Technical information: (202) 691-5870 USDL 05-431 

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

 For release: 10:00 A.M. EST 

Media contact: 691-5902 Tuesday, March 15, 2005 

JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: JANUARY 2005 

The job openings rate fell slightly in January to 2.4 percent, while the hires and total 

separations rates were unchanged at 3.5 and 3.3 percent, respectively, 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. 

Chart 1. Job openings rate, seasonally adjusted,

 December 2000 - January 2005

1.8

2.0

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

3.0

3.2

3.4

3.6

3.8

4.0

Percent

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Chart 2. Hires and separations rates, seasonally adjusted,

 December 2000 - January 2005

1.8

2.0

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

3.0

3.2

3.4

3.6

3.8

4.0

Percent

Separations

Hires

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Revisions to the JOLTS Data 

The job openings, hires, and separations data in this release have been revised 

to incorporate annual updates to the Current Employment Statistics em-ployment 

counts and the JOLTS seasonal adjustment factors. See page 3 for more information. 
 2

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

Industry Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.

2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p

Total1

.......................................... 2,864 3,507 3,305 4,310 4,639 4,669 3,994 4,435 4,361

Total private1.................................2,527 3,106 2,953 4,010 4,337 4,356 3,703 4,146 4,086

Construction.............................. 144 132 121 374 368 293 411 355 403

Manufacturing........................... 223 266 252 369 324 292 314 353 340

Trade, transportation, and utilities...... 442 561 536 970 986 1,066 901 1,062 887

Professional and business services...... 507 699 682 723 878 882 551 833 851

Education and health services............ 537 557 551 427 452 443 391 375 346

Leisure and hospitality.................. 369 450 437 759 834 856 693 758 797

Government................................. 327 396 340 306 307 321 276 274 250

Total1

.......................................... 2.1 2.6 2.4 3.3 3.5 3.5 3.1 3.3 3.3

Total private1................................. 2.3 2.7 2.6 3.7 3.9 3.9 3.4 3.7 3.7

Construction.............................. 2.1 1.8 1.7 5.5 5.2 4.1 6.0 5.0 5.7

Manufacturing........................... 1.5 1.8 1.7 2.6 2.3 2.0 2.2 2.5 2.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities...... 1.7 2.1 2.0 3.8 3.8 4.2 3.6 4.1 3.5

Professional and business services...... 3.0 4.0 3.9 4.5 5.3 5.3 3.4 5.0 5.1

Education and health services............3.1 3.1 3.1 2.5 2.6 2.6 2.3 2.2 2.0

Leisure and hospitality.................. 2.9 3.4 3.3 6.1 6.6 6.8 5.6 6.0 6.3

Government................................. 1.5 1.8 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.2

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

p

 = preliminary.

Rates (percent)

Levels (in thousands)

Job openings Total separations Hires

Job Openings

On the last business day of January 2005, there were 3.3 million job openings in the United 

States, and the job openings rate was 2.4 percent. (See table 1.) The job openings rate trended 

upward from September 2003 through May 2004, but then leveled off. In January, the job 

openings rate decreased for private industries overall and for government. The job openings rate 

fell in the West region, but showed little or no change in the other regions of the country. 

Hires and Separations

The hires rate (the number of hires during the month divided by employment) was 3.5 

percent in January, unchanged from a month earlier. (See table 2.) Hires are any additions to the 

payroll during the month. No industries or regions showed a significant change in their hires 

rates from December to January. 

The total separations, or turnover, rate (the total number of separations during the month 

divided by employment) was 3.3 percent in January. Separations are terminations of 
 3

employment that occur at any time during the month. (See table 3.) The total separations rate 

fell in government and in the trade, transportation, and utilities industry in January. 

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 unchanged at 1.9 percent in January. (See 

table 4.) The quits rate did not change significantly in any industry in January, but did rise 

slightly in the Northeast region. The other two components of total separations, layoffs and 

discharges and other separations, are not seasonally adjusted. The layoffs and discharges rate 

(1.3 percent) was little changed from January 2004 to January 2005; the other separations rate 

(0.3 percent) was unchanged. (See tables 9 and 10.) 

Hires and separations help show dynamic flows in the labor market. Over the last 12 

months, hires have averaged 4.5 million per month and separations have averaged 4.3 million 

per month. (See the Technical Note for additional information on these measures.) 

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 February 2005 is scheduled to be issued 

on Tuesday, April 12, 2005. 

 

 Revisions to Job Openings and Labor Turnover Data 

In accordance with annual practice, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover 

Survey (JOLTS) data have been revised to reflect annual updates to the Current 

Employment Statistics (CES), or establishment survey, employment counts. The 

JOLTS employment levels (not published) are ratio-adjusted to the CES employment levels, and the resulting ratios are applied to all JOLTS data elements. This 

annual benchmark process resulted in revisions to all not seasonally adjusted 

JOLTS data series from April 2003 forward. Additionally, the seasonally adjusted JOLTS data series have been recalculated from December 2000 forward to reflect updated seasonal adjustment factors. 

Table B presents updated seasonally adjusted job openings data for April 

2003 forward, while Table C presents updated hires data, and Table D presents 

updated total separations data. 
 4

Table B. Revisions in job openings data, seasonally adjusted, April 2003 - December 2004

Levels (in thousands) Rates (percent)

As

previously

 published

As revised Difference

As

previously

 published

As revised Difference

2003

April.............................. 2,807 2,759 -48 2.1 2.1 0.0

May.............................. 2,723 2,719 -4 2.1 2.1 0.0

June.............................. 2,859 2,876 17 2.2 2.2 0.0

July.............................. 2,738 2,769 31 2.1 2.1 0.0

August........................... 2,688 2,773 85 2.0 2.1 0.1

September........................ 2,755 2,657 -98 2.1 2.0 -0.1

October........................... 2,823 2,814 -9 2.1 2.1 0.0

November........................ 2,952 2,902 -50 2.2 2.2 0.0

December........................ 3,062 2,978 -84 2.3 2.2 -0.1

2004

January........................... 2,868 2,864 -4 2.2 2.1 -0.1

February........................ 2,906 2,961 55 2.2 2.2 0.0

March........................... 3,079 3,105 26 2.3 2.3 0.0

April.............................. 3,135 3,111 -24 2.3 2.3 0.0

May.............................. 3,105 3,181 76 2.3 2.4 0.1

June.............................. 3,022 3,140 118 2.3 2.3 0.0

July.............................. 3,237 3,231 -6 2.4 2.4 0.0

August........................... 3,195 3,206 11 2.4 2.4 0.0

September........................ 3,294 3,265 -29 2.4 2.4 0.0

October........................... 3,420 3,300 -120 2.5 2.4 -0.1

November........................ 3,205 3,277 72 2.4 2.4 0.0

December........................ 3,385 3,507 122 2.5 2.6 0.1

Year and month

 
 5

Table C. Revisions in hires data, seasonally adjusted, April 2003 - December 2004

Levels (in thousands) Rates (percent)

As

previously

 published

As revised Difference

As

previously

 published

As revised Difference

2003

April........................ 3,911 3,903 -8 3.0 3.0 0.0

May........................... 3,958 4,027 69 3.0 3.1 0.1

June........................... 4,035 4,107 72 3.1 3.2 0.1

July........................... 4,014 4,165 151 3.1 3.2 0.1

August........................ 4,010 4,150 140 3.1 3.2 0.1

September.................. 4,061 4,182 121 3.1 3.2 0.1

October..................... 4,108 4,240 132 3.2 3.3 0.1

November.................. 4,135 4,177 42 3.2 3.2 0.0

December.................. 4,216 4,348 132 3.2 3.3 0.1

2004

January..................... 4,106 4,310 204 3.2 3.3 0.1

February..................... 4,103 4,159 56 3.2 3.2 0.0

March........................ 4,603 4,838 235 3.5 3.7 0.2

April........................ 4,398 4,509 111 3.4 3.4 0.0

May........................... 4,206 4,339 133 3.2 3.3 0.1

June........................... 4,433 4,492 59 3.4 3.4 0.0

July........................... 4,229 4,297 68 3.2 3.3 0.1

August........................ 4,375 4,504 129 3.3 3.4 0.1

September.................. 4,253 4,406 153 3.2 3.3 0.1

October..................... 4,469 4,552 83 3.4 3.4 0.0

November.................. 4,780 4,990 210 3.6 3.8 0.2

December.................. 4,488 4,639 151 3.4 3.5 0.1

Year and month
 6

Table D. Revisions in total separations data, seasonally adjusted, April 2003 - December 2004

Levels (in thousands) Rates (percent)

As

previously

 published

As revised Difference

As

previously

 published

As revised Difference

2003

April........................ 3,975 3,946 -29 3.1 3.0 -0.1

May........................ 3,736 3,824 88 2.9 2.9 0.0

June........................ 4,002 4,186 184 3.1 3.2 0.1

July........................... 3,861 3,944 83 3.0 3.0 0.0

August..................... 3,815 3,909 94 2.9 3.0 0.1

September.................. 3,845 4,013 168 3.0 3.1 0.1

October..................... 3,859 4,073 214 3.0 3.1 0.1

November.................. 3,797 3,948 151 2.9 3.0 0.1

December.................. 4,022 4,298 276 3.1 3.3 0.2

2004

January..................... 3,968 3,994 26 3.0 3.1 0.1

February..................... 4,073 4,196 123 3.1 3.2 0.1

March........................ 4,134 4,289 155 3.2 3.3 0.1

April........................ 4,088 4,334 246 3.1 3.3 0.2

May........................ 4,040 4,254 214 3.1 3.2 0.1

June........................ 4,069 4,235 166 3.1 3.2 0.1

July........................... 4,074 4,190 116 3.1 3.2 0.1

August..................... 4,134 4,271 137 3.1 3.2 0.1

September.................. 4,158 4,214 56 3.2 3.2 0.0

October..................... 4,129 4,215 86 3.1 3.2 0.1

November.................. 4,131 4,266 135 3.1 3.2 0.1

December.................. 4,278 4,435 157 3.2 3.3 0.1

Year and month

 
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.
Table 1. Job openings levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.

2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p

Total4........................................................................................................... 2,864 3,206 3,265 3,300 3,277 3,507 3,305 2.1 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.6 2.4

INDUSTRY

Total private4............................................................................................ 2,527 2,855 2,905 2,924 2,910 3,106 2,953 2.3 2.5 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.6

Construction........................................................................ 144 110 105 114 118 132 121 2.1 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.7

Manufacturing................................................................ 223 238 245 250 248 266 252 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.7

Trade, transportation, and utilities.............................. 442 548 609 559 554 561 536 1.7 2.1 2.3 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.0

Professional and business services......................... 507 589 583 602 620 699 682 3.0 3.5 3.4 3.5 3.6 4.0 3.9

Education and health services................................................. 537 533 529 547 543 557 551 3.1 3.0 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1

Leisure and hospitality...................................................... 369 418 419 413 411 450 437 2.9 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.4 3.3

Government......................................................................................... 327 348 360 400 369 396 340 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.5

REGION

Northeast......................................................................... 487 562 564 562 560 620 595 1.9 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.4 2.3

South............................................................................................... 1,140 1,248 1,239 1,318 1,250 1,329 1,306 2.4 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.6 2.8 2.7

Midwest......................................................................................... 672 671 699 688 726 740 727 2.1 2.1 2.2 2.1 2.3 2.3 2.3

West...................................................................................... 578 738 797 742 759 792 692 2.0 2.5 2.7 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.3

1

 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day the regions are: Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, 

of the month. New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and 

 2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, 

day of the month as a percent of total employment plus job openings. Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, 

 

3

 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia,

seasonal adjustment of the various series. and West Virginia; Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan,

 

4

 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota,

and other services, not shown separately. and Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,

 

P

 = preliminary. 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

Industry and region Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.

2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p

Total4........................................................................................................... 4,310 4,504 4,406 4,552 4,990 4,639 4,669 3.3 3.4 3.3 3.4 3.8 3.5 3.5

INDUSTRY

Total private4............................................................................................ 4,010 4,174 3,957 4,216 4,652 4,337 4,356 3.7 3.8 3.6 3.8 4.2 3.9 3.9

Construction........................................................................ 374 398 363 353 373 368 293 5.5 5.7 5.2 5.0 5.3 5.2 4.1

Manufacturing................................................................ 369 356 361 353 386 324 292 2.6 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.7 2.3 2.0

Trade, transportation, and utilities.............................. 970 975 908 977 1,077 986 1,066 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.8 4.2 3.8 4.2

Professional and business services......................... 723 770 761 812 935 878 882 4.5 4.7 4.6 4.9 5.6 5.3 5.3

Education and health services................................................. 427 450 416 420 447 452 443 2.5 2.6 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.6 2.6

Leisure and hospitality...................................................... 759 770 772 801 858 834 856 6.1 6.2 6.2 6.4 6.8 6.6 6.8

Government......................................................................................... 306 339 375 318 335 307 321 1.4 1.6 1.7 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.5

REGION

Northeast......................................................................... 811 785 794 811 851 858 777 3.2 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.4 3.4 3.1

South............................................................................................... 1,637 1,668 1,754 1,809 1,903 1,770 1,833 3.6 3.6 3.8 3.9 4.1 3.8 3.9

Midwest......................................................................................... 956 996 889 1,013 1,149 1,043 1,098 3.1 3.2 2.8 3.2 3.7 3.3 3.5

West...................................................................................... 897 1,057 963 916 1,014 970 944 3.2 3.7 3.3 3.2 3.5 3.4 3.3

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

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

 

3

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

 

4

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

 

P

 = preliminary.

 NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.

Levels3 (in thousands) Rates

Levels3 (in thousands) Rates
Table 3. Total separations levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.

2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p

Total4........................................................................................................... 3,994 4,271 4,214 4,215 4,266 4,435 4,361 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.3

INDUSTRY

Total private4............................................................................................ 3,703 4,038 3,918 3,957 3,996 4,146 4,086 3.4 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.7

Construction........................................................................ 411 412 377 425 351 355 403 6.0 5.9 5.4 6.0 5.0 5.0 5.7

Manufacturing................................................................ 314 383 368 354 327 353 340 2.2 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.3 2.5 2.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities.............................. 901 942 909 889 943 1,062 887 3.6 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.7 4.1 3.5

Professional and business services......................... 551 663 686 585 822 833 851 3.4 4.0 4.2 3.5 4.9 5.0 5.1

Education and health services................................................. 391 401 380 376 408 375 346 2.3 2.4 2.2 2.2 2.4 2.2 2.0

Leisure and hospitality...................................................... 693 789 732 767 727 758 797 5.6 6.3 5.8 6.1 5.8 6.0 6.3

Government......................................................................................... 276 248 305 263 275 274 250 1.3 1.1 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.2

REGION

Northeast......................................................................... 747 748 725 711 756 773 783 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.8 3.0 3.0 3.1

South............................................................................................... 1,539 1,563 1,604 1,614 1,594 1,707 1,678 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.4 3.6 3.6

Midwest......................................................................................... 876 915 922 952 1,041 986 989 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.0 3.3 3.1 3.1

West...................................................................................... 849 1,084 982 896 826 953 929 3.0 3.8 3.4 3.1 2.9 3.3 3.2

 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

Industry and region Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Jan. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.

2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005p

Total4........................................................................................................... 2,074 2,288 2,291 2,344 2,436 2,495 2,496 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9

INDUSTRY

Total private4............................................................................................ 1,957 2,178 2,166 2,217 2,319 2,366 2,382 1.8 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.1

Construction........................................................................ 139 156 159 182 159 162 165 2.0 2.2 2.3 2.6 2.2 2.3 2.3

Manufacturing................................................................ 158 166 181 187 185 194 186 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.3

Trade, transportation, and utilities.............................. 483 543 529 517 568 570 599 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.3

Professional and business services......................... 253 326 358 281 401 415 408 1.6 2.0 2.2 1.7 2.4 2.5 2.4

Education and health services................................................. 255 241 235 239 250 232 226 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.3

Leisure and hospitality...................................................... 405 477 451 474 499 506 508 3.3 3.8 3.6 3.8 4.0 4.0 4.0

Government......................................................................................... 120 116 127 123 118 129 116 .6 .5 .6 .6 .5 .6 .5

REGION

Northeast......................................................................... 299 342 317 333 359 392 439 1.2 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.7

South............................................................................................... 868 897 950 943 1,014 1,021 1,033 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.2

Midwest......................................................................................... 453 484 492 500 551 544 523 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.7 1.7

West...................................................................................... 469 562 541 550 492 536 526 1.6 2.0 1.9 1.9 1.7 1.9 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

 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.

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 Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.

2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p

Total........................................................................................................... 2,671 3,043 3,083 2.0 2.2 2.3

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 2,366 2,677 2,765 2.2 2.4 2.5

Natural resources and mining................................................... 7 10 10 1.2 1.7 1.7

Construction...................................................................................................... 118 89 98 1.8 1.3 1.5

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 209 220 236 1.5 1.5 1.6

Durable goods.............................................................................. 133 140 163 1.5 1.5 1.8

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 76 81 74 1.4 1.5 1.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 394 451 478 1.5 1.7 1.8

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 81 105 100 1.4 1.8 1.7

Retail trade................................................................................. 243 269 284 1.6 1.7 1.9

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities......................70 76 93 1.5 1.5 1.9

Information...................................................................................... 56 87 89 1.8 2.7 2.8

Financial activities........................................................................... 151 198 198 1.9 2.4 2.4

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 125 160 158 2.1 2.6 2.6

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 26 38 40 1.3 1.8 1.9

Professional and business services........................................ 466 638 627 2.9 3.7 3.7

Education and health services................................................................. 518 526 532 3.0 2.9 3.0

Educational services................................................................ 30 51 47 1.1 1.7 1.7

Health care and social assistance.................................. 488 475 485 3.4 3.2 3.3

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 328 355 388 2.7 2.8 3.1

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 56 46 58 3.3 2.7 3.5

Accommodations and food services............................... 272 309 330 2.6 2.8 3.1

Other services................................................................................. 120 103 108 2.2 1.9 2.0

Government......................................................................................... 306 366 318 1.4 1.6 1.4

Federal................................................................................................ 42 38 36 1.5 1.4 1.3

State and local.................................................................................... 264 328 282 1.4 1.7 1.5

REGION

Northeast......................................................................................... 432 527 528 1.7 2.0 2.1

South............................................................................................... 1,093 1,165 1,252 2.4 2.4 2.6

Midwest................................................................................................. 609 650 659 2.0 2.0 2.1

West....................................................................................................... 537 702 644 1.9 2.4 2.2

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.

 P = preliminary.

 NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.

Levels (in thousands) Rates
Table 6. Hires levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.

2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p

Total........................................................................................................... 3,640 3,449 3,944 2.8 2.6 3.0

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 3,369 3,244 3,660 3.2 2.9 3.4

Natural resources and mining................................................... 15 14 24 2.8 2.4 4.0

Construction...................................................................................................... 298 228 234 4.6 3.3 3.5

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 361 225 285 2.5 1.6 2.0

Durable goods.............................................................................. 242 136 190 2.8 1.5 2.1

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 118 89 95 2.2 1.7 1.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 703 810 773 2.8 3.1 3.0

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 135 70 148 2.4 1.2 2.6

Retail trade................................................................................. 440 582 465 3.0 3.7 3.1

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...................... 128 158 161 2.7 3.2 3.3

Information...................................................................................... 46 43 58 1.5 1.4 1.9

Financial activities........................................................................... 133 138 196 1.7 1.7 2.4

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 79 84 131 1.3 1.4 2.2

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 54 53 64 2.6 2.5 3.1

Professional and business services........................................ 680 681 830 4.3 4.1 5.1

Education and health services................................................................. 411 332 427 2.5 1.9 2.5

Educational services................................................................ 49 36 53 1.8 1.2 1.9

Health care and social assistance.................................. 362 295 373 2.6 2.1 2.6

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 570 621 642 4.8 5.0 5.3

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 108 72 117 6.6 4.4 7.3

Accommodations and food services............................... 462 549 525 4.6 5.2 5.0

Other services................................................................................. 152 153 191 2.8 2.8 3.5

Government......................................................................................... 271 205 284 1.3 .9 1.3

Federal................................................................................................ 46 32 29 1.7 1.2 1.1

State and local.................................................................................... 225 173 254 1.2 .9 1.3

REGION

Northeast......................................................................................... 639 624 612 2.6 2.4 2.4

South............................................................................................... 1,451 1,339 1,624 3.2 2.8 3.5

Midwest................................................................................................. 787 718 904 2.6 2.3 2.9

West....................................................................................................... 764 768 804 2.7 2.6 2.8

 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.

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

 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.

2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p

Total........................................................................................................... 3,926 4,275 4,287 3.1 3.2 3.3

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 3,700 4,039 4,083 3.5 3.6 3.8

Natural resources and mining................................................... 15 18 24 2.7 3.0 4.1

Construction...................................................................................................... 449 399 440 7.0 5.7 6.6

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 308 322 334 2.2 2.2 2.4

Durable goods.............................................................................. 187 199 201 2.1 2.2 2.3

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 121 123 134 2.3 2.3 2.5

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 1,024 1,116 1,008 4.1 4.3 4.0

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 119 121 125 2.1 2.1 2.2

Retail trade................................................................................. 755 789 740 5.1 5.0 4.9

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...................... 150 206 143 3.2 4.2 3.0

Information...................................................................................... 61 55 61 2.0 1.8 2.0

Financial activities........................................................................... 139 171 205 1.8 2.1 2.5

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 90 100 116 1.5 1.7 1.9

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 49 71 89 2.4 3.4 4.3

Professional and business services........................................ 530 824 819 3.4 4.9 5.0

Education and health services................................................................. 394 339 349 2.4 2.0 2.0

Educational services................................................................ 51 38 37 1.9 1.3 1.3

Health care and social assistance.................................. 343 301 312 2.4 2.1 2.2

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 607 625 698 5.2 5.1 5.8

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 65 97 67 4.0 5.8 4.2

Accommodations and food services............................... 542 529 631 5.4 5.0 6.1

Other services................................................................................. 172 170 144 3.2 3.1 2.7

Government......................................................................................... 226 236 205 1.1 1.1 .9

Federal................................................................................................ 45 41 37 1.7 1.5 1.4

State and local.................................................................................... 181 195 168 1.0 1.0 .9

REGION

Northeast......................................................................................... 717 790 751 2.9 3.1 3.0

South............................................................................................... 1,484 1,597 1,617 3.3 3.4 3.5

Midwest................................................................................................. 873 966 985 2.9 3.1 3.2

West....................................................................................................... 853 922 934 3.0 3.2 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.

Levels (in thousands) Rates
Table 8. Quits levels1

 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.

2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p

Total........................................................................................................... 1,841 2,073 2,215 1.4 1.6 1.7

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 1,742 1,972 2,120 1.6 1.8 1.9

Natural resources and mining................................................... 5 6 10 .9 .9 1.7

Construction...................................................................................................... 101 122 128 1.6 1.7 1.9

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 133 137 157 .9 1.0 1.1

Durable goods.............................................................................. 81 85 95 .9 .9 1.1

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 52 53 63 1.0 1.0 1.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 456 502 566 1.8 1.9 2.2

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 65 63 69 1.2 1.1 1.2

Retail trade................................................................................. 343 371 429 2.3 2.4 2.9

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities......................49 68 68 1.0 1.4 1.4

Information...................................................................................... 32 33 38 1.0 1.0 1.2

Financial activities........................................................................... 70 88 101 .9 1.1 1.3

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 48 64 58 .8 1.1 1.0

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 22 24 43 1.1 1.1 2.1

Professional and business services........................................ 230 354 371 1.5 2.1 2.3

Education and health services................................................................. 248 207 221 1.5 1.2 1.3

Educational services................................................................ 21 20 21 .8 .7 .8

Health care and social assistance.................................. 227 187 200 1.6 1.3 1.4

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 348 403 437 3.0 3.3 3.6

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 21 38 29 1.3 2.3 1.8

Accommodations and food services............................... 328 365 408 3.2 3.4 3.9

Other services................................................................................. 117 120 92 2.2 2.2 1.7

Government......................................................................................... 99 102 95 .5 .5 .4

Federal................................................................................................ 14 10 10 .5 .4 .4

State and local.................................................................................... 84 92 85 .5 .5 .5

REGION

Northeast......................................................................................... 247 311 361 1.0 1.2 1.4

South............................................................................................... 764 846 909 1.7 1.8 2.0

Midwest................................................................................................. 403 460 465 1.3 1.5 1.5

West....................................................................................................... 427 456 479 1.5 1.6 1.7

 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.

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

 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.

2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p

Total........................................................................................................... 1,737 1,923 1,723 1.4 1.4 1.3

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 1,669 1,839 1,669 1.6 1.7 1.5

Natural resources and mining................................................... 7 7 8 1.3 1.2 1.4

Construction...................................................................................................... 309 266 303 4.8 3.8 4.6

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 150 161 145 1.1 1.1 1.0

Durable goods.............................................................................. 92 98 83 1.0 1.1 .9

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 58 63 61 1.1 1.2 1.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 496 549 359 2.0 2.1 1.4

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 45 44 47 .8 .8 .8

Retail trade................................................................................. 371 382 256 2.5 2.4 1.7

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities......................79 124 56 1.7 2.5 1.2

Information...................................................................................... 24 16 20 .8 .5 .6

Financial activities........................................................................... 48 66 75 .6 .8 .9

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 22 26 38 .4 .4 .6

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 26 40 37 1.3 1.9 1.8

Professional and business services........................................ 263 430 396 1.7 2.6 2.4

Education and health services................................................................. 111 110 102 .7 .6 .6

Educational services................................................................ 26 16 13 1.0 .6 .5

Health care and social assistance.................................. 86 94 89 .6 .7 .6

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 222 195 216 1.9 1.6 1.8

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 43 57 34 2.6 3.4 2.1

Accommodations and food services............................... 179 138 183 1.8 1.3 1.8

Other services................................................................................. 39 38 45 .7 .7 .8

Government......................................................................................... 68 84 54 .3 .4 .2

Federal................................................................................................ 8 17 7 .3 .6 .3

State and local.................................................................................... 60 68 46 .3 .4 .2

REGION

Northeast......................................................................................... 408 412 327 1.7 1.6 1.3

South............................................................................................... 593 653 605 1.3 1.4 1.3

Midwest................................................................................................. 381 456 435 1.3 1.4 1.4

West....................................................................................................... 355 403 356 1.3 1.4 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.

 P = preliminary.

 NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.

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

 and rates2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

Industry and region Jan. Dec. Jan. Jan. Dec. Jan.

2004 2004 2005p 2004 2004 2005p

Total........................................................................................................... 349 279 349 0.3 0.2 0.3

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 289 229 293 .3 .2 .3

Natural resources and mining................................................... 3 5 6 .5 .8 1.1

Construction...................................................................................................... 40 10 9 .6 .1 .1

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 25 24 32 .2 .2 .2

Durable goods.............................................................................. 14 16 22 .2 .2 .3

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 11 7 10 .2 .1 .2

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 72 65 83 .3 .2 .3

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 8 14 9 .1 .3 .2

Retail trade................................................................................. 41 36 55 .3 .2 .4

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities......................23 15 19 .5 .3 .4

Information...................................................................................... 5 6 4 .2 .2 .1

Financial activities........................................................................... 21 17 29 .3 .2 .4

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 20 10 20 .3 .2 .3

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 1 7 9 (

3

) .3 .4

Professional and business services........................................ 38 40 52 .2 .2 .3

Education and health services................................................................. 34 22 26 .2 .1 .2

Educational services................................................................ 4 2 3 .2 .1 .1

Health care and social assistance.................................. 30 20 23 .2 .1 .2

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 37 28 44 .3 .2 .4

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 2 2 4 .1 .1 .2

Accommodations and food services............................... 35 26 41 .3 .2 .4

Other services................................................................................. 16 12 7 .3 .2 .1

Government......................................................................................... 60 50 56 .3 .2 .3

Federal................................................................................................ 23 15 20 .8 .5 .7

State and local.................................................................................... 37 35 36 .2 .2 .2

REGION

Northeast......................................................................................... 62 67 62 .3 .3 .2

South............................................................................................... 127 98 103 .3 .2 .2

Midwest................................................................................................. 89 51 85 .3 .2 .3

West....................................................................................................... 71 63 99 .3 .2 .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.

Levels (in thousands) Rates