Technical information:  (202) 691-5870        USDL 06-2068
               http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
                                              For release:  10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                691-5902        Tuesday, December 12, 2006


              JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER:  OCTOBER 2006


   The job openings, hires, and total separations rates showed little or
no change in October, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Depart-
ment of Labor reported today.  This release includes estimates of the num-
ber and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm
sector by industry and geographic region.

Job Openings

   On the last business day of October 2006, there were 4.2 million job
openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 3.0 percent.
The job openings rate was unchanged over the month and has been little
changed since November 2005.  In October, the job openings rate rose in
manufacturing and in education and health services, but fell in trade,
transportation, and utilities.  None of the regions experienced a signi-
ficant change in the job openings rate over the month.  The industries
with the highest seasonally adjusted job openings rate in October 2006
were leisure and hospitality and professional and business services (4.1
percent each), and education and health services (4.0 percent).  (See
table 1.)
     
   Over the year, the job openings rate rose in durable manufacturing, non-
durable manufacturing, information, health care and social assistance, and
state and local government.  The rate also rose over the year in the North-
east and West regions.  The job openings rate did not decline significantly
over the year in any industry or region.  (See table 5.)
     
Hires
     
   The hires rate was little changed at 3.6 percent in October.  Hires are
any additions to the payroll during the month.  In October, the hires rate
did not rise significantly in any private sector industry but fell in go-
vernment.  Geographically, the hires rate did not change significantly in
any region over the month.  The seasonally adjusted hires rate was highest
in October in the leisure and hospitality industry (6.6 percent).  (See
table 2.)  From October 2005 to October 2006, the hires rate rose in fi-
nance and insurance but fell in construction and durable manufacturing.
(See table 6.)

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally
adjusted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   |    Job openings    |       Hires        | Total separations
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
     Industry      | Oct. | Sept.| Oct. | Oct. | Sept.| Oct. | Oct. | Sept.| Oct.
                   | 2005 | 2006 | 2006p| 2005 | 2006 | 2006p| 2005 | 2006 | 2006p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                     Levels (in thousands)
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........|3,867 |4,154 |4,207 |4,822 |4,803 |4,893 |4,359 |4,380 |4,386
                   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
  Total private(1).|3,460 |3,659 |3,733 |4,488 |4,395 |4,520 |4,103 |4,050 |4,113
    Construction...|  148 |  140 |  134 |  430 |  338 |  335 |  392 |  332 |  351
    Manufacturing..|  297 |  307 |  364 |  449 |  325 |  351 |  340 |  391 |  345
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  654 |  736 |  640 |  967 |  968 |  967 |  935 |1,004 |  952
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  723 |  728 |  752 |  849 |  988 |  982 |  757 |  781 |  909
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     vices.........|  613 |  691 |  738 |  460 |  465 |  508 |  404 |  390 |  406
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  498 |  520 |  559 |  859 |  827 |  868 |  798 |  711 |  712
  Government.......|  416 |  492 |  490 |  319 |  380 |  343 |  255 |  322 |  278
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                       Rates (percent)
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........|  2.8 |  3.0 |  3.0 |  3.6 |  3.5 |  3.6 |  3.3 |  3.2 |  3.2
                   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
  Total private(1).|  3.0 |  3.1 |  3.2 |  4.0 |  3.9 |  4.0 |  3.7 |  3.6 |  3.6
    Construction...|  2.0 |  1.8 |  1.8 |  5.9 |  4.5 |  4.5 |  5.3 |  4.4 |  4.7
    Manufacturing..|  2.1 |  2.1 |  2.5 |  3.2 |  2.3 |  2.5 |  2.4 |  2.8 |  2.4
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  2.5 |  2.7 |  2.4 |  3.7 |  3.7 |  3.7 |  3.6 |  3.9 |  3.7
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  4.1 |  4.0 |  4.1 |  5.0 |  5.7 |  5.6 |  4.5 |  4.5 |  5.2
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     vices.........|  3.4 |  3.7 |  4.0 |  2.6 |  2.6 |  2.8 |  2.3 |  2.2 |  2.3
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  3.7 |  3.8 |  4.1 |  6.7 |  6.3 |  6.6 |  6.2 |  5.4 |  5.4
  Government.......|  1.9 |  2.2 |  2.2 |  1.5 |  1.7 |  1.6 |  1.2 |  1.5 |  1.3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.


Separations
     
   The total separations, or turnover, rate was unchanged at 3.2 percent
in October.  Separations are terminations of employment that occur at any
time during the month.  In October, the total separations rate increased
in professional and business services but decreased in government.  Geo-
graphically, the separations rate did not change significantly in any re-
gion over the month.  From October 2005 to October 2006, the total sepa-
rations rate increased in finance and insurance and in real estate and
rental and leasing.  The total separations rate decreased over the year
in accommodations and food services.  (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 1.9 percent in October.
Over the month, the quits rate did not rise significantly in any indus-
try or region but declined in government.  In October, the seasonally ad-
justed quits rate was highest in the leisure and hospitality industry
(4.0 percent), which also had the highest hires rate.  (See table 4.)
                                  
                                  - 3 -
     
   Over the year, the quits rate rose in finance and insurance; real estate
and rental and leasing; and professional and business services.  Over the
same time period, the quits rate fell in construction; accommodations and
food services; and other services.  (See table 8.)
     
   The other two components of total separations--layoffs and discharges,
and other separations--are not seasonally adjusted.  The layoffs and dis-
charges rate, at 1.2 percent, was essentially unchanged from the prior
year.  For October 2006, the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry
had the highest layoffs and discharges rate (4.0 percent).  From October
2005 to October 2006, the other separations rate was unchanged at 0.2 per-
cent.  (See tables 9 and 10.)

Flows in the Labor Market

   Hires and separations data help show dynamic flows in the labor market.
Over the 12 months ending in October 2006, hires have averaged 4.9 million
per month and separations have averaged 4.5 million per month (not season-
ally adjusted).  The comparable figures for the prior 12-month period were
4.8 million hires and 4.6 million separations.  (See the Technical Note for
additional information on these measures.)

For More Information

   For additional information, please read the Technical Note or visit the
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 November 2006 is sched-
uled to be issued on Wednesday, January 10, 2007.
     




                                  - 4 -

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 characteris-
tics 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 re-
ceived 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 tempo-
rary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, and
consultants are counted by their employer of record, not by the establish-
ment 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 posi-
tion, 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 news-
papers 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.
   
                                  - 5 -

  Hires.  Hires are the total number of additions to the payroll occurring
at any time during the reference month, including both new and rehired em-
ployees, full-time and part-time, permanent, short-term and seasonal em-
ployees, 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 (ex-
cept for retirements, which are reported as other separations).  Lay-
offs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the em-
ployer 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 re-
tirements, 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, divid-
ing 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 an-
nual level by the Current Employment Statistics (CES) annual average employ-
ment level, and multiplying that quotient by 100.  This figure will be ap-
proximately 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 es-
timates 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.

                                  - 6 -

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 rel-
atively 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 supple-
mental 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 compar-
able with estimates for March 2002 and later.
   
  The federal government reorganization that involved transferring approx-
imately 180,000 employees to the new Department of Homeland Security is not 
reflected in the JOLTS hires and separations estimates for the federal gov-
ernment.  The Office of Personnel Management's record shows these transfers 
were completed in March 2003.  The inclusion of transfers in the JOLTS defi-
nitions of hires and separations is intended to cover ongoing movements of 
workers between establishments.  The Department of Homeland Security reorgan-
ization was a massive one-time event, and the inclusion of these intergovern-
mental 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 adjust-
ment 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.

                                  - 7 -

  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 cal-
endar 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 seg-
ment 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 ex-
plain 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 in-
cludes 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 prac-
tices.  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

                                                      Levels (3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region            Oct.   May    June   July   Aug.   Sept.  Oct.   Oct.  May   June  July  Aug.  Sept. Oct.
                                          2005   2006   2006   2006   2006   2006   2006p  2005  2006  2006  2006  2006  2006  2006p

Total (4)..............................  3,867  3,945  3,960  3,844  4,061  4,154  4,207    2.8   2.8   2.8   2.8   2.9   3.0   3.0

                INDUSTRY

 Total private (4).....................  3,460  3,496  3,476  3,363  3,604  3,659  3,733    3.0   3.0   3.0   2.9   3.1   3.1   3.2
  Construction.........................    148    119    161    148    162    140    134    2.0   1.6   2.1   1.9   2.1   1.8   1.8
  Manufacturing........................    297    311    301    305    310    307    364    2.1   2.1   2.1   2.1   2.1   2.1   2.5
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    654    687    640    605    686    736    640    2.5   2.6   2.4   2.3   2.6   2.7   2.4
  Professional and business services...    723    693    616    651    661    728    752    4.1   3.9   3.4   3.6   3.7   4.0   4.1
  Education and health services........    613    651    659    643    678    691    738    3.4   3.6   3.6   3.5   3.7   3.7   4.0
  Leisure and hospitality..............    498    496    487    482    501    520    559    3.7   3.7   3.6   3.6   3.7   3.8   4.1
 Government............................    416    452    467    478    464    492    490    1.9   2.0   2.1   2.1   2.1   2.2   2.2

                 REGION (5)

  Northeast............................    704    670    699    699    747    824    786    2.7   2.6   2.7   2.7   2.8   3.1   3.0
  South................................  1,515  1,591  1,507  1,498  1,548  1,582  1,631    3.1   3.2   3.0   3.0   3.1   3.2   3.3
  Midwest..............................    762    787    777    739    809    783    740    2.4   2.4   2.4   2.3   2.5   2.4   2.3
  West.................................    873    918    935    911    955    991  1,031    2.9   3.0   3.0   3.0   3.1   3.2   3.3

  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 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 The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the regions are: Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of
Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,
Virginia, and West Virginia; Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,
South Dakota, and Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming.
  p = preliminary.





Table 2.  Hires levels (1) and rates (2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

                                                      Levels (3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region            Oct.   May    June   July   Aug.   Sept.  Oct.   Oct.  May   June  July  Aug.  Sept. Oct.
                                          2005   2006   2006   2006   2006   2006   2006p  2005  2006  2006  2006  2006  2006  2006p

Total (4)..............................  4,822  4,949  4,899  4,995  4,831  4,803  4,893    3.6   3.7   3.6   3.7   3.6   3.5   3.6

                INDUSTRY

 Total private (4).....................  4,488  4,573  4,508  4,741  4,396  4,395  4,520    4.0   4.0   4.0   4.2   3.9   3.9   4.0
  Construction.........................    430    374    366    365    351    338    335    5.9   5.0   4.9   4.9   4.7   4.5   4.5
  Manufacturing........................    449    385    378    380    353    325    351    3.2   2.7   2.7   2.7   2.5   2.3   2.5
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    967  1,018  1,099  1,045  1,070    968    967    3.7   3.9   4.2   4.0   4.1   3.7   3.7
  Professional and business services...    849  1,006    905    967    860    988    982    5.0   5.8   5.2   5.6   4.9   5.7   5.6
  Education and health services........    460    549    465    521    482    465    508    2.6   3.1   2.6   2.9   2.7   2.6   2.8
  Leisure and hospitality..............    859    811    846    850    794    827    868    6.7   6.2   6.5   6.5   6.1   6.3   6.6
 Government............................    319    379    392    338    409    380    343    1.5   1.7   1.8   1.5   1.9   1.7   1.6

                 REGION (5)

  Northeast............................    744    852    729    841    738    718    748    2.9   3.3   2.9   3.3   2.9   2.8   2.9
  South................................  1,886  1,849  1,877  1,849  1,907  1,993  1,873    3.9   3.8   3.9   3.8   3.9   4.1   3.9
  Midwest..............................  1,017  1,133  1,072  1,123  1,008    997  1,065    3.3   3.6   3.4   3.6   3.2   3.1   3.4
  West.................................  1,154  1,114  1,207  1,177  1,160  1,122  1,182    3.9   3.7   4.0   3.9   3.9   3.7   3.9

  1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.
  2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
  4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
  5 See footnote 5, table 1.
  p = preliminary.





Table 3.  Total separations levels (1) and rates (2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

                                                      Levels (3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region            Oct.   May    June   July   Aug.   Sept.  Oct.   Oct.  May   June  July  Aug.  Sept. Oct.
                                          2005   2006   2006   2006   2006   2006   2006p  2005  2006  2006  2006  2006  2006  2006p

Total (4)..............................  4,359  4,811  4,631  4,479  4,386  4,380  4,386    3.3   3.6   3.4   3.3   3.2   3.2   3.2

                INDUSTRY

 Total private (4)...................... 4,103  4,488  4,299  4,168  4,083  4,050  4,113    3.7   4.0   3.8   3.7   3.6   3.6   3.6
  Construction........................     392    478    324    415    348    332    351    5.3   6.4   4.3   5.5   4.6   4.4   4.7
  Manufacturing........................    340    381    370    358    364    391    345    2.4   2.7   2.6   2.5   2.6   2.8   2.4
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    935  1,046  1,082    935    997  1,004    952    3.6   4.0   4.2   3.6   3.8   3.9   3.7
  Professional and business services...    757    833    755    735    705    781    909    4.5   4.8   4.4   4.2   4.1   4.5   5.2
  Education and health services........    404    487    424    431    460    390    406    2.3   2.8   2.4   2.4   2.6   2.2   2.3
  Leisure and hospitality..............    798    799    802    818    801    711    712    6.2   6.1   6.2   6.3   6.1   5.4   5.4
 Government............................    255    324    315    306    304    322    278    1.2   1.5   1.4   1.4   1.4   1.5   1.3

                 REGION (5)

  Northeast............................    657    779    724    763    695    766    736    2.6   3.1   2.8   3.0   2.7   3.0   2.9
  South................................  1,710  1,828  1,858  1,687  1,703  1,659  1,589    3.6   3.8   3.8   3.5   3.5   3.4   3.3
  Midwest..............................    961  1,045    871  1,087    942    904  1,002    3.1   3.3   2.8   3.4   3.0   2.9   3.2
  West.................................  1,012  1,136  1,137    979  1,070  1,031  1,057    3.4   3.8   3.8   3.3   3.6   3.4   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 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
  4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
  5 See footnote 5, table 1.
  p = preliminary.





Table 4.  Quits levels (1) and rates (2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

                                                      Levels (3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region            Oct.   May    June   July   Aug.   Sept.  Oct.   Oct.  May   June  July  Aug.  Sept. Oct.
                                          2005   2006   2006   2006   2006   2006   2006p  2005  2006  2006  2006  2006  2006  2006p

Total (4)..............................  2,619  2,723  2,699  2,623  2,597  2,473  2,576    2.0   2.0   2.0   1.9   1.9   1.8   1.9

                INDUSTRY

 Total private (4).....................  2,470  2,565  2,554  2,469  2,442  2,309  2,430    2.2   2.3   2.3   2.2   2.2   2.0   2.1
  Construction.........................    205    207    154    157    143    131    129    2.8   2.8   2.0   2.1   1.9   1.7   1.7
  Manufacturing........................    200    202    190    189    194    182    193    1.4   1.4   1.3   1.3   1.4   1.3   1.4
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    573    622    615    586    604    594    573    2.2   2.4   2.4   2.3   2.3   2.3   2.2
  Professional and business services...    345    434    386    412    388    401    437    2.0   2.5   2.2   2.4   2.2   2.3   2.5
  Education and health services........    258    276    290    277    300    262    275    1.5   1.6   1.6   1.6   1.7   1.5   1.5
  Leisure and hospitality..............    597    533    622    549    542    495    523    4.6   4.1   4.8   4.2   4.1   3.8   4.0
 Government............................    142    159    146    156    153    159    140     .6    .7    .7    .7    .7    .7    .6

                 REGION (5)

  Northeast............................    341    370    358    378    404    383    358    1.3   1.5   1.4   1.5   1.6   1.5   1.4
  South................................  1,109  1,152  1,153  1,081  1,095  1,029  1,036    2.3   2.4   2.4   2.2   2.3   2.1   2.1
  Midwest..............................    552    581    552    562    551    522    575    1.8   1.8   1.8   1.8   1.7   1.6   1.8
  West.................................    601    612    631    598    553    544    598    2.0   2.0   2.1   2.0   1.8   1.8   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 See footnote 5, table 1.
  p = preliminary.





Table 5.  Job openings levels (1) and rates (2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Oct.     Sept.    Oct.          Oct.     Sept.    Oct.
                                                   2005     2006     2006p         2005     2006     2006p

Total...........................................  3,860    4,347    4,227           2.8      3.1      3.0

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  3,463    3,864    3,759           3.0      3.3      3.2
  Natural resources and mining..................     12       22       17           1.8      3.0      2.3
  Construction..................................    132      139      118           1.7      1.8      1.5
  Manufacturing.................................    290      315      357           2.0      2.2      2.5
   Durable goods................................    203      196      229           2.2      2.1      2.5
   Nondurable goods.............................     87      119      129           1.6      2.2      2.4
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    782      830      754           2.9      3.1      2.8
   Wholesale trade..............................    126      167      125           2.1      2.8      2.1
   Retail trade.................................    519      492      487           3.3      3.2      3.1
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    137      172      142           2.7      3.3      2.7
  Information...................................    104      172      138           3.3      5.3      4.3
  Financial activities..........................    253      236      246           3.0      2.7      2.9
   Finance and insurance........................    202      192      197           3.2      3.0      3.1
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     51       44       50           2.3      1.9      2.2
  Professional and business services............    708      772      760           4.0      4.2      4.1
  Education and health services.................    603      713      731           3.3      3.9      3.9
   Educational services.........................     66       65       64           2.2      2.2      2.0
   Health care and social assistance............    537      648      667           3.5      4.2      4.3
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    437      494      499           3.3      3.6      3.7
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     60       63       75           3.1      3.1      3.8
   Accommodations and food services.............    378      431      424           3.3      3.7      3.7
  Other services................................    141      173      138           2.6      3.1      2.5

 Government.....................................    397      482      468           1.8      2.2      2.0
  Federal.......................................     41       35       38           1.5      1.3      1.4
  State and local...............................    356      448      430           1.8      2.3      2.1

                    REGION (3)

  Northeast.....................................    743      891      839           2.8      3.4      3.2
  South.........................................  1,471    1,620    1,600           3.0      3.2      3.2
  Midwest.......................................    772      839      744           2.4      2.6      2.3
  West..........................................    873      996    1,044           2.8      3.2      3.3

  1 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day of the month.
  2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a
percent of total employment plus job openings.
  3 See footnote 5, table 1.
  p = preliminary.





Table 6.  Hires levels (1) and rates (2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Oct.     Sept.    Oct.          Oct.     Sept.    Oct.
                                                   2005     2006     2006p         2005     2006     2006p

Total...........................................  4,805    5,302    4,877           3.6      3.9      3.6

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  4,494    4,717    4,549           4.0      4.1      4.0
  Natural resources and mining..................     15       30       16           2.3      4.3      2.3
  Construction..................................    393      345      303           5.2      4.5      3.9
  Manufacturing.................................    423      336      330           3.0      2.4      2.3
   Durable goods................................    273      194      187           3.0      2.1      2.1
   Nondurable goods.............................    150      142      144           2.8      2.7      2.8
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........  1,128    1,068    1,107           4.3      4.1      4.2
   Wholesale trade..............................    156      142      135           2.7      2.4      2.3
   Retail trade.................................    815      738      822           5.3      4.9      5.4
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    157      188      149           3.2      3.7      3.0
  Information...................................     82       76       71           2.7      2.5      2.3
  Financial activities..........................    204      233      227           2.5      2.8      2.7
   Finance and insurance........................    112      156      150           1.8      2.5      2.4
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     93       77       78           4.3      3.5      3.6
  Professional and business services............    855    1,022      998           5.0      5.8      5.7
  Education and health services.................    465      598      516           2.6      3.4      2.9
   Educational services.........................     56      120       65           1.9      4.2      2.1
   Health care and social assistance............    409      478      451           2.8      3.2      3.0
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    770      829      780           6.0      6.2      6.0
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     76       75       77           4.1      3.8      4.1
   Accommodations and food services.............    694      754      703           6.4      6.7      6.3
  Other services................................    159      182      201           3.0      3.4      3.7

 Government.....................................    311      584      329           1.4      2.7      1.5
  Federal.......................................     39       94       29           1.4      3.4      1.1
  State and local...............................    272      491      300           1.4      2.6      1.5

                    REGION (3)

  Northeast.....................................    765      914      766           3.0      3.6      3.0
  South.........................................  1,870    2,043    1,861           3.9      4.2      3.8
  Midwest.......................................    991    1,121    1,035           3.2      3.5      3.3
  West..........................................  1,179    1,223    1,215           3.9      4.1      4.0

  1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.
  2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 See footnote 5, table 1.
  p = preliminary.





Table 7.  Total separations levels (1) and rates (2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Oct.     Sept.    Oct.          Oct.     Sept.    Oct.
                                                   2005     2006     2006p         2005     2006     2006p

Total...........................................  4,406    4,922    4,420           3.3      3.6      3.2

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  4,184    4,507    4,184           3.7      3.9      3.7
  Natural resources and mining..................     15       26       14           2.3      3.8      2.0
  Construction..................................    411      352      360           5.4      4.6      4.7
  Manufacturing.................................    368      403      359           2.6      2.8      2.5
   Durable goods................................    233      243      200           2.6      2.7      2.2
   Nondurable goods.............................    135      160      159           2.6      3.0      3.0
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    929    1,066      923           3.6      4.1      3.5
   Wholesale trade..............................    121      158      118           2.1      2.7      2.0
   Retail trade.................................    654      738      654           4.3      4.9      4.3
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    154      169      151           3.1      3.4      3.0
  Information...................................     69       80       76           2.2      2.6      2.5
  Financial activities..........................    165      211      255           2.0      2.5      3.1
   Finance and insurance........................     98      123      151           1.6      2.0      2.5
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     68       88      104           3.2      4.0      4.8
  Professional and business services............    716      800      855           4.2      4.6      4.8
  Education and health services.................    374      430      371           2.1      2.4      2.1
   Educational services.........................     39       61       31           1.3      2.1      1.0
   Health care and social assistance............    334      369      340           2.3      2.5      2.3
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    953      962      827           7.5      7.2      6.3
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........    150      237      140           8.1     11.9      7.4
   Accommodations and food services.............    803      725      687           7.4      6.4      6.1
  Other services................................    185      177      143           3.4      3.3      2.7

 Government.....................................    222      415      236           1.0      1.9      1.1
  Federal.......................................     23       81       27            .9      3.0      1.0
  State and local...............................    199      334      209           1.0      1.7      1.1

                    REGION (3)

  Northeast.....................................    676      969      753           2.7      3.8      2.9
  South.........................................  1,781    1,738    1,634           3.7      3.6      3.3
  Midwest.......................................    940    1,041      981           3.0      3.3      3.1
  West..........................................  1,010    1,174    1,051           3.4      3.9      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 5, table 1.
  p = preliminary.





Table 8.  Quits levels (1) and rates (2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Oct.     Sept.    Oct.          Oct.     Sept.    Oct.
                                                   2005     2006     2006p         2005     2006     2006p

Total...........................................  2,587    2,837    2,539           1.9      2.1      1.9

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  2,466    2,660    2,422           2.2      2.3      2.1
  Natural resources and mining..................      8       16        8           1.2      2.3      1.1
  Construction..................................    212      153      135           2.8      2.0      1.8
  Manufacturing.................................    206      206      200           1.4      1.4      1.4
   Durable goods................................    121      119      105           1.4      1.3      1.2
   Nondurable goods.............................     85       87       95           1.6      1.7      1.8
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    580      674      572           2.2      2.6      2.2
   Wholesale trade..............................     61       95       66           1.1      1.6      1.1
   Retail trade.................................    441      488      433           2.9      3.2      2.8
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     77       90       74           1.6      1.8      1.5
  Information...................................     49       58       51           1.6      1.9      1.7
  Financial activities..........................     94      136      167           1.1      1.6      2.0
   Finance and insurance........................     61       78      109           1.0      1.3      1.8
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     33       58       57           1.5      2.6      2.6
  Professional and business services............    328      410      419           1.9      2.3      2.4
  Education and health services.................    246      290      260           1.4      1.6      1.4
   Educational services.........................     23       33       17            .8      1.2       .6
   Health care and social assistance............    223      257      243           1.5      1.7      1.6
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    627      629      549           4.9      4.7      4.2
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     59       68       63           3.2      3.4      3.4
   Accommodations and food services.............    568      561      486           5.2      5.0      4.3
  Other services................................    116       90       62           2.2      1.7      1.2

 Government.....................................    121      177      116            .5       .8       .5
  Federal.......................................     13       38       12            .5      1.4       .4
  State and local...............................    109      138      104            .6       .7       .5

                    REGION (3)

  Northeast.....................................    351      503      365           1.4      2.0      1.4
  South.........................................  1,141    1,118    1,056           2.4      2.3      2.2
  Midwest.......................................    531      598      554           1.7      1.9      1.7
  West..........................................    564      618      564           1.9      2.0      1.9

  1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.
  2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 See footnote 5, table 1.
  p = preliminary.





Table 9.  Layoffs and discharges levels (1) and rates (2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Oct.     Sept.    Oct.          Oct.     Sept.    Oct.
                                                   2005     2006     2006p         2005     2006     2006p

Total...........................................  1,548    1,748    1,577           1.1      1.3      1.2

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  1,476    1,565    1,490           1.3      1.4      1.3
  Natural resources and mining..................      6        8        4            .9      1.1       .5
  Construction..................................    176      169      192           2.3      2.2      2.5
  Manufacturing.................................    128      170      132            .9      1.2       .9
   Durable goods................................     83      106       79            .9      1.2       .9
   Nondurable goods.............................     44       63       54            .8      1.2      1.0
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    296      304      288           1.1      1.2      1.1
   Wholesale trade..............................     54       54       45            .9       .9       .8
   Retail trade.................................    180      187      177           1.2      1.2      1.2
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     62       63       66           1.2      1.3      1.3
  Information...................................     13       16       22            .4       .5       .7
  Financial activities..........................     64       55       68            .8       .7       .8
   Finance and insurance........................     31       28       29            .5       .5       .5
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     33       27       39           1.5      1.2      1.8
  Professional and business services............    339      345      373           2.0      2.0      2.1
  Education and health services.................     98      112       84            .6       .6       .5
   Educational services.........................     13       22       10            .4       .8       .3
   Health care and social assistance............     85       90       73            .6       .6       .5
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    310      317      257           2.4      2.4      2.0
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     91      167       75           4.9      8.4      4.0
   Accommodations and food services.............    220      151      182           2.0      1.3      1.6
  Other services................................     46       68       70            .9      1.3      1.3

 Government.....................................     73      183       87            .3       .8       .4
  Federal.......................................      5       21        9            .2       .8       .3
  State and local...............................     67      162       78            .3       .8       .4

                    REGION (3)

  Northeast.....................................    280      397      335           1.1      1.6      1.3
  South.........................................    574      513      458           1.2      1.1       .9
  Midwest.......................................    346      359      361           1.1      1.1      1.1
  West..........................................    348      480      423           1.2      1.6      1.4

  1 Layoffs and discharges are the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month.
  2 The layoffs and discharges rate is the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month as a
percent of total employment.
  3 See footnote 5, table 1.
  p = preliminary.





Table 10.  Other separations levels (1) and rates (2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Oct.     Sept.    Oct.          Oct.     Sept.    Oct.
                                                   2005     2006     2006p         2005     2006     2006p

Total...........................................    271      338      304           0.2      0.2      0.2

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................    242      282      271            .2       .2       .2
  Natural resources and mining..................      1        3        2            .2       .4       .3
  Construction..................................     22       31       33            .3       .4       .4
  Manufacturing.................................     34       27       27            .2       .2       .2
   Durable goods................................     28       18       16            .3       .2       .2
   Nondurable goods.............................      6        9       10            .1       .2       .2
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........     53       87       63            .2       .3       .2
   Wholesale trade..............................      5        9        7            .1       .1       .1
   Retail trade.................................     32       63       44            .2       .4       .3
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     15       16       11            .3       .3       .2
  Information...................................      7        7        4            .2       .2       .1
  Financial activities..........................      7       20       20            .1       .2       .2
   Finance and insurance........................      5       17       13            .1       .3       .2
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........      2        3        8            .1       .2       .3
  Professional and business services............     49       45       62            .3       .3       .4
  Education and health services.................     30       28       28            .2       .2       .2
   Educational services.........................      3        6        4            .1       .2       .1
   Health care and social assistance............     27       22       24            .2       .1       .2
  Leisure and hospitality.......................     16       16       21            .1       .1       .2
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........      1        3        2           (4)       .1       .1
   Accommodations and food services.............     15       13       20            .1       .1       .2
  Other services................................     23       18       11            .4       .3       .2

 Government.....................................     28       56       32            .1       .3       .1
  Federal.......................................      5       21        6            .2       .8       .2
  State and local...............................     23       34       26            .1       .2       .1

                    REGION (3)

  Northeast.....................................     45       70       53            .2       .3       .2
  South.........................................     66      107      120            .1       .2       .2
  Midwest.......................................     62       84       66            .2       .3       .2
  West..........................................     98       77       64            .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 5, table 1.
  4 Data round to zero.
  p = preliminary.