 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 342 369 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 315 413 1 Layoffs and discharges are the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month. 2 The layoffs and discharges rate is the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month as a percent of total employment. P = preliminary. NOTE: See NOTE, table 1. Table 10. Other separations levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted Levels (in thousands) Rates Industry and region Sept. Aug. Sept. Sept. Aug. Sept. 2003 2004 2004p 2003 2004 2004p 298 0.2 0.3 0.2 251 3 22 28 21 7 56 8 35 13 9 17 15 2 37 33 4 29 34 6 28 13 .2 .3 .2 .2 .2 .2 .3 .2 .3 .3 .1 .2 .2 .1 .3 .2 .1 .2 .2 .2 .2 .3 .3 .6 .2 .2 .2 .2 .3 .2 .3 .3 .1 .4 .5 .1 .2 .2 .2 .2 .3 .1 .4 .1 .2 .5 .3 .2 .2 .1 .2 .1 .2 .3 .3 .2 .2 .1 .2 .2 .2 .2 .3 .3 .3 .2 48 7 40 .2 .4 .2 .3 .2 .3 .2 .3 .2 77 104 58 59 .2 .2 .2 .3 .3 .2 .2 .2 .3 .2 .2 .2 Total…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 295 335 INDUSTRY Total private……………………………………………………………………………….. 244 279 Natural resources and mining…………………………………………… 2 4 Construction………………………………………………………………………………………… 11 15 Manufacturing…………………………………………………………………………. 30 32 Durable goods...……………………………………………………………..…. 18 22 Nondurable goods...………………………………………………………..… 13 10 Trade, transportation, and utilities……………………………………………. 74 75 Wholesale trade………………………………………………………...……… 13 14 Retail trade………………………………………………………..…..……….. 48 45 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities………………....13 16 Information………………………………………………………………...……….. 2 4 Financial activities……..…………………………………………………….…… 16 29 Finance and insurance…………………………………………………………………………. 14 27 Real estate and rental and leasing…………………………….. 1 2 Professional and business services…………………………………. 41 39 Education and health services………………………………………….……………. 31 34 Educational services………………………………………………………. 4 4 Health care and social assistance……………………………. 27 29 Leisure and hospitality………………...……………………………...……… 23 42 Arts, entertainment, and recreation………………………………. 3 1 Accommodations and food services…………………………. 20 40 Other services……………………………………………………….…………….. 14 5 Government…………………………………………………………………………….. 52 56 Federal……………………………………………………………………...…………… 10 6 State and local…………….………………………………………….………………. 42 49 REGION Northeast…………………………………………………………………………….. 58 78 South………………………………………………………………………………….. 101 115 Midwest………………………………………………………………………………..….. 61 73 West…………………………………………………………………………………………. 75 68 1 Other separations are the number of other separations during the entire month. 2 The other separations rate is the number of other separations during the entire month as a percent of total employment. P = preliminary. NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.