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Technical information:                  USDL 99-81
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                                        release is embargoed until
   Establishment data:    606-6555      8:30 A.M. (EST),
Media contact:            606-5902      Friday, April 2, 1999.
                                     
                                     
                   THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION:  MARCH 1999
                                     
                                     
   Employment was little changed in March, and the unemployment rate
declined to 4.2 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S.
Department of Labor reported today.  Nonfarm payroll employment increased
by only 46,000.  Employment rose in most service-producing industries, but
unseasonably cold weather contributed to job losses in construction.
Manufacturing and mining employment continued to decline.
   
Unemployment (Household Survey Data)
   
   Both the number of unemployed persons, 5.8 million, and the unemploy-
ment rate, 4.2 percent, decreased in March.  From April 1998 through
February 1999, the rate had been in the 4.3- to 4.5-percent range. The
jobless rate for adult men dropped to 3.2 percent in March. Unemployment
rates for whites (3.6 percent) and Hispanics (5.8 percent) also decreased,
while rates for other major demographic groups--adult women (3.9 percent),
teenagers (14.3 percent), and blacks (8.1 percent)--were little changed.
(See tables A-1 and A-2.)
   
   Among the major educational attainment categories, the unemployment
rate for persons 25 years and over with less than a high school diploma
fell to 6.1 percent in March.  Jobless rates for high school graduates with
no college experience (3.4 percent), persons with college experience but no
bachelor's degree (2.8 percent), and college graduates (1.9 percent) showed
little or no change.  (See table A-3.)

Total Employment and the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
   
   Total employment was essentially unchanged in March at 133.0 million,
seasonally adjusted.  The employment-population ratio--the proportion of the
population age 16 and older with jobs--was 64.3 percent, little changed over
the month.  (See table A-1.)
   
   The civilian labor force decreased to 138.8 million, seasonally
adjusted.  The labor force participation rate was 67.0 percent in March,
down from 67.3 percent a month earlier.  (See table A-1.)
   
   About 8.0 million persons (not seasonally adjusted) held more than one
job in March.  These multiple jobholders made up 6.1 percent of the total
employed, the same share as a year earlier.  (See table A-10.)
   
Persons Not in the Labor Force (Household Survey Data)
   
   About 1.2 million persons (not seasonally adjusted) were marginally
attached to the labor force in March.  These were people who wanted and
were available for work and had looked for a job sometime in the prior
12 months but were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched
for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey.

                                  - 2 - 

Table A.  Major indicators of labor market activity, seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
___________________________________________________________________________
                      |   Quarterly     |       Monthly data       |
                      |   averages      |                          |
                      |_________________|__________________________| Feb.-
      Category        |  1998  | 1999 1/|         1999 1/          | Mar.
                      |________|________|________ _________________|change
                      |   IV   |   I    |  Jan.  |  Feb.  |  Mar.  |
______________________|________|________|________|________|________|_______
    HOUSEHOLD DATA    |                 Labor force status
                      |____________________________________________________
Civilian labor force..| 138,285| 139,144| 139,347| 139,271| 138,816|   -455
  Employment..........| 132,166| 133,191| 133,396| 133,144| 133,033|   -111
  Unemployment........|   6,120|   5,953|   5,950|   6,127|   5,783|   -344
Not in labor force....|  67,813|  67,732|  67,372|  67,602|  68,220|    618
                      |________|________|________|________|________|_______
                      |                 Unemployment rates
                      |____________________________________________________
All workers...........|     4.4|     4.3|     4.3|     4.4|     4.2|   -0.2
  Adult men...........|     3.6|     3.4|     3.4|     3.7|     3.2|    -.5
  Adult women.........|     4.0|     3.8|     3.7|     3.8|     3.9|     .1
  Teenagers...........|    14.9|    14.6|    15.5|    14.1|    14.3|     .2
  White...............|     3.8|     3.7|     3.8|     3.8|     3.6|    -.2
  Black...............|     8.4|     8.0|     7.8|     8.3|     8.1|    -.2
  Hispanic origin.....|     7.4|     6.4|     6.6|     6.7|     5.8|    -.9
                      |________|________|________|________|________|_______
 ESTABLISHMENT DATA   |                     Employment
                      |____________________________________________________
Nonfarm employment....| 126,816|p127,548| 127,335|p127,632|p127,678|    p46
  Goods-producing 2/..|  25,221| p25,235|  25,251| p25,271| p25,182|   p-89
    Construction......|   6,072|  p6,207|   6,170|  p6,249|  p6,202|   p-47
    Manufacturing.....|  18,588| p18,488|  18,534| p18,483| p18,448|   p-35
  Service-producing 2/| 101,596|p102,314| 102,084|p102,361|p102,496|   p135
    Retail trade......|  22,658| p22,805|  22,755| p22,836| p22,825|   p-11
    Services..........|  38,031| p38,359|  38,245| p38,369| p38,464|    p95
    Government........|  19,985| p20,087|  20,045| p20,098| p20,118|    p20
                      |________|________|________|________|________|_______
                      |                  Hours of work 3/
                      |____________________________________________________
Total private.........|    34.6|   p34.5|    34.5|   p34.6|   p34.5|  p-0.1
  Manufacturing.......|    41.7|   p41.6|    41.6|   p41.6|   p41.6|    p.0
    Overtime..........|     4.5|    p4.5|     4.6|    p4.5|    p4.5|    p.0
                      |________|________|________|________|________|_______
                      |    Indexes of aggregate weekly hours (1982=100) 3/
                      |____________________________________________________
Total private.........|   146.0|  p146.7|   146.4|  p147.2|  p146.5|  p-0.7
                      |________|________|________|________|________|_______
                      |                      Earnings 3/
                      |____________________________________________________
Avg. hourly earnings, |        |        |        |        |        |
  total private.......|  $12.94| p$13.06|  $13.03| p$13.06| p$13.09| p$0.03
Avg. weekly earnings, |        |        |        |        |        |
  total private.......|  447.29| p451.01|  449.54| p451.88| p451.61|  p-.27
______________________|________|________|________|________|________|_______
    1/ Beginning in January 1999, household data reflect revised population
controls used in the Current Population Survey.
    2/ Includes other industries, not shown separately.
    3/ Data relate to private production or nonsupervisory workers.
p=preliminary.

                                  - 3 -

   The number of discouraged workers--a subset of the marginally attached
who were not currently looking for work specifically because they believed
no jobs were available for them--was 295,000 in March.  (See table A-10.)
   
Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data)
   
   Nonfarm payroll employment rose by only 46,000 in March, to 127.7
million, seasonally adjusted.  Over the prior 4 months, job gains had
averaged 276,000 a month.  (See table B-1.)
   
   Construction employment dropped by 47,000, seasonally adjusted, in
March, after increasing by 268,000 over the prior 5 months.  Relatively
mild weather had helped bolster employment in the winter months.  As a
result, there was less need for seasonal hiring in March.  In addition,
unusually cold weather in much of the country during the March survey
reference period further slowed hiring.  Most of the over-the-month
declines in construction employment, on a seasonally adjusted basis, were
in outside activities such as heavy construction and the masonry, concrete,
and roofing components of special trades.
   
   Manufacturing employment fell by 35,000 in March, continuing a downward
trend that began a year earlier.  In March, job reductions continued in
industrial machinery (-14,000) and fabricated metals (-4,000).  Over the
past 12 months, manufacturing has lost 381,000 jobs.  The largest over-the-
year employment declines occurred in industrial machinery (-89,000),
apparel (-83,000), and electrical equipment (-69,000).
   
   Employment in mining declined by 7,000 in March and has fallen by
55,000 over the year.  While the declines have been concentrated in oil and
gas extraction, the March drop was spread across all types of mining.
   
   Within the service-producing sector, employment in retail trade was
little changed in March, after seasonal adjustment.  Employment in eating
and drinking places fell by 48,000, reflecting below-normal seasonal
hiring.  Other retail industries added jobs in March, including 14,000 in
general merchandise stores and 9,000 each in furniture stores and
miscellaneous retail establishments.
   
   The services industry added 95,000 jobs in March, slightly below the
average monthly increase of 112,000 for the previous 12 months.  Robust
employment growth continued in engineering and management services.
Computer services also grew, but the gain of 10,000 jobs in March fell
short of the average monthly gain of 17,000 over the prior year.  Help
supply services added 13,000 jobs over the month; this industry has added
81,000 jobs since September, following a 7-month period with no net change.
Over the month, employment in health services rose by 15,000, with gains
occurring in doctors' offices and hospitals.  Agricultural services
employment declined by 8,000, after seasonal adjustment.  This industry
includes landscape and horticultural services, activities that likely were
affected by the harsh weather conditions in early March.
   
   Employment in finance rose by 11,000 in March, as growth continued
throughout most of its component industries.  The insurance industry posted
an increase of 6,000, in line with its recent trend.  Real estate
employment declined slightly for the second straight month; it had risen by
62,000 over the prior 12 months.
   
   Employment in transportation and public utilities increased by 8,000 in
March, below the industry's average monthly growth of 14,000 over the prior
year.  Communications employment was essentially flat.  Transportation
added 11,000 jobs, largely in trucking.

                                  - 4 - 

   Wholesale trade employment rose by 9,000 in March, with increases split
between durable and nondurable goods distribution.  Within government,
local education employment rose by 21,000 over the month.
   
Weekly Hours (Establishment Survey Data)
   
   The average workweek for production or nonsupervisory workers on
private nonfarm payrolls edged down 0.1 hour in March to 34.5 hours,
seasonally adjusted.  The manufacturing workweek was 41.6 hours for the
third straight month.  Factory overtime, at 4.5 hours, was unchanged over
the month.  (See table B-2.)
   
   The index of aggregate weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory
workers on private nonfarm payrolls declined by 0.5 percent to 146.5
(1982=100), seasonally adjusted.  The manufacturing index was down
0.4 percent in March to 106.3.  (See table B-5.)
   
Hourly and Weekly Earnings (Establishment Survey Data)
   
   Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on
private nonfarm payrolls rose by 3 cents in March to $13.09, seasonally
adjusted.  This followed a 3-cent gain (as revised) in February.  Average
weekly earnings were $451.61 in March (seasonally adjusted), down less than
0.1 percent over the month. Over the year, average hourly earnings rose by
3.6 percent and average weekly earnings increased by 3.3 percent.  (See
table B-3.)
   
                 ________________________________________
   
   The Employment Situation for April 1999 is scheduled to be released on
Friday, May 7, at 8:30 A.M. (EDT).
                                  - 5 -

Explanatory Note


 This news release presents statistics from two major surveys, the Current
Population Survey (household survey) and the Current Employment Statistics
survey (establishment survey).  The household survey provides the
information on the labor force, employment, and unemployment that appears
in the A tables, marked HOUSEHOLD DATA.  It is a sample survey of about
50,000 households  conducted by the Bureau of the Census  for the Bureau of
Labor Statistics (BLS).
 
 The establishment survey provides the information on the employment,
hours, and earnings of workers on nonfarm payrolls that appears in the B
tables, marked ESTABLISHMENT DATA.  This information is collected from
payroll records by BLS in cooperation with State agencies.  In June 1998,
the sample included about 390,000 establishments employing about 48 million
people.
 
 For both surveys, the data for a given month  relate to a particular week
or pay period.  In the household survey,  the reference week is generally
the calendar week that contains the 12th day of the month.  In the
establishment survey, the reference  period is the pay period including the
12th, which may or may not correspond directly to the calendar week.

Coverage, definitions, and differences between surveys
 
 Household survey.  The sample  is selected  to reflect the entire
civilian noninstitutional population.  Based on responses to a series of
questions on work and job search activities, each person  16 years and over
in a sample household is classified as employed, unemployed, or not in the
labor force.
 
 People are classified as employed if they did any work at all as paid
employees during the reference week; worked in their own business,
profession, or on their own farm; or worked without pay at least 15 hours
in a family business or farm.  People are also counted as employed if they
were  temporarily absent from their jobs because of illness, bad weather,
vacation, labor-management disputes, or personal reasons.
 
 People are classified as unemployed if they meet all of the following
criteria:  They had no employment during the  reference week; they were
available for work at that time; and they made specific efforts to find
employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the reference
week.  Persons laid off from  a job and expecting recall   need not be
looking for work to be counted as unemployed.  The unemployment data
derived from the household survey in no way depend upon the eligibility for
or receipt of unemployment insurance benefits.
 
 The civilian labor force  is the sum of  employed and  unemployed
persons.  Those not classified as employed or unemployed are not in the
labor force.  The unemployment rate is the number unemployed as a percent
of the  labor force.  The labor force participation rate is the labor force
as a percent of the population, and the employment-population ratio is the
employed as a percent of the population.
 
 Establishment survey.  The sample establishments are drawn from private
nonfarm businesses such as factories, offices, and stores, as well as
Federal, State, and local government entities.  Employees on nonfarm
payrolls are those who received pay for any part of the reference pay
period, including persons on paid leave.  Persons are counted in each job
they hold.  Hours and earnings data are for private businesses and relate
only to production workers in the goods-producing sector and nonsupervisory
workers in the service-producing sector.

                                  - 6 -
 
 Differences in employment estimates.  The numerous conceptual and
methodological differences between the household and establishment surveys
result in important distinctions in the employment estimates derived from
the surveys.  Among these are:
 
 --The household survey includes agricultural workers, the self-employed,
unpaid family workers, and private household workers among the employed.
These groups are excluded from the establishment survey.

 --The household survey includes people on unpaid leave among the
employed. The establishment survey does not.
 
 --The household survey is limited to  workers 16 years of age and older.
The establishment survey is not limited by age.
 
 --The  household survey has no duplication of individuals, because
individuals  are counted only once, even if they hold more than one job. In
the establishment survey, employees working at more than one job  and thus
appearing on more than one payroll would be counted separately for each
appearance.
 
 Other differences between the two surveys are described in   "Comparing
Employment Estimates from Household and Payroll Surveys," which may be
obtained from BLS upon request.

Seasonal adjustment
 
 Over the course of a year, the size of the nation's labor force and the
levels of employment and unemployment undergo sharp fluctuations due to
such seasonal events as changes in 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; seasonal
fluctuations may account for as much as 95 percent of the month-to-month
changes in unemployment.
 
 Because these seasonal events follow a more or less regular pattern each
year, their influence on statistical trends can be eliminated by adjusting
the statistics from month to month.  These adjustments make nonseasonal
developments, such as declines in economic activity or increases in the
participation of women in the labor force, easier to spot.  For example,
the large number of youth entering the labor force each June is likely to
obscure any other changes that have taken place relative to May, making it
difficult to determine if the level of economic activity has risen or
declined.  However, because the effect of students finishing school in
previous years is known, the statistics for the current year can be
adjusted to allow for a comparable change.  Insofar as the seasonal
adjustment is made correctly, the adjusted figure provides a more useful
tool with which to analyze changes in economic activity.
 
 In both the household and establishment surveys, most seasonally adjusted
series are independently adjusted.  However, the adjusted series for many
major estimates, such as total payroll employment, employment in most major
industry divisions, total employment, and unemployment are computed by
aggregating independently adjusted component series.  For example, total
unemployment is derived by summing the adjusted series for four major age-
sex components; this differs from the unemployment estimate that would be
obtained by directly adjusting the total or by combining the duration,
reasons, or more detailed age categories.
 
 The numerical factors used to make the seasonal adjustments are
recalculated twice a year.  For the household survey, the factors are
calculated for the January-June period and again for the July-December

                                  - 7 -

period.  For the establishment survey, updated factors for seasonal
adjustment are calculated for the May-October period and introduced along
with new benchmarks, and again for the November-April period.  In both
surveys, revisions to historical data are made once a year.

Reliability of the estimates
 
 Statistics based on the household and establishment surveys 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.  There is about 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.  BLS
analyses are generally conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.
 
 For example, the confidence interval for the monthly change in total
employment from the household survey is on the order of plus or minus
376,000.  Suppose the estimate of total employment increases by 100,000
from one month to the next.  The 90-percent confidence interval on the
monthly change would range from -276,000 to 476,000 (100,000 +/- 376,000).
These figures do not mean that the sample results are off by these
magnitudes, but rather that there is about a 90-percent chance that the
"true" over-the-month change lies within this interval.  Since this range
includes values of less than zero, we could not say with confidence that
employment had, in fact, increased.  If, however, the reported employment
rise was half a million, then all of the values within the 90-percent
confidence interval would be greater than zero.  In this case, it is likely
(at least a 90-percent chance) that an employment rise had, in fact,
occurred.  The 90-percent confidence interval for the monthly change in
unemployment is +/- 258,000, and for the monthly change in the unemployment
rate it is +/- .21 percentage point.
 
 In general, estimates involving many individuals or establishments have
lower standard errors (relative to the size of the estimate) than estimates
which are based on a small number of observations.  The precision of
estimates is also improved when the data are cumulated over time such as
for quarterly and annual averages.  The seasonal adjustment process can
also improve the stability of the monthly estimates.
 
 The household and establishment surveys are also affected by nonsampling
error.  Nonsampling errors can occur for many reasons, including the
failure to sample a segment of the population, inability to obtain
information for all respondents in the sample, inability or unwillingness
of respondents to provide correct information on a timely basis, mistakes
made by respondents, and errors made in the collection or processing of the
data.
 
 For example, in the establishment survey, estimates for the most recent 2
months are based on substantially incomplete returns; for this reason,
these estimates are labeled preliminary in the tables.  It is only after
two successive revisions to a monthly estimate, when nearly all sample
reports have been received, that the estimate is considered final.
 
 Another major source of nonsampling error in the establishment survey is
the inability to capture, on a timely basis, employment generated by new
firms.  To correct for this systematic underestimation of employment growth
(and other sources of error), a process known as bias adjustment is
included in the survey's estimating procedures, whereby a specified number
of jobs is added to the monthly sample-based change.  The size of the

                                  - 8 -

monthly bias adjustment is based largely on past relationships between the
sample-based estimates of employment and the total counts of employment
described below.
 
 The sample-based estimates from the establishment survey are adjusted
once a year (on a lagged basis) to universe counts of payroll employment
obtained from administrative records of the unemployment insurance program.
The difference between the March sample-based employment estimates and the
March universe counts is known as a benchmark revision, and serves as a
rough proxy for total survey error.  The new benchmarks also incorporate
changes in the classification of industries.  Over the past decade, the
benchmark revision for total nonfarm employment has averaged 0.2 percent,
ranging from zero to 0.6 percent.

Additional statistics and other information
 
 More comprehensive statistics are contained in Employment and Earnings,
published each month by BLS.  It is available for $17.00 per issue or
$35.00 per year from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC
20402.  All orders must be prepaid by sending a check or money order
payable to the Superintendent of Documents, or by charging to Mastercard or
Visa.
 
 Employment and Earnings also provides measures of sampling error for the
household survey data published in this release.  For unemployment and
other labor force categories, these measures appear in tables 1-B through
1-H of its "Explanatory Notes."  Measures of the reliability of the data
drawn from the establishment survey and the actual amounts of revision due
to benchmark adjustments are provided in tables 2-B through 2-G of that
publication.
 
 Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  202-606-STAT; TDD phone:
202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone:  1-800-326-2577.
  HOUSEHOLD DATA                                                                                              HOUSEHOLD DATA
  
  Table A-1.  Employment status of the civilian population by sex and age

  (Numbers in thousands)
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                     Not seasonally adjusted              Seasonally adjusted(1)            
                                                                                                                            
           Employment status, sex, and age                                                                                  
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                       Mar.    Feb.    Mar.    Mar.    Nov.    Dec.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar. 
                                                       1998    1999    1999    1998    1998    1998    1999    1999    1999 
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                        TOTAL                                                                                               
                                                                                                                            
  Civilian noninstitutional population.............. 204,547 206,873 207,036 204,547 206,104 206,270 206,719 206,873 207,036
    Civilian labor force............................ 136,967 138,202 138,418 137,340 138,193 138,547 139,347 139,271 138,816
          Participation rate........................    67.0    66.8    66.9    67.1    67.1    67.2    67.4    67.3    67.0
      Employed...................................... 130,150 131,639 132,299 130,908 132,113 132,526 133,396 133,144 133,033
          Employment-population ratio...............    63.6    63.6    63.9    64.0    64.1    64.2    64.5    64.4    64.3
        Agriculture.................................   2,931   2,894   3,022   3,173   3,348   3,222   3,299   3,328   3,281
        Nonagricultural industries.................. 127,219 128,744 129,277 127,735 128,765 129,304 130,097 129,817 129,752
      Unemployed....................................   6,816   6,563   6,119   6,432   6,080   6,021   5,950   6,127   5,783
          Unemployment rate.........................     5.0     4.7     4.4     4.7     4.4     4.3     4.3     4.4     4.2
    Not in labor force..............................  67,580  68,671  68,618  67,207  67,911  67,723  67,372  67,602  68,220
                                                                                                                            
                Men, 16 years and over                                                                                      
                                                                                                                            
  Civilian noninstitutional population..............  98,405  99,279  99,362  98,405  99,217  99,309  99,198  99,279  99,362
    Civilian labor force............................  73,285  73,718  73,785  73,657  74,345  74,437  74,599  74,504  74,234
          Participation rate........................    74.5    74.3    74.3    74.9    74.9    75.0    75.2    75.0    74.7
      Employed......................................  69,506  70,084  70,544  70,295  71,182  71,204  71,459  71,276  71,352
          Employment-population ratio...............    70.6    70.6    71.0    71.4    71.7    71.7    72.0    71.8    71.8
      Unemployed....................................   3,779   3,634   3,242   3,362   3,163   3,233   3,140   3,228   2,881
          Unemployment rate.........................     5.2     4.9     4.4     4.6     4.3     4.3     4.2     4.3     3.9
                                                                                                                            
                Men, 20 years and over                                                                                      
                                                                                                                            
  Civilian noninstitutional population..............  90,502  91,189  91,215  90,502  91,192  91,220  91,124  91,189  91,215
    Civilian labor force............................  69,356  69,746  69,781  69,446  70,023  70,069  70,295  70,174  69,951
          Participation rate........................    76.6    76.5    76.5    76.7    76.8    76.8    77.1    77.0    76.7
      Employed......................................  66,263  66,730  67,185  66,769  67,573  67,553  67,884  67,577  67,713
          Employment-population ratio...............    73.2    73.2    73.7    73.8    74.1    74.1    74.5    74.1    74.2
        Agriculture.................................   2,066   1,953   2,086   2,194   2,374   2,237   2,312   2,212   2,222
        Nonagricultural industries..................  64,197  64,777  65,099  64,575  65,199  65,316  65,572  65,365  65,492
      Unemployed....................................   3,093   3,016   2,597   2,677   2,450   2,516   2,411   2,598   2,238
          Unemployment rate.........................     4.5     4.3     3.7     3.9     3.5     3.6     3.4     3.7     3.2
                                                                                                                            
               Women, 16 years and over                                                                                     
                                                                                                                            
  Civilian noninstitutional population.............. 106,141 107,593 107,674 106,141 106,887 106,960 107,521 107,593 107,674
    Civilian labor force............................  63,682  64,484  64,632  63,683  63,848  64,110  64,748  64,767  64,582
          Participation rate........................    60.0    59.9    60.0    60.0    59.7    59.9    60.2    60.2    60.0
      Employed......................................  60,644  61,555  61,755  60,613  60,931  61,322  61,937  61,869  61,680
          Employment-population ratio...............    57.1    57.2    57.4    57.1    57.0    57.3    57.6    57.5    57.3
      Unemployed....................................   3,038   2,929   2,877   3,070   2,917   2,788   2,810   2,899   2,902
          Unemployment rate.........................     4.8     4.5     4.5     4.8     4.6     4.3     4.3     4.5     4.5
                                                                                                                            
               Women, 20 years and over                                                                                     
                                                                                                                            
  Civilian noninstitutional population..............  98,534  99,746  99,833  98,534  99,135  99,181  99,686  99,746  99,833
    Civilian labor force............................  59,869  60,608  60,780  59,666  59,896  60,078  60,718  60,622  60,533
          Participation rate........................    60.8    60.8    60.9    60.6    60.4    60.6    60.9    60.8    60.6
      Employed......................................  57,316  58,210  58,400  57,136  57,503  57,745  58,466  58,291  58,183
          Employment-population ratio...............    58.2    58.4    58.5    58.0    58.0    58.2    58.7    58.4    58.3
        Agriculture.................................     676     757     764     734     734     753     808     839     834
        Nonagricultural industries..................  56,639  57,452  57,635  56,402  56,769  56,992  57,659  57,452  57,349
      Unemployed....................................   2,554   2,398   2,381   2,530   2,393   2,333   2,251   2,330   2,350
          Unemployment rate.........................     4.3     4.0     3.9     4.2     4.0     3.9     3.7     3.8     3.9
                                                                                                                            
              Both sexes, 16 to 19 years                                                                                    
                                                                                                                            
  Civilian  noninstitutional population.............  15,511  15,939  15,988  15,511  15,777  15,868  15,909  15,939  15,988
    Civilian labor force............................   7,742   7,849   7,856   8,228   8,274   8,400   8,334   8,475   8,331
          Participation rate........................    49.9    49.2    49.1    53.0    52.4    52.9    52.4    53.2    52.1
      Employed......................................   6,571   6,699   6,715   7,003   7,037   7,228   7,046   7,276   7,136
          Employment-population ratio...............    42.4    42.0    42.0    45.1    44.6    45.5    44.3    45.7    44.6
        Agriculture.................................     189     184     172     245     240     232     179     277     224
        Nonagricultural industries..................   6,383   6,515   6,543   6,758   6,797   6,996   6,867   6,999   6,912
      Unemployed....................................   1,170   1,150   1,142   1,225   1,237   1,172   1,288   1,199   1,195
          Unemployment rate.........................    15.1    14.6    14.5    14.9    15.0    14.0    15.5    14.1    14.3

    1 The population figures are not adjusted for seasonal variation; therefore, identical numbers appear in the unadjusted
  and seasonally adjusted columns.
     NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






  HOUSEHOLD DATA                                                                                              HOUSEHOLD DATA
  
  Table A-2.  Employment status of the civilian population by race, sex, age, and Hispanic origin

  (Numbers in thousands)
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                     Not seasonally adjusted              Seasonally adjusted(1)            
                                                                                                                            
        Employment status, race, sex, age, and                                                                              
                   Hispanic origin                                                                                          
                                                                                                                            
                                                       Mar.    Feb.    Mar.    Mar.    Nov.    Dec.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar. 
                                                       1998    1999    1999    1998    1998    1998    1999    1999    1999 
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                        WHITE                                                                                               
  Civilian noninstitutional population.............. 171,016 172,491 172,597 171,016 172,084 172,197 172,394 172,491 172,597
    Civilian labor force............................ 114,822 115,821 115,866 115,184 115,687 115,996 116,529 116,610 116,284
        Participation rate..........................    67.1    67.1    67.1    67.4    67.2    67.4    67.6    67.6    67.4
      Employed...................................... 109,842 110,949 111,414 110,556 111,304 111,560 112,135 112,189 112,144
        Employment-population ratio.................    64.2    64.3    64.6    64.6    64.7    64.8    65.0    65.0    65.0
      Unemployed....................................   4,980   4,873   4,451   4,628   4,383   4,436   4,394   4,420   4,140
        Unemployment rate...........................     4.3     4.2     3.8     4.0     3.8     3.8     3.8     3.8     3.6
                                                                                                                            
                Men, 20 years and over                                                                                      
    Civilian labor force............................  59,084  59,443  59,541  59,179  59,634  59,712  59,751  59,799  59,698
        Participation rate..........................    77.0    77.0    77.1    77.1    77.2    77.2    77.5    77.5    77.3
      Employed......................................  56,751  57,078  57,546  57,201  57,806  57,813  57,920  57,830  58,010
        Employment-population ratio.................    73.9    74.0    74.5    74.5    74.8    74.8    75.1    75.0    75.1
      Unemployed....................................   2,333   2,365   1,995   1,978   1,828   1,899   1,831   1,969   1,688
        Unemployment rate...........................     3.9     4.0     3.4     3.3     3.1     3.2     3.1     3.3     2.8
                                                                                                                            
               Women, 20 years and over                                                                                     
    Civilian labor force............................  49,153  49,721  49,729  49,028  49,065  49,230  49,759  49,721  49,602
        Participation rate..........................    60.0    60.1    60.1    59.9    59.6    59.8    60.2    60.1    59.9
      Employed......................................  47,371  48,061  48,078  47,271  47,415  47,585  48,110  48,109  47,983
        Employment-population ratio.................    57.8    58.1    58.1    57.7    57.6    57.8    58.2    58.2    58.0
      Unemployed....................................   1,783   1,660   1,650   1,757   1,650   1,645   1,650   1,612   1,620
        Unemployment rate...........................     3.6     3.3     3.3     3.6     3.4     3.3     3.3     3.2     3.3
                                                                                                                            
              Both sexes, 16 to 19 years                                                                                    
    Civilian labor force............................   6,584   6,657   6,596   6,977   6,988   7,054   7,019   7,090   6,984
        Participation rate..........................    53.4    52.7    52.1    56.6    55.7    56.1    55.6    56.1    55.2
      Employed......................................   5,720   5,809   5,790   6,084   6,083   6,162   6,105   6,250   6,151
        Employment-population ratio.................    46.4    46.0    45.8    49.3    48.5    49.0    48.4    49.5    48.6
      Unemployed....................................     864     848     806     893     905     892     913     840     833
        Unemployment rate...........................    13.1    12.7    12.2    12.8    13.0    12.6    13.0    11.8    11.9
          Men.......................................    15.8    13.6    13.7    14.7    14.1    14.5    14.1    12.2    12.7
          Women.....................................    10.3    11.8    10.7    10.7    11.6    10.6    11.9    11.4    11.1
                                                                                                                            
                        BLACK                                                                                               
  Civilian noninstitutional population..............  24,257  24,697  24,729  24,257  24,529  24,561  24,665  24,697  24,729
    Civilian labor force............................  15,855  16,004  16,125  15,931  16,201  16,157  16,356  16,242  16,212
        Participation rate..........................    65.4    64.8    65.2    65.7    66.0    65.8    66.3    65.8    65.6
      Employed......................................  14,357  14,622  14,798  14,463  14,804  14,884  15,085  14,900  14,904
        Employment-population ratio.................    59.2    59.2    59.8    59.6    60.4    60.6    61.2    60.3    60.3
      Unemployed....................................   1,498   1,381   1,327   1,468   1,397   1,273   1,271   1,342   1,308
        Unemployment rate...........................     9.4     8.6     8.2     9.2     8.6     7.9     7.8     8.3     8.1
                                                                                                                            
                Men, 20 years and over                                                                                      
    Civilian labor force............................   7,023   7,050   7,031   7,037   7,086   7,063   7,210   7,160   7,065
        Participation rate..........................    72.6    71.5    71.2    72.7    72.4    72.0    73.3    72.7    71.6
      Employed......................................   6,439   6,529   6,583   6,503   6,590   6,588   6,782   6,682   6,656
        Employment-population ratio.................    66.5    66.3    66.7    67.2    67.3    67.2    68.9    67.8    67.4
      Unemployed....................................     584     521     448     534     496     475     428     477     409
        Unemployment rate...........................     8.3     7.4     6.4     7.6     7.0     6.7     5.9     6.7     5.8
                                                                                                                            
               Women, 20 years and over                                                                                     
    Civilian labor force............................   7,930   8,057   8,166   7,902   8,051   8,035   8,114   8,082   8,129
        Participation rate..........................    65.3    65.1    65.9    65.0    65.6    65.4    65.7    65.3    65.6
      Employed......................................   7,277   7,457   7,575   7,256   7,443   7,474   7,579   7,509   7,545
        Employment-population ratio.................    59.9    60.3    61.2    59.7    60.6    60.8    61.3    60.7    60.9
      Unemployed....................................     653     600     590     646     608     561     535     573     584
        Unemployment rate...........................     8.2     7.4     7.2     8.2     7.6     7.0     6.6     7.1     7.2
                                                                                                                            
              Both sexes, 16 to 19 years                                                                                    
    Civilian labor force............................     902     897     928     992   1,064   1,059   1,032   1,000   1,018
        Participation rate..........................    37.2    36.3    37.6    40.9    43.3    43.0    41.8    40.5    41.2
      Employed......................................     641     637     639     704     771     822     725     708     702
        Employment-population ratio.................    26.4    25.8    25.9    29.0    31.4    33.4    29.3    28.6    28.4
      Unemployed....................................     261     261     289     288     293     237     307     293     316
        Unemployment rate...........................    28.9    29.0    31.1    29.0    27.5    22.4    29.8    29.2    31.0
          Men.......................................    30.0    31.8    34.7    28.5    33.0    27.3    34.2    31.6    32.9
          Women.....................................    28.0    26.5    27.5    29.5    22.1    17.6    25.0    27.0    29.1

                   HISPANIC ORIGIN

  Civilian noninstitutional population..............  20,851  21,355  21,414  20,851  21,349  21,405  21,296  21,355  21,414
    Civilian labor force............................  14,225  14,466  14,523  14,254  14,389  14,488  14,511  14,591  14,570
        Participation rate..........................    68.2    67.7    67.8    68.4    67.4    67.7    68.1    68.3    68.0
      Employed......................................  13,132  13,420  13,595  13,263  13,345  13,383  13,550  13,610  13,732
        Employment-population ratio.................    63.0    62.8    63.5    63.6    62.5    62.5    63.6    63.7    64.1
      Unemployed....................................   1,093   1,046     929     991   1,044   1,105     960     980     838
        Unemployment rate...........................     7.7     7.2     6.4     7.0     7.3     7.6     6.6     6.7     5.8

    1 The population figures are not adjusted for seasonal variation; therefore, identical numbers appear in the unadjusted
  and seasonally adjusted columns.
      NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other races"
  group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.  Beginning in January
  1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






  HOUSEHOLD DATA                                                                                               HOUSEHOLD DATA
  
  Table A-3. Employment status of the civilian population 25 years and over by educational attainment, seasonally adjusted

  (Numbers in thousands)
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                               Not seasonally adjusted                  Seasonally adjusted(1)               
                                                                                                                             
            Educational attainment                                                                                           
                                                                                                                             
                                               Mar.     Feb.     Mar.     Mar.     Nov.     Dec.     Jan.     Feb.     Mar.  
                                               1998     1999     1999     1998     1998     1998     1999     1999     1999  
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
       Less than a high school diploma                                                                                       
                                                                                                                             
  Civilian noninstitutional population......   29,251   28,112   28,442   29,251   29,084   29,094   28,901   28,112   28,442
    Civilian labor force....................   12,568   11,917   12,119   12,516   12,463   12,500   12,379   12,164   12,094
        Percent of population...............     43.0     42.4     42.6     42.8     42.9     43.0     42.8     43.3     42.5
      Employed..............................   11,535   10,897   11,265   11,622   11,574   11,626   11,459   11,257   11,356
        Employment-population ratio.........     39.4     38.8     39.6     39.7     39.8     40.0     39.7     40.0     39.9
      Unemployed............................    1,033    1,020      854      894      889      874      920      907      739
        Unemployment rate...................      8.2      8.6      7.0      7.1      7.1      7.0      7.4      7.5      6.1
                                                                                                                             
     High school graduates, no college(2)                                                                                    
                                                                                                                             
  Civilian noninstitutional population......   57,885   57,062   57,805   57,885   57,273   57,115   57,477   57,062   57,805
    Civilian labor force....................   37,873   37,063   37,734   37,850   37,408   37,296   37,590   37,261   37,740
        Percent of population...............     65.4     65.0     65.3     65.4     65.3     65.3     65.4     65.3     65.3
      Employed..............................   36,113   35,583   36,302   36,262   35,947   35,873   36,291   35,979   36,448
        Employment-population ratio.........     62.4     62.4     62.8     62.6     62.8     62.8     63.1     63.1     63.1
      Unemployed............................    1,760    1,479    1,432    1,588    1,461    1,423    1,299    1,282    1,292
        Unemployment rate...................      4.6      4.0      3.8      4.2      3.9      3.8      3.5      3.4      3.4
                                                                                                                             
       Less than a bachelor's degree(3)                                                                                      
                                                                                                                             
  Civilian noninstitutional population......   42,313   43,911   43,028   42,313   42,863   43,022   43,154   43,911   43,028
    Civilian labor force....................   31,424   32,601   31,826   31,459   31,727   31,800   32,399   32,465   31,892
        Percent of population...............     74.3     74.2     74.0     74.3     74.0     73.9     75.1     73.9     74.1
      Employed..............................   30,319   31,525   30,835   30,448   30,825   30,911   31,470   31,462   30,989
        Employment-population ratio.........     71.7     71.8     71.7     72.0     71.9     71.8     72.9     71.6     72.0
      Unemployed............................    1,105    1,077      991    1,011      902      889      929    1,003      903
        Unemployment rate...................      3.5      3.3      3.1      3.2      2.8      2.8      2.9      3.1      2.8
                                                                                                                             
              College graduates                                                                                              
                                                                                                                             
  Civilian noninstitutional population......   42,085   43,949   43,859   42,085   43,408   43,484   43,516   43,949   43,859
    Civilian labor force....................   33,957   35,149   35,124   33,833   34,554   34,838   34,950   35,040   34,997
        Percent of population...............     80.7     80.0     80.1     80.4     79.6     80.1     80.3     79.7     79.8
      Employed..............................   33,344   34,471   34,483   33,210   33,922   34,205   34,325   34,368   34,345
        Employment-population ratio.........     79.2     78.4     78.6     78.9     78.1     78.7     78.9     78.2     78.3
      Unemployed............................      614      678      641      623      632      633      624      673      652
        Unemployment rate...................      1.8      1.9      1.8      1.8      1.8      1.8      1.8      1.9      1.9

    1 The population figures are not adjusted for seasonal variation, therefore, identical numbers appear in the unadjusted
  and seasonally adjusted columns.
    2 Includes high school diploma or equivalent.
    3 Includes the categories, some college, no degree; and associate degree.
     NOTE:  Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






  HOUSEHOLD DATA                                                                                              HOUSEHOLD DATA
  
  Table A-4. Selected employment indicators

  (In thousands)
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                     Not seasonally adjusted               Seasonally adjusted              
                                                                                                                            
                       Category                                                                                             
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                       Mar.    Feb.    Mar.    Mar.    Nov.    Dec.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar. 
                                                       1998    1999    1999    1998    1998    1998    1999    1999    1999 
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                    CHARACTERISTIC                                                                                          
                                                                                                                            
  Total employed, 16 years and over................. 130,150 131,639 132,299 130,908 132,113 132,526 133,396 133,144 133,033
    Married men, spouse present.....................  42,608  42,757  42,941  42,789  43,209  43,227  43,542  43,016  43,114
    Married women, spouse present...................  33,003  33,092  33,300  32,853  32,953  33,093  33,652  33,092  33,134
    Women who maintain families.....................   7,901   8,105   8,254   7,802   7,969   8,087   8,076   8,113   8,148
                                                                                                                            
                      OCCUPATION                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
    Managerial and professional specialty...........  38,661  39,607  40,138  38,433  39,459  39,729  39,836  39,531  39,900
    Technical, sales, and administrative support....  38,577  38,979  38,854  38,631  38,430  38,307  38,846  39,254  38,893
    Service occupations.............................  17,698  18,000  17,965  17,796  18,024  17,976  18,070  18,163  18,074
    Precision production, craft, and repair.........  14,421  14,477  14,543  14,552  14,552  14,685  14,751  14,742  14,661
    Operators, fabricators, and laborers............  17,831  17,648  17,763  18,226  18,067  18,480  18,476  18,021  18,177
    Farming, forestry, and fishing..................   2,962   2,928   3,035   3,326   3,538   3,396   3,422   3,490   3,417
                                                                                                                            
                   CLASS OF WORKER                                                                                          
                                                                                                                            
    Agriculture:                                                                                                            
      Wage and salary workers.......................   1,733   1,646   1,721   1,905   2,005   1,912   1,987   1,895   1,893
      Self-employed workers.........................   1,168   1,220   1,267   1,264   1,304   1,304   1,298   1,381   1,376
      Unpaid family workers.........................      30      28      34      34      40      34      30      44      39
    Nonagricultural industries:                                                                                             
      Wage and salary workers....................... 118,294 120,119 120,509 118,797 119,718 120,380 121,115 121,066 121,005
        Government..................................  18,289  19,027  18,867  18,124  18,607  18,686  18,913  18,782  18,699
        Private industries.......................... 100,005 101,093 101,642 100,673 101,111 101,694 102,202 102,283 102,306
          Private households........................   1,010     832     929     997     969     943     881     849     917
          Other industries..........................  98,994 100,261 100,713  99,676 100,142 100,751 101,321 101,434 101,389
      Self-employed workers.........................   8,819   8,511   8,642   8,831   8,929   8,814   8,830   8,658   8,650
      Unpaid family workers.........................     106     114     126     105     112     122     121     114     125
                                                                                                                            
              PERSONS AT WORK PART TIME                                                                                     
                                                                                                                            
    All industries:                                                                                                         
      Part time for economic reasons................   4,011   3,594   3,703   3,866   3,340   3,417   3,562   3,426   3,564
        Slack work or business conditions...........   2,300   2,174   2,160   2,183   1,910   1,927   2,093   1,984   2,045
        Could only find part-time work..............   1,467   1,132   1,269   1,398   1,157   1,148   1,115   1,141   1,208
      Part time for noneconomic reasons.............  19,260  19,481  19,398  18,434  18,634  18,674  18,485  18,642  18,545
                                                                                                                            
    Nonagricultural industries:                                                                                             
      Part time for economic reasons................   3,834   3,443   3,499   3,698   3,191   3,257   3,413   3,298   3,374
        Slack work or business conditions...........   2,166   2,085   2,055   2,062   1,824   1,841   1,989   1,906   1,955
        Could only find part-time work..............   1,448   1,109   1,225   1,370   1,130   1,116   1,094   1,108   1,159
      Part time for noneconomic reasons.............  18,736  18,964  18,841  17,872  18,110  18,155  17,921  18,061  17,944

      NOTE: Persons at work excludes employed persons who were absent from their jobs during the entire reference week for
  reasons such as vacation, illness, or industrial dispute.  Part time for noneconomic reasons excludes persons who usually
  work full time but worked only 1 to 34 hours during the reference week for reasons such as holidays, illness, and bad
  weather.  Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






  HOUSEHOLD DATA                                                                                              HOUSEHOLD DATA
  
  Table A-5. Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                            Number of                                                       
                                                        unemployed persons                Unemployment rates(1)             
                                                          (in thousands)                                                    
                       Category                                                                                             
                                                                                                                            
                                                       Mar.    Feb.    Mar.    Mar.    Nov.    Dec.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar. 
                                                       1998    1999    1999    1998    1998    1998    1999    1999    1999 
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                    CHARACTERISTIC                                                                                          
                                                                                                                            
   Total, 16 years and over.........................   6,432   6,127   5,783    4.7     4.4     4.3     4.3     4.4     4.2 
     Men, 20 years and over.........................   2,677   2,598   2,238    3.9     3.5     3.6     3.4     3.7     3.2 
     Women, 20 years and over.......................   2,530   2,330   2,350    4.2     4.0     3.9     3.7     3.8     3.9 
     Both sexes, 16 to 19 years.....................   1,225   1,199   1,195   14.9    15.0    14.0    15.5    14.1    14.3 
                                                                                                                            
     Married men, spouse present....................   1,092   1,059     907    2.5     2.2     2.3     2.3     2.4     2.1 
     Married women, spouse present..................   1,084     967     913    3.2     2.9     2.8     2.8     2.8     2.7 
     Women who maintain families....................     636     561     585    7.5     6.9     6.3     6.1     6.5     6.7 
                                                                                                                            
     Full-time workers..............................   5,079   4,929   4,617    4.5     4.2     4.2     4.1     4.3     4.0 
     Part-time workers..............................   1,386   1,196   1,191    5.6     5.4     5.2     5.2     4.9     4.9 
                                                                                                                            
                    OCCUPATION(2)                                                                                           
                                                                                                                            
     Managerial and professional specialty..........     707     765     765    1.8     1.8     1.8     1.8     1.9     1.9 
     Technical, sales, and administrative support...   1,616   1,611   1,516    4.0     3.7     3.7     3.8     3.9     3.8 
     Precision production, craft, and repair........     677     672     550    4.4     3.8     3.2     3.5     4.4     3.6 
     Operators, fabricators, and laborers...........   1,340   1,147   1,147    6.8     6.7     6.7     5.9     6.0     5.9 
     Farming, forestry, and fishing.................     247     297     254    6.9     6.3     7.5     7.7     7.8     6.9 
                                                                                                                            
                       INDUSTRY                                                                                             
                                                                                                                            
     Nonagricultural private wage and salary workers   4,960   4,626   4,534    4.7     4.5     4.4     4.3     4.3     4.2 
       Goods-producing industries...................   1,429   1,346   1,218    5.0     4.6     4.6     4.6     4.7     4.3 
         Mining.....................................      21      43      32    3.4     2.2     4.3     7.4     7.7     5.3 
         Construction...............................     593     545     490    8.4     7.0     6.4     7.3     7.5     6.7 
         Manufacturing..............................     815     758     697    3.9     3.8     4.0     3.5     3.7     3.4 
           Durable goods............................     450     415     369    3.6     3.2     3.4     3.4     3.3     2.9 
           Nondurable goods.........................     365     343     328    4.3     4.8     4.9     3.8     4.3     4.1 
       Service-producing industries.................   3,531   3,280   3,316    4.6     4.5     4.4     4.2     4.2     4.2 
         Transportation and public utilities........     252     245     219    3.3     3.2     3.2     2.5     3.2     2.9 
         Wholesale and retail trade.................   1,474   1,446   1,469    5.5     5.2     5.5     5.2     5.2     5.4 
         Finance, insurance, and real estate........     201     192     157    2.5     2.8     2.8     2.4     2.4     1.9 
         Services...................................   1,604   1,397   1,471    4.7     4.6     4.1     4.1     4.0     4.2 
     Government workers.............................     518     436     397    2.8     2.1     2.0     2.2     2.3     2.1 
     Agricultural wage and salary workers...........     192     241     200    9.2     7.6     8.3     9.6    11.3     9.5 

    1 Unemployment as a percent of the civilian labor force.
    2 Seasonally adjusted unemployment data for service occupations are not available because the seasonal component, which
  is small relative to the trend-cycle and irregular components, cannot be separated with sufficient precision.
     NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






  HOUSEHOLD DATA                                                                                              HOUSEHOLD DATA
  
  Table A-6. Duration of unemployment

  (Numbers in thousands)
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                     Not seasonally adjusted               Seasonally adjusted              
                                                                                                                            
                       Duration                                                                                             
                                                                                                                            
                                                       Mar.    Feb.    Mar.    Mar.    Nov.    Dec.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar. 
                                                       1998    1999    1999    1998    1998    1998    1999    1999    1999 
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                 NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED                                                                                       
                                                                                                                            
   Less than 5 weeks................................   2,524   2,497   2,253   2,792   2,546   2,614   2,353   2,601   2,478
   5 to 14 weeks....................................   2,274   2,386   2,190   1,971   1,983   1,839   2,071   1,944   1,891
   15 weeks and over................................   2,019   1,681   1,676   1,728   1,611   1,578   1,469   1,550   1,434
      15 to 26 weeks................................   1,055     864     929     830     752     754     753     766     736
      27 weeks and over.............................     964     816     747     898     859     824     716     784     697
                                                                                                                            
   Average (mean) duration, in weeks................    15.2    13.8    14.1    14.6    14.4    14.1    13.4    13.8    13.5
   Median duration, in weeks........................     8.0     7.4     8.0     6.9     6.7     6.7     6.9     7.0     6.9
                                                                                                                            
                 PERCENT DISTRIBUTION                                                                                       
                                                                                                                            
   Total unemployed.................................   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0
     Less than 5 weeks..............................    37.0    38.0    36.8    43.0    41.5    43.3    39.9    42.7    42.7
     5 to 14 weeks..................................    33.4    36.3    35.8    30.4    32.3    30.5    35.1    31.9    32.6
     15 weeks and over..............................    29.6    25.6    27.4    26.6    26.2    26.2    24.9    25.4    24.7
       15 to 26 weeks...............................    15.5    13.2    15.2    12.8    12.2    12.5    12.8    12.6    12.7
       27 weeks and over............................    14.1    12.4    12.2    13.8    14.0    13.7    12.1    12.9    12.0

     NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






  HOUSEHOLD DATA                                                                                              HOUSEHOLD DATA
  
  Table A-7. Reason for unemployment

  (Numbers in thousands)
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                     Not seasonally adjusted               Seasonally adjusted              
                                                                                                                            
                        Reason                                                                                              
                                                                                                                            
                                                       Mar.    Feb.    Mar.    Mar.    Nov.    Dec.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar. 
                                                       1998    1999    1999    1998    1998    1998    1999    1999    1999 
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                 NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED                                                                                       
                                                                                                                            
  Job losers and persons who completed temporary                                                                            
     jobs...........................................   3,311   3,151   2,888   2,950   2,758   2,754   2,696   2,738   2,563
    On temporary layoff.............................   1,238   1,159   1,047     966     850     841     864     849     812
    Not on temporary layoff.........................   2,073   1,993   1,841   1,984   1,908   1,913   1,832   1,889   1,751
      Permanent job losers..........................   1,511   1,308   1,295   (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)  
      Persons who completed temporary jobs..........     562     685     547   (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)  
  Job leavers.......................................     755     765     788     745     677     709     699     751     780
  Reentrants........................................   2,246   2,182   2,048   2,187   2,130   2,031   1,993   2,110   1,988
  New entrants......................................     505     466     395     544     534     504     537     509     431
                                                                                                                            
                 PERCENT DISTRIBUTION                                                                                       
                                                                                                                            
  Total unemployed..................................   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0   100.0
   Job losers and persons who completed temporary                                                                           
     jobs...........................................    48.6    48.0    47.2    45.9    45.2    45.9    45.5    44.8    44.5
     On temporary layoff............................    18.2    17.7    17.1    15.0    13.9    14.0    14.6    13.9    14.1
     Not on temporary layoff........................    30.4    30.4    30.1    30.9    31.3    31.9    30.9    30.9    30.4
   Job leavers......................................    11.1    11.6    12.9    11.6    11.1    11.8    11.8    12.3    13.5
   Reentrants.......................................    32.9    33.2    33.5    34.0    34.9    33.9    33.6    34.5    34.5
   New entrants.....................................     7.4     7.1     6.5     8.5     8.8     8.4     9.1     8.3     7.5
                                                                                                                            
            UNEMPLOYED AS A PERCENT OF THE                                                                                  
                   CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE                                                                                     
                                                                                                                            
   Job losers and persons who completed temporary                                                                           
     jobs...........................................     2.4     2.3     2.1     2.1     2.0     2.0     1.9     2.0     1.8
   Job leavers......................................      .6      .6      .6      .5      .5      .5      .5      .5      .6
   Reentrants.......................................     1.6     1.6     1.5     1.6     1.5     1.5     1.4     1.5     1.4
   New entrants.....................................      .4      .3      .3      .4      .4      .4      .4      .4      .3

    1 Not available.
     NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






  HOUSEHOLD DATA                                                                                               HOUSEHOLD DATA
  
  Table A-8. Range of alternative measures of labor underutilization

  (Percent)
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                                  Not seasonally               Seasonally adjusted           
                                                                     adjusted                                                
                            Measure                                                                                          
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                                Mar.   Feb.   Mar.   Mar.   Nov.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar. 
                                                                1998   1999   1999   1998   1998   1998   1999   1999   1999 
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
  U-1 Persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer, as a percent of                                                                 
     the civilian                                                                                                            
     labor force..............................................    1.5    1.2    1.2    1.3    1.2    1.1    1.1    1.1    1.0
                                                                                                                             
  U-2 Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs, as                                                                
     a percent of the                                                                                                        
     civilian labor force.....................................    2.4    2.3    2.1    2.1    2.0    2.0    1.9    2.0    1.8
                                                                                                                             
  U-3 Total unemployed, as a percent of the civilian labor                                                                   
     force                                                                                                                   
     (official unemployment rate).............................    5.0    4.7    4.4    4.7    4.4    4.3    4.3    4.4    4.2
                                                                                                                             
  U-4 Total unemployed plus discouraged workers, as a percent                                                                
     of the civilian                                                                                                         
      labor force plus discouraged workers....................    5.2    4.9    4.6   (1)    (1)    (1)    (1)    (1)    (1) 
                                                                                                                             
  U-5 Total unemployed, plus discouraged workers, plus all                                                                   
     other marginally                                                                                                        
      attached workers, as a percent of the civilian labor                                                                   
     force plus all marginally                                                                                               
      attached workers........................................    6.0    5.6    5.3   (1)    (1)    (1)    (1)    (1)    (1) 
                                                                                                                             
  U-6 Total unemployed, plus all marginally attached workers,                                                                
     plus total employed                                                                                                     
      part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the                                                                    
     civilian labor force plus                                                                                               
      all marginally attached workers.........................    8.9    8.2    7.9   (1)    (1)    (1)    (1)    (1)    (1) 

    1 Not available.
      NOTE: This range of alternative measures of labor underutilization replaces the U1-U7 range published in table A-7 of
  this release prior to 1994.  Marginally attached workers are persons who currently are neither working nor looking for work
  but indicate that they want and are available for a job and have looked for work sometime in the recent past.  Discouraged
  workers, a subset of the marginally attached, have given a job-market related reason for not currently looking for a job. 
  Persons employed part time for economic reasons are those who want and are available for full-time work but have had to
  settle for a part-time schedule.  For further information, see "BLS introduces new range of alternative unemployment
  measures,"  in the October 1995 issue of the Monthly Labor Review.  Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised
  population controls used in the household survey.






  HOUSEHOLD DATA                                                                                              HOUSEHOLD DATA
  
  Table A-9. Unemployed persons by sex and age, seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                            Number of                                                       
                                                        unemployed persons                Unemployment rates(1)             
                                                          (in thousands)                                                    
                     Age and sex                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                       Mar.    Feb.    Mar.    Mar.    Nov.    Dec.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar. 
                                                       1998    1999    1999    1998    1998    1998    1999    1999    1999 
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
  Total, 16 years and over..........................   6,432   6,127   5,783    4.7     4.4     4.3     4.3     4.4     4.2 
    16 to 24 years..................................   2,321   2,274   2,223   10.6     9.9     9.8    10.1    10.2    10.0 
      16 to 19 years................................   1,225   1,199   1,195   14.9    15.0    14.0    15.5    14.1    14.3 
        16 to 17 years..............................     572     520     554   16.9    18.0    16.9    18.4    15.5    16.6 
        18 to 19 years..............................     655     666     640   13.5    13.0    12.1    13.1    13.1    12.8 
      20 to 24 years................................   1,096   1,075   1,028    8.1     6.9     7.2     6.9     7.7     7.4 
    25 years and over...............................   4,115   3,835   3,573    3.6     3.3     3.3     3.2     3.3     3.1 
      25 to 54 years................................   3,661   3,359   3,087    3.7     3.4     3.4     3.3     3.4     3.1 
      55 years and over.............................     476     501     504    2.8     3.0     3.0     2.9     2.9     2.9 
                                                                                                                            
    Men, 16 years and over..........................   3,362   3,228   2,881    4.6     4.3     4.3     4.2     4.3     3.9 
      16 to 24 years................................   1,280   1,179   1,151   11.2    10.3    10.8    10.7    10.1     9.9 
        16 to 19 years..............................     685     630     643   16.3    16.5    16.4    16.9    14.6    15.0 
          16 to 17 years............................     322     262     286   18.3    20.0    19.9    19.7    15.3    16.9 
          18 to 19 years............................     364     368     354   14.8    14.4    14.0    14.7    14.1    13.6 
        20 to 24 years..............................     595     548     508    8.3     6.6     7.3     7.1     7.5     7.0 
      25 years and over.............................   2,068   2,036   1,721    3.3     3.1     3.2     3.0     3.2     2.7 
        25 to 54 years..............................   1,805   1,750   1,481    3.4     3.1     3.2     3.1     3.3     2.8 
        55 years and over...........................     275     295     252    3.0     3.1     3.1     2.8     3.0     2.6 
                                                                                                                            
    Women, 16 years and over........................   3,070   2,899   2,902    4.8     4.6     4.3     4.3     4.5     4.5 
      16 to 24 years................................   1,041   1,095   1,071   10.0     9.5     8.7     9.5    10.2    10.0 
        16 to 19 years..............................     540     568     551   13.4    13.3    11.3    13.9    13.7    13.6 
          16 to 17 years............................     250     259     267   15.4    15.9    13.8    16.9    15.7    16.2 
          18 to 19 years............................     291     298     286   12.1    11.4    10.2    11.5    12.1    11.9 
        20 to 24 years..............................     501     527     520    7.8     7.1     7.1     6.7     8.0     7.8 
      25 years and over.............................   2,047   1,799   1,852    3.8     3.6     3.5     3.4     3.3     3.4 
        25 to 54 years..............................   1,856   1,609   1,606    4.1     3.8     3.6     3.5     3.5     3.5 
        55 years and over...........................     201     206     251    2.7     2.9     2.8     3.1     2.7     3.2 

    1 Unemployment as a percent of the civilian labor force.
     NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






  HOUSEHOLD DATA                                                                                                  HOUSEHOLD DATA
  
  Table A-10. Persons not in the labor force and multiple jobholders by sex, not seasonally adjusted

  (Numbers in thousands)
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                                                                            Total                Men                Women       
                                                                                                                                
                               Category                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                                                                        Mar.      Mar.      Mar.      Mar.      Mar.      Mar.  
                                                                        1998      1999      1998      1999      1998      1999  
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                        NOT IN THE LABOR FORCE                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
  Total not in the labor force......................................   67,580    68,618    25,121    25,577    42,459    43,042 
    Persons who currently want a job................................    4,756     4,471     2,010     1,913     2,746     2,559 
       Searched for work and vailable to work now(1)................    1,426     1,245       642       573       784       672 
          Reason not currently looking:                                                                                         
            Discouragement over job prospects(2)....................      343       295       185       166       158       129 
               Reasons other than discouragement(3).................    1,083       949       457       407       626       543 
                                                                                                                                
                         MULTIPLE JOBHOLDERS                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
  Total multiple jobholders(4)......................................    7,987     8,027     4,187     4,239     3,800     3,788 
      Percent of total employed.....................................      6.1       6.1       6.0       6.0       6.3       6.1 
                                                                                                                                
      Primary job full time, secondary job part time................    4,632     4,458     2,697     2,622     1,935     1,836 
      Primary and secondary jobs both part time.....................    1,635     1,700       476       532     1,158     1,168 
      Primary and secondary jobs both full time.....................      216       309       142       194        74       114 
      Hours vary on primary or secondary job........................    1,471     1,523       854       864       617       659 

    1 Data refer to persons who have searched for work during the prior 12 months and were available to take a job during the
  reference week.
    2 Includes thinks no work available, could not find work, lacks schooling or training, employer thinks too young or old, and
  other types of discrimination.
    3 Includes those who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for such reasons as child-care and transportation
  problems, as well as a small number for which reason for nonparticipation was not determined.
    4 Includes persons who work part time on their primary job and full time on their secondary job(s), not shown separately.
     NOTE: Beginning in January 1999, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.

     ESTABLISHMENT DATA                                                                                    ESTABLISHMENT DATA
     
     
     Table B-1. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry

     (In thousands)
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                  Not seasonally adjusted                   Seasonally adjusted              
                                                                                                                             
                     Industry                                                                                                
                                                Mar.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar.    Mar.    Nov.    Dec.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar. 
                                                1998    1999   1999p   1999p    1998    1998    1998    1999   1999p   1999p 
                                                                                                                             
               Total......................... 124,006 125,176 126,047 126,697 124,914 126,804 127,118 127,335 127,632 127,678
                                                                                                                             
            Total private.................... 103,880 105,219 105,655 106,185 105,186 106,818 107,096 107,290 107,534 107,560
                                                                                                                             
     Goods-producing.........................  24,780  24,630  24,638  24,681  25,276  25,184  25,269  25,251  25,271  25,182
                                                                                                                             
       Mining................................     577     535     526     524     587     560     557     547     539     532
         Metal mining........................    50.4    49.9    49.6    49.5      51      50      50      51      51      50
         Coal mining.........................    93.0    88.4    87.1    86.2      93      90      90      89      88      86
         Oil and gas extraction..............   330.8   297.2   289.0   285.4     336     312     308     299     292     289
         Nonmetallic minerals, except fuels..   102.8    99.0   100.3   102.4     107     108     109     108     108     107
                                                                                                                             
       Construction..........................   5,459   5,676   5,725   5,784   5,860   6,051   6,153   6,170   6,249   6,202
         General building contractors........ 1,300.6 1,375.6 1,377.7 1,386.0   1,373   1,414   1,433   1,448   1,461   1,462
         Heavy construction, except building.   713.6   715.6   725.7   748.5     805     834     861     862     863     848
         Special trade contractors........... 3,445.1 3,584.3 3,621.7 3,649.1   3,682   3,803   3,859   3,860   3,925   3,892
                                                                                                                             
       Manufacturing.........................  18,744  18,419  18,387  18,373  18,829  18,573  18,559  18,534  18,483  18,448
           Production workers................  12,954  12,648  12,630  12,635  13,013  12,765  12,763  12,740  12,701  12,681
                                                                                                                             
        Durable goods........................  11,140  10,925  10,913  10,909  11,166  11,011  10,996  10,974  10,951  10,929
           Production workers................   7,657   7,458   7,458   7,469   7,669   7,522   7,519   7,494   7,480   7,472
         Lumber and wood products............   785.7   803.1   803.0   803.2     801     809     813     818     819     818
         Furniture and fixtures..............   521.1   527.0   528.2   529.8     520     524     527     527     528     530
         Stone, clay, and glass products.....   546.4   547.5   551.9   556.3     558     568     571     568     571     568
         Primary metal industries............   719.3   695.5   694.5   693.8     719     699     698     694     694     693
           Blast furnaces and basic steel                                                                                    
              products.......................   235.2   224.9   224.1   224.1   (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)  
         Fabricated metal products........... 1,494.6 1,482.0 1,478.3 1,475.7   1,497   1,481   1,480   1,484   1,481   1,477
         Industrial machinery and equipment.. 2,211.0 2,133.5 2,134.2 2,122.8   2,205   2,162   2,152   2,133   2,130   2,116
           Computer and office equipment.....   379.0   358.2   356.7   348.3     381     370     367     359     358     349
         Electronic and other electrical                                                                                     
            equipment........................ 1,718.4 1,656.7 1,651.9 1,651.1   1,722   1,668   1,664   1,657   1,653   1,653
           Electronic components and                                                                                         
              accessories....................   679.7   642.5   642.4   643.2     681     649     646     642     643     643
         Transportation equipment............ 1,888.6 1,867.3 1,857.8 1,863.1   1,887   1,877   1,871   1,874   1,857   1,859
           Motor vehicles and equipment...... 1,003.5   990.7   984.8   991.2   1,002     998     990     996     985     988
           Aircraft and parts................   522.9   515.9   510.0   508.1     525     519     518     516     510     509
         Instruments and related products....   867.3   840.1   838.7   836.0     868     845     842     841     840     837
         Miscellaneous manufacturing.........   388.0   372.4   374.8   376.7     389     378     378     378     378     378
                                                                                                                             
        Nondurable goods.....................   7,604   7,494   7,474   7,464   7,663   7,562   7,563   7,560   7,532   7,519
           Production workers................   5,297   5,190   5,172   5,166   5,344   5,243   5,244   5,246   5,221   5,209
         Food and kindred products........... 1,663.8 1,686.7 1,679.4 1,677.4   1,704   1,710   1,718   1,723   1,718   1,717
         Tobacco products....................    40.5    42.1    40.5    38.6      41      40      39      40      39      39
         Textile mill products...............   602.5   575.6   570.1   567.4     604     584     581     578     572     569
         Apparel and other textile products..   792.0   718.1   710.5   711.1     796     736     734     727     714     713
         Paper and allied products...........   684.6   670.0   670.0   667.4     688     674     673     672     672     670
         Printing and publishing............. 1,560.6 1,559.6 1,557.1 1,555.3   1,564   1,566   1,561   1,563   1,561   1,560
         Chemicals and allied products....... 1,034.1 1,027.3 1,030.2 1,028.7   1,036   1,035   1,035   1,032   1,034   1,031
         Petroleum and coal products.........   133.2   129.3   129.9   130.5     136     134     136     134     134     134
         Rubber and misc. plastics products.. 1,007.8 1,009.4 1,011.6 1,012.7   1,009   1,005   1,008   1,014   1,013   1,012
         Leather and leather products........    85.1    76.1    75.0    74.6      85      78      78      77      75      74
                                                                                                                             
     Service-producing.......................  99,226 100,546 101,409 102,016  99,638 101,620 101,849 102,084 102,361 102,496
                                                                                                                             
       Transportation and public utilities...   6,456   6,580   6,594   6,617   6,504   6,604   6,627   6,644   6,657   6,665
         Transportation......................   4,132   4,220   4,229   4,250   4,170   4,249   4,262   4,273   4,279   4,290
           Railroad transportation...........   228.0   232.0   231.4   230.8     231     231     233     236     235     234
           Local and interurban passenger                                                                                    
              transit........................   472.8   477.0   480.3   484.9     460     468     468     467     469     470
           Trucking and warehousing.......... 1,658.1 1,699.3 1,702.5 1,712.5   1,690   1,721   1,730   1,741   1,741   1,748
           Water transportation..............   176.9   180.8   180.5   179.7     183     193     191     190     189     186
           Transportation by air............. 1,136.6 1,164.0 1,167.6 1,170.8   1,146   1,167   1,169   1,168   1,177   1,181
           Pipelines, except natural gas.....    14.1    14.0    14.0    14.0      14      14      14      14      14      14
           Transportation services...........   445.9   452.4   452.7   456.8     446     455     457     457     454     457
         Communications and public utilities.   2,324   2,360   2,365   2,367   2,334   2,355   2,365   2,371   2,378   2,375
           Communications.................... 1,469.2 1,513.9 1,520.0 1,521.8   1,475   1,502   1,512   1,522   1,528   1,527
           Electric, gas, and sanitary                                                                                       
              services.......................   855.2   845.6   845.4   844.7     859     853     853     849     850     848
                                                                                                                             
       Wholesale trade.......................   6,744   6,850   6,855   6,880   6,783   6,877   6,882   6,907   6,910   6,919
         Durable goods.......................   4,027   4,093   4,105   4,117   4,039   4,102   4,104   4,116   4,126   4,130
         Nondurable goods....................   2,717   2,757   2,750   2,763   2,744   2,775   2,778   2,791   2,784   2,789
       Retail trade..........................  21,823  22,354  22,282  22,357  22,259  22,672  22,712  22,755  22,836  22,825
         Building materials and garden                                                                                       
            supplies.........................   930.5   947.2   952.2   974.9     966     991     997   1,003   1,012   1,010
         General merchandise stores.......... 2,660.0 2,845.9 2,737.6 2,742.6   2,759   2,842   2,823   2,847   2,841   2,855
           Department stores................. 2,343.2 2,511.4 2,417.9 2,426.4   2,428   2,504   2,490   2,514   2,510   2,525
         Food stores......................... 3,486.8 3,535.0 3,522.2 3,514.3   3,536   3,558   3,561   3,548   3,557   3,562
         Automotive dealers and service                                                                                      
            stations......................... 2,311.2 2,353.3 2,364.8 2,375.7   2,333   2,370   2,377   2,384   2,396   2,399
           New and used car dealers.......... 1,054.7 1,067.8 1,073.2 1,079.7   1,056   1,069   1,073   1,074   1,078   1,083
         Apparel and accessory stores........ 1,064.0 1,114.3 1,086.2 1,086.0   1,098   1,105   1,101   1,108   1,122   1,121
         Furniture and home furnishings                                                                                      
            stores........................... 1,037.2 1,102.9 1,096.9 1,098.9   1,048   1,082   1,084   1,094   1,101   1,110
         Eating and drinking places.......... 7,519.8 7,507.6 7,595.1 7,667.7   7,645   7,807   7,854   7,838   7,855   7,807
         Miscellaneous retail establishments. 2,813.7 2,947.9 2,926.5 2,897.1   2,874   2,917   2,915   2,933   2,952   2,961
                                                                                                                             
       Finance, insurance, and real estate...   7,213   7,428   7,428   7,458   7,258   7,441   7,458   7,488   7,491   7,505
         Finance.............................   3,504   3,620   3,619   3,634   3,512   3,605   3,615   3,628   3,631   3,642
           Depository institutions........... 2,034.8 2,048.2 2,043.5 2,049.4   2,041   2,043   2,046   2,051   2,052   2,056
             Commercial banks................ 1,459.0 1,458.9 1,455.0 1,457.3   1,465   1,455   1,457   1,460   1,461   1,462
             Savings institutions............   261.8   265.1   264.1   265.7     262     265     264     266     265     266
           Nondepository institutions........   602.3   657.0   659.9   664.7     602     649     652     659     661     664
             Mortgage bankers and brokers....   275.6   312.0   313.9   319.5     276     310     313     314     316     320
           Security and commodity brokers....   630.5   664.8   661.8   664.4     633     663     666     667     664     667
           Holding and other investment                                                                                      
              offices........................   236.3   250.4   254.2   255.5     236     250     251     251     254     255
         Insurance...........................   2,298   2,357   2,358   2,366   2,302   2,357   2,360   2,363   2,364   2,370
           Insurance carriers................ 1,562.7 1,608.2 1,606.3 1,611.0   1,566   1,606   1,610   1,613   1,612   1,615
           Insurance agents, brokers, and                                                                                    
              service........................   735.7   748.8   751.3   755.3     736     751     750     750     752     755
         Real estate.........................   1,411   1,451   1,451   1,458   1,444   1,479   1,483   1,497   1,496   1,493
                                                                                                                             
       Services2.............................  36,864  37,377  37,858  38,192  37,106  38,040  38,148  38,245  38,369  38,464
         Agricultural services...............   617.3   637.3   638.4   667.4     695     737     751     758     761     753
         Hotels and other lodging places..... 1,688.8 1,673.5 1,689.3 1,707.8   1,755   1,777   1,776   1,780   1,778   1,781
         Personal services................... 1,239.8 1,224.7 1,243.0 1,231.4   1,178   1,180   1,186   1,186   1,177   1,172
         Business services................... 8,285.6 8,564.0 8,638.9 8,734.4   8,412   8,715   8,756   8,792   8,836   8,867
           Services to buildings.............   959.5   983.2   984.3   990.0     966     989     991   1,000     998     997
           Personnel supply services......... 3,041.2 3,028.1 3,074.3 3,143.8   3,149   3,177   3,202   3,218   3,242   3,253
             Help supply services............ 2,710.8 2,690.1 2,729.6 2,795.4   2,819   2,840   2,857   2,866   2,886   2,899
           Computer and data processing                                                                                      
              services....................... 1,544.5 1,708.7 1,724.7 1,737.8   1,538   1,680   1,691   1,709   1,724   1,734
         Auto repair, services, and parking.. 1,144.2 1,168.6 1,181.3 1,183.5   1,145   1,175   1,177   1,183   1,189   1,186
         Miscellaneous repair services.......   378.8   389.6   388.6   390.9     382     391     393     396     395     394
         Motion pictures.....................   567.2   557.8   571.6   571.5     565     563     564     559     570     569
         Amusement and recreation services... 1,502.7 1,494.5 1,533.1 1,601.0   1,647   1,744   1,742   1,748   1,745   1,758
         Health services..................... 9,848.3 9,934.8 9,944.9 9,971.3   9,867   9,955   9,955   9,959   9,971   9,986
           Offices and clinics of medical                                                                                    
              doctors........................ 1,790.3 1,851.5 1,851.9 1,857.0   1,796   1,849   1,845   1,856   1,858   1,862
           Nursing and personal care                                                                                         
              facilities..................... 1,756.8 1,746.9 1,742.9 1,745.8   1,761   1,753   1,751   1,753   1,749   1,749
           Hospitals......................... 3,924.9 3,972.4 3,978.8 3,986.7   3,925   3,978   3,980   3,978   3,984   3,989
           Home health care services.........   694.8   649.0   654.7   658.8     698     661     661     652     659     661
         Legal services......................   966.2   991.9   993.2   996.4     970     994     997     997     999   1,001
         Educational services................ 2,324.2 2,192.0 2,405.5 2,430.8   2,189   2,245   2,252   2,240   2,271   2,286
         Social services..................... 2,595.9 2,677.5 2,703.6 2,727.6   2,587   2,672   2,686   2,697   2,711   2,720
           Child day care services...........   589.3   598.5   606.3   612.1     575     586     589     592     597     598
           Residential care..................   742.0   765.2   770.1   775.2     744     764     766     770     774     776
         Museums and botanical and zoological                                                                                
           gardens...........................    86.2    85.6    85.8    88.2      92      94      94      94      94      94
         Membership organizations............ 2,248.6 2,252.3 2,271.0 2,282.4   2,263   2,279   2,283   2,290   2,293   2,296
         Engineering and management services. 3,175.7 3,335.7 3,372.6 3,408.2   3,164   3,321   3,338   3,367   3,380   3,401
           Engineering and architectural                                                                                     
              services.......................   895.1   926.9   929.6   935.8     904     932     934     937     943     945
           Management and public relations... 1,007.5 1,097.1 1,110.4 1,126.8   1,012   1,092   1,098   1,113   1,118   1,133
         Services, nec.......................    50.8    54.0    53.9    55.9   (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)     (1)  
                                                                                                                             
       Government............................  20,126  19,957  20,392  20,512  19,728  19,986  20,022  20,045  20,098  20,118
         Federal.............................   2,662   2,677   2,698   2,691   2,671   2,725   2,706   2,702   2,713   2,702
           Federal, except Postal Service.... 1,808.9 1,802.1 1,825.1 1,818.6   1,815   1,845   1,818   1,825   1,837   1,826
         State...............................   4,741   4,617   4,797   4,836   4,619   4,674   4,690   4,685   4,705   4,712
           Education......................... 2,064.8 1,903.1 2,075.7 2,106.9   1,928   1,945   1,957   1,947   1,963   1,967
           Other State government............ 2,676.1 2,713.8 2,721.5 2,728.6   2,691   2,729   2,733   2,738   2,742   2,745
         Local...............................  12,723  12,663  12,897  12,985  12,438  12,587  12,626  12,658  12,680  12,704
           Education......................... 7,390.7 7,295.7 7,509.3 7,573.8   7,003   7,114   7,133   7,155   7,166   7,187
           Other local government............ 5,331.8 5,367.1 5,387.9 5,411.2   5,435   5,473   5,493   5,503   5,514   5,517

       1 These series are not published seasonally adjusted because the seasonal component, which is small relative to the
     trend-cycle and irregular components, cannot be separated with sufficient precision.
       2 Includes other industries, not shown separately.
       p = preliminary.




     ESTABLISHMENT DATA                                                                                    ESTABLISHMENT DATA
     
     
     Table B-2. Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm payrolls by industry
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                  Not seasonally adjusted                   Seasonally adjusted              
                                                                                                                             
                     Industry                                                                                                
                                                Mar.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar.    Mar.    Nov.    Dec.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar. 
                                                1998    1999   1999p   1999p    1998    1998    1998    1999   1999p   1999p 
                                                                                                                             
            Total private....................   34.5    34.0    34.3    34.2    34.6    34.5    34.6    34.5    34.6    34.5 
                                                                                                                             
     Goods-producing.........................   40.9    40.5    40.5    40.5    41.0    41.0    41.2    41.1    41.0    40.7 
                                                                                                                             
       Mining................................   43.4    42.4    42.5    42.1    43.8    43.5    43.4    42.7    42.8    42.7 
                                                                                                                             
       Construction..........................   37.9    37.8    37.9    37.7    38.5    38.8    39.5    39.7    39.3    38.4 
                                                                                                                             
       Manufacturing.........................   41.7    41.3    41.3    41.5    41.8    41.7    41.7    41.6    41.6    41.6 
           Overtime hours....................    4.6     4.3     4.2     4.4     4.8     4.5     4.5     4.6     4.5     4.5 
                                                                                                                             
        Durable goods........................   42.4    41.9    41.9    42.0    42.5    42.3    42.3    42.1    42.2    42.1 
           Overtime hours....................    4.9     4.5     4.4     4.6     5.0     4.6     4.6     4.7     4.6     4.7 
                                                                                                                             
         Lumber and wood products............   40.8    40.7    40.3    40.6    41.2    41.2    41.6    41.8    41.0    41.0 
         Furniture and fixtures..............   40.4    40.1    39.9    40.5    40.7    40.1    40.2    40.5    40.4    40.8 
         Stone, clay, and glass products.....   42.5    42.4    42.2    42.4    43.2    43.5    43.8    44.0    43.4    43.0 
         Primary metal industries............   44.5    43.8    43.7    43.7    44.6    43.9    43.7    43.7    43.7    43.7 
           Blast furnaces and basic steel                                                                                    
              products.......................   45.2    44.0    43.7    44.2    45.3    43.7    43.2    43.9    43.8    44.2 
         Fabricated metal products...........   42.2    41.8    41.7    41.8    42.4    42.1    42.2    41.9    42.0    42.0 
         Industrial machinery and equipment..   43.5    42.2    42.2    41.9    43.3    42.4    42.1    42.1    42.2    41.7 
         Electronic and other electrical                                                                                     
            equipment........................   41.4    41.0    41.3    41.2    41.4    41.4    41.1    41.1    41.5    41.3 
         Transportation equipment............   43.7    43.3    43.8    44.0    43.4    44.1    44.6    43.3    44.0    43.8 
           Motor vehicles and equipment......   43.9    44.0    44.8    45.1    43.5    44.7    45.2    44.1    45.1    44.8 
         Instruments and related products....   41.7    41.2    41.4    41.4    41.5    41.0    41.0    41.2    41.3    41.3 
         Miscellaneous manufacturing.........   40.5    39.0    39.5    40.0    40.5    39.3    39.4    39.5    39.7    39.9 
                                                                                                                             
        Nondurable goods.....................   40.7    40.6    40.5    40.7    40.8    40.8    40.9    40.8    40.9    40.8 
           Overtime hours....................    4.2     4.2     4.0     4.2     4.4     4.4     4.3     4.4     4.4     4.4 
                                                                                                                             
         Food and kindred products...........   40.9    41.6    41.2    41.3    41.5    41.7    42.0    42.0    41.8    41.9 
         Tobacco products....................   37.0    37.3    37.2    37.2    37.7    38.3    36.3    38.0    38.3    38.0 
         Textile mill products...............   41.2    40.7    40.3    40.5    41.2    40.7    40.9    40.9    40.7    40.5 
         Apparel and other textile products..   37.2    36.7    37.2    37.1    37.2    37.3    37.3    36.9    37.5    37.1 
         Paper and allied products...........   43.1    43.5    42.9    43.4    43.4    43.5    43.4    43.4    43.4    43.7 
         Printing and publishing.............   38.4    37.7    37.7    37.9    38.4    38.2    38.1    38.3    38.0    37.9 
         Chemicals and allied products.......   43.4    42.8    42.7    42.9    43.4    43.0    42.6    42.8    42.8    42.9 
         Petroleum and coal products.........   43.2    43.9    43.8    43.8    (2)     (2)     (2)     (2)     (2)     (2)  
         Rubber and misc. plastics products..   41.5    41.3    41.5    41.7    41.5    41.6    41.7    41.3    41.7    41.8 
         Leather and leather products........   37.7    36.7    37.3    37.2    37.9    37.6    37.5    37.1    38.0    37.3 
                                                                                                                             
     Service-producing.......................   32.9    32.4    32.7    32.6    32.8    32.9    32.9    32.9    33.0    32.9 
                                                                                                                             
       Transportation and public utilities...   39.4    38.8    39.0    39.0    39.8    39.3    39.1    39.5    39.2    39.3 
                                                                                                                             
       Wholesale trade.......................   38.4    38.0    38.3    38.3    38.3    38.5    38.4    38.4    38.5    38.5 
                                                                                                                             
       Retail trade..........................   28.7    28.1    28.6    28.6    28.9    29.0    29.0    29.0    29.2    29.0 
                                                                                                                             
       Finance, insurance, and real estate...   36.8    36.0    36.4    36.2    (2)     (2)     (2)     (2)     (2)     (2)  
                                                                                                                             
       Services..............................   32.7    32.3    32.5    32.4    32.6    32.6    32.7    32.6    32.7    32.6 

       1 Data relate to production workers in mining and manufacturing; construction workers in construction; and
     nonsupervisory workers in transportation and public utilities; wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real
     estate; and services. These groups account for approximately four-fifths of the total employees on private nonfarm
     payrolls.
       2 These series are not published seasonally adjusted because the seasonal component, which is small relative to the
     trend-cycle and irregular components, cannot be separated with sufficient precision.
       p = preliminary.




     ESTABLISHMENT DATA                                                                                    ESTABLISHMENT DATA
     
     
     Table B-3. Average hourly and weekly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm payrolls by
     industry
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                      Average hourly earnings                 Average weekly earnings        
                                                                                                                             
                     Industry                                                                                                
                                                 Mar.      Jan.      Feb.      Mar.      Mar.      Jan.      Feb.      Mar.  
                                                 1998      1999     1999p     1999p      1998      1999     1999p     1999p  
                                                                                                                             
            Total private....................  $12.68    $13.09    $13.09    $13.11    $437.46   $445.06   $448.99   $448.36 
             Seasonally adjusted.............   12.63     13.03     13.06     13.09     437.00    449.54    451.88    451.61 
                                                                                                                             
     Goods-producing.........................   14.18     14.45     14.45     14.51     579.96    585.23    585.23    587.66 
                                                                                                                             
       Mining................................   16.89     17.28     17.21     17.32     733.03    732.67    731.43    729.17 
                                                                                                                             
       Construction..........................   16.29     16.72     16.65     16.77     617.39    632.02    631.04    632.23 
                                                                                                                             
       Manufacturing.........................   13.47     13.66     13.66     13.71     561.70    564.16    564.16    568.97 
                                                                                                                             
        Durable goods........................   14.02     14.12     14.13     14.18     594.45    591.63    592.05    595.56 
         Lumber and wood products............   10.95     11.30     11.28     11.29     446.76    459.91    454.58    458.37 
         Furniture and fixtures..............   10.80     11.10     11.05     11.09     436.32    445.11    440.90    449.15 
         Stone, clay, and glass products.....   13.46     13.67     13.66     13.71     572.05    579.61    576.45    581.30 
         Primary metal industries............   15.52     15.39     15.40     15.50     690.64    674.08    672.98    677.35 
           Blast furnaces and basic steel                                                                                    
              products.......................   18.32     18.40     18.49     18.56     828.06    809.60    808.01    820.35 
         Fabricated metal products...........   13.01     13.31     13.31     13.35     549.02    556.36    555.03    558.03 
         Industrial machinery and equipment..   14.36     14.68     14.70     14.77     624.66    619.50    620.34    618.86 
         Electronic and other electrical                                                                                     
            equipment........................   13.06     13.27     13.26     13.29     540.68    544.07    547.64    547.55 
         Transportation equipment............   17.92     17.50     17.55     17.61     783.10    757.75    768.69    774.84 
           Motor vehicles and equipment......   18.52     17.73     17.80     17.98     813.03    780.12    797.44    810.90 
         Instruments and related products....   13.73     13.88     13.86     13.88     572.54    571.86    573.80    574.63 
         Miscellaneous manufacturing.........   10.79     11.14     11.15     11.21     437.00    434.46    440.43    448.40 
                                                                                                                             
        Nondurable goods.....................   12.63     12.98     12.96     13.01     514.04    526.99    524.88    529.51 
         Food and kindred products...........   11.70     11.94     11.91     11.94     478.53    496.70    490.69    493.12 
         Tobacco products....................   18.54     17.25     17.93     19.10     685.98    643.43    667.00    710.52 
         Textile mill products...............   10.29     10.63     10.59     10.62     423.95    432.64    426.78    430.11 
         Apparel and other textile products..    8.43      8.67      8.65      8.69     313.60    318.19    321.78    322.40 
         Paper and allied products...........   15.27     15.71     15.70     15.76     658.14    683.39    673.53    683.98 
         Printing and publishing.............   13.36     13.65     13.66     13.67     513.02    514.61    514.98    518.09 
         Chemicals and allied products.......   16.97     17.25     17.20     17.22     736.50    738.30    734.44    738.74 
         Petroleum and coal products.........   21.16     21.20     21.62     21.90     914.11    930.68    946.96    959.22 
         Rubber and misc. plastics products..   11.78     12.19     12.16     12.21     488.87    503.45    504.64    509.16 
         Leather and leather products........    9.32      9.65      9.55      9.53     351.36    354.16    356.22    354.52 
                                                                                                                             
     Service-producing.......................   12.19     12.66     12.67     12.67     401.05    410.18    414.31    413.04 
                                                                                                                             
       Transportation and public utilities...  $15.24    $15.61    $15.57    $15.51    $600.46   $605.67   $607.23   $604.89 
                                                                                                                             
       Wholesale trade.......................   13.86     14.36     14.33     14.29     532.22    545.68    548.84    547.31 
                                                                                                                             
       Retail trade..........................    8.67      9.02      9.00      9.01     248.83    253.46    257.40    257.69 
                                                                                                                             
       Finance, insurance, and real estate...   13.97     14.47     14.56     14.55     514.10    520.92    529.98    526.71 
                                                                                                                             
       Services..............................   12.77     13.30     13.33     13.35     417.58    429.59    433.23    432.54 

       1 See footnote 1, table B-2.
       p = preliminary.




                ESTABLISHMENT DATA                                                              ESTABLISHMENT DATA
                
                
                Table B-4. Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm
                payrolls by industry, seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                         Percent  
                                                   Mar.     Nov.     Dec.     Jan.     Feb.     Mar.      change  
                            Industry               1998     1998     1998     1999     1999p    1999p     from:   
                                                                                                        Feb. 1999-
                                                                                                        Mar. 1999 
                                                                                                                  
                Total private:                                                                                    
                   Current dollars..............   $12.63   $12.94   $12.98   $13.03   $13.06   $13.09      0.2   
                   Constant (1982) dollars2.....     7.71     7.80     7.81     7.83     7.84     N.A.     (3)    
                                                                                                                  
                  Goods-producing...............    14.25    14.46    14.50    14.51    14.55    14.59       .3   
                    Mining......................    16.82    17.37    17.26    17.09    17.06    17.27      1.2   
                    Construction................    16.40    16.75    16.82    16.74    16.78    16.90       .7   
                    Manufacturing...............    13.46    13.58    13.58    13.63    13.66    13.70       .3   
                      Excluding overtime4.......    12.73    12.89    12.89    12.93    12.97    12.98       .1   
                                                                                                                  
                  Service-producing.............    12.10    12.45    12.49    12.56    12.58    12.62       .3   
                    Transportation and public                                                                     
                       utilities................    15.27    15.45    15.53    15.55    15.53    15.53       .0   
                    Wholesale trade.............    13.84    14.23    14.26    14.35    14.30    14.36       .4   
                    Retail trade................     8.64     8.85     8.91     8.96     8.97     8.98       .1   
                    Finance, insurance, and real                                                                  
                       estate...................    13.85    14.35    14.43    14.49    14.51    14.54       .2   
                    Services....................    12.65    13.06    13.09    13.18    13.23    13.29       .5   

                  1 See footnote 1, table B-2.
                  2 The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) is used to
                deflate this series.
                  3 Change was .1 percent from January 1999 to February 1999, the latest month available.
                  4 Derived by assuming that overtime hours are paid at the rate of time and one-half.
                    N.A. = not available.
                  p = preliminary.




     ESTABLISHMENT DATA                                                                                    ESTABLISHMENT DATA
     
     
     Table B-5. Indexes of aggregate weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers1 on private nonfarm payrolls by
     industry
     
     (1982=100)
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                  Not seasonally adjusted                   Seasonally adjusted              
                                                                                                                             
                     Industry                                                                                                
                                               Mar.   Jan.    Feb.     Mar.    Mar.    Nov.    Dec.   Jan.    Feb.     Mar.  
                                               1998   1999    1999p    1999p   1998    1998    1998   1999    1999p    1999p 
                                                                                                                             
            Total private....................  141.6  141.0   142.7    143.2   143.8  145.7   146.4   146.4   147.2    146.5 
                                                                                                                             
     Goods-producing.........................  111.8  109.5   109.7    110.1   115.1  114.1   115.3   114.8   115.1    113.5 
                                                                                                                             
       Mining................................   54.1   48.5    47.8     47.0    55.6   52.6    52.4    50.1    49.3     48.5 
                                                                                                                             
       Construction..........................  143.0  147.5   149.5    150.2   158.7  164.4   171.1   171.3   174.2    166.8 
                                                                                                                             
       Manufacturing.........................  109.0  105.4   105.3    105.6   109.7  107.3   107.4   106.8   106.7    106.3 
                                                                                                                             
        Durable goods........................  113.4  108.9   109.1    109.5   113.7  110.9   111.0   110.1   110.1    109.6 
         Lumber and wood products............  139.1  141.5   140.4    141.3   143.6  144.6   146.9   148.3   145.9    145.7 
         Furniture and fixtures..............  132.1  132.6   132.4    135.0   132.7  131.4   133.0   134.0   133.7    135.6 
         Stone, clay, and glass products.....  109.5  109.0   109.6    110.8   113.9  116.8   118.4   118.1   117.3    115.2 
         Primary metal industries............   95.3   90.3    89.8     89.7    95.5   90.9    90.4    89.8    89.8     89.5 
           Blast furnaces and basic steel                                                                                    
              products.......................   73.9   68.6    67.8     68.7    74.4   68.6    68.2    68.6    68.4     69.0 
         Fabricated metal products...........  118.4  115.8   115.2    115.4   119.1  116.6   116.8   116.2   116.0    115.9 
         Industrial machinery and equipment..  112.4  105.0   105.2    104.1   111.1  106.9   105.7   104.6   104.7    102.8 
         Electronic and other electrical                                                                                     
            equipment........................  111.1  105.2   105.4    105.4   111.3  106.6   105.5   105.1   105.7    105.5 
         Transportation equipment............  129.8  123.2   124.6    126.0   128.7  126.9   128.0   123.8   124.9    124.7 
           Motor vehicles and equipment......  166.4  158.3   161.3    164.6   164.6  162.2   164.1   159.6   161.7    162.4 
         Instruments and related products....   77.3   74.6    75.0     75.0    76.8   74.5    74.2    74.7    74.7     74.7 
         Miscellaneous manufacturing.........  103.6   94.1    96.5     98.4   104.1   96.9    97.5    97.0    97.9     98.4 
                                                                                                                             
        Nondurable goods.....................  102.9  100.6   100.0    100.3   104.3  102.3   102.4   102.3   101.9    101.7 
         Food and kindred products...........  113.6  117.2   115.7    115.8   118.5  119.5   121.0   121.5   120.7    120.9 
         Tobacco products....................   57.8   60.7    57.3     54.2    59.7   58.8    53.9    58.3    56.9     56.5 
         Textile mill products...............   87.7   82.3    80.7     81.0    87.8   83.4    83.4    83.1    81.8     81.1 
         Apparel and other textile products..   69.8   61.8    61.9     61.8    70.2   64.3    64.2    62.9    62.7     61.9 
         Paper and allied products...........  109.7  107.9   106.1    106.9   111.1  108.6   108.1   107.9   107.7    108.2 
         Printing and publishing.............  125.4  121.4   121.1    121.8   125.3  123.9   123.0   123.9   122.5    121.9 
         Chemicals and allied products.......  103.3  101.2   101.1    101.4   103.4  102.1   101.3   101.6   101.4    101.3 
         Petroleum and coal products.........   71.1   70.8    70.8     71.1    73.6   74.1    77.5    72.4    75.1     73.8 
         Rubber and misc. plastics products..  147.1  146.3   147.6    148.8   147.2  146.8   147.5   147.0   148.6    149.0 
         Leather and leather products........   37.3   31.6    32.0     31.6    37.3   34.1    33.4    32.5    32.7     31.5 
                                                                                                                             
     Service-producing.......................  154.9  155.1   157.6    158.0   156.7  159.9   160.3   160.6   161.5    161.3 
                                                                                                                             
       Transportation and public utilities...  128.5  129.6   130.6    130.9   130.9  131.8   131.6   133.5   132.8    133.1 
                                                                                                                             
       Wholesale trade.......................  126.9  127.7   128.7    129.0   127.6  130.0   129.9   130.3   130.6    130.7 
                                                                                                                             
       Retail trade..........................  135.4  135.3   137.5    137.6   139.3  141.9   142.1   142.5   144.0    143.0 
                                                                                                                             
       Finance, insurance, and real estate...  134.5  135.3   136.8    136.6   133.6  137.4   137.3   137.5   138.3    138.4 
                                                                                                                             
       Services..............................  190.9  190.7   194.4    195.3   191.9  196.3   197.4   197.0   198.3    198.2 

       1 See footnote 1, table B-2.
       p = preliminary.




      ESTABLISHMENT DATA                                                                                   ESTABLISHMENT DATA
      
      
      Table B-6.  Diffusion indexes of employment change, seasonally adjusted
      
      (Percent)
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
             Time span          Jan.    Feb.    Mar.    Apr.    May     June    July    Aug.   Sept.    Oct.    Nov.    Dec. 
                                                                                                                             
                              
                                                         Private nonfarm payrolls, 356 industries1
                              
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
      Over 1-month span:                                                                                                     
           1995..............   62.5    60.0    54.9    55.6    47.8    55.6    54.8    59.0    58.0    55.8    54.5    58.8 
           1996..............   50.8    64.6    59.6    56.6    62.8    61.0    57.3    61.5    56.0    62.5    62.2    60.7 
           1997..............   58.0    61.4    59.8    63.6    60.1    54.6    61.1    59.1    60.0    64.3    62.4    64.9 
           1998..............   63.8    58.7    59.6    56.9    56.6    59.0    55.1    53.9    53.5    52.4    54.8    56.6 
           1999..............   54.5   p52.8   p48.6                                                                         
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
      Over 3-month span:                                                                                                     
           1995..............   63.6    61.4    59.4    53.1    55.2    53.2    59.7    60.1    59.1    58.0    56.6    54.6 
           1996..............   61.9    62.8    64.0    63.8    63.5    64.9    64.2    61.5    63.9    64.2    67.0    66.6 
           1997..............   64.9    63.3    65.6    66.2    63.9    61.2    60.1    65.9    67.4    68.1    70.8    71.9 
           1998..............   68.4    67.3    64.2    61.7    60.4    58.4    57.2    56.7    56.0    53.7    57.6    58.1 
           1999..............  p59.0   p52.1                                                                                 
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
      Over 6-month span:                                                                                                     
           1995..............   66.4    60.1    59.1    57.3    59.0    60.1    57.6    60.4    59.7    59.3    61.1    63.2 
           1996..............   62.8    65.4    64.7    65.7    66.2    65.0    66.4    66.0    66.2    67.6    66.9    66.3 
           1997..............   67.6    67.0    65.3    64.9    65.6    67.3    68.0    67.3    70.6    72.3    73.3    72.6 
           1998..............   72.1    70.9    69.4    63.5    64.5    61.8    59.0    58.1    58.1    60.8   p57.4   p56.3 
           1999..............                                                                                                
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
      Over 12-month span:                                                                                                    
           1995..............   63.6    62.4    62.6    63.3    61.7    61.9    58.7    62.2    62.2    61.5    63.5    65.4 
           1996..............   64.5    66.7    64.5    65.6    68.5    67.3    67.7    66.4    68.0    69.9    69.1    68.3 
           1997..............   69.8    67.6    69.2    70.1    69.8    69.8    71.2    71.2    71.1    73.0    72.9    72.3 
           1998..............   71.2    69.5    69.5    66.6    65.2    64.0    62.8   p63.6   p62.1                         
           1999..............                                                                                                
                                                                                                                             
                              
                                                          Manufacturing payrolls, 139 industries1
                              
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
      Over 1-month span:                                                                                                     
           1995..............   54.7    54.3    46.4    53.2    42.4    44.2    46.4    49.6    48.6    52.2    45.3    48.2 
           1996..............   42.8    54.7    48.2    42.1    55.4    50.7    47.1    55.4    47.8    52.9    54.3    55.4 
           1997..............   49.3    54.3    50.0    56.8    51.4    52.2    50.4    48.9    56.5    57.2    56.1    60.8 
           1998..............   55.8    51.8    52.5    48.6    45.0    47.8    39.6    47.5    43.2    38.8    37.1    45.7 
           1999..............   43.9   p39.6   p40.3                                                                         
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
      Over 3-month span:                                                                                                     
           1995..............   56.8    50.0    47.8    42.1    43.2    38.8    40.6    43.5    48.2    47.1    45.3    39.9 
           1996..............   43.9    46.8    46.0    47.5    46.4    49.3    51.4    50.0    53.6    51.1    57.6    54.7 
           1997..............   54.3    49.3    54.3    54.0    55.4    50.4    47.5    52.2    57.9    62.6    64.7    65.5 
           1998..............   60.1    59.0    50.7    46.4    43.2    38.8    36.7    34.2    41.4    30.9    35.6    38.1 
           1999..............  p39.2   p33.5                                                                                 
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
      Over 6-month span:                                                                                                     
           1995..............   55.4    46.4    42.8    40.3    41.4    42.4    41.0    41.0    43.9    43.2    43.2    45.3 
           1996..............   42.1    45.3    46.4    47.1    48.2    48.6    51.1    50.4    52.9    52.9    53.2    52.2 
           1997..............   54.3    54.3    51.4    52.9    51.4    55.0    56.8    57.6    60.4    64.4    67.6    65.8 
           1998..............   61.5    56.8    52.2    39.2    40.6    34.5    30.9    28.1    31.7    38.5   p31.3   p29.9 
           1999..............                                                                                                
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
      Over 12-month span:                                                                                                    
           1995..............   46.0    44.2    46.0    47.8    41.0    41.7    38.5    38.8    36.3    38.5    39.9    44.6 
           1996..............   43.5    47.5    45.3    45.3    50.4    49.6    50.4    48.6    51.1    55.0    54.0    51.8 
           1997..............   57.2    52.5    54.7    56.5    57.9    57.6    58.6    58.6    60.4    60.4    59.4    58.3 
           1998..............   50.7    51.1    50.4    41.7    38.5    36.7    32.7   p32.0   p29.5                         
           1999..............                                                                                                

        1 Based on seasonally adjusted data for 1-, 3-, and 6-month spans and unadjusted data for the 12-month span. Data are
      centered within the span. 
        p = preliminary.
        NOTE:  Figures are the percent of industries with employment increasing plus one-half of the industries with
      unchanged employment, where 50 percent indicates an equal balance between industries with increasing and decreasing
      employment.