Technical Information:  (202) 691-6467     USDL 03-521
                http://www.bls.gov/bdm
                                           For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media Contact:          (202) 691-5902     Tuesday, September 30, 2003


        NEW QUARTERLY DATA ON BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT DYNAMICS FROM BLS
                                     
                                     
   New quarterly data on business employment dynamics were issued today by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.  These data
quantify the sizable number of jobs that appear and disappear in the U.S.
economy each quarter.  From September 2002 to December 2002, the number of
job gains from opening and expanding establishments and the number of job
losses from closing and contracting establishments each were nearly 8
million.  The data also show that the net employment declines associated
with the 2001 recession resulted from a large temporary increase in gross
job losses accompanied by a sharp decrease in gross job gains.  As of
December 2002, gross job gains had not returned to pre-recession levels.

   The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of
increases and decreases in employment that occur at all establishments 
in the economy.  The new data track these changes in employment at private
business establishments from one quarter to the next.  In the new data
series, gross job gains are defined as increases in employment resulting
from expansions of employment at existing establishments or from the
opening of establishments.  Gross job losses are defined as declines in
employment at existing establishments or from closing establishments.  The
difference between the number of gross jobs gained and the number of gross
jobs lost is the net change in employment.  These statistics show the
dynamic labor market changes that underlie the net employment change
statistic.
  
   The new series on Business Employment Dynamics are derived from the
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), also known as the ES-202
program.  This program is a quarterly census of all establishments under
state unemployment insurance programs, representing about 98 percent of
employment on nonfarm payrolls.  The net change in employment from this new
data series will not match the estimates from employment series such as the
monthly Current Employment Statistics survey (CES) or the totals from the
QCEW program.  The CES estimates are based on a sample of establishments,
while gross job gains and gross job losses are based on a quarterly census
of administrative records.  In addition, the CES has a different coverage,
excluding the agriculture sector but including establishments not covered
by the unemployment insurance program.  Business Employment Dynamics data
have a more limited scope than QCEW data.  The data in this release, in
contrast to QCEW data, exclude government employees, private households
(NAICS 814110), and establishments with zero employment.  See the Back-
ground section and the Technical Note for further information.

                                   - 2 -

   This first release of Business Employment Dynamics data covers the
period from September 1992 to December 2002.  All totals in this release
are over-the-quarter changes based on the changes between the third months
of each quarter.  All data referred to in the text are seasonally adjusted.
The tables accompanying this release provide both seasonally adjusted and
unadjusted data.

Fourth Quarter 2002

   Opening and expanding private sector business establishments gained 7.7
million jobs in the fourth quarter of 2002, while closing and contracting
establishments lost 7.8 million jobs.  This led to a net employment loss of
70,000 jobs.  (See table A.)  Expanding establishments gained 6.1 million
jobs in the quarter, while opening establishments accounted for a gain of
1.6 million jobs.  Contracting establishments lost 6.2 million jobs, while
closing establishments accounted for a loss of 1.6 million jobs.  Expanding
and contracting establishments accounted for most jobs gained and lost.

Table A.  Private sector gross job gains and losses, seasonally adjusted

(In thousands)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------     
                                  |             3 months ended
            Category              |--------------------------------------
                                  | Dec.  | Mar.  | June  | Sept. | Dec.
                                  | 2001  | 2002  | 2002  | 2002  | 2002
-------------------------------------------------------------------------    
                                  |       |       |       |       |
Gross job gains...................| 7,902 | 8,013 | 8,010 | 7,922 | 7,746
  At expanding establishments.....| 6,083 | 6,200 | 6,223 | 6,208 | 6,114
  At opening establishments.......| 1,819 | 1,813 | 1,787 | 1,714 | 1,632
                                  |--------------------------------------
Gross job losses..................| 8,710 | 8,289 | 8,091 | 7,851 | 7,816
  At contracting establishments...| 6,930 | 6,545 | 6,372 | 6,257 | 6,189
  At closing establishments.......| 1,780 | 1,744 | 1,719 | 1,594 | 1,627
                                  |--------------------------------------
Net employment change 1/..........|  -808 |  -276 |   -81 |    71 |   -70
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1/  The net employment change is the difference between total gross job
gains and total gross job losses.

Rates

   From September to December 2002, gross job gains represented 7.2 per-
cent of private sector employment, while gross job losses represented 7.3
percent of private sector employment.  (See table B.)  The difference
between these two rates, -0.1 percent, is the percentage net change in
employment.  The gross job gains rate indicates that 7.2 percent of jobs 
in December 2002 did not exist in September 2002, and the gross job losses
rate indicates that 7.3 percent of jobs in September 2002 did not exist in
December 2002.  These gross job gains and job losses statistics demonstrate
that a sizable number of jobs appear and disappear in the relatively short
time frame of one quarter.  This reallocation of jobs across establishments
highlights the amount of job churning that underlies the quarterly net
employment change of -0.1 percent.
                                  
                                  - 3 -
                                  
Table B.  Private sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of 
employment, seasonally adjusted
       
(Percent)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------     
                                  |             3 months ended
            Category              |--------------------------------------
                                  | Dec.  | Mar.  | June  | Sept. | Dec.
                                  | 2001  | 2002  | 2002  | 2002  | 2002
-------------------------------------------------------------------------    
                                  |       |       |       |       |
Gross job gains...................|  7.3  |  7.5  |  7.5  |  7.4  |  7.2 
  At expanding establishments.....|  5.6  |  5.8  |  5.8  |  5.8  |  5.7 
  At opening establishments.......|  1.7  |  1.7  |  1.7  |  1.6  |  1.5 
                                  |--------------------------------------
Gross job losses..................|  8.0  |  7.7  |  7.5  |  7.3  |  7.3 
  At contracting establishments...|  6.4  |  6.1  |  5.9  |  5.8  |  5.8 
  At closing establishments.......|  1.6  |  1.6  |  1.6  |  1.5  |  1.5 
                                  |--------------------------------------
Net employment change 1/..........| -0.7  | -0.2  |  0.0  |  0.1  | -0.1 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1/  The net employment change is the difference between total gross job
gains and total gross job losses.

Establishment counts

   Out of 6.4 million active establishments, a total of 1.8 million estab-
lishments gained jobs from September to December 2002.  (See table C.)
Of these, 1.5 million were expanding establishments and 345,000 were
opening establishments.  During the fourth quarter of 2002, 1.8 million
establishments lost jobs.  Of these, 1.5 million were contracting estab-
lishments and 333,000 were closing establishments.  The statistics from 
tables A and C indicate that the average expanding establishment added 4.2 
jobs during the quarter and the average contracting establishment lost 4.2 
jobs during the quarter.

Table C.  Number of private sector establishments by direction of employ-
ment change, seasonally adjusted
       
(In thousands)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------     
                                  |             3 months ended
            Category              |--------------------------------------
                                  | Dec.  | Mar.  | June  | Sept. | Dec.
                                  | 2001  | 2002  | 2002  | 2002  | 2002
-------------------------------------------------------------------------    
                                  |       |       |       |       |
Establishments gaining jobs.......| 1,775 | 1,786 | 1,794 | 1,805 | 1,798
  Expanding establishments........| 1,429 | 1,444 | 1,447 | 1,460 | 1,453
  Opening establishments..........|   346 |   342 |   347 |   345 |   345
                                  |--------------------------------------
Establishments losing jobs .......| 1,856 | 1,834 | 1,825 | 1,781 | 1,809
  Contracting establishments......| 1,516 | 1,496 | 1,484 | 1,474 | 1,476
  Closing establishments..........|   340 |   338 |   341 |   307 |   333
                                  |--------------------------------------
Net establishment change 1/.......|     6 |     4 |     6 |    38 |    12
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1/  The net establishment change is the difference between the number of 
opening establishments and the number of closing establishments.
   
                                  - 4 -

   These Business Employment Dynamics data add to the labor market statistics 
currently available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The more tradition-
al measure of net employment change indicates that employment fell by 70,000 
jobs during the fourth quarter of 2002.  The gross job gains and job losses 
statistics indicate that this net employment loss is the result of 6.1 million 
jobs added at 1.5 million expanding establishments, 1.6 million jobs added at 
345,000 opening establishments, 6.2 million jobs lost at 1.5 million contract-
ing establishments, and 1.6 million jobs lost at 333,000 closing establish-
ments.  These large gross job flows that underlie the substantially smaller 
net job changes cannot be observed in the cross-sectional statistics.
   
September 1992 - December 2002
   
   The level of gross job gains exceeded the level of gross job losses
every quarter from September 1992 through December 2000, leading to a net
increase in the number of jobs.  (See table 1.)  The gross job gains and 
job losses series crossed in March 2001, and the level of gross job losses 
exceeded the level of gross job gains for six consecutive quarters through 
the second quarter of 2002.
   
   Gross job gains peaked in the fourth quarter of 1999 at a level of 9.1
million jobs.  In the fourth quarter of 2002, gross job gains were at a
level of 7.8 million jobs, the lowest since the second quarter of 1995.
Gross job losses peaked in the second quarter of 2001 at a level of 9.0
million jobs and declined every quarter through the fourth quarter of 2002.
(See table 1.)
   
   Gross job gains at expanding establishments moved in the same direction 
as total gross job gains, and gross job losses at contracting establishments 
were similar to changes in total gross job losses.  The number of jobs gained 
at opening establishments exceeded the number of jobs lost at closing estab-
lishments except during the 2001 recession.  (See table 1.)
            
   The business cycle is reflected in the gross job gains and losses sta-
tistics.  The increasing net employment losses during the first two quarters 
of 2001 were characterized by increasing gross job losses and declining gross 
job gains, with a continued decline in gross job gains in the third quarter 
of 2001.  The four quarters of data for 2002 indicate that gross job losses 
declined and gross job gains did not return to their pre-recession levels.
   
Background
   
   The Business Employment Dynamics statistics track changes in employment
at the establishment level, revealing the dynamics underlying net changes
in employment.
   
   The Business Employment Dynamics data are based on data collected in the
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), or ES-202, program.  These
data are the result of a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS) and State Employment Security Agencies.  The data include
all establishments subject to state unemployment insurance (UI) laws and
federal agencies subject to the Unemployment Compensation for Federal
Employees (UCFE) program.  Each quarter, the state agencies edit and
process the data and send the information to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  
Gross job gains and job losses are based on employment levels in the third 
month of each quarter.
   
                                  - 5 -

   The Business Employment Dynamics totals require that establishment data
be linked across quarters.  This longitudinal aspect of the data allows the
tracking of when establishments open, close, expand, or contract their
employment.  The linkage process is described in the Technical Note.  There
are four types of gross job flows: employment gains at opening establishments, 
employment expansions at existing establishments, employment losses at closing 
establishments, and employment contractions at existing establishments.  In-
creases in employment at opening and expanding establishments sum to measure 
gross job gains.  Declines in employment at closing and contracting establish-
ments sum to measure gross job losses.  The more traditional measure of net 
change in employment is the difference between the number of jobs gained and 
the number of jobs lost.
   
   Currently, data on gross job gains and gross job losses are available as
levels and as rates for the private sector.  The rates measure gross job
gains and gross losses and their components as a percentage of the average
of the previous and current quarter employment.  This differs from the
traditional calculation of a percentage rate (which would divide only by
previous quarter employment) and provides a symmetric treatment of the
growth of opening and closing establishments.
   
   Estimates are available with and without seasonal adjustment.  Seasonal
adjustment is run concurrently and models are updated annually.  The first
update in seasonal adjustment models will be with the release of first
quarter 2004 data.
   
Uses of the Data
     
   As the quarterly time series on Business Employment Dynamics grows
longer, their value in assessing the business cycle, the level of labor
market volatility, and the effect of establishment employment changes on
aggregate employment will increase.  The gross job gain and gross job loss
statistics will be particularly useful in highlighting the forces behind
net changes in employment.  In addition, these estimates will highlight the
importance of job changes at opening and closing establishments relative to
changes at existing establishments.
   
   The Business Employment Dynamics data should help economists, policy-
makers, and the business community develop a more complete understanding 
of business cycles.  It can show whether net employment changes over the
course of the business cycle are due to changes in the pace of job gains 
or of job losses.
   
Future Releases
   
   BLS plans to update the series on Business Employment Dynamics on a
quarterly basis with a news release.  BLS also plans to develop data for
the 50 states and the District of Columbia and to release estimates based
on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and establish-
ment size class data in the future.  In future months, please refer to the
BLS Web site at http://www.bls.gov for updates of the Business Employment 
Dynamics series.
   
   For more information, please see the Technical Note of this release 
or the Business Employment Dynamics Web page at the BLS Web site
http://www.bls.gov/bdm.  Additional information about Business Employment
Dynamics may be obtained by e-mailing BDMinfo@bls.gov.
 
 
 



                                  - 6 -

Technical Note
   
   The Business Employment Dynamics data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing administrative records.  These records
are the product of a federal-state cooperative program known as the Quarterly
Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), or the ES-202 program.  The data are
derived from summaries of employment of workers covered by unemployment
insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Employment Security 
Agencies (SESAs).  The summaries are a byproduct of the administration of
state unemployment insurance programs that require most employers to pay
quarterly taxes based on the employment and wages of workers covered by UI.
   
   The administrative records are linked across quarters to provide a
longitudinal history for each establishment.  The linkage process allows
the tracking of net employment changes at the establishment level, which 
in turn allows the estimation of jobs gained at opening and expanding
establishments and jobs lost at closing and contracting establishments.
   
Coverage
   
   Employment and wage data for workers covered by state UI and Unemployment 
Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) laws are compiled from quarterly 
contribution reports submitted to the SESAs by employers.  In addition to 
the quarterly contribution reports, employers who operate multiple establish-
ments within a state complete a questionnaire, called the "Multiple Worksite 
Report," which provides detailed information on the location of their estab-
lishments.  These reports are based on place of employment rather than place 
of residence.  UI and UCFE coverage is broad and basically comparable from 
state to state.
   
   Major exclusions from UI coverage are self-employed workers, religious
organizations, most agricultural workers on small farms, all members of the
Armed Forces, elected officials in most states, most employees of railroads, 
some domestic workers, most student workers at schools, and employees of 
certain small nonprofit organizations.
   
   Gross job gains and gross job losses in this release are derived from
longitudinal histories of over 6.4 million private sector employer reports
out of 8.2 million total reports of employment and wages submitted by states 
to BLS in the fourth quarter 2002.  Gross job gains and gross job losses data 
in this release do not report estimates for government employees or private 
households (NAICS 814110) and do not include establishments with zero employ-
ment over three quarters.  Data from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands also 
are excluded from the national data.  The table below shows, in millions of 
establishments, the number of establishments excluded from the gross job 
gains and gross job losses data in the fourth quarter 2002:
  
                                  - 7 -

             Number of active establishments included in
                the Business Employment Dynamics data
                                     
                                                                  Millions
Total establishments ES-202 program.................................8.2
  
    Excluded:  Public sector....................................... 0.3
               Private households.................................. 0.5
               Zero employment..................................... 1.0
               Establishments in Puerto Rico
                 and the Virgin Islands............................ 0.0*

Total establishments included in the Business
  Employment Dynamics data......................................... 6.4

   *Approximately 48,000 establishments.
  
Concepts and methodology
   
   The Business Employment Dynamics data measure the net change in employment 
at the establishment level.  These changes come about in one of four ways.  
A net increase in employment can come from either opening establishments or 
expanding establishments.  A net decrease in employment can come from either 
closing establishments or contracting establishments.  Gross job gains in-
clude the sum of all jobs added at either opening or expanding establishments.  
Gross job losses include the sum of all jobs lost in either closing or con-
tracting establishments.  The net change in employment is the difference 
between gross job gains and gross job losses.
   
   The formal definitions of establishment-level employment changes are as
follows:
   
   Openings.  These are either establishments with positive third month
employment for the first time in the current quarter, with no links to the
prior quarter, or with positive third month employment in the current
quarter following zero employment in the previous quarter.
   
   Expansions.  These are establishments with positive employment in the
third month in both the previous and current quarters, with a net increase
in employment over this period.
   
   Closings.  These are either establishments with positive third month
employment in the previous quarter, with no positive employment reported 
in the current quarter, or with positive third month employment in the
previous quarter followed by zero employment in the current quarter.
   
   Contractions.  These are establishments with positive employment in the
third month in both the previous and current quarters, with a net decrease
in employment over this period.
   
   All establishment-level employment changes are measured from the third
month of each quarter.  Not all establishments change their employment
levels; these establishments count towards estimates of total employment,
but not for levels of gross job gains and gross job losses.
   
   Gross job gains and gross job losses are expressed as rates by dividing
their levels by the average of total private employment in the current and 
previous quarters.  This provides a symmetric growth rate.  The rates are 
calculated for the components of gross job gains and gross job losses and 
then summed to form their respective totals.  These rates can be added and 
subtracted just as their levels can.  For instance, the difference between 
the gross job gains rate and the gross job losses rate is the net growth 
rate.
   
                                  - 8 -

   The linkage process matches establishments' unique SESA identification
numbers (SESA-ID).  Between 95 to 97 percent of establishments identified
as continuous from quarter to quarter are matched by SESA-ID.  The rest are
linked in one of three ways.  The first method uses predecessor and successor 
information, identified by the states, which relates records with different 
SESA-IDs across quarters.  Predecessor and successor relations can come about 
for a variety of reasons, including a change in ownership, a firm restruc-
turing, or a UI account restructuring.  If a match cannot be attained in this 
manner, a probability-based match is used.  This match attempts to identify 
two establishments with different SESA-IDs as continuous.  The match is based 
upon comparisons such as the same name, address, and phone number.  Third, 
an analyst examines unmatched records individually and makes a possible match.
   
   In order to ensure the highest possible quality of data, SESAs verify with 
employers and update, if necessary, the industry, location, and ownership 
classification of all establishments on a 3-year cycle.  Changes in establish-
ment classification codes resulting from the verification process are intro-
duced with the data reported for the first quarter of the year.  Changes re-
sulting from improved employer reporting also are introduced in the first 
quarter.
   
Seasonal adjustment
   
   Over the course of a year, the levels of employment and the associated
job flows undergo sharp fluctuations due to such seasonal events as changes
in the weather, reduced or expanded production, harvests, major holidays,
and the opening and closing of schools.  The effect of such seasonal
variation can be very large.
   
   Because these seasonal events follow a more or less regular pattern each
year, their influence can be adjusted from quarter to quarter.  These adjust-
ments make nonseasonal developments, such as declines in economic activity, 
easier to recognize.  For example, the large number of youths taking summer 
jobs is likely to obscure other changes that have taken place in June rela-
tive to March, making it difficult to determine if the level of economic ac-
tivity has risen or declined.  However, because the effect of students finish-
ing school in previous  years is known, the statistics for the current year 
can be adjusted to allow for a comparable change.  The adjusted figures pro-
vide a more useful tool with which to analyze changes in economic activity.
   
   The employment data series for opening, expanding, closing, and con-
tracting establishments are independently adjusted and the net changes
are calculated based on the difference between gross job gains and gross
job losses.  Similarly, the establishment data for opening, expanding, 
closing, and contracting establishments are independently adjusted, and 
the net changes are calculated based on the difference between the number 
of opening and closing establishments.  Also, both total private establish-
ment and employment levels are independently seasonally adjusted to calcu-
late the seasonally adjusted rates.  Seasonal adjustment is run concurrently
using X-12 ARIMA.
                                  
                                  - 9 -

Reliability of the data
   
   Since the data series on Business Employment Dynamics are based on
administrative rather than sample data, there are no issues related to
sampling error.  Nonsampling error, however, still  exists.  Nonsampling
errors can occur for many reasons, such as the employer submitting cor-
rected employment data after the end of the quarter or typographical er-
rors made by businesses when providing information.  Such errors, however, 
are likely to be distributed randomly throughout the dataset.
   
   Changes in administrative data sometimes create complications for the
linkage process, slightly overstating openings and closings while slightly 
understating expansions and contractions.  This is a product of working 
with such a vast array of administrative data, and the BLS continues to 
search for means of adjusting the linkage process to alleviate the effects 
of these complications.
   
Additional statistics and other information
   
   Several other programs within BLS produce closely related information.
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) program provides monthly
measures of job openings, as well as employee hires and separations.  The
Current Employment Statistics program releases monthly estimates of employ-
ment, its net change, and earnings by detailed industry.  These estimates 
are part of The Employment Situation report put out monthly by BLS.  Finally, 
The Quarterly Census of Employment and  Wages, or ES-202 program, provides 
both quarterly and annual estimates of employment by state, county, and de-
tailed industry.
   
   Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  202-691-5200; TDD message referral
number:  1-800-877-8339.
  
 

Table 1.  Private sector gross job gains and job losses, seasonally adjusted

(In thousands)

                                            Gross job gains                        Gross job losses
Year  3 months ended  Net change (1) Total    Expanding      Opening      Total     Contracting      Closing
                                           establishments establishments           establishments establishments

1992  September            276      7,233       5,528         1,705       6,957       5,362           1,595
      December             344      7,162       5,504         1,658       6,818       5,428           1,390
  
1993  March                534      7,511       5,532         1,979       6,977       5,318           1,659
      June                 636      7,290       5,757         1,533       6,654       5,260           1,394
      September            709      7,383       5,770         1,613       6,674       5,322           1,352
      December             754      7,481       5,876         1,605       6,727       5,357           1,370
  
1994  March                643      7,502       5,880         1,622       6,859       5,401           1,458
      June                 880      7,761       6,033         1,728       6,881       5,400           1,481
      September          1,025      7,838       6,121         1,717       6,813       5,493           1,320
      December             614      7,682       6,044         1,638       7,068       5,602           1,466
  
1995  March                830      7,858       6,180         1,678       7,028       5,647           1,381
      June                 307      7,705       6,020         1,685       7,398       5,934           1,464
      September            673      7,873       6,211         1,662       7,200       5,667           1,533
      December             570      8,023       6,287         1,736       7,453       5,916           1,537
  
1996  March                432      7,980       6,262         1,718       7,548       6,030           1,518
      June                 594      8,111       6,329         1,782       7,517       5,961           1,556
      September            590      8,146       6,285         1,861       7,556       5,988           1,568
      December             827      8,267       6,390         1,877       7,440       5,906           1,534
  
1997  March                823      8,305       6,463         1,842       7,482       5,886           1,596
      June                 627      8,139       6,386         1,753       7,512       5,924           1,588
      September            876      8,608       6,674         1,934       7,732       5,972           1,760
      December             642      8,673       6,674         1,999       8,031       6,098           1,933
  
1998  March                777      8,829       6,668         2,161       8,052       6,120           1,932
      June                 677      8,739       6,601         2,138       8,062       6,191           1,871
      September            759      8,587       6,600         1,987       7,828       6,123           1,705
      December             619      8,482       6,704         1,778       7,863       6,115           1,748
  
1999  March                401      8,804       6,720         2,084       8,403       6,454           1,949
      June                 587      8,806       6,803         2,003       8,219       6,383           1,836
      September            752      8,938       6,931         2,007       8,186       6,335           1,851
      December             950      9,066       7,046         2,020       8,116       6,303           1,813
  
2000  March                719      8,847       6,938         1,909       8,128       6,414           1,714
      June                 534      8,723       6,938         1,785       8,189       6,463           1,726
      September            407      8,854       6,930         1,924       8,447       6,620           1,827
      December             301      8,680       6,867         1,813       8,379       6,594           1,785
  
2001  March               -281      8,474       6,700         1,774       8,755       6,883           1,872
      June                -782      8,217       6,413         1,804       8,999       7,115           1,884
      September         -1,080      7,898       6,104         1,794       8,978       7,060           1,918
      December            -808      7,902       6,083         1,819       8,710       6,930           1,780
  
2002  March               -276      8,013       6,200         1,813       8,289       6,545           1,744
      June                 -81      8,010       6,223         1,787       8,091       6,372           1,719
      September             71      7,922       6,208         1,714       7,851       6,257           1,594
      December             -70      7,746       6,114         1,632       7,816       6,189           1,627
  

(1) Net change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses.

 
 


Table 2.  Private sector gross job gains and job losses, not seasonally adjusted

(In thousands)

                                            Gross job gains                        Gross job losses
Year  3 months ended  Net change (1) Total    Expanding      Opening      Total     Contracting      Closing
                                           establishments establishments           establishments establishments

1992  September             32       6,695      5,186         1,509       6,663       5,253           1,410
      December             141       7,017      5,547         1,470       6,876       5,573           1,303
  
1993  March             -1,673       6,817      4,706         2,111       8,490       6,319           2,171
      June               3,266       8,712      6,929         1,783       5,446       4,234           1,212
      September            412       6,832      5,408         1,424       6,420       5,223           1,197
      December             580       7,345      5,921         1,424       6,765       5,483           1,282
  
1994  March             -1,573       6,762      5,027         1,735       8,335       6,423           1,912
      June               3,606       9,244      7,237         2,007       5,638       4,354           1,284
      September            664       7,236      5,726         1,510       6,572       5,401           1,171
      December             477       7,551      6,097         1,454       7,074       5,705           1,369
  
1995  March             -1,400       7,133      5,327         1,806       8,533       6,718           1,815
      June               3,062       9,135      7,182         1,953       6,073       4,807           1,266
      September            295       7,238      5,786         1,452       6,943       5,581           1,362
      December             492       7,913      6,371         1,542       7,421       5,990           1,431
  
1996  March             -1,878       7,297      5,430         1,867       9,175       7,173           2,002
      June               3,375       9,575      7,520         2,055       6,200       4,861           1,339
      September            134       7,433      5,822         1,611       7,299       5,901           1,398
      December             809       8,181      6,508         1,673       7,372       5,951           1,421
  
1997  March             -1,448       7,650      5,630         2,020       9,098       6,986           2,112
      June               3,342       9,577      7,565         2,012       6,235       4,875           1,360
      September            346       7,809      6,149         1,660       7,463       5,885           1,578
      December             727       8,621      6,830         1,791       7,894       6,118           1,776
  
1998  March             -1,613       8,204      5,819         2,385       9,817       7,247           2,570
      June               3,543      10,266      7,823         2,443       6,723       5,129           1,594
      September            150       7,741      6,045         1,696       7,591       6,049           1,542
      December             774       8,474      6,873         1,601       7,700       6,109           1,591
  
1999  March             -2,032       8,186      5,881         2,305      10,218       7,621           2,597
      June               3,485      10,362      8,076         2,286       6,877       5,311           1,566
      September             62       8,023      6,317         1,706       7,961       6,278           1,683
      December           1,097       9,032      7,208         1,824       7,935       6,298           1,637
  
2000  March             -1,607       8,208      6,097         2,111       9,815       7,532           2,283
      June               3,443      10,307      8,269         2,038       6,864       5,385           1,479
      September           -332       7,917      6,285         1,632       8,249       6,583           1,666
      December             400       8,628      6,986         1,642       8,228       6,622           1,606
  
2001  March             -2,622       7,880      5,924         1,956      10,502       8,018           2,484
      June               2,173       9,735      7,671         2,064       7,562       5,936           1,626
      September         -1,734       7,040      5,519         1,521       8,774       7,023           1,751
      December            -828       7,795      6,147         1,648       8,623       7,026           1,597
  
2002  March             -2,363       7,506      5,512         1,994       9,869       7,560           2,309
      June               2,704       9,512      7,463         2,049       6,808       5,317           1,491
      September           -618       7,059      5,605         1,454       7,677       6,223           1,454
      December            -148       7,629      6,151         1,478       7,777       6,318           1,459
  

(1) See footnote 1, table 1.
  
  

Table 3.  Private sector gross job gains and losses, as a percent of employment, (1) seasonally adjusted

(Percent)

                                             Gross job gains                       Gross job losses
Year  3 months ended  Net change (2) Total    Expanding       Opening     Total     Contracting       Closing
                                            establishments establishments          establishments  establishments

1992  September            0.3        8.1         6.2           1.9         7.8         6.0             1.8
      December             0.2        7.9         6.1           1.8         7.7         6.1             1.6
  
1993  March                0.6        8.3         6.1           2.2         7.7         5.9             1.8
      June                 0.8        8.1         6.4           1.7         7.3         5.8             1.5
      September            0.8        8.1         6.3           1.8         7.3         5.8             1.5
      December             0.8        8.1         6.4           1.7         7.3         5.8             1.5
  
1994  March                0.7        8.1         6.3           1.8         7.4         5.8             1.6
      June                 0.9        8.3         6.5           1.8         7.4         5.8             1.6
      September            1.1        8.3         6.5           1.8         7.2         5.8             1.4
      December             0.6        8.0         6.3           1.7         7.4         5.9             1.5
  
1995  March                0.8        8.1         6.4           1.7         7.3         5.9             1.4
      June                 0.3        7.9         6.2           1.7         7.6         6.1             1.5
      September            0.7        8.1         6.4           1.7         7.4         5.8             1.6
      December             0.5        8.2         6.4           1.8         7.7         6.1             1.6
  
1996  March                0.6        8.2         6.4           1.8         7.6         6.1             1.5
      June                 0.6        8.2         6.4           1.8         7.6         6.0             1.6
      September            0.6        8.2         6.3           1.9         7.6         6.0             1.6
      December             0.9        8.3         6.4           1.9         7.4         5.9             1.5
  
1997  March                0.8        8.2         6.4           1.8         7.4         5.8             1.6
      June                 0.6        8.0         6.3           1.7         7.4         5.8             1.6
      September            0.9        8.4         6.5           1.9         7.5         5.8             1.7
      December             0.6        8.4         6.5           1.9         7.8         5.9             1.9
  
1998  March                0.7        8.5         6.4           2.1         7.8         5.9             1.9
      June                 0.6        8.3         6.3           2.0         7.7         5.9             1.8
      September            0.8        8.2         6.3           1.9         7.4         5.8             1.6
      December             0.5        8.0         6.3           1.7         7.5         5.8             1.7
  
1999  March                0.4        8.3         6.3           2.0         7.9         6.1             1.8
      June                 0.6        8.3         6.4           1.9         7.7         6.0             1.7
      September            0.7        8.3         6.4           1.9         7.6         5.9             1.7
      December             0.9        8.4         6.5           1.9         7.5         5.8             1.7
  
2000  March                0.6        8.1         6.4           1.7         7.5         5.9             1.6
      June                 0.4        7.9         6.3           1.6         7.5         5.9             1.6
      September            0.3        8.0         6.3           1.7         7.7         6.0             1.7
      December             0.2        7.8         6.2           1.6         7.6         6.0             1.6
  
2001  March               -0.2        7.7         6.1           1.6         7.9         6.2             1.7
      June                -0.8        7.4         5.8           1.6         8.2         6.5             1.7
      September           -1.1        7.2         5.6           1.6         8.3         6.5             1.8
      December            -0.7        7.3         5.6           1.7         8.0         6.4             1.6
  
2002  March               -0.2        7.5         5.8           1.7         7.7         6.1             1.6
      June                 0.0        7.5         5.8           1.7         7.5         5.9             1.6
      September            0.1        7.4         5.8           1.6         7.3         5.8             1.5
      December            -0.1        7.2         5.7           1.5         7.3         5.8             1.5
  

(1) The rates measure gross job gains and job losses as a percentage of the average of the previous and current employment.
(2) See footnote 1, table 1.
 
 
 
 

Table 4.  Private sector gross job gains and losses, as a percent of employment, (1) not seasonally adjusted

(Percent)

                                             Gross job gains                        Gross job losses
Year  3 months ended  Net change (2) Total    Expanding       Opening      Total     Contracting      Closing
                                            establishments establishments          establishments  establishments

1992  September            0.1        7.5         5.8           1.7         7.4         5.8             1.6
      December             0.2        7.8         6.2           1.6         7.6         6.2             1.4
  
1993  March               -1.8        7.7         5.3           2.4         9.5         7.1             2.4
      June                 3.7        9.7         7.7           2.0         6.0         4.7             1.3
      September            0.4        7.4         5.9           1.5         7.0         5.7             1.3
      December             0.6        7.9         6.4           1.5         7.3         5.9             1.4
  
1994  March               -1.7        7.4         5.5           1.9         9.1         7.0             2.1
      June                 3.9       10.0         7.8           2.2         6.1         4.7             1.4
      September            0.7        7.6         6.0           1.6         6.9         5.7             1.2
      December             0.5        7.9         6.4           1.5         7.4         6.0             1.4
  
1995  March               -1.5        7.5         5.6           1.9         9.0         7.1             1.9
      June                 3.2        9.5         7.5           2.0         6.3         5.0             1.3
      September            0.3        7.4         5.9           1.5         7.1         5.7             1.4
      December             0.5        8.1         6.5           1.6         7.6         6.1             1.5
  
1996  March               -2.0        7.5         5.6           1.9         9.5         7.4             2.1
      June                 3.5        9.8         7.7           2.1         6.3         4.9             1.4
      September            0.1        7.4         5.8           1.6         7.3         5.9             1.4
      December             0.9        8.2         6.5           1.7         7.3         5.9             1.4
  
1997  March               -1.5        7.6         5.6           2.0         9.1         7.0             2.1
      June                 3.4        9.5         7.5           2.0         6.1         4.8             1.3
      September            0.4        7.6         6.0           1.6         7.2         5.7             1.5
      December             0.7        8.3         6.6           1.7         7.6         5.9             1.7
  
1998  March               -1.6        7.9         5.6           2.3         9.5         7.0             2.5
      June                 3.4        9.8         7.5           2.3         6.4         4.9             1.5
      September            0.1        7.3         5.7           1.6         7.2         5.7             1.5
      December             0.8        8.0         6.5           1.5         7.2         5.7             1.5
  
1999  March               -1.9        7.8         5.6           2.2         9.7         7.2             2.5
      June                 3.2        9.7         7.6           2.1         6.5         5.0             1.5
      September            0.0        7.4         5.8           1.6         7.4         5.8             1.6
      December             1.0        8.3         6.6           1.7         7.3         5.8             1.5
  
2000  March               -1.5        7.5         5.6           1.9         9.0         6.9             2.1
      June                 3.2        9.5         7.6           1.9         6.3         4.9             1.4
      September           -0.2        7.2         5.7           1.5         7.4         5.9             1.5
      December             0.4        7.8         6.3           1.5         7.4         6.0             1.4
  
2001  March               -2.4        7.2         5.4           1.8         9.6         7.3             2.3
      June                 2.0        8.9         7.0           1.9         6.9         5.4             1.5
      September           -1.6        6.4         5.0           1.4         8.0         6.4             1.6
      December            -0.8        7.2         5.7           1.5         8.0         6.5             1.5
  
2002  March               -2.2        7.1         5.2           1.9         9.3         7.1             2.2
      June                 2.5        8.9         7.0           1.9         6.4         5.0             1.4
      September           -0.6        6.5         5.2           1.3         7.1         5.8             1.3
      December            -0.2        7.1         5.7           1.4         7.3         5.9             1.4
  

(1) See footnote 1, table 3.
(2) See footnote 1, table 1.
 
 
 
 

Table 5.  Number of private sector establishments by direction of employment change, seasonally adjusted

(In thousands)

                                       Establishments gaining jobs             Establishments losing jobs
Year  3 months ended  Net change (1) Total    Expanding      Opening       Total    Contracting       Closing
                                           establishments establishments          establishments   establishments

1992  September             11       1,576      1,287           289        1,541      1,263             278
      December              24       1,591      1,294           297        1,534      1,261             273
  
1993  March                 32       1,614      1,310           304        1,537      1,265             272
      June                  26       1,631      1,337           294        1,521      1,253             268
      September             37       1,647      1,348           299        1,530      1,268             262
      December              23       1,655      1,365           290        1,544      1,277             267
  
1994  March                 13       1,644      1,356           288        1,576      1,301             275
      June                  29       1,700      1,390           310        1,570      1,289             281
      September             38       1,715      1,404           311        1,579      1,306             273
      December              13       1,693      1,394           299        1,613      1,327             286
  
1995  March                 31       1,717      1,411           306        1,616      1,341             275
      June                  26       1,697      1,390           307        1,640      1,359             281
      September              7       1,715      1,412           303        1,649      1,353             296
      December              23       1,726      1,409           317        1,656      1,362             294
  
1996  March                 15       1,736      1,424           312        1,663      1,366             297
      June                  22       1,745      1,426           319        1,674      1,377             297
      September             36       1,762      1,432           330        1,675      1,381             294
      December              35       1,787      1,455           332        1,673      1,376             297
  
1997  March                 31       1,801      1,471           330        1,683      1,384             299
      June                  18       1,783      1,463           320        1,702      1,400             302
      September             17       1,810      1,482           328        1,706      1,395             311
      December               9       1,818      1,482           336        1,736      1,409             327
  
1998  March                 19       1,814      1,469           345        1,738      1,412             326
      June                  56       1,841      1,487           354        1,706      1,408             298
      September             22       1,824      1,488           336        1,744      1,430             314
      December               2       1,831      1,512           319        1,730      1,413             317
  
1999  March                 11       1,827      1,493           334        1,766      1,443             323
      June                  -1       1,847      1,506           341        1,785      1,443             342
      September             16       1,860      1,510           350        1,783      1,449             334
      December              36       1,903      1,539           364        1,758      1,430             328
  
2000  March                 24       1,882      1,525           357        1,810      1,477             333
      June                  20       1,876      1,526           350        1,819      1,489             330
      September             23       1,879      1,520           359        1,821      1,485             336
      December              12       1,863      1,512           351        1,831      1,492             339
  
2001  March                  5       1,849      1,502           347        1,841      1,499             342
      June                  -3       1,811      1,473           338        1,861      1,520             341
      September             -8       1,774      1,435           339        1,878      1,531             347
      December               6       1,775      1,429           346        1,856      1,516             340
  
2002  March                  4       1,786      1,444           342        1,834      1,496             338
      June                   6       1,794      1,447           347        1,825      1,484             341
      September             38       1,805      1,460           345        1,781      1,474             307
      December              12       1,798      1,453           345        1,809      1,476             333
  

(1) Net change is the difference between the number of opening establishments and the number of closing establishments.
 
 
 
 

Table 6.  Number of private sector establishments by direction of employment change, not seasonally adjusted

(In thousands)

                                       Establishments gaining jobs            Establishments losing jobs
Year  3 months ended  Net change (1) Total    Expanding      Opening       Total   Contracting       Closing
                                           establishments establishments         establishments   establishments

1992  September             15       1,497      1,235           262        1,581      1,334             247
      December              37       1,577      1,282           295        1,514      1,256             258
  
1993  March                -61       1,481      1,189           292        1,735      1,382             353
      June                 103       1,857      1,522           335        1,304      1,072             232
      September             37       1,565      1,295           270        1,572      1,339             233
      December              36       1,643      1,354           289        1,525      1,272             253
  
1994  March                -79       1,513      1,236           277        1,774      1,418             356
      June                 110       1,928      1,575           353        1,349      1,106             243
      September             36       1,630      1,350           280        1,623      1,379             244
      December              27       1,683      1,384           299        1,594      1,322             272
  
1995  March                -61       1,585      1,291           294        1,812      1,457             355
      June                 108       1,925      1,575           350        1,414      1,172             242
      September              6       1,627      1,355           272        1,694      1,428             266
      December              38       1,720      1,402           318        1,636      1,356             280
  
1996  March                -82       1,605      1,304           301        1,864      1,481             383
      June                 108       1,975      1,612           363        1,446      1,191             255
      September             29       1,664      1,370           294        1,726      1,461             265
      December              52       1,787      1,451           336        1,650      1,366             284
  
1997  March                -67       1,669      1,351           318        1,884      1,499             385
      June                 105       2,014      1,651           363        1,470      1,212             258
      September              9       1,706      1,415           291        1,761      1,479             282
      December              31       1,823      1,481           342        1,706      1,395             311
  
1998  March                -85       1,682      1,348           334        1,949      1,530             419
      June                 145       2,077      1,678           399        1,472      1,218             254
      September              9       1,713      1,416           297        1,808      1,520             288
      December              29       1,842      1,514           328        1,695      1,396             299
  
1999  March                -92       1,695      1,372           323        1,978      1,563             415
      June                  93       2,083      1,700           383        1,540      1,250             290
      September             -4       1,742      1,434           308        1,854      1,542             312
      December              70       1,917      1,541           376        1,719      1,413             306
  
2000  March                -82       1,751      1,406           345        2,022      1,595             427
      June                 114       2,113      1,721           392        1,570      1,292             278
      September             -5       1,757      1,442           315        1,901      1,581             320
      December              53       1,878      1,512           366        1,791      1,478             313
  
2001  March               -104       1,720      1,386           334        2,050      1,612             438
      June                  91       2,045      1,668           377        1,607      1,321             286
      September            -38       1,654      1,357           297        1,964      1,629             335
      December              50       1,788      1,426           362        1,819      1,507             312
  
2002  March               -102       1,659      1,330           329        2,034      1,603             431
      June                 101       2,029      1,642           387        1,577      1,291             286
      September              4       1,685      1,383           302        1,865      1,567             298
      December              58       1,811      1,448           363        1,776      1,471             305
  

(1) See footnote 1, table 5. 
 
 
 
 

Table 7.  Private sector establishments by direction of employment change, as a percent of total establishments, (1)
seasonally adjusted

(Percent)

                                       Establishments gaining jobs             Establishments losing jobs
Year  3 months ended  Net change (2) Total    Expanding       Opening      Total    Contracting       Closing
                                            establishments establishments         establishments   establishments

1992  September            0.2        29.5       24.1           5.4         28.8       23.6             5.2
      December             0.4        29.6       24.1           5.5         28.6       23.5             5.1
  
1993  March                0.6        29.8       24.2           5.6         28.4       23.4             5.0
      June                 0.5        29.9       24.5           5.4         27.9       23.0             4.9
      September            0.6        30.0       24.6           5.4         27.9       23.1             4.8
      December             0.4        29.9       24.7           5.2         27.9       23.1             4.8
  
1994  March                0.2        29.6       24.4           5.2         28.4       23.4             5.0
      June                 0.6        30.5       24.9           5.6         28.1       23.1             5.0
      September            0.6        30.5       25.0           5.5         28.2       23.3             4.9
      December             0.2        30.0       24.7           5.3         28.6       23.5             5.1
  
1995  March                0.6        30.3       24.9           5.4         28.4       23.6             4.8
      June                 0.5        29.7       24.3           5.4         28.7       23.8             4.9
      September            0.1        29.9       24.6           5.3         28.8       23.6             5.2
      December             0.4        30.0       24.5           5.5         28.8       23.7             5.1
  
1996  March                0.3        30.0       24.6           5.4         28.7       23.6             5.1
      June                 0.4        30.1       24.6           5.5         28.8       23.7             5.1
      September            0.7        30.2       24.5           5.7         28.6       23.6             5.0
      December             0.5        30.4       24.8           5.6         28.5       23.4             5.1
  
1997  March                0.5        30.5       24.9           5.6         28.5       23.4             5.1
      June                 0.3        30.0       24.6           5.4         28.7       23.6             5.1
      September            0.3        30.3       24.8           5.5         28.6       23.4             5.2
      December             0.1        30.4       24.8           5.6         29.0       23.5             5.5
  
1998  March                0.3        30.2       24.5           5.7         28.9       23.5             5.4
      June                 1.0        30.5       24.6           5.9         28.2       23.3             4.9
      September            0.3        30.0       24.5           5.5         28.7       23.5             5.2
      December             0.0        30.0       24.8           5.2         28.4       23.2             5.2
  
1999  March                0.2        29.9       24.4           5.5         28.9       23.6             5.3
      June                 0.0        30.2       24.6           5.6         29.2       23.6             5.6
      September            0.3        30.3       24.6           5.7         29.0       23.6             5.4
      December             0.6        30.9       25.0           5.9         28.5       23.2             5.3
  
2000  March                0.4        30.4       24.6           5.8         29.2       23.8             5.4
      June                 0.3        30.1       24.5           5.6         29.2       23.9             5.3
      September            0.3        30.0       24.3           5.7         29.1       23.7             5.4
      December             0.2        29.7       24.1           5.6         29.2       23.8             5.4
  
2001  March                0.1        29.4       23.9           5.5         29.2       23.8             5.4
      June                 0.0        28.8       23.4           5.4         29.5       24.1             5.4
      September           -0.1        28.2       22.8           5.4         29.8       24.3             5.5
      December             0.1        28.2       22.7           5.5         29.5       24.1             5.4
  
2002  March                0.0        28.3       22.9           5.4         29.1       23.7             5.4
      June                 0.1        28.4       22.9           5.5         28.8       23.4             5.4
      September            0.6        28.4       23.0           5.4         28.0       23.2             4.8
      December             0.2        28.2       22.8           5.4         28.3       23.1             5.2
  

(1) The rates measure establishments gaining or losing jobs as a percentage of the average of previous and current quarter
total number of establishments.
(2) See footnote 1, table 5.
 
 
 
 

Table 8.  Private sector establishments by direction of employment change, as a percent of total establishments, (1)
not seasonally adjusted

(Percent)

                                       Establishments gaining jobs             Establishments losing jobs
Year  3 months ended  Net change (2) Total    Expanding       Opening      Total    Contracting       Closing
                                            establishments establishments         establishments   establishments

1992  September            0.3        27.9       23.0           4.9         29.4       24.8             4.6
      December             0.7        29.2       23.7           5.5         28.1       23.3             4.8
  
1993  March               -1.2        27.5       22.1           5.4         32.3       25.7             6.6
      June                 1.9        34.3       28.1           6.2         24.1       19.8             4.3
      September            0.7        28.4       23.5           4.9         28.5       24.3             4.2
      December             0.6        29.6       24.4           5.2         27.5       22.9             4.6
  
1994  March               -1.4        27.4       22.4           5.0         32.0       25.6             6.4
      June                 2.0        34.8       28.4           6.4         24.3       19.9             4.4
      September            0.7        28.9       23.9           5.0         28.8       24.5             4.3
      December             0.5        29.7       24.4           5.3         28.1       23.3             4.8
  
1995  March               -1.1        28.0       22.8           5.2         32.1       25.8             6.3
      June                 1.9        33.9       27.7           6.2         24.9       20.6             4.3
      September            0.1        28.2       23.5           4.7         29.4       24.8             4.6
      December             0.7        29.8       24.3           5.5         28.3       23.5             4.8
  
1996  March               -1.5        27.8       22.6           5.2         32.4       25.7             6.7
      June                 1.9        34.2       27.9           6.3         25.0       20.6             4.4
      September            0.5        28.4       23.4           5.0         29.4       24.9             4.5
      December             0.9        30.3       24.6           5.7         27.9       23.1             4.8
  
1997  March               -1.1        28.3       22.9           5.4         31.9       25.4             6.5
      June                 1.7        34.0       27.9           6.1         24.9       20.5             4.4
      September            0.2        28.5       23.6           4.9         29.4       24.7             4.7
      December             0.5        30.3       24.6           5.7         28.4       23.2             5.2
  
1998  March               -1.4        28.1       22.5           5.6         32.6       25.6             7.0
      June                 2.4        34.5       27.9           6.6         24.4       20.2             4.2
      September            0.2        28.1       23.2           4.9         29.6       24.9             4.7
      December             0.5        30.1       24.7           5.4         27.7       22.8             4.9
  
1999  March               -1.5        27.8       22.5           5.3         32.4       25.6             6.8
      June                 1.5        34.2       27.9           6.3         25.3       20.5             4.8
      September           -0.1        28.3       23.3           5.0         30.2       25.1             5.1
      December             1.2        31.0       24.9           6.1         27.7       22.8             4.9
  
2000  March               -1.3        28.3       22.7           5.6         32.7       25.8             6.9
      June                 1.8        34.0       27.7           6.3         25.3       20.8             4.5
      September           -0.1        28.0       23.0           5.0         30.3       25.2             5.1
      December             0.8        29.8       24.0           5.8         28.5       23.5             5.0
  
2001  March               -1.7        27.4       22.1           5.3         32.7       25.7             7.0
      June                 1.4        32.6       26.6           6.0         25.7       21.1             4.6
      September           -0.6        26.2       21.5           4.7         31.1       25.8             5.3
      December             0.8        28.3       22.6           5.7         28.7       23.8             4.9
  
2002  March               -1.6        26.3       21.1           5.2         32.3       25.5             6.8
      June                 1.6        32.1       26.0           6.1         25.0       20.5             4.5
      September            0.0        26.4       21.7           4.7         29.3       24.6             4.7
      December             0.9        28.3       22.6           5.7         27.8       23.0             4.8
  

(1) See footnote 1, table 7.
(2) See footnote 1, table 5.