1

Technical information: (202) 691-5870

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

Media contact: 691-5902

USDL 07-1032

For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Chart 1. Job openings rate, seasonally adjusted,

 June 2004 - May 2007

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

2005 2006 2007

Chart 2. Hires and separations rates, seasonally adjusted,

 June 2004 - May 2007

2.5

2.7

2.9

3.1

3.3

3.5

3.7

3.9

Percent

Separations

Hires

2005 2006 2007

JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: MAY 2007

On the last business day of May, there were 4.2 million job openings in the United States, and the job

openings rate was 2.9 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported

today. The job openings rate was unchanged in May, and the hires and total separations rates were

essentially unchanged. 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

In May, the job openings rate was unchanged at 2.9 percent. Job openings include only those jobs still

open on the last business day of the month. The job openings rate rose over the month in the

accommodations and food services industry. None of the regions experienced a significant over-the-month

change in the job openings rate. The seasonally adjusted job openings rate was highest in May for the

following industries: accommodations and food services (4.2 percent), professional and business services

(3.7 percent), and education and health services (3.7 percent). (See table 1.)

Over the year, the job openings rate increased in construction; nondurable goods manufacturing; health

care and social assistance; and accommodations and food services. The rate decreased in wholesale trade

and retail trade. The job openings rate did not change significantly over the year in any of the regions. (See

table 5.)
2

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

 2 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities, not shown separately.

 3 Includes arts, entertainment, and recreation, not shown separately.

 4 Includes federal government, not shown separately.

 p = preliminary.

 Job openings

Industry

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

Hires Total separations

p

Levels (in thousands)

Rates (percent)

Hires

The hires rate was little changed at 3.6 percent in May. Hires are any additions to the payroll during the

month. In May, there were no significant increases or decreases in the hires rate for any of the industries or

regions. The seasonally adjusted hires rate was highest in May in accommodations and food services (6.9

percent). (See table 2.)

From May 2006 to May 2007, the hires rate rose in finance and insurance; accommodations and food

services; and federal government. The hires rate fell in durable goods manufacturing; information;

professional and business services; and health care and social assistance. The hires rate decreased over the

year in the Northeast region. (See table 6.)

p

Total ................................................................... 4,037 4,170 4,163 5,068 4,832 4,929 4,953 4,524 4,419

Total private ......................................................... 3,611 3,683 3,703 4,618 4,423 4,499 4,647 4,227 4,089

Construction ................................................. 138 154 159 378 330 332 479 360 330

Manufacturing .............................................. 310 350 370 385 350 357 385 380 385

Trade, transportation, and utilities ............ 703 669 614 1,064 1,028 1,046 1,061 975 943

Retail trade ............................................... 405 389 345 749 706 721 780 678 685

Professional and business services .......... 739 735 687 1,095 828 927 931 805 720

Education and health services ................... 648 706 713 545 507 498 445 414 431

Leisure and hospitality ................................ 509 512 578 811 903 905 831 861 823

Accommodations and food services .. 458 453 504 698 811 795 693 720 709

Government .......................................................... 438 488 470 390 421 412 313 311 317

 State and local government ........................... 396 439 434 332 333 334 253 241 240

Total ................................................................... 2.9 2.9 2.9 3.7 3.5 3.6 3.6 3.3 3.2

Total private ......................................................... 3.1 3.1 3.1 4.1 3.8 3.9 4.1 3.7 3.5

Construction ................................................. 1.8 2.0 2.0 4.9 4.3 4.3 6.2 4.7 4.3

Manufacturing .............................................. 2.1 2.4 2.6 2.7 2.5 2.5 2.7 2.7 2.7

Trade, transportation, and utilities ............ 2.6 2.5 2.3 4.1 3.9 4.0 4.1 3.7 3.6

Retail trade ............................................... 2.6 2.5 2.2 4.9 4.6 4.7 5.1 4.4 4.5

Professional and business services .......... 4.1 4.0 3.7 6.3 4.6 5.2 5.3 4.5 4.0

Education and health services ................... 3.5 3.7 3.7 3.1 2.8 2.7 2.5 2.3 2.4

Leisure and hospitality ................................ 3.7 3.7 4.1 6.2 6.7 6.7 6.4 6.4 6.1

Accommodations and food services .. 3.9 3.8 4.2 6.3 7.0 6.9 6.2 6.3 6.1

Government .......................................................... 2.0 2.1 2.1 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.4 1.4 1.4

 State and local government ............................ 2.2 2.2 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.3 1.2 1.2

1

1

2

3

4

1

1

2

3

4

May

2006

Apr.

2007

May

2007

May

2006

Apr.

2007

May

2007

May

2006

Apr.

2007

May

2007 p

2.0
3

Separations

The total separations, or turnover, rate was little changed at 3.2 percent in May. Separations are

terminations of employment that occur at any time during the month. Over the month, none of the industries

or regions experienced a significant change in the separations rate. From May 2006 to May 2007, the total

separations rate increased in natural resources and mining and in federal government. The total separations

rate decreased in construction; trade, transportation, and utilities; professional and business services; educational services; and state and local government. Geographically, the total separations rate fell over the year

in both the Northeast and Midwest regions. (See tables 3 and 7.)

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

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

ability to change jobs, was unchanged at 1.9 percent in May. None of the industries or regions experienced

a significant change in the quits rate over the month. In May, the seasonally adjusted quits rate among

industries was highest in the accommodations and food services industry (4.4 percent). (See table 4.)

Over the year, the quits rate rose in natural resources and mining; durable goods manufacturing; and

finance and insurance. The quits rate fell over the year in construction; information; professional and business

services; and educational services. Geographically, the quits rate fell over the year in the Northeast and

Midwest regions. (See table 8.)

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

seasonally adjusted. For May, the layoffs and discharges rate (0.9 percent) and level (1.3 million) decreased

from a year earlier. As is the case in many months, the layoffs and discharges rate in May was highest in

arts, entertainment, and recreation (3.0 percent) and construction (2.0 percent). From May 2006 to May

2007, the other separations rate decreased slightly to 0.2 percent, and the level decreased to 311,000. (See

tables 9 and 10.)

The total separations rate is driven by the relative contribution of its three components (quits, layoffs and

discharges, and other separations), with quits contributing the largest portion. The percentage of total

separations attributable to quits has risen and fallen over time along with total nonfarm employment levels.

The proportion of total separations due to quits fell from 61 percent in February 2001 to 51 percent in

August 2003 (seasonally adjusted), and has since risen. In May 2007, quits accounted for 60 percent of

total separations.

Flows in the Labor Market

Several industries consistently have high rates of both hires and separations. These include construction;

retail trade; professional and business services; arts, entertainment, and recreation; and accommodations and

food services. In the 12 months ending in May 2007, these 5 industries produced 34.6 million hires and

32.5 million separations. Thus, these five industries accounted for 59 percent of total nonfarm hires and

59 percent of total nonfarm separations while comprising only 39 percent of total nonfarm employment.

For More Information

For additional information, please read the Technical Note or visit the JOLTS Web site at http://www.

bls.gov/jlt/. Additional information about JOLTS also may be obtained by e-mailing Joltsinfo@bls.gov or by

calling (202) 691-5870.
4

______________________________

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover release for June 2007 is scheduled to be issued on Wednesday,

August 8.
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 levels 1

 and rates 2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May

2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p 2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p

Total 4........................................................................................................... 4,037 4,401 4,222 4,149 4,176 4,170 4,163 2.9 3.1 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9

INDUSTRY

Total private 4............................................................................................ 3,611 3,928 3,746 3,666 3,702 3,683 3,703 3.1 3.3 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1

Construction........................................................................ 138 107 142 229 152 154 159 1.8 1.4 1.8 2.9 1.9 2.0 2.0

Manufacturing................................................................ 310 362 337 330 316 350 370 2.1 2.5 2.3 2.3 2.2 2.4 2.6

Trade, transportation, and utilities 5.............................. 703 767 727 660 677 669 614 2.6 2.8 2.7 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.3

Retail trade................................................................................. 405 471 413 378 375 389 345 2.6 3.0 2.6 2.4 2.4 2.5 2.2

Professional and business services......................... 739 745 707 642 758 735 687 4.1 4.0 3.8 3.5 4.1 4.0 3.7

Education and health services................................................. 648 734 707 670 685 706 713 3.5 3.9 3.8 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.7

Leisure and hospitality 6...................................................... 509 612 552 566 574 512 578 3.7 4.4 4.0 4.0 4.1 3.7 4.1

Accommodations and food services......................... 458 538 495 511 506 453 504 3.9 4.5 4.1 4.3 4.2 3.8 4.2

Government 7......................................................................................... 438 473 477 482 470 488 470 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1

State and local government.................................................................................... 396 427 439 438 430 439 434 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2

REGION 8

Northeast......................................................................... 673 849 733 717 703 675 674 2.6 3.2 2.8 2.7 2.7 2.6 2.5

South............................................................................................... 1,670 1,674 1,653 1,631 1,658 1,670 1,650 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.3 3.2

Midwest......................................................................................... 757 810 822 783 797 779 814 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.5

West...................................................................................... 949 1,044 1,005 1,011 1,027 1,038 1,042 3.0 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.3

1

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

8

 The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the 

month. regions are: Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New

 2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and 

of the month as a percent of total employment plus job openings. Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, 

 

3

 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North 

adjustment of the various series. Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and 

 

4

 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and West Virginia; Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, 

other services, not shown separately. Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and 

 

5

 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities, not Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, 

shown separately. Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and 

 

6

 Includes arts, entertainment, and recreation, not shown separately. Wyoming.

 

7

 Includes federal government, not shown separately. 

p

 = preliminary.

Table 2. Hires levels 1 and rates 2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May

2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p 2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p

Total 4........................................................................................................... 5,068 4,959 4,959 4,815 4,815 4,832 4,929 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.6

INDUSTRY

Total private 4............................................................................................ 4,618 4,662 4,607 4,509 4,416 4,423 4,499 4.1 4.1 4.0 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.9

Construction........................................................................ 378 341 299 298 356 330 332 4.9 4.4 3.9 3.9 4.6 4.3 4.3

Manufacturing................................................................ 385 375 369 371 318 350 357 2.7 2.7 2.6 2.6 2.3 2.5 2.5

Trade, transportation, and utilities 5.............................. 1,064 990 1,020 1,018 1,006 1,028 1,046 4.1 3.8 3.9 3.9 3.8 3.9 4.0

Retail trade................................................................................. 749 699 757 695 691 706 721 4.9 4.6 4.9 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.7

Professional and business services......................... 1,095 963 954 953 881 828 927 6.3 5.4 5.4 5.3 4.9 4.6 5.2

Education and health services................................................. 545 515 508 518 497 507 498 3.1 2.8 2.8 2.9 2.7 2.8 2.7

Leisure and hospitality 6...................................................... 811 969 956 934 867 903 905 6.2 7.2 7.1 7.0 6.4 6.7 6.7

Accommodations and food services......................... 698 793 825 778 726 811 795 6.3 6.9 7.2 6.8 6.3 7.0 6.9

Government 7......................................................................................... 390 371 384 379 404 421 412 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.9

State and local government.................................................................................... 332 313 321 317 313 333 334 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.7

REGION 8

Northeast......................................................................... 842 768 833 709 740 759 712 3.3 3.0 3.2 2.8 2.9 2.9 2.8

South............................................................................................... 1,882 1,900 1,899 1,837 1,835 1,894 1,916 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.7 3.7 3.8 3.9

Midwest......................................................................................... 1,096 1,150 1,167 1,184 1,105 1,069 1,098 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.7 3.5 3.4 3.4

West...................................................................................... 1,172 1,209 1,142 1,156 1,157 1,122 1,163 3.9 3.9 3.7 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.8

 1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month. 5

 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities, 

 2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of not shown separately.

total employment. 6

 Includes arts, entertainment, and recreation, not shown separately.

3

 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal 7 Includes federal government, not shown separately.

adjustment of the various series. 8

 See footnote 8, table 1. 

4

 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and p = preliminary.

other services, not shown separately.

Industry and region

Industry and region

Levels Rates 3 (in thousands)

Levels 3 (in thousands) Rates
Table 3. Total separations levels 1

 and rates 2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May

2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p 2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p

Total 4........................................................................................................... 4,953 4,540 4,602 4,556 4,741 4,524 4,419 3.6 3.3 3.4 3.3 3.4 3.3 3.2

INDUSTRY

Total private 4............................................................................................ 4,647 4,253 4,296 4,263 4,417 4,227 4,089 4.1 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.8 3.7 3.5

Construction........................................................................ 479 387 400 322 344 360 330 6.2 5.0 5.2 4.2 4.5 4.7 4.3

Manufacturing................................................................ 385 372 399 422 400 380 385 2.7 2.6 2.8 3.0 2.8 2.7 2.7

Trade, transportation, and utilities 5.............................. 1,061 962 973 943 974 975 943 4.1 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.7 3.7 3.6

Retail trade................................................................................. 780 707 680 656 682 678 685 5.1 4.6 4.4 4.3 4.4 4.4 4.5

Professional and business services......................... 931 851 894 862 876 805 720 5.3 4.8 5.0 4.8 4.9 4.5 4.0

Education and health services................................................. 445 430 423 419 429 414 431 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.3 2.4

Leisure and hospitality 6...................................................... 831 835 768 835 846 861 823 6.4 6.2 5.7 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.1

Accommodations and food services......................... 693 757 612 697 702 720 709 6.2 6.6 5.4 6.1 6.1 6.3 6.1

Government 7......................................................................................... 313 283 309 294 315 311 317 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.4

State and local government.................................................................................... 253 255 254 243 238 241 240 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2

REGION 8

Northeast......................................................................... 827 670 740 675 667 640 618 3.3 2.6 2.9 2.6 2.6 2.5 2.4

South............................................................................................... 1,899 1,796 1,783 1,763 1,829 1,904 1,756 3.9 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.9 3.6

Midwest......................................................................................... 1,076 1,054 1,034 1,054 1,006 981 978 3.4 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.1 3.1

West...................................................................................... 1,122 1,036 1,037 1,041 1,165 1,040 1,053 3.7 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.8 3.4 3.4

 1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire and other services, not shown separately.

month. 5

 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities, 

 2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the not shown separately.

entire month as a percent of total employment. 6

 Includes arts, entertainment, and recreation, not shown separately.

3

 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent 7 Includes federal government, not shown separately.

seasonal adjustment of the various series. 8

 See footnote 8, table 1. 

4

 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, p = preliminary.

Table 4. Quits levels 1 and rates 2 by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May May Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May

2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p 2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007p

Total 4........................................................................................................... 2,785 2,759 2,648 2,705 2,763 2,637 2,635 2.0 2.0 1.9 2.0 2.0 1.9 1.9

INDUSTRY

Total private 4............................................................................................ 2,628 2,615 2,505 2,571 2,591 2,486 2,479 2.3 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.1

Construction........................................................................ 198 143 141 120 131 126 118 2.6 1.9 1.8 1.6 1.7 1.6 1.5

Manufacturing................................................................ 208 222 229 212 216 199 213 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.5

Trade, transportation, and utilities 5.............................. 641 597 594 606 608 600 602 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3

Retail trade................................................................................. 469 438 422 438 428 440 443 3.1 2.9 2.7 2.9 2.8 2.9 2.9

Professional and business services......................... 437 497 498 486 461 418 394 2.5 2.8 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.3 2.2

Education and health services................................................. 280 289 271 280 267 274 280 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

Leisure and hospitality 6...................................................... 563 602 489 579 590 592 551 4.3 4.5 3.7 4.3 4.4 4.4 4.1

Accommodations and food services......................... 515 560 448 531 539 542 505 4.6 4.9 3.9 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.4

Government 7......................................................................................... 157 146 150 139 155 153 157 .7 .7 .7 .6 .7 .7 .7

State and local government.................................................................................... 131 130 129 117 130 129 131 .7 .7 .7 .6 .7 .7 .7

REGION 8

Northeast......................................................................... 397 367 355 322 352 350 327 1.6 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.3

South............................................................................................... 1,177 1,171 1,099 1,152 1,150 1,163 1,128 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.3

Midwest......................................................................................... 572 559 595 599 588 544 526 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.7 1.7

West...................................................................................... 627 638 602 629 665 590 644 2.1 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.2 1.9 2.1

 1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month. 5

 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities, 

 2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a not shown separately.

percent of total employment. 6

 Includes arts, entertainment, and recreation, not shown separately.

3

 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent 7 Includes federal government, not shown separately.

seasonal adjustment of the various series. 8

 See footnote 8, table 1. 

4

 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, p = preliminary.

and other services, not shown separately.

Industry and region

Industry and region

Levels 3 (in thousands) Rates

Levels 3 (in thousands) Rates
Table 5. Job openings levels 1

 and rates 2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

May Apr. May May Apr. May

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total........................................................................................................... 4,300 4,367 4,400 3.1 3.1 3.1

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 3,838 3,870 3,912 3.2 3.3 3.3

Natural resources and mining................................................... 15 13 15 2.2 1.7 2.0

Construction...................................................................................................... 162 187 192 2.0 2.4 2.4

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 324 361 384 2.2 2.5 2.7

Durable goods.............................................................................. 218 212 222 2.4 2.3 2.4

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 106 148 163 2.0 2.8 3.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 733 685 623 2.7 2.5 2.3

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 162 163 130 2.7 2.7 2.1

Retail trade................................................................................. 424 391 351 2.7 2.5 2.2

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...................... 147 131 142 2.8 2.5 2.7

Information...................................................................................... 132 143 139 4.1 4.4 4.3

Financial activities........................................................................... 289 242 267 3.3 2.8 3.1

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 227 173 214 3.5 2.7 3.3

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 62 70 54 2.8 3.1 2.4

Professional and business services........................................ 761 767 698 4.2 4.1 3.8

Education and health services................................................................. 676 724 742 3.6 3.8 3.9

Educational services................................................................ 78 74 75 2.6 2.3 2.4

Health care and social assistance.................................. 598 651 667 3.9 4.1 4.2

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 583 594 665 4.2 4.3 4.6

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 64 83 87 3.1 4.2 4.1

Accommodations and food services............................... 518 511 577 4.4 4.3 4.7

Other services................................................................................. 164 153 187 2.9 2.7 3.3

Government......................................................................................... 462 498 488 2.0 2.2 2.1

Federal................................................................................................ 41 55 37 1.5 2.0 1.3

State and local.................................................................................... 421 443 451 2.1 2.2 2.2

REGION 3

Northeast......................................................................................... 708 682 695 2.7 2.6 2.6

South............................................................................................... 1,785 1,790 1,753 3.5 3.5 3.4

Midwest................................................................................................. 786 817 845 2.4 2.5 2.6

West....................................................................................................... 1,021 1,078 1,106 3.2 3.4 3.4

1

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

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

plus job openings.

3 See footnote 8, table 1.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates

Industry and region
Table 6. Hires levels 1

 and rates 2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

May Apr. May May Apr. May

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total........................................................................................................... 5,752 4,883 5,658 4.2 3.5 4.1

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 5,352 4,575 5,231 4.7 4.0 4.5

Natural resources and mining................................................... 23 23 35 3.4 3.2 4.8

Construction...................................................................................................... 494 442 430 6.3 5.9 5.6

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 446 353 419 3.1 2.5 3.0

Durable goods.............................................................................. 272 205 244 3.0 2.3 2.7

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 174 148 175 3.4 2.9 3.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 1,162 1,001 1,157 4.4 3.8 4.4

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 156 182 193 2.6 3.0 3.2

Retail trade................................................................................. 832 688 805 5.5 4.5 5.3

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...................... 174 131 158 3.5 2.6 3.1

Information...................................................................................... 91 84 78 3.0 2.7 2.5

Financial activities........................................................................... 220 203 281 2.6 2.4 3.3

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 130 149 182 2.1 2.4 2.9

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 90 54 99 4.1 2.5 4.5

Professional and business services........................................ 1,130 859 983 6.5 4.8 5.5

Education and health services................................................................. 541 452 492 3.0 2.5 2.7

Educational services................................................................ 65 48 56 2.2 1.5 1.8

Health care and social assistance.................................. 475 404 436 3.2 2.6 2.8

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 1,060 992 1,169 8.0 7.4 8.5

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 212 139 204 10.6 7.3 9.9

Accommodations and food services............................... 849 852 965 7.5 7.4 8.3

Other services................................................................................. 184 167 187 3.4 3.1 3.4

Government......................................................................................... 401 308 427 1.8 1.4 1.9

Federal................................................................................................ 68 73 87 2.5 2.7 3.2

State and local.................................................................................... 333 235 340 1.7 1.2 1.7

REGION 3

Northeast......................................................................................... 997 781 842 3.9 3.0 3.2

South............................................................................................... 2,115 1,876 2,164 4.3 3.8 4.4

Midwest................................................................................................. 1,366 1,118 1,383 4.3 3.5 4.3

West....................................................................................................... 1,274 1,109 1,269 4.2 3.6 4.1

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

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

3 See footnote 8, table 1.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates

Industry and region
Table 7. Total separations levels 1

 and rates 2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

May Apr. May May Apr. May

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total........................................................................................................... 4,940 4,260 4,385 3.6 3.1 3.2

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 4,603 4,034 4,040 4.0 3.5 3.5

Natural resources and mining................................................... 13 22 25 1.9 3.1 3.5

Construction...................................................................................................... 457 299 304 5.9 4.0 3.9

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 383 369 384 2.7 2.6 2.7

Durable goods.............................................................................. 205 211 220 2.3 2.4 2.5

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 178 158 163 3.4 3.1 3.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 1,115 882 964 4.3 3.4 3.7

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 150 154 112 2.5 2.6 1.9

Retail trade................................................................................. 791 604 708 5.2 4.0 4.6

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...................... 174 125 143 3.5 2.5 2.8

Information...................................................................................... 77 71 71 2.5 2.3 2.3

Financial activities........................................................................... 200 197 225 2.4 2.3 2.7

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 146 141 156 2.4 2.3 2.5

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 54 56 70 2.5 2.6 3.2

Professional and business services........................................ 909 835 653 5.2 4.7 3.7

Education and health services................................................................. 496 386 482 2.8 2.1 2.6

Educational services................................................................ 88 45 64 3.0 1.4 2.1

Health care and social assistance.................................. 408 340 418 2.7 2.2 2.7

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 800 835 790 6.0 6.3 5.8

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 118 155 102 5.9 8.2 5.0

Accommodations and food services............................... 682 680 688 6.0 5.9 5.9

Other services................................................................................. 153 138 143 2.8 2.5 2.6

Government......................................................................................... 336 226 345 1.5 1.0 1.5

Federal................................................................................................ 54 59 79 2.0 2.2 2.9

State and local.................................................................................... 282 167 266 1.4 .8 1.3

REGION 3

Northeast......................................................................................... 738 573 537 2.9 2.2 2.1

South............................................................................................... 2,027 1,883 1,857 4.1 3.8 3.7

Midwest................................................................................................. 1,038 842 916 3.3 2.7 2.9

West....................................................................................................... 1,137 962 1,075 3.7 3.1 3.5

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

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

3 See footnote 8, table 1.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates

Industry and region
Table 8. Quits levels 1

 and rates 2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

May Apr. May May Apr. May

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total........................................................................................................... 2,932 2,518 2,759 2.1 1.8 2.0

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 2,752 2,396 2,577 2.4 2.1 2.2

Natural resources and mining................................................... 9 13 16 1.3 1.8 2.3

Construction...................................................................................................... 226 121 131 2.9 1.6 1.7

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 215 198 221 1.5 1.4 1.6

Durable goods.............................................................................. 109 109 130 1.2 1.2 1.5

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 106 88 92 2.0 1.7 1.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 690 571 646 2.6 2.2 2.4

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 73 91 68 1.2 1.5 1.1

Retail trade................................................................................. 514 412 491 3.4 2.7 3.2

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...................... 102 68 88 2.0 1.3 1.7

Information...................................................................................... 62 50 42 2.0 1.6 1.4

Financial activities........................................................................... 126 121 159 1.5 1.4 1.9

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 95 95 118 1.5 1.5 1.9

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 31 26 41 1.4 1.2 1.8

Professional and business services........................................ 460 403 387 2.6 2.3 2.2

Education and health services................................................................. 297 258 299 1.7 1.4 1.6

Educational services................................................................ 41 29 26 1.4 .9 .9

Health care and social assistance.................................. 257 229 273 1.7 1.5 1.8

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 581 572 565 4.4 4.3 4.1

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 41 45 38 2.1 2.4 1.9

Accommodations and food services............................... 540 526 527 4.8 4.6 4.5

Other services................................................................................. 86 90 110 1.6 1.6 2.0

Government......................................................................................... 179 122 182 .8 .5 .8

Federal................................................................................................ 27 22 27 1.0 .8 1.0

State and local.................................................................................... 152 100 155 .8 .5 .8

REGION 3

Northeast......................................................................................... 407 313 328 1.6 1.2 1.3

South............................................................................................... 1,255 1,170 1,199 2.6 2.4 2.4

Midwest................................................................................................. 618 485 552 2.0 1.5 1.7

West....................................................................................................... 651 549 680 2.1 1.8 2.2

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

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

3 See footnote 8, table 1.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates

Industry and region
Table 9. Layoffs and discharges levels 1

 and rates 2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

May Apr. May May Apr. May

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total........................................................................................................... 1,598 1,451 1,316 1.2 1.1 0.9

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 1,498 1,398 1,226 1.3 1.2 1.1

Natural resources and mining................................................... 2 5 6 .3 .8 .9

Construction...................................................................................................... 198 171 152 2.5 2.3 2.0

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 138 132 138 1.0 .9 1.0

Durable goods.............................................................................. 76 80 76 .8 .9 .9

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 63 52 62 1.2 1.0 1.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 309 251 261 1.2 1.0 1.0

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 48 56 35 .8 .9 .6

Retail trade................................................................................. 207 147 183 1.4 1.0 1.2

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...................... 55 47 42 1.1 .9 .8

Information...................................................................................... 11 16 25 .3 .5 .8

Financial activities........................................................................... 49 52 48 .6 .6 .6

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 29 31 26 .5 .5 .4

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 20 21 22 .9 1.0 1.0

Professional and business services........................................ 379 391 222 2.2 2.2 1.2

Education and health services................................................................. 174 105 144 1.0 .6 .8

Educational services................................................................ 45 13 33 1.5 .4 1.1

Health care and social assistance.................................. 129 92 111 .9 .6 .7

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 187 243 201 1.4 1.8 1.5

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 73 105 61 3.7 5.5 3.0

Accommodations and food services............................... 114 139 139 1.0 1.2 1.2

Other services................................................................................. 50 31 27 .9 .6 .5

Government......................................................................................... 99 53 90 .4 .2 .4

Federal................................................................................................ 12 13 18 .4 .5 .7

State and local.................................................................................... 87 40 72 .4 .2 .4

REGION 3

Northeast......................................................................................... 255 203 161 1.0 .8 .6

South............................................................................................... 592 612 545 1.2 1.2 1.1

Midwest................................................................................................. 349 291 303 1.1 .9 .9

West....................................................................................................... 401 345 306 1.3 1.1 1.0

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

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

employment.

3 See footnote 8, table 1.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates

Industry and region
Table 10. Other separations levels 1

 and rates 2 by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

May Apr. May May Apr. May

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total........................................................................................................... 411 292 311 0.3 0.2 0.2

INDUSTRY

Total private............................................................................................ 353 241 238 .3 .2 .2

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

Construction...................................................................................................... 33 7 21 .4 .1 .3

Manufacturing..................................................................................... 30 39 25 .2 .3 .2

Durable goods.............................................................................. 21 22 15 .2 .2 .2

Nondurable goods....................................................................... 9 18 9 .2 .3 .2

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................................................... 116 61 57 .4 .2 .2

Wholesale trade........................................................................... 29 6 9 .5 .1 .1

Retail trade................................................................................. 70 45 35 .5 .3 .2

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...................... 17 10 13 .3 .2 .3

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

Financial activities........................................................................... 25 24 18 .3 .3 .2

Finance and insurance..................................................................................... 22 16 11 .4 .3 .2

Real estate and rental and leasing................................... 3 9 7 .1 .4 .3

Professional and business services........................................ 69 41 43 .4 .2 .2

Education and health services................................................................. 24 23 38 .1 .1 .2

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

Health care and social assistance.................................. 22 19 34 .1 .1 .2

Leisure and hospitality.................................................................. 31 20 24 .2 .2 .2

Arts, entertainment, and recreation..................................... 4 6 3 .2 .3 .1

Accommodations and food services............................... 28 15 21 .2 .1 .2

Other services................................................................................. 17 16 6 .3 .3 .1

Government......................................................................................... 58 51 73 .3 .2 .3

Federal................................................................................................ 15 24 34 .5 .9 1.2

State and local.................................................................................... 43 27 39 .2 .1 .2

REGION 3

Northeast......................................................................................... 76 57 48 .3 .2 .2

South............................................................................................... 180 101 113 .4 .2 .2

Midwest................................................................................................. 70 65 61 .2 .2 .2

West....................................................................................................... 84 69 89 .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 See footnote 8, table 1.

 p = preliminary.

Levels (in thousands) Rates

Industry and region