1

Technical information: (202) 691-5870

 http://www.bls.gov/jlt/

Media contact: 691-5902

USDL 06-943

For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT

Tuesday, June 6, 2006

Chart 1. Job openings rate, seasonally adjusted,

 May 2003 - April 2006

1.5

1.7

1.9

2.1

2.3

2.5

2.7

2.9

3.1

3.3

3.5

3.7

3.9

Percent

2004 2005 2006

Chart 2. Hires and separations rates, seasonally adjusted,

 May 2003 - April 2006

2.5

2.7

2.9

3.1

3.3

3.5

3.7

3.9

Percent

Separations

Hires

2004 2005 2006

JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: APRIL 2006

The job openings rate was unchanged, while the hires and total separations rates decreased in April, 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 April 2006, there were 4.1 million job openings in the United States, and the

job openings rate was 2.9 percent. The job openings rate was unchanged over the month in every industry

and region, but the overall rate has generally trended upward since September 2003. The industries with the

highest seasonally adjusted job openings rate in April 2006 were professional and business services (4.1 percent), leisure and hospitality (3.8 percent), and education and health services (3.7 percent). (See table 1.)

Over the year, the job openings rate increased in several industries, with the largest gains in information

and educational services. The job openings rate also increased over the year in three of the four regions—

the Northeast, South, and West. None of the industries or regions experienced a significant decrease in their

job openings rate from the prior year. (See table 5.)

Hires

The hires rate decreased to 3.4 percent in April. Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month.

Over the month, the hires rate increased in education and health services and decreased in trade, transporta-
2

Total 1......................................................... 4,884 4,614 4,681 4,419

 Total private ........................................ 4,246 4,503 4,351 4,360

Construction ................................... 110 144 440 344 372 429 422 385

Manufacturing ................................ 266 318 320 341 320 378 427 355

Trade, transportation, and

utilities ........................................... 642 651 662 1,019 1,103 969 1,008 989 973

Professional and business

services ......................................... 645 702 743 830 922 858 877 798 786

Education and health services .... 616 692 673 498 435 485 438 399 422

Leisure and hospitality ................. 465 506 516 707 899 750 707 769 769

Government .......................................... 378 458 451 328 397 331 263 326 268

Total 1......................................................... 2.6 2.9 2.9 3.4 3.6 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.3

 Total private 1..................................... 2.8 3.1 3.1 3.8 4.0 3.7 3.9 3.9 3.7

Construction ................................... 1.5 1.9 1.8 6.1 4.6 5.0 5.9 5.6 5.1

Manufacturing ................................ 1.8 2.2 2.3 2.2 2.4 2.2 2.7 3.0 2.5

Trade, transportation, and

utilities ........................................... 2.4 2.4 2.5 3.9 4.2 3.7 3.9 3.8 3.7

Professional and business

services ......................................... 3.7 3.9 4.1 4.9 5.4 5.0 5.2 4.6 4.6

Education and health services .... 3.5 3.8 3.7 2.9 2.5 2.7 2.5 2.3 2.4

Leisure and hospitality ................. 3.5 3.8 3.8 5.5 6.9 5.8 5.5 5.9 5.9

Government .......................................... 1.7 2.0 2.0 1.5 1.8 1.5 1.2 1.5 1.2

 Job openings

Industry

Table A. Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally adjusted

Hires Total separations

Apr. Mar. Apr. Apr. Mar. Mar.

2005 2006 2005 2006 2006 2005 2006 2006

Levels (in thousands)

Rates (percent)

2006

4,574

3,208

3,589

3,633 4,157

137

333

1

p p p

4,089

1

 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.

p = preliminary.

4,095

3,643

4,544

4,227

Apr. Apr. Apr.

tion, and utilities; leisure and hospitality; government; and in the Midwest region. In April, the seasonally

adjusted hires rate was highest in the leisure and hospitality industry (5.8 percent). (See table 2.)

From April 2005 to April 2006, the hires rate rose in educational services, but fell in construction and

health care and social assistance. The hires rate did not change significantly over the year in any geographic

region. (See table 6.)

Separations

The total separations, or turnover, rate declined to 3.3 percent in April. Separations are terminations of

employment that occur at any time during the month. In April, the total separations rate decreased in manufacturing, government, and in the South region. (See table 3.)

Total separations include quits (voluntary separations), layoffs and discharges (involuntary separations),

and other separations (including retirements). The quits rate, which can serve as a barometer of workers’

ability to change jobs, dropped to 1.8 percent in April. The quits rate declined in the manufacturing industry

and in the South region. In April, the seasonally adjusted quits rate was highest in the leisure and hospitality

industry (3.9 percent), which also had the highest hires rate. (See table 4.)
3

Over the year, the quits rate fell in health care and social assistance, other services, and in the Northeast

region. The quits rate did not rise significantly in any industry or region over the year. (See table 8.)

The other two components of total separations—layoffs and discharges, and other separations—are not

seasonally adjusted. From April 2005 to April 2006, the layoffs and discharges rate was little changed at

1.0 percent. For April 2006, the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry had the highest layoffs and discharges rate (2.3 percent). From April 2005 to April 2006, the other separations rate increased to 0.3 percent. (See tables 9 and 10.)

Flows in the Labor Market

Hires and separations data help show dynamic flows in the labor market. Over the 12 months ending in

April 2006, hires have averaged 4.8 million per month and separations have averaged 4.5 million per month

(not seasonally adjusted). The comparable figures for the prior 12-month period were 4.7 million hires and

4.4 million separations. (See the Technical Note for additional information on these measures.)

For More Information

For additional information, please read the Technical Note or visit the Job Openings and Labor Turnover

Survey (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 May 2006 is scheduled to be issued on Tuesday,

July 11, 2006.
Technical Note

The data for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey

(JOLTS) are collected and compiled monthly from a sample of

business establishments by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

(BLS).

Collection

Each month, data are collected in a survey of business

establishments for total employment, job openings, hires, quits,

layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Data collection

methods include computer-assisted telephone interviewing,

touchtone data entry, fax, and mail.

Coverage

The JOLTS program covers all private nonfarm

establishments such as factories, offices, and stores, as well as

federal, state, and local government entities in the 50 states and

the District of Columbia.

Concepts

Industry classification. The industry classifications in this

release are in accordance with the 2002 version of the North

American Industry Classification System (NAICS). In order to

ensure the highest possible quality of data, State Workforce

Agencies verify with employers and update, if necessary, the

industry code, location, and ownership classification of all

establishments on a 3-year cycle. Changes in establishment

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.

Annual estimates. Annual estimates of rates and levels of

hires, quits, layoffs and discharges, other separations, and total

separations are released with the January news release each year.

The JOLTS annual level estimates for hires, quits, layoffs

and discharges, other separations, and total separations are

the sum of the 12 published monthly levels. The annual rate

estimates are computed by dividing the 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. Consistent 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 business day of each month. Only

jobs still open on the last day of the month are counted. For

the same reason job openings cannot be cumulated throughout

each month, annual figures for job openings cannot be created

by summing the monthly estimates. Hires and separations are

flow measures and are cumulated over the month with a total

reported for the month. Therefore, the annual figures can be

created by summing the monthly estimates.

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.
Table 1. Job openings levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Apr. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. Apr. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr.

2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2006p 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2006p

Total4.........................................................3,589 4,031 3,941 3,981 3,994 4,089 4,095 2.6 2.9 2.8 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9

INDUSTRY

Total private4

.............................................3,208 3,604 3,509 3,533 3,531 3,633 3,643 2.8 3.1 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.1 3.1

Construction.......................................... 110 146 170 114 121 144 137 1.5 1.9 2.2 1.5 1.6 1.9 1.8

Manufacturing....................................... 266 333 313 324 318 318 333 1.8 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.3

Trade, transportation, and utilities............... 642 696 661 687 660 651 662 2.4 2.6 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.5

Professional and business services............ 645 782 750 777 716 702 743 3.7 4.4 4.2 4.3 4.0 3.9 4.1

Education and health services.................. 616 601 618 627 640 692 673 3.5 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.8 3.7

Leisure and hospitality.............................. 465 519 522 507 587 506 516 3.5 3.9 3.9 3.8 4.3 3.8 3.8

Government............................................. 378 434 435 449 460 458 451 1.7 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.0 2.0

REGION 5

Northeast............................................. 605 704 718 740 707 732 744 2.4 2.7 2.8 2.8 2.7 2.8 2.8

South................................................... 1,405 1,562 1,612 1,550 1,547 1,634 1,653 2.9 3.2 3.3 3.1 3.1 3.3 3.3

Midwest................................................ 732 748 738 745 797 721 733 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.5 2.2 2.3

West................................................... 839 1,046 919 928 957 985 956 2.8 3.4 3.0 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.1

1

 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, 

of the month. North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, 2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business and West Virginia; Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan,

day of the month as a percent of total employment plus job openings. Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota,

 3

 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent and Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,

seasonal adjustment of the various series. Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington,

 4

 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and Wyoming.

and other services, not shown separately. p

 = preliminary.

 5

 The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise 

the regions are: Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, 

New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and 

Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, 

Table 2. Hires levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Apr. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. Apr. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr.

2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2006p 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2006p

Total4.........................................................4,574 4,813 4,694 4,941 4,954 4,884 4,544 3.4 3.6 3.5 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.4

INDUSTRY

Total private4

.............................................4,246 4,498 4,397 4,584 4,578 4,503 4,227 3.8 4.0 3.9 4.1 4.1 4.0 3.7

Construction.......................................... 440 393 426 379 403 344 372 6.1 5.3 5.8 5.1 5.4 4.6 5.0

Manufacturing....................................... 320 335 307 366 333 341 320 2.2 2.4 2.2 2.6 2.3 2.4 2.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities...............1,019 954 1,011 1,177 1,117 1,103 969 3.9 3.7 3.9 4.5 4.3 4.2 3.7

Professional and business services............ 830 907 849 953 841 922 858 4.9 5.3 5.0 5.6 4.9 5.4 5.0

Education and health services.................. 498 459 467 446 435 435 485 2.9 2.6 2.7 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.7

Leisure and hospitality.............................. 707 895 853 847 1,019 899 750 5.5 6.9 6.6 6.6 7.9 6.9 5.8

Government............................................. 328 314 293 352 379 397 331 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.5

REGION 5

Northeast............................................. 874 747 698 727 814 914 838 3.5 3.0 2.8 2.9 3.2 3.6 3.3

South................................................... 1,696 1,813 1,817 1,946 2,061 1,803 1,742 3.6 3.8 3.8 4.1 4.3 3.7 3.6

Midwest................................................1,024 1,031 1,038 1,043 1,045 1,117 1,001 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.5 3.2

West................................................... 1,073 1,188 1,127 1,176 1,083 1,127 1,087 3.6 4.0 3.8 4.0 3.6 3.8 3.6

 1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.

 2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment.

3

 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.

4

 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.

5

 See footnote 5, table 1. 

p

 = preliminary.

Levels Rates 3 (in thousands)

Levels3

 (in thousands) Rates
Table 3. Total separations levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Apr. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. Apr. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr.

2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2006p 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2006p

Total4...................................................... 4,614 4,476 4,359 4,285 4,531 4,681 4,419 3.5 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.4 3.5 3.3

INDUSTRY

Total private4

.......................................... 4,351 4,205 4,067 3,995 4,252 4,360 4,157 3.9 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.8 3.9 3.7

Construction....................................... 429 371 348 374 335 422 385 5.9 5.0 4.7 5.0 4.5 5.6 5.1

Manufacturing....................................... 378 388 355 353 380 427 355 2.7 2.7 2.5 2.5 2.7 3.0 2.5

Trade, transportation, and utilities............ 1,008 1,003 1,027 880 997 989 973 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.4 3.8 3.8 3.7

Professional and business services......... 877 753 735 780 826 798 786 5.2 4.4 4.3 4.6 4.8 4.6 4.6

Education and health services.................. 438 418 400 353 403 399 422 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.0 2.3 2.3 2.4

Leisure and hospitality........................... 707 834 843 848 881 769 769 5.5 6.5 6.5 6.6 6.8 5.9 5.9

Government............................................. 263 270 270 300 285 326 268 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.3 1.5 1.2

REGION 5

Northeast............................................. 840 619 685 701 736 714 718 3.3 2.4 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.8 2.8

South................................................ 1,748 1,711 1,759 1,653 1,694 1,810 1,668 3.7 3.6 3.7 3.4 3.5 3.8 3.5

Midwest............................................. 1,030 1,081 934 987 1,032 1,014 981 3.3 3.5 3.0 3.1 3.3 3.2 3.1

West...................................................1,027 1,004 997 970 1,054 1,188 1,093 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.5 4.0 3.7

 1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month.

 2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of total employment.

3

 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.

4

 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.

5 See footnote 5, table 1.

p

 = preliminary.

Table 4. Quits levels1 and rates2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Apr. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. Apr. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr.

2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2006p 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2006p

Total4...................................................... 2,586 2,683 2,567 2,577 2,663 2,763 2,488 1.9 2.0 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.0 1.8

INDUSTRY

Total private4

.......................................... 2,452 2,540 2,428 2,435 2,526 2,606 2,345 2.2 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.1

Construction....................................... 148 183 189 179 153 182 177 2.0 2.5 2.6 2.4 2.0 2.4 2.4

Manufacturing....................................... 182 210 184 196 202 205 176 1.3 1.5 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities............ 580 606 634 551 602 598 577 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.1 2.3 2.3 2.2

Professional and business services......... 458 359 365 415 422 426 413 2.7 2.1 2.1 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.4

Education and health services.................. 281 277 254 225 279 267 252 1.6 1.6 1.4 1.3 1.6 1.5 1.4

Leisure and hospitality........................... 500 595 558 569 607 561 508 3.9 4.6 4.3 4.4 4.7 4.3 3.9

Government............................................. 131 142 139 143 139 156 144 .6 .6 .6 .7 .6 .7 .7

REGION 5

Northeast............................................. 441 333 390 369 368 383 366 1.8 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.4

South................................................ 1,019 1,102 1,069 1,068 1,114 1,129 995 2.1 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.1

Midwest............................................. 540 572 481 571 600 619 568 1.7 1.8 1.5 1.8 1.9 2.0 1.8

West................................................... 600 657 618 569 567 642 577 2.0 2.2 2.1 1.9 1.9 2.2 1.9

 1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.

 2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment.

3

 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.

4

 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.

5 See footnote 5, table 1.

p

 = preliminary.

Levels3 (in thousands) Rates

Levels3

 (in thousands) Rates
Table 5. Job openings levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Apr. Mar. Apr. Apr. Mar. Apr.

2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p

Total.................................................................. 3,723 4,088 4,258 2.7 3.0 3.1

INDUSTRY

Total private...................................................... 3,347 3,637 3,810 2.9 3.2 3.3

Natural resources and mining........................... 10 14 10 1.6 2.2 1.6

Construction................................................... 132 155 164 1.8 2.1 2.2

Manufacturing................................................ 267 323 337 1.8 2.2 2.3

Durable goods............................................. 179 221 234 2.0 2.4 2.5

Nondurable goods....................................... 88 102 103 1.6 1.9 1.9

Trade, transportation, and utilities..................... 646 648 665 2.5 2.5 2.5

Wholesale trade.......................................... 135 151 136 2.3 2.5 2.3

Retail trade................................................ 414 379 414 2.7 2.5 2.7

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities......... 97 118 115 1.9 2.3 2.3

Information................................................... 82 121 149 2.6 3.8 4.6

Financial activities............................................ 246 306 305 3.0 3.6 3.6

Finance and insurance................................. 193 242 243 3.1 3.8 3.8

Real estate and rental and leasing.................. 53 64 63 2.5 2.9 2.8

Professional and business services..................... 659 675 756 3.8 3.8 4.2

Education and health services........................... 614 690 677 3.4 3.7 3.7

Educational services.................................... 57 76 90 1.9 2.5 2.9

Health care and social assistance.................. 557 614 587 3.7 4.0 3.8

Leisure and hospitality.................................... 558 567 624 4.2 4.3 4.6

Arts, entertainment, and recreation.................. 79 71 101 4.1 3.9 5.2

Accommodations and food services............... 479 495 523 4.2 4.4 4.5

Other services................................................ 132 138 122 2.4 2.5 2.2

Government...................................................... 376 451 447 1.7 2.0 2.0

Federal......................................................... 42 45 34 1.5 1.6 1.3

State and local.............................................. 334 407 413 1.7 2.0 2.1

REGION 3

Northeast...................................................... 629 717 775 2.4 2.8 3.0

South............................................................ 1,459 1,627 1,725 3.0 3.3 3.5

Midwest......................................................... 768 755 768 2.4 2.4 2.4

West............................................................ 867 989 990 2.9 3.2 3.2

1

 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day of the month.

 2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a percent of total employment plus job openings.

3 See footnote 5, table 1.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates
Table 6. Hires levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Apr. Mar. Apr. Apr. Mar. Apr.

2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p

Total.................................................................. 4,819 4,718 4,759 3.6 3.5 3.5

INDUSTRY

Total private...................................................... 4,577 4,441 4,516 4.1 4.0 4.0

Natural resources and mining........................... 32 21 27 5.3 3.3 4.1

Construction................................................... 585 369 489 8.2 5.2 6.7

Manufacturing................................................ 330 357 327 2.3 2.5 2.3

Durable goods............................................. 197 216 205 2.2 2.4 2.3

Nondurable goods....................................... 132 141 121 2.5 2.7 2.3

Trade, transportation, and utilities..................... 1,006 1,039 959 3.9 4.0 3.7

Wholesale trade.......................................... 162 115 139 2.8 2.0 2.4

Retail trade................................................ 695 754 679 4.6 5.0 4.5

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities......... 149 170 141 3.1 3.5 2.9

Information................................................... 82 62 76 2.7 2.0 2.5

Financial activities............................................ 178 186 187 2.2 2.3 2.3

Finance and insurance................................. 118 120 111 2.0 2.0 1.8

Real estate and rental and leasing.................. 60 66 76 2.8 3.1 3.5

Professional and business services..................... 920 914 943 5.5 5.4 5.5

Education and health services........................... 442 400 432 2.5 2.3 2.4

Educational services.................................... 42 41 74 1.4 1.4 2.5

Health care and social assistance.................. 400 359 358 2.8 2.4 2.4

Leisure and hospitality.................................... 822 943 868 6.5 7.5 6.7

Arts, entertainment, and recreation.................. 161 135 172 8.7 7.8 9.3

Accommodations and food services............... 661 808 696 6.1 7.4 6.3

Other services................................................ 179 149 209 3.3 2.8 3.9

Government...................................................... 241 277 243 1.1 1.2 1.1

Federal......................................................... 37 45 29 1.3 1.7 1.1

State and local.............................................. 205 232 214 1.1 1.2 1.1

REGION 3

Northeast...................................................... 850 801 819 3.4 3.2 3.2

South............................................................ 1,748 1,752 1,751 3.7 3.7 3.6

Midwest......................................................... 1,148 1,087 1,112 3.7 3.5 3.5

West............................................................ 1,073 1,077 1,076 3.6 3.6 3.6

 1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.

 2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment.

3 See footnote 5, table 1.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates
Table 7. Total separations levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Apr. Mar. Apr. Apr. Mar. Apr.

2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p

Total.................................................................. 4,267 4,132 4,087 3.2 3.1 3.0

INDUSTRY

Total private...................................................... 4,068 3,909 3,886 3.7 3.5 3.4

Natural resources and mining........................... 16 25 24 2.6 3.9 3.6

Construction................................................... 347 392 311 4.9 5.5 4.2

Manufacturing................................................ 374 400 348 2.6 2.8 2.5

Durable goods............................................. 256 216 180 2.9 2.4 2.0

Nondurable goods....................................... 118 184 169 2.3 3.5 3.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities..................... 872 902 840 3.4 3.5 3.3

Wholesale trade.......................................... 132 132 137 2.3 2.3 2.3

Retail trade................................................ 611 622 582 4.1 4.1 3.9

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities......... 129 148 121 2.6 3.0 2.5

Information................................................... 78 63 78 2.5 2.1 2.6

Financial activities............................................ 178 198 174 2.2 2.4 2.1

Finance and insurance................................. 114 133 120 1.9 2.2 2.0

Real estate and rental and leasing.................. 64 64 54 3.0 3.0 2.5

Professional and business services..................... 915 747 820 5.5 4.4 4.8

Education and health services........................... 401 365 389 2.3 2.1 2.2

Educational services.................................... 36 41 39 1.2 1.4 1.3

Health care and social assistance.................. 365 324 350 2.5 2.2 2.4

Leisure and hospitality.................................... 693 624 740 5.5 4.9 5.7

Arts, entertainment, and recreation.................. 107 68 95 5.8 3.9 5.1

Accommodations and food services............... 586 556 645 5.4 5.1 5.8

Other services................................................ 194 193 161 3.6 3.6 3.0

Government...................................................... 199 223 201 .9 1.0 .9

Federal......................................................... 29 51 25 1.1 1.9 .9

State and local.............................................. 171 173 176 .9 .9 .9

REGION 3

Northeast...................................................... 762 595 654 3.0 2.4 2.6

South............................................................ 1,666 1,592 1,582 3.5 3.3 3.3

Midwest......................................................... 899 868 849 2.9 2.8 2.7

West............................................................ 940 1,077 1,002 3.2 3.6 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 See footnote 5, table 1.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates
Table 8. Quits levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Apr. Mar. Apr. Apr. Mar. Apr.

2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p

Total.................................................................. 2,471 2,496 2,367 1.9 1.9 1.8

INDUSTRY

Total private...................................................... 2,368 2,376 2,254 2.1 2.1 2.0

Natural resources and mining........................... 9 13 11 1.4 2.0 1.7

Construction................................................... 142 169 171 2.0 2.4 2.3

Manufacturing................................................ 184 199 175 1.3 1.4 1.2

Durable goods............................................. 116 117 103 1.3 1.3 1.1

Nondurable goods....................................... 68 81 71 1.3 1.6 1.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities..................... 537 558 527 2.1 2.2 2.0

Wholesale trade.......................................... 72 86 80 1.3 1.5 1.4

Retail trade................................................ 407 398 377 2.7 2.6 2.5

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities......... 58 74 70 1.2 1.5 1.4

Information................................................... 52 44 59 1.7 1.4 1.9

Financial activities............................................ 93 106 103 1.1 1.3 1.2

Finance and insurance................................. 60 85 68 1.0 1.4 1.1

Real estate and rental and leasing.................. 33 21 35 1.6 1.0 1.6

Professional and business services..................... 454 424 410 2.7 2.5 2.4

Education and health services........................... 268 246 239 1.5 1.4 1.3

Educational services.................................... 20 19 19 .7 .6 .6

Health care and social assistance.................. 248 227 220 1.7 1.5 1.5

Leisure and hospitality.................................... 481 467 486 3.8 3.7 3.8

Arts, entertainment, and recreation.................. 50 36 49 2.7 2.1 2.6

Accommodations and food services............... 431 431 438 4.0 4.0 4.0

Other services................................................ 148 151 72 2.8 2.8 1.3

Government...................................................... 103 120 113 .5 .5 .5

Federal......................................................... 10 22 14 .4 .8 .5

State and local.............................................. 93 98 99 .5 .5 .5

REGION 3

Northeast...................................................... 396 335 321 1.6 1.3 1.3

South............................................................ 1,010 1,017 983 2.1 2.1 2.0

Midwest......................................................... 503 548 527 1.6 1.8 1.7

West............................................................ 563 595 536 1.9 2.0 1.8

 1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.

 2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment.

3 See footnote 5, table 1.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates
Table 9. Layoffs and discharges levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Apr. Mar. Apr. Apr. Mar. Apr.

2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p

Total.................................................................. 1,522 1,319 1,368 1.1 1.0 1.0

INDUSTRY

Total private...................................................... 1,467 1,262 1,317 1.3 1.1 1.2

Natural resources and mining........................... 5 10 10 .9 1.5 1.6

Construction................................................... 192 202 114 2.7 2.8 1.6

Manufacturing................................................ 156 170 140 1.1 1.2 1.0

Durable goods............................................. 115 78 58 1.3 .9 .6

Nondurable goods....................................... 41 93 81 .8 1.8 1.6

Trade, transportation, and utilities..................... 280 265 238 1.1 1.0 .9

Wholesale trade.......................................... 56 37 43 1.0 .6 .7

Retail trade................................................ 174 173 169 1.2 1.1 1.1

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities......... 51 56 25 1.0 1.1 .5

Information................................................... 16 14 14 .5 .5 .5

Financial activities............................................ 62 74 44 .8 .9 .5

Finance and insurance................................. 36 38 28 .6 .6 .5

Real estate and rental and leasing.................. 26 37 16 1.2 1.7 .8

Professional and business services..................... 408 266 346 2.4 1.6 2.0

Education and health services........................... 114 94 109 .7 .5 .6

Educational services.................................... 13 17 17 .4 .6 .6

Health care and social assistance.................. 100 77 93 .7 .5 .6

Leisure and hospitality.................................... 193 135 225 1.5 1.1 1.7

Arts, entertainment, and recreation.................. 54 30 44 2.9 1.7 2.3

Accommodations and food services............... 139 105 181 1.3 1.0 1.6

Other services................................................ 41 31 78 .8 .6 1.4

Government...................................................... 55 57 50 .2 .3 .2

Federal......................................................... 7 11 4 .3 .4 .1

State and local.............................................. 48 45 47 .2 .2 .2

REGION 3

Northeast...................................................... 311 203 260 1.2 .8 1.0

South............................................................ 551 470 457 1.2 1.0 .9

Midwest......................................................... 332 267 260 1.1 .9 .8

West............................................................ 327 379 390 1.1 1.3 1.3

 1 Layoffs and discharges are the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month.

 2 The layoffs and discharges rate is the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month as a percent of total employment.

3 See footnote 5, table 1.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates
Table 10. Other separations levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Apr. Mar. Apr. Apr. Mar. Apr.

2005 2006 2006p 2005 2006 2006p

Total.................................................................. 274 317 353 0.2 0.2 0.3

INDUSTRY

Total private...................................................... 233 270 315 .2 .2 .3

Natural resources and mining........................... 2 3 2 .4 .5 .3

Construction................................................... 13 21 26 .2 .3 .4

Manufacturing................................................ 34 31 34 .2 .2 .2

Durable goods............................................. 25 21 18 .3 .2 .2

Nondurable goods....................................... 9 10 16 .2 .2 .3

Trade, transportation, and utilities..................... 55 78 76 .2 .3 .3

Wholesale trade.......................................... 4 9 14 .1 .2 .2

Retail trade................................................ 30 52 36 .2 .3 .2

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities......... 20 18 26 .4 .4 .5

Information................................................... 10 5 5 .3 .2 .2

Financial activities............................................ 23 17 27 .3 .2 .3

Finance and insurance................................. 19 11 24 .3 .2 .4

Real estate and rental and leasing.................. 5 7 3 .2 .3 .1

Professional and business services..................... 53 57 65 .3 .3 .4

Education and health services........................... 19 24 41 .1 .1 .2

Educational services.................................... 3 4 4 .1 .1 .1

Health care and social assistance.................. 16 20 37 .1 .1 .3

Leisure and hospitality.................................... 19 22 29 .1 .2 .2

Arts, entertainment, and recreation.................. 2 2 3 0.1 .1 .2

Accommodations and food services............... 17 20 26 .2 .2 .2

Other services................................................ 4 12 11 .1 .2 .2

Government...................................................... 42 47 38 .2 .2 .2

Federal......................................................... 12 17 7 .4 .6 .3

State and local.............................................. 30 29 30 .2 .2 .2

REGION 3

Northeast...................................................... 55 56 73 .2 .2 .3

South............................................................ 105 105 142 .2 .2 .3

Midwest......................................................... 64 54 62 .2 .2 .2

West............................................................ 50 102 76 .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 See footnote 5, table 1.

 4 Data round to zero.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates