1

Technical information: (202) 691-5870

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

Media contact: 691-5902

USDL 07-0524

For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Chart 1. Job openings rate, seasonally adjusted,

 March 2004 - February 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,

 March 2004 - February 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: FEBRUARY 2007

On the last business day of February, there were 4.1 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, hires, and total separations rates were essentially unchanged in February. 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

At 2.9 percent in February, the job openings rate has been essentially flat since September 2006. In

February, the job openings rate rose in the construction industry and fell in the Northeast region; no other

industry or region experienced a significant over-the-month change in the job openings rate. The seasonally

adjusted job openings rate was highest in February for the following industries: accommodations and food

services (4.0 percent), education and health services (3.6 percent), and professional and business services

(3.5 percent). (See table 1.)

Over the year, the job openings rate increased in nondurable goods manufacturing; transportation, warehousing, and utilities; information; and other services. The rate decreased in durable goods manufacturing;

finance and insurance; professional and business services; accommodations and food services; and federal

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

table 5.)
2

 Job openings

Industry

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

Hires Total separations

Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Jan.

2006 2007 2006 2007 2007 2006 2007 2007

Levels (in thousands)

Rates (percent)

2007 p p p

Feb. Feb. Feb.

Total .................................................................... 3,972 4,222 4,071 4,955 4,959 4,804 4,601 4,602 4,481

Total private ..................................................... 3,550 3,746 3,605 4,696 4,607 4,487 4,320 4,296 4,191

Construction ................................................ 130 142 189 408 299 291 363 400 324

Manufacturing ............................................. 314 337 333 333 369 380 381 399 405

Trade, transportation, and utilities .......... 653 727 669 1,123 1,020 1,002 1,008 973 941

Retail trade ............................................... 394 413 379 762 757 664 697 680 658

Professional and business services ........ 732 707 641 874 954 964 828 894 879

Education and health services ................. 636 707 669 453 508 515 420 423 404

Leisure and hospitality .............................. 560 552 542 1,045 956 955 859 768 800

Accommodations and food services .. 495 480 848 825 782 750 612 685

Government ...................................................... 477 468 373 384 395 288 309 299

State and local government .................. 439 433 321 321 315 233 254 227

Total .................................................................... 2.8 3.0 2.9 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.3

Total private ..................................................... 3.0 3.1 3.0 4.1 4.0 3.9 3.8 3.7 3.6

Construction ................................................ 1.7 1.8 2.4 5.3 3.9 3.8 4.7 5.2 4.2

Manufacturing ............................................. 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.6 2.7 2.7 2.8 2.9

Trade, transportation, and utilities .......... 2.4 2.7 2.5 4.3 3.9 3.8 3.9 3.7 3.6

Retail trade ............................................... 2.5 2.6 2.4 5.0 4.9 4.3 4.5 4.4 4.3

Professional and business services ........ 4.0 3.8 3.5 5.0 5.4 5.4 4.8 5.0 4.9

Education and health services ................. 3.5 3.8 3.6 2.6 2.8 2.8 2.4 2.3 2.2

Leisure and hospitality .............................. 4.1 4.0 3.9 8.1 7.1 7.1 6.6 5.7 6.0

Accommodations and food services .. 4.4 4.1 4.0 7.7 7.2 6.8 6.8 5.4 6.0

Government ...................................................... 1.9 2.1 2.1 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.3 1.4 1.3

State and local government. ................. 1.9 2.2 2.2 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.2 1.3 1.2

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

2

3

1

1

2

3

4

1

1

2

3

4

Hires

The hires rate was essentially unchanged at 3.5 percent in February. Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. In February, the hires rate fell in the retail trade industry and in the Northeast region;

no other industry or region experienced a significant over-the-month change in the hires rate. The seasonally

adjusted hires rate was highest in February in the leisure and hospitality industry (7.1 percent). (See table 2.)

From February 2006 to February 2007, the hires rate rose in educational services and federal government, but fell in construction; retail trade; information; accommodations and food services; and other services.

Regionally, the hires rate increased over the year in the Midwest but decreased in the South. (See table 6.)

Separations

The total separations, or turnover, rate was little changed at 3.3 percent in February. Separations are

terminations of employment that occur at any time during the month. In February, the only industry to experience a change in the separations rate was state and local government, where the rate declined slightly. None

of the regions experienced a significant change in the separations rate. From February 2006 to February

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

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

 4 Includes federal government, not shown separately.

 p = preliminary.

509

419

378
3

2007, the total separations rate rose significantly only in federal government; the rate did not decline significantly in any industry. Geographically, none of the regions experienced a significant change in the total

separations rate over the year. (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 little changed at 2.0 percent in February. Over the month, the quits rate rose in

accommodations and food services but fell in state and local government. None of the regions experienced

a significant change in the quits rate over the month. In February, the seasonally adjusted quits rate was

highest in the accommodations and food services industry (4.6 percent). (See table 4.)

Over the year, the quits rate rose in finance and insurance and professional and business services but fell

in construction. Geographically, the quits rate declined over the year in the Northeast region. (See table 8.)

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

seasonally adjusted. For February, the layoffs and discharges rate (0.9 percent) and level (1.2 million) were

little changed from the prior year. The construction industry had the highest layoffs and discharges rate (2.4

percent) in February. From February 2006 to February 2007, the other separations rate was unchanged at

0.2 percent and the level was little changed at 257,000. (See tables 9 and 10.)

Quits as a Percentage of Separations

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 employment levels. Total nonfarm employment had peaked in February 2001 at 132.6 million, and then had fallen to a low of 129.8 million in

August 2003. During the same time period, the proportion of quits fell from 61 percent in February 2001 to

51 percent in August 2003 (seasonally adjusted). The proportion of quits has since risen to 60 percent in

February 2007. Between early 2001 and mid-2003, total separations fell by 613,000 but quits fell by a

greater amount, 759,000, causing the proportion of total separations attributable to quits to fall.

This change in quits as a percentage of total separations is especially pronounced in manufacturing, retail

trade, and professional and business services. Geographically, the regions averaged 61 percent of total separations attributable to quits at the employment peak in February 2001. All four regions experienced a decline

in the proportion of quits during the period of employment decline. The Northeast region’s proportion declined the most, falling to a low of 39 percent. Since the employment trough in August 2003, the South and

West have fully recovered to early 2001 levels of quits as a proportion of separations, but the Northeast and

Midwest have not.

Flows in the Labor Market

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

February 2007, hires have averaged 4.9 million per month and separations have averaged 4.6 million per

month (not seasonally adjusted). The comparable figures for the prior 12-month period were 4.8 million

hires and 4.5 million separations. (See the Technical Note for additional information on these measures.)

Several industries 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 February 2007, these five industries produced 34.9 million hires and 32.9

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.
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For More Information

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

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

calling (202) 691-5870.

______________________________

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover release for March 2007 is scheduled to be issued on

Tuesday, May 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.

Prior to the January 2007 benchmark release in March 2007,

seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS series was conducted using

the stable seasonal filter option since there were not enough data

observations available for the standard use of moving averages

as seasonal filters. Although the seasonal adjustment of the

JOLTS series is conducted with fewer data observations than is

customary, the number of observations is now above the minimum

required by X-12-ARIMA to use the normal seasonal filters.

Therefore, the standard use of moving averages as seasonal

filters is now in place for JOLTS seasonal adjustment. JOLTS

seasonal adjustment now includes both additive and

multiplicative seasonal adjustment models and REGARIMA

(regression with autocorrelated errors) modeling to improve the

seasonal adjustment factors at the beginning and end of the

series and to detect and adjust for outliers in the series. Due to

the improved diagnostics, three additional industries are now

seasonally adjusted: retail trade, accommodations and food

services, and state and local government. It is expected that more

series 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

Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb.

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

Total 4......................................................... 3,972 4,177 4,157 4,200 4,401 4,222 4,071 2.8 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.1 3.0 2.9

INDUSTRY

Total private 4

............................................. 3,550 3,715 3,702 3,735 3,928 3,746 3,605 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.3 3.1 3.0

Construction............................................. 130 148 137 106 107 142 189 1.7 1.9 1.7 1.4 1.4 1.8 2.4

Manufacturing.......................................... 314 317 364 328 362 337 333 2.2 2.2 2.5 2.3 2.5 2.3 2.3

Trade, transportation, and utilities 5

............... 653 721 658 671 767 727 669 2.4 2.7 2.4 2.5 2.8 2.7 2.5

Retail trade.......................................... 394 396 370 417 471 413 379 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.7 3.0 2.6 2.4

Professional and business services............... 732 755 709 705 745 707 641 4.0 4.1 3.9 3.8 4.0 3.8 3.5

Education and health services..................... 636 701 749 713 734 707 669 3.5 3.8 4.0 3.8 3.9 3.8 3.6

Leisure and hospitality 6

.............................. 560 544 579 625 612 552 542 4.1 4.0 4.2 4.5 4.4 4.0 3.9

Accommodations and food services............ 509 469 487 528 538 495 480 4.4 4.0 4.1 4.4 4.5 4.1 4.0

Government 7

............................................. 419 467 460 463 473 477 468 1.9 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.1

State and local government......................... 378 430 423 427 427 439 433 1.9 2.2 2.1 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2

REGION 8

Northeast................................................ 693 770 760 772 849 733 667 2.7 2.9 2.9 2.9 3.2 2.8 2.5

South...................................................... 1,572 1,626 1,649 1,572 1,674 1,653 1,635 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.1 3.3 3.2 3.2

Midwest................................................... 781 789 769 770 810 822 784 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.4

West...................................................... 922 1,017 989 1,034 1,044 1,005 974 3.0 3.2 3.1 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.1

1

 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day 8 The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise 

of the month. the regions are: Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, 

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

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

 3

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

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

 4

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

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

 5

 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and and Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,

utilities, not shown separately. Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington,

 6

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

 7

 Includes federal government, not shown separately. p = preliminary.

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

Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb.

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

Total 4......................................................... 4,955 4,917 4,983 4,994 4,959 4,959 4,804 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.5

INDUSTRY

Total private 4

............................................. 4,696 4,482 4,616 4,665 4,662 4,607 4,487 4.1 3.9 4.0 4.1 4.1 4.0 3.9

Construction............................................. 408 336 345 395 341 299 291 5.3 4.4 4.5 5.1 4.4 3.9 3.8

Manufacturing.......................................... 333 314 366 363 375 369 380 2.3 2.2 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.6 2.7

Trade, transportation, and utilities 5

............... 1,123 965 1,008 1,012 990 1,020 1,002 4.3 3.7 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.9 3.8

Retail trade.......................................... 762 710 713 737 699 757 664 5.0 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.6 4.9 4.3

Professional and business services............... 874 1,028 994 1,010 963 954 964 5.0 5.8 5.6 5.7 5.4 5.4 5.4

Education and health services..................... 453 467 529 492 515 508 515 2.6 2.6 2.9 2.7 2.8 2.8 2.8

Leisure and hospitality 6

.............................. 1,045 859 893 903 969 956 955 8.1 6.5 6.7 6.8 7.2 7.1 7.1

Accommodations and food services............ 848 756 758 748 793 825 782 7.7 6.7 6.7 6.6 6.9 7.2 6.8

Government 7

............................................. 373 386 363 348 371 384 395 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.8

State and local government......................... 321 318 320 303 313 321 315 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.6

REGION 8

Northeast................................................ 803 720 727 713 768 833 709 3.2 2.8 2.8 2.8 3.0 3.2 2.8

South...................................................... 2,104 2,019 1,969 1,979 1,900 1,899 1,854 4.3 4.1 4.0 4.0 3.9 3.9 3.8

Midwest................................................... 1,034 1,031 1,097 1,061 1,150 1,167 1,160 3.3 3.3 3.5 3.4 3.6 3.7 3.7

West...................................................... 1,114 1,163 1,198 1,249 1,209 1,142 1,150 3.7 3.8 3.9 4.1 3.9 3.7 3.7

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

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

3

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

4

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

5

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

6

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

7

 Includes federal government, not shown separately.

8

 See footnote 8, table 1. 

p

 = preliminary.

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

Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb.

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

Total 4................................................... 4,601 4,470 4,613 4,844 4,540 4,602 4,481 3.4 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.3 3.4 3.3

INDUSTRY

Total private 4

....................................... 4,320 4,123 4,323 4,543 4,253 4,296 4,191 3.8 3.6 3.8 4.0 3.7 3.7 3.6

Construction....................................... 363 346 373 413 387 400 324 4.7 4.5 4.8 5.4 5.0 5.2 4.2

Manufacturing.................................... 381 389 359 360 372 399 405 2.7 2.7 2.5 2.5 2.6 2.8 2.9

Trade, transportation, and utilities 5

.........1,008 990 987 1,020 962 973 941 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.9 3.7 3.7 3.6

Retail trade.................................... 697 686 688 719 707 680 658 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.7 4.6 4.4 4.3

Professional and business services......... 828 824 921 974 851 894 879 4.8 4.7 5.2 5.5 4.8 5.0 4.9

Education and health services............... 420 396 424 430 430 423 404 2.4 2.2 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.2

Leisure and hospitality 6

........................ 859 726 791 838 835 768 800 6.6 5.5 6.0 6.3 6.2 5.7 6.0

Accommodations and food services...... 750 607 673 721 757 612 685 6.8 5.4 5.9 6.3 6.6 5.4 6.0

Government 7

....................................... 288 315 298 305 283 309 299 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.3

State and local government................... 233 251 248 256 255 254 227 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.2

REGION 8

Northeast.......................................... 713 731 745 707 670 740 669 2.8 2.9 2.9 2.8 2.6 2.9 2.6

South................................................1,753 1,742 1,709 2,011 1,796 1,783 1,738 3.6 3.6 3.5 4.1 3.7 3.6 3.5

Midwest.............................................1,019 970 1,072 985 1,054 1,034 1,067 3.3 3.1 3.4 3.1 3.3 3.3 3.4

West................................................ 1,075 1,031 1,081 1,079 1,036 1,037 997 3.6 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4 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.

5

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

6

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

7

 Includes federal government, not shown separately.

8

 See footnote 8, table 1. 

p

 = preliminary.

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

Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Feb. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb.

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

Total 4................................................... 2,687 2,566 2,655 2,774 2,759 2,648 2,687 2.0 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.0 1.9 2.0

INDUSTRY

Total private 4

....................................... 2,553 2,400 2,513 2,625 2,615 2,505 2,555 2.2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.2 2.2

Construction....................................... 172 135 137 144 143 141 121 2.2 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.6

Manufacturing.................................... 193 185 196 211 222 229 208 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.5

Trade, transportation, and utilities 5

......... 616 591 593 661 597 594 600 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.5 2.3 2.3 2.3

Retail trade.................................... 456 430 438 472 438 422 424 3.0 2.8 2.9 3.1 2.9 2.7 2.8

Professional and business services......... 424 443 475 486 497 498 507 2.4 2.5 2.7 2.7 2.8 2.8 2.8

Education and health services............... 290 263 274 278 289 271 270 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.5

Leisure and hospitality 6

........................ 574 510 542 565 602 489 570 4.4 3.9 4.1 4.2 4.5 3.7 4.2

Accommodations and food services...... 533 462 496 520 560 448 523 4.8 4.1 4.4 4.6 4.9 3.9 4.6

Government 7

....................................... 141 160 144 147 146 150 140 .6 .7 .7 .7 .7 .7 .6

State and local government................... 121 125 124 125 130 129 114 .6 .6 .6 .6 .7 .7 .6

REGION 8

Northeast.......................................... 374 383 359 409 367 355 325 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.6 1.4 1.4 1.3

South................................................1,148 1,102 1,101 1,167 1,171 1,099 1,133 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.3

Midwest............................................. 576 541 604 543 559 595 602 1.8 1.7 1.9 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.9

West................................................ 602 551 592 645 638 602 629 2.0 1.8 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.0 2.0

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

3

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

4

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

5

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

6

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

7

 Includes federal government, not shown separately.

8

 See footnote 8, table 1. 

p

 = preliminary.

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

Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total............................................................... 3,832 3,902 3,882 2.8 2.8 2.8

INDUSTRY

Total private................................................... 3,446 3,460 3,452 3.0 3.0 3.0

Natural resources and mining........................ 12 15 13 1.8 2.1 1.8

Construction................................................ 116 115 168 1.6 1.6 2.3

Manufacturing............................................. 324 331 341 2.2 2.3 2.4

Durable goods.......................................... 236 207 208 2.6 2.3 2.3

Nondurable goods.................................... 88 123 134 1.7 2.4 2.5

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................. 600 642 603 2.3 2.4 2.3

Wholesale trade....................................... 147 166 143 2.5 2.7 2.4

Retail trade............................................. 344 352 321 2.2 2.3 2.1

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...... 109 124 139 2.2 2.4 2.7

Information................................................ 116 161 144 3.7 5.0 4.5

Financial activities......................................... 318 215 203 3.7 2.5 2.4

Finance and insurance.............................. 275 180 163 4.3 2.8 2.5

Real estate and rental and leasing............... 43 35 40 2.0 1.6 1.8

Professional and business services.................. 727 680 627 4.1 3.8 3.5

Education and health services........................ 630 669 655 3.4 3.6 3.5

Educational services................................. 69 57 60 2.2 1.9 1.9

Health care and social assistance.................. 562 612 596 3.7 3.9 3.8

Leisure and hospitality................................. 534 492 509 4.1 3.7 3.8

Arts, entertainment, and recreation............... 55 53 62 3.1 3.0 3.4

Accommodations and food services............... 479 439 447 4.3 3.8 3.9

Other services............................................. 68 141 189 1.3 2.6 3.4

Government................................................... 386 442 430 1.7 2.0 1.9

Federal...................................................... 44 37 39 1.6 1.3 1.4

State and local........................................... 342 405 391 1.7 2.1 1.9

REGION 3

Northeast................................................... 644 649 615 2.5 2.5 2.4

South......................................................... 1,559 1,558 1,614 3.1 3.1 3.2

Midwest...................................................... 745 749 743 2.4 2.3 2.3

West......................................................... 884 947 911 2.9 3.0 2.9

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

Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total............................................................... 4,226 4,294 4,035 3.2 3.2 3.0

INDUSTRY

Total private................................................... 3,967 3,947 3,755 3.6 3.5 3.3

Natural resources and mining........................ 17 23 22 2.7 3.4 3.2

Construction................................................ 335 224 230 4.6 3.1 3.2

Manufacturing............................................. 311 362 356 2.2 2.6 2.5

Durable goods.......................................... 177 226 207 2.0 2.5 2.3

Nondurable goods.................................... 134 136 149 2.6 2.7 2.9

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................. 876 787 780 3.4 3.0 3.0

Wholesale trade....................................... 124 135 132 2.1 2.3 2.2

Retail trade............................................. 598 529 506 4.0 3.5 3.4

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...... 154 124 142 3.1 2.5 2.8

Information................................................ 101 90 58 3.3 2.9 1.9

Financial activities......................................... 199 200 176 2.4 2.4 2.1

Finance and insurance.............................. 121 141 112 2.0 2.3 1.8

Real estate and rental and leasing............... 78 59 63 3.7 2.7 2.9

Professional and business services.................. 792 907 874 4.6 5.2 5.0

Education and health services........................ 388 474 443 2.2 2.6 2.4

Educational services................................. 63 74 74 2.1 2.6 2.4

Health care and social assistance.................. 325 399 369 2.2 2.6 2.4

Leisure and hospitality................................. 809 740 743 6.5 5.8 5.8

Arts, entertainment, and recreation............... 89 94 87 5.2 5.4 4.9

Accommodations and food services............... 720 646 656 6.7 5.8 5.9

Other services............................................. 137 140 73 2.5 2.6 1.4

Government................................................... 259 347 280 1.2 1.6 1.2

Federal...................................................... 35 55 60 1.3 2.0 2.2

State and local........................................... 224 293 220 1.1 1.5 1.1

REGION 3

Northeast................................................... 583 631 505 2.3 2.5 2.0

South......................................................... 1,881 1,734 1,641 3.9 3.6 3.4

Midwest...................................................... 820 986 935 2.7 3.2 3.0

West......................................................... 941 943 955 3.1 3.1 3.1

 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

Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total............................................................... 3,802 4,467 3,685 2.8 3.3 2.7

INDUSTRY

Total private................................................... 3,613 4,211 3,491 3.2 3.7 3.1

Natural resources and mining........................ 15 20 22 2.4 2.9 3.2

Construction................................................ 329 481 272 4.6 6.6 3.8

Manufacturing............................................. 329 389 362 2.3 2.8 2.6

Durable goods.......................................... 192 242 220 2.1 2.7 2.5

Nondurable goods.................................... 137 148 142 2.7 2.9 2.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................. 879 1,025 801 3.4 3.9 3.1

Wholesale trade....................................... 141 116 113 2.4 2.0 1.9

Retail trade............................................. 628 765 572 4.2 5.0 3.8

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...... 110 144 116 2.2 2.9 2.3

Information................................................ 64 77 59 2.1 2.5 1.9

Financial activities......................................... 190 154 199 2.3 1.8 2.4

Finance and insurance.............................. 119 110 128 1.9 1.8 2.0

Real estate and rental and leasing............... 71 45 71 3.4 2.1 3.3

Professional and business services.................. 702 853 752 4.1 4.9 4.3

Education and health services........................ 345 395 325 1.9 2.2 1.8

Educational services................................. 30 61 41 1.0 2.1 1.3

Health care and social assistance.................. 315 333 284 2.1 2.2 1.9

Leisure and hospitality................................. 631 664 591 5.1 5.2 4.6

Arts, entertainment, and recreation............... 56 106 62 3.3 6.1 3.5

Accommodations and food services............... 575 558 529 5.4 5.1 4.8

Other services............................................. 129 153 109 2.4 2.8 2.0

Government................................................... 189 255 193 .8 1.2 .9

Federal...................................................... 37 50 54 1.4 1.9 2.0

State and local........................................... 151 205 140 .8 1.1 .7

REGION 3

Northeast................................................... 555 723 507 2.2 2.9 2.0

South......................................................... 1,506 1,694 1,460 3.1 3.5 3.0

Midwest...................................................... 842 1,043 898 2.7 3.3 2.9

West......................................................... 898 1,008 820 3.0 3.3 2.7

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

3 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

Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total............................................................... 2,189 2,316 2,187 1.6 1.7 1.6

INDUSTRY

Total private................................................... 2,084 2,194 2,087 1.9 1.9 1.8

Natural resources and mining........................ 8 8 12 1.3 1.2 1.7

Construction................................................ 137 118 87 1.9 1.6 1.2

Manufacturing............................................. 169 198 179 1.2 1.4 1.3

Durable goods.......................................... 96 117 94 1.1 1.3 1.1

Nondurable goods.................................... 73 81 85 1.4 1.6 1.7

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................. 511 529 494 2.0 2.0 1.9

Wholesale trade....................................... 66 72 79 1.1 1.2 1.3

Retail trade............................................. 376 381 344 2.5 2.5 2.3

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...... 70 76 70 1.4 1.5 1.4

Information................................................ 44 49 37 1.5 1.6 1.2

Financial activities......................................... 119 86 120 1.4 1.0 1.4

Finance and insurance.............................. 72 70 90 1.2 1.1 1.4

Real estate and rental and leasing............... 47 16 30 2.2 .7 1.4

Professional and business services.................. 341 454 417 2.0 2.6 2.4

Education and health services........................ 236 240 218 1.3 1.3 1.2

Educational services................................. 21 28 18 .7 1.0 .6

Health care and social assistance.................. 215 212 200 1.5 1.4 1.3

Leisure and hospitality................................. 444 429 447 3.6 3.4 3.5

Arts, entertainment, and recreation............... 23 27 31 1.4 1.5 1.7

Accommodations and food services............... 420 402 416 3.9 3.6 3.7

Other services............................................. 76 83 75 1.4 1.6 1.4

Government................................................... 104 121 100 .5 .6 .4

Federal...................................................... 17 16 18 .6 .6 .7

State and local........................................... 87 105 82 .4 .5 .4

REGION 3

Northeast................................................... 287 295 238 1.1 1.2 .9

South......................................................... 952 966 941 2.0 2.0 1.9

Midwest...................................................... 454 531 489 1.5 1.7 1.6

West......................................................... 497 523 519 1.7 1.7 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.

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

Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total............................................................... 1,321 1,755 1,241 1.0 1.3 0.9

INDUSTRY

Total private................................................... 1,274 1,679 1,196 1.1 1.5 1.1

Natural resources and mining........................ 6 8 7 .9 1.2 1.0

Construction................................................ 174 333 172 2.4 4.6 2.4

Manufacturing............................................. 116 155 157 .8 1.1 1.1

Durable goods.......................................... 66 97 107 .7 1.1 1.2

Nondurable goods.................................... 51 58 49 1.0 1.1 1.0

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................. 288 396 247 1.1 1.5 1.0

Wholesale trade....................................... 51 37 28 .9 .6 .5

Retail trade............................................. 208 313 186 1.4 2.1 1.2

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...... 29 46 33 .6 .9 .7

Information................................................ 13 22 18 .4 .7 .6

Financial activities......................................... 58 57 62 .7 .7 .7

Finance and insurance.............................. 36 32 30 .6 .5 .5

Real estate and rental and leasing............... 22 24 32 1.0 1.1 1.5

Professional and business services.................. 323 338 295 1.9 1.9 1.7

Education and health services........................ 88 103 88 .5 .6 .5

Educational services................................. 8 28 17 .2 1.0 .6

Health care and social assistance.................. 80 75 70 .5 .5 .5

Leisure and hospitality................................. 163 213 128 1.3 1.7 1.0

Arts, entertainment, and recreation............... 31 75 30 1.8 4.3 1.7

Accommodations and food services............... 132 139 98 1.2 1.3 .9

Other services............................................. 44 55 22 .8 1.0 .4

Government................................................... 47 75 45 .2 .3 .2

Federal...................................................... 9 13 13 .3 .5 .5

State and local........................................... 39 62 32 .2 .3 .2

REGION 3

Northeast................................................... 225 354 212 .9 1.4 .8

South......................................................... 455 579 437 .9 1.2 .9

Midwest...................................................... 321 432 350 1.0 1.4 1.1

West......................................................... 320 389 242 1.1 1.3 .8

 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

Feb. Jan. Feb. Feb. Jan. Feb.

2006 2007 2007p 2006 2007 2007p

Total............................................................... 292 396 257 0.2 0.3 0.2

INDUSTRY

Total private................................................... 255 337 208 .2 .3 .2

Natural resources and mining........................ 1 4 3 .2 .6 .5

Construction................................................ 19 31 13 .3 .4 .2

Manufacturing............................................. 43 36 26 .3 .3 .2

Durable goods.......................................... 30 28 19 .3 .3 .2

Nondurable goods.................................... 14 9 8 .3 .2 .1

Trade, transportation, and utilities.................. 79 100 59 .3 .4 .2

Wholesale trade....................................... 25 8 6 .4 .1 .1

Retail trade............................................. 44 71 41 .3 .5 .3

Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...... 11 22 12 .2 .4 .2

Information................................................ 6 5 3 .2 .2 .1

Financial activities......................................... 14 12 16 .2 .1 .2

Finance and insurance.............................. 11 7 8 .2 .1 .1

Real estate and rental and leasing............... 3 5 8 .1 .2 .4

Professional and business services.................. 38 61 40 .2 .3 .2

Education and health services........................ 21 51 19 .1 .3 .1

Educational services................................. 2 5 5 .1 .2 .2

Health care and social assistance.................. 19 46 14 .1 .3 .1

Leisure and hospitality................................. 25 22 17 .2 .2 .1

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

Accommodations and food services............... 23 18 15 .2 .2 .1

Other services............................................. 9 15 11 .2 .3 .2

Government................................................... 37 59 49 .2 .3 .2

Federal...................................................... 11 21 23 .4 .8 .8

State and local........................................... 25 38 26 .1 .2 .1

REGION 3

Northeast................................................... 44 73 56 .2 .3 .2

South......................................................... 99 149 83 .2 .3 .2

Midwest...................................................... 67 79 58 .2 .3 .2

West......................................................... 82 95 60 .3 .3 .2

 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