Technical information:      (202) 691-5870    USDL 04-2275
                   http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
                                              For release:  10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                    691-5902    Tuesday, November 9, 2004


             JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER:  SEPTEMBER 2004

   The job openings, hires, and total separations rates showed little or no
change in September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department
of Labor reported today.  The job openings rate was unchanged at 2.4 per-
cent.  The hires rate remained at 3.3 percent, and the total separations
rate was essentially unchanged at 3.2 percent.  This release includes
estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations
for the total nonfarm sector by industry and geographic region.
     
Job Openings
     
   On the last business day of September 2004, there were 3.2 million job
openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.4 percent.
(See table 1.)  The overall job openings rate is 0.4 percentage point
higher than its most recent low in August 2003.  In September, the job
openings rate showed little or no change for the major industry categories.

Hires and Separations
     
   The hires rate (the number of hires during the month divided by
employment) was 3.3 percent in September, unchanged from a month earlier.
(See table 2.)  Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month.
The hires rate decreased in trade, transportation, and utilities and in
education and health services over the month, while other major industries
showed little change in their hires rates.

   The total separations, or turnover, rate (the total number of
separations during the month divided by employment) was 3.2 percent in
September and has remained in the range of 2.9 to 3.3 percent since
December 2001.  Separations are terminations of employment that occur at
any time during the month.  (See table 3.)  The total separations rate
increased in government in September, following a decrease in August.
Other major industries showed little or no change in their total
separations rates in September.
   
   Total separations include quits (voluntary separations), layoffs and
discharges (involuntary separations), and other separations (including
retirements).  The quits rate, which can serve as a barometer of workers'
ability to change jobs, was 1.7 percent in September and has been unchanged
since February 2004.  (See table 4.)  The quits rate increased in manufac-
turing from a month earlier.  The other two components of total separations,
layoffs and discharges (1.3 percent) and other separations (0.2 percent) are
not seasonally adjusted.  The layoffs and discharges rate was little changed
from a year earlier, and the other separations rate was unchanged.

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally
adjusted           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------                       
                   |    Job openings    |       Hires        | Total separations
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
     Industry      | Sept.| Aug. | Sept.| Sept.| Aug. | Sept.| Sept.| Aug. | Sept.
                   | 2003 | 2004 | 2004p| 2003 | 2004 | 2004p| 2003 | 2004 | 2004p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                     Levels (in thousands)
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1/...........|2,755 |3,195 |3,235 |4,061 |4,375 |4,297 |3,845 |4,134 |4,165
  Total private 1/.|2,399 |2,859 |2,889 |3,787 |4,058 |3,948 |3,588 |3,894 |3,876
    Construction...|   58 |  121 |  126 |  405 |  401 |  388 |  408 |  391 |  367
    Manufacturing..|  183 |  234 |  246 |  336 |  356 |  379 |  340 |  379 |  379
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  484 |  551 |  561 |  859 |  984 |  879 |  821 |  951 |  906
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  467 |  594 |  564 |  606 |  690 |  674 |  524 |  575 |  588
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     vices.........|  499 |  536 |  546 |  439 |  470 |  403 |  399 |  380 |  386
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  348 |  410 |  411 |  732 |  760 |  834 |  657 |  760 |  769
  Government.......|  364 |  337 |  339 |  290 |  322 |  339 |  259 |  246 |  290
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                       Rates (percent)                
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1/...........|  2.1 |  2.4 |  2.4 |  3.1 |  3.3 |  3.3 |  3.0 |  3.1 |  3.2
  Total private 1/.|  2.2 |  2.5 |  2.6 |  3.5 |  3.7 |  3.6 |  3.3 |  3.5 |  3.5
    Construction...|   .9 |  1.7 |  1.8 |  6.0 |  5.8 |  5.6 |  6.0 |  5.6 |  5.3
    Manufacturing..|  1.3 |  1.6 |  1.7 |  2.3 |  2.5 |  2.6 |  2.4 |  2.6 |  2.6
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  1.9 |  2.1 |  2.2 |  3.4 |  3.9 |  3.4 |  3.3 |  3.7 |  3.6
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  2.8 |  3.5 |  3.3 |  3.8 |  4.2 |  4.1 |  3.3 |  3.5 |  3.6
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |           
     vices.........|  2.9 |  3.1 |  3.1 |  2.6 |  2.8 |  2.4 |  2.4 |  2.2 |  2.3
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  2.8 |  3.2 |  3.2 |  6.0 |  6.1 |  6.7 |  5.4 |  6.2 |  6.2
  Government.......|  1.7 |  1.5 |  1.5 |  1.3 |  1.5 |  1.6 |  1.2 |  1.1 |  1.3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1/ Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.


   Hires and separations help show dynamic flows in the labor market.  Over
the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.3 million per month and separations
have averaged 4.0 million per month.  (See the Technical Note for additional
information on these measures.)
     
For More Information
     
   For additional information, please see the Technical Note or the JOLTS
Web site at www.bls.gov/jlt/.  Additional information about JOLTS also may
be obtained by e-mailing Joltsinfo@bls.gov or by calling (202) 691-5870.


                      ______________________________



   The Job Openings and Labor Turnover release for October 2004 is
scheduled to be issued on Wednesday, December 8, 2004.





                                  - 3 -

Technical Note


  The data for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) are
collected and compiled monthly from a sample of business establishments 
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
   
Collection
   
  Each month, data are collected in a survey of business establishments
for total employment, job openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges,
and other separations.  Data collection methods include computer-assisted
telephone interviewing, touchtone data entry, fax, and mail.
   
Coverage
   
  The JOLTS program covers all private nonfarm establishments such as
factories, offices, and stores, as well as federal, state, and local
government entities in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
   
Concepts
   
  Industry classification.  The industry classifications in this release
are in accordance with the 2002 version of the North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS).  In order to ensure the highest possible
quality of data, State Employment Security Agencies verify with employers
and update, if necessary, the industry code, location, and ownership clas-
sification of all establishments on a 3-year cycle.  Changes in establish-
ment characteristics resulting from the verification process are always 
introduced into the JOLTS sampling frame with the data reported for the 
first month of the year.
   
  Employment.  Employment includes persons on the payroll who worked or re-
ceived pay for the pay period that includes the 12th day of the reference
month.  Full-time, part-time, permanent, short-term, seasonal, salaried,
and hourly employees are included, as are employees on paid vacations or
other paid leave.  Proprietors or partners of unincorporated businesses,
unpaid family workers, or persons on leave without pay or on strike for 
the entire pay period, are not counted as employed.  Employees of tempo-
rary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, and
consultants are counted by their employer of record, not by the establish-
ment where they are working.
   
  Job openings.  Establishments submit job openings information for the
last business day of the reference month.  A job opening requires that:  
1) a specific position exists and there is work available for that posi-
tion, 2) work could start within 30 days regardless of whether a suitable
candidate is found, and 3) the employer is actively recruiting from outside
the establishment to fill the position.  Included are full-time, part-time,
permanent, short-term, and seasonal openings.  Active recruiting means that
the establishment is taking steps to fill a position by advertising in news-
papers or on the Internet, posting help-wanted signs, accepting applications, 
or using other similar methods.
   
  Jobs to be filled only by internal transfers, promotions, demotions, or
recall from layoffs are excluded.  Also excluded are jobs with start dates
more than 30 days in the future, jobs for which employees have been hired
but have not yet reported for work, and jobs to be filled by employees of
temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors,
or consultants.  The job openings rate is computed by dividing the number
of job openings by the sum of employment and job openings and multiplying
that quotient by 100.
   
                                  - 4 -

  Hires.  Hires are the total number of additions to the payroll occurring
at any time during the reference month, including both new and rehired em-
ployees, full-time and part-time, permanent, short-term and seasonal em-
ployees, employees recalled to the location after a layoff lasting more
than 7 days, on-call or intermittent employees who returned to work after
having been formally separated, and transfers from other locations.  The
hires count does not include transfers or promotions within the reporting
site, employees returning from strike, employees of temporary help agencies
or employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants.  The
hires rate is computed by dividing the number of hires by employment and
multiplying that quotient by 100.
   
  Separations.  Separations are the total number of terminations of
employment occurring at any time during the reference month, and are
reported by type of separation--quits, layoffs and discharges, and 
other separations.  Quits are voluntary separations by employees (ex-
cept for retirements, which are reported as other separations).  Lay-
offs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the em-
ployer and include layoffs with no intent to rehire, formal layoffs 
lasting or expected to last more than 7 days, discharges resulting 
from mergers, downsizing, or closings, firings or other discharges 
for cause, terminations of permanent or short-term employees, and 
terminations of seasonal employees.  Other separations include re-
tirements, transfers to other locations, deaths, and separations 
due to disability.  Separations do not include transfers within the 
same location or employees on strike.
   
  The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations
by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100.  The quits, layoffs
and discharges, and other separations rates are computed similarly, divid-
ing the number by employment and multiplying by 100.
   
Sample methodology
   
  The JOLTS sample design is a random sample of 16,000 nonfarm business
establishments, including factories, offices, and stores, as well as
federal, state, and local governments in the 50 states and the District 
of Columbia.  The establishments are drawn from a universe of over eight
million establishments compiled as part of the operations of the Quarterly
Census of Employment and Wages, or QCEW, program.  This program includes
all employers subject to state Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws and federal
agencies subject to Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE).
   
  The sampling frame is stratified by ownership, region, industry sector,
and size class.  Large firms fall into the sample with virtual certainty.
JOLTS total employment estimates are controlled to the employment estimates
of the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey.  A ratio of CES to JOLTS
employment is used to adjust the levels for all other JOLTS data elements.
Rates are then computed from the adjusted levels.
   
                                  - 5 -

Using JOLTS data
   
  The JOLTS data series on job openings, hires, and separations are rel-
atively new.  The full sample is divided into panels, with one panel
enrolled each month.  A full complement of panels for the original data
series based on the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system
was not completely enrolled in the survey until January 2002.  The supple-
mental panels of establishments needed to create NAICS estimates were not 
completely enrolled until May 2003.  The data collected up until those
points are from less than a full sample.  Therefore, estimates from earlier
months should be used with caution, as fewer sampled units were reporting
data at that time.
   
  In March 2002, BLS procedures for collecting hires and separations data
were revised to address possible underreporting.  As a result, JOLTS hires
and separations estimates for months prior to March 2002 may not be compar-
able with estimates for March 2002 and later.
   
  The federal government reorganization that involved transferring approx-
imately 180,000 employees to the new Department of Homeland Security is not 
reflected in the JOLTS hires and separations estimates for the federal gov-
ernment.  The Office of Personnel Management's record shows these transfers 
were completed in March 2003.  The inclusion of transfers in the JOLTS defi-
nitions of hires and separations is intended to cover ongoing movements of 
workers between establishments.  The Department of Homeland Security reorgan-
ization was a massive one-time event, and the inclusion of these intergovern-
mental transfers would distort the federal government time series.
   
Seasonal adjustment
   
  BLS seasonally adjusts several JOLTS series using the X-12-ARIMA
seasonal adjustment program.  Seasonal adjustment is the process of
estimating and removing periodic fluctuations caused by events such 
as weather, holidays, and the beginning and ending of the school year.
Seasonal adjustment makes it easier to observe fundamental changes in 
the level of the series, particularly those associated with general 
economic expansions and contractions.  A concurrent seasonal adjust-
ment methodology is used in which new seasonal adjustment factors are 
calculated each month, using all relevant data, up to and including 
the data for the current month.
   
  Data users should note that seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS series is
conducted with fewer data observations than is customary.  The historical
data, therefore, may be subject to larger than normal revisions.  Since the
seasonal patterns in economic data series typically emerge over time, the
standard use of moving averages as seasonal filters to capture these effects 
requires longer series than are currently available.  As a result, the stable 
seasonal filter option is used in the seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS data.  
When calculating seasonal factors, this filter takes an average for each cal-
endar month after detrending the series.  The stable seasonal filter assumes 
that the seasonal factors are fixed; a necessary assumption until sufficient 
data are available.  When the stable seasonal filter is no longer needed, 
other program features also may be introduced, such as outlier adjustment 
and extended diagnostic testing.  Additionally, it is expected that more 
series, such as layoffs and discharges and additional industries, may be 
seasonally adjusted when more data are available.
   
                                  - 6 -

Reliability of the estimates
   
  JOLTS estimates are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error.
When a sample rather than the entire population is surveyed, there is a
chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true" population
values they represent.  The exact difference, or sampling error, varies
depending on the particular sample selected, and this variability is
measured by the standard error of the estimate.  BLS analysis is generally
conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.  That means that there is
a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a
sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true"
population value because of sampling error.  Estimates of sampling errors
are available upon request.
   
  The JOLTS estimates also are affected by nonsampling error.  Nonsampling
error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to include a seg-
ment of the population, the inability to obtain data from all units in the 
sample, the inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide data on a 
timely basis, mistakes made by respondents, errors made in the collection 
or processing of the data, and errors from the employment benchmark data 
used in estimation.
   
  JOLTS hires and separations estimates cannot be used to exactly ex-
plain net changes in nonfarm payroll employment.  Some reasons why it is
problematic to compare changes in payroll employment with JOLTS hires and
separations, especially on a monthly basis, are: 1) the reference period
for payroll employment is the pay period including the 12th of the month,
while the reference period for hires and separations is the calendar month;
and 2) payroll employment can vary from month to month simply because part-
time and on-call workers may not always work during the pay period that in-
cludes the 12th of the month.  Additionally, research has found that some
reporters systematically underreport separations relative to hires due to a
number of factors, including the nature of their payroll systems and prac-
tices.  The shortfall appears to be about 2 percent or less over a 12-month 
period.
   
Other information
   
  Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone: 1-800-877-8339.





Table 1.  Job openings levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

                                                      Levels(3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region            Sept.  Apr.   May    June   July   Aug.   Sept.  Sept. Apr.  May   June  July  Aug.  Sept.
                                          2003   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004p  2003  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004p

Total(4)...............................  2,755  3,135  3,105  3,022  3,237  3,195  3,235    2.1   2.3   2.3   2.3   2.4   2.4   2.4

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  2,399  2,778  2,746  2,640  2,894  2,859  2,889    2.2   2.5   2.4   2.3   2.6   2.5   2.6
  Construction.........................     58    105    108     94     88    121    126     .9   1.5   1.5   1.3   1.3   1.7   1.8
  Manufacturing........................    183    251    244    247    240    234    246    1.3   1.7   1.7   1.7   1.6   1.6   1.7
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    484    531    521    503    567    551    561    1.9   2.0   2.0   1.9   2.2   2.1   2.2
  Professional and business services...    467    518    530    494    583    594    564    2.8   3.1   3.1   2.9   3.4   3.5   3.3
  Education and health services........    499    576    542    496    537    536    546    2.9   3.3   3.1   2.9   3.1   3.1   3.1
  Leisure and hospitality..............    348    376    391    421    435    410    411    2.8   3.0   3.1   3.3   3.4   3.2   3.2
 Government............................    364    354    360    380    343    337    339    1.7   1.6   1.6   1.7   1.6   1.5   1.5


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    488    560    526    546    545    540    547    1.9   2.2   2.0   2.1   2.1   2.1   2.1
  South................................  1,039  1,191  1,164  1,164  1,280  1,259  1,210    2.2   2.5   2.5   2.4   2.7   2.6   2.5
  Midwest..............................    581    692    688    631    635    613    696    1.9   2.2   2.2   2.0   2.0   1.9   2.2
  West.................................    657    694    765    677    738    771    778    2.3   2.4   2.6   2.3   2.5   2.6   2.6


  1 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day of the month.
  2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a percent of total employment plus
job openings.
  3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
  4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the regions are: Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of
Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,
Virginia, and West Virginia; Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,
South Dakota, and Wisconsin; West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming.





Table 2.  Hires levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

                                                      Levels(3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region            Sept.  Apr.   May    June   July   Aug.   Sept.  Sept. Apr.  May   June  July  Aug.  Sept.
                                          2003   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004p  2003  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004p

Total(4)...............................  4,061  4,398  4,206  4,433  4,229  4,375  4,297    3.1   3.4   3.2   3.4   3.2   3.3   3.3

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  3,787  4,090  3,938  4,110  3,930  4,058  3,948    3.5   3.7   3.6   3.7   3.6   3.7   3.6
  Construction.........................    405    421    406    436    368    401    388    6.0   6.1   5.9   6.3   5.3   5.8   5.6
  Manufacturing........................    336    354    336    370    352    356    379    2.3   2.5   2.3   2.6   2.4   2.5   2.6
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    859  1,032    938    945    957    984    879    3.4   4.1   3.7   3.7   3.8   3.9   3.4
  Professional and business services...    606    609    631    692    621    690    674    3.8   3.7   3.8   4.2   3.8   4.2   4.1
  Education and health services........    439    460    451    428    418    470    403    2.6   2.7   2.7   2.5   2.5   2.8   2.4
  Leisure and hospitality..............    732    766    739    749    760    760    834    6.0   6.2   6.0   6.1   6.2   6.1   6.7
 Government............................    290    300    272    328    310    322    339    1.3   1.4   1.3   1.5   1.4   1.5   1.6


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    705    810    708    703    720    763    758    2.8   3.2   2.8   2.8   2.9   3.0   3.0
  South................................  1,524  1,582  1,606  1,709  1,640  1,643  1,659    3.3   3.4   3.5   3.7   3.5   3.5   3.6
  Midwest..............................    885    991    956  1,009    935    945    939    2.9   3.2   3.1   3.2   3.0   3.0   3.0
  West.................................    973  1,093    951  1,023    865  1,018    960    3.4   3.8   3.3   3.6   3.0   3.5   3.3


  1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.
  2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
  4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.





Table 3.  Total separations levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

                                                      Levels(3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region            Sept.  Apr.   May    June   July   Aug.   Sept.  Sept. Apr.  May   June  July  Aug.  Sept.
                                          2003   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004p  2003  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004p

Total(4)...............................  3,845  4,088  4,040  4,069  4,074  4,134  4,165    3.0   3.1   3.1   3.1   3.1   3.1   3.2

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  3,588  3,843  3,761  3,789  3,793  3,894  3,876    3.3   3.5   3.4   3.5   3.5   3.5   3.5
  Construction.........................    408    391    367    382    364    391    367    6.0   5.7   5.3   5.5   5.3   5.6   5.3
  Manufacturing........................    340    353    377    343    367    379    379    2.4   2.5   2.6   2.4   2.5   2.6   2.6
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    821  1,013    917    927    972    951    906    3.3   4.0   3.6   3.6   3.8   3.7   3.6
  Professional and business services...    524    606    556    607    613    575    588    3.3   3.7   3.4   3.7   3.7   3.5   3.6
  Education and health services........    399    386    379    362    363    380    386    2.4   2.3   2.2   2.1   2.1   2.2   2.3
  Leisure and hospitality..............    657    679    696    734    694    760    769    5.4   5.5   5.6   5.9   5.6   6.2   6.2
 Government............................    259    245    268    270    273    246    290    1.2   1.1   1.2   1.3   1.3   1.1   1.3


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    660    716    648    704    674    717    724    2.6   2.9   2.6   2.8   2.7   2.8   2.9
  South................................  1,468  1,524  1,504  1,533  1,545  1,527  1,504    3.2   3.3   3.2   3.3   3.3   3.3   3.2
  Midwest..............................    832    877    833    853    935    831    934    2.7   2.8   2.7   2.7   3.0   2.7   3.0
  West.................................    878    959  1,008    979    945  1,087    991    3.1   3.4   3.5   3.4   3.3   3.8   3.5


  1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month.
  2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
  4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.





Table 4.  Quits levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

                                                      Levels(3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region            Sept.  Apr.   May    June   July   Aug.   Sept.  Sept. Apr.  May   June  July  Aug.  Sept.
                                          2003   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004p  2003  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004p

Total(4)...............................  2,072  2,278  2,173  2,284  2,265  2,252  2,258    1.6   1.7   1.7   1.7   1.7   1.7   1.7

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  1,949  2,151  2,036  2,162  2,141  2,140  2,130    1.8   2.0   1.9   2.0   2.0   1.9   1.9
  Construction.........................    151    149    144    156    101    147    132    2.2   2.2   2.1   2.3   1.5   2.1   1.9
  Manufacturing........................    142    189    171    171    174    165    186    1.0   1.3   1.2   1.2   1.2   1.1   1.3
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    473    563    525    536    559    552    539    1.9   2.2   2.1   2.1   2.2   2.2   2.1
  Professional and business services...    276    323    259    322    322    308    309    1.7   2.0   1.6   2.0   2.0   1.9   1.9
  Education and health services........    252    245    223    225    271    239    244    1.5   1.5   1.3   1.3   1.6   1.4   1.4
  Leisure and hospitality..............    392    429    455    480    442    476    457    3.2   3.5   3.7   3.9   3.6   3.9   3.7
 Government............................    123    129    129    123    126    116    129     .6    .6    .6    .6    .6    .5    .6


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    295    390    318    334    338    339    323    1.2   1.6   1.3   1.3   1.3   1.3   1.3
  South................................    811    888    857    910    901    897    916    1.8   1.9   1.8   2.0   1.9   1.9   2.0
  Midwest..............................    462    479    479    485    505    447    464    1.5   1.5   1.5   1.6   1.6   1.4   1.5
  West.................................    504    524    521    573    519    566    552    1.8   1.8   1.8   2.0   1.8   2.0   1.9


  1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.
  2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
  4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.





Table 5.  Job openings levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Sept.    Aug.     Sept.         Sept.    Aug.     Sept.
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  2,844    3,413    3,373           2.1      2.5      2.5

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  2,486    3,061    3,043           2.2      2.7      2.7
  Natural resources and mining..................      6        7        9           1.0      1.2      1.5
  Construction..................................     59      115      135            .8      1.6      1.8
  Manufacturing.................................    192      252      256           1.3      1.7      1.7
   Durable goods................................    111      146      163           1.2      1.6      1.8
   Nondurable goods.............................     82      105       94           1.4      1.9      1.7
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    539      620      637           2.1      2.4      2.4
   Wholesale trade..............................     82      112      113           1.4      1.9      2.0
   Retail trade.................................    389      424      438           2.6      2.7      2.8
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     68       84       86           1.4      1.7      1.7
  Information...................................     59       76       68           1.8      2.3      2.1
  Financial activities..........................    172      215      242           2.1      2.6      2.9
   Finance and insurance........................    134      175      203           2.2      2.8      3.3
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     38       40       38           1.8      1.9      1.8
  Professional and business services............    490      620      602           2.9      3.6      3.5
  Education and health services.................    523      571      568           3.1      3.3      3.3
   Educational services.........................     33       54       55           1.2      2.2      2.0
   Health care and social assistance............    490      518      513           3.4      3.5      3.5
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    342      455      407           2.7      3.4      3.1
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     37       51       53           2.0      2.5      2.7
   Accommodations and food services.............    306      403      355           2.8      3.6      3.2
  Other services................................    104      130      118           1.9      2.3      2.1

 Government.....................................    358      352      329           1.7      1.7      1.5
  Federal.......................................     41       41       37           1.5      1.5      1.3
  State and local...............................    317      311      292           1.7      1.7      1.5

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    509      600      579           2.0      2.3      2.2
  South.........................................  1,058    1,312    1,240           2.2      2.8      2.6
  Midwest.......................................    607      688      735           1.9      2.2      2.3
  West..........................................    669      813      818           2.3      2.8      2.8


  1 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day of the month.
  2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a
percent of total employment plus job openings.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.





Table 6.  Hires levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Sept.    Aug.     Sept.         Sept.    Aug.     Sept.
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  4,612    5,038    4,868           3.5      3.8      3.7

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  4,193    4,534    4,356           3.9      4.1      3.9
  Natural resources and mining..................     14       20       20           2.3      3.3      3.4
  Construction..................................    400      385      383           5.7      5.3      5.3
  Manufacturing.................................    347      397      400           2.4      2.7      2.8
   Durable goods................................    211      245      250           2.4      2.7      2.8
   Nondurable goods.............................    137      152      151           2.5      2.8      2.8
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........  1,028    1,071    1,026           4.1      4.2      4.0
   Wholesale trade..............................    169      176      169           3.0      3.1      3.0
   Retail trade.................................    698      726      650           4.7      4.8      4.3
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    161      169      207           3.4      3.5      4.3
  Information...................................     59       76       68           1.9      2.4      2.2
  Financial activities..........................    195      185      201           2.4      2.3      2.5
   Finance and insurance........................    122      122      118           2.1      2.0      2.0
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     73       62       83           3.5      2.9      3.9
  Professional and business services............    637      767      715           3.9      4.6      4.3
  Education and health services.................    585      577      523           3.5      3.5      3.1
   Educational services.........................    117       89      111           4.5      3.7      4.2
   Health care and social assistance............    468      488      411           3.4      3.4      2.9
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    728      841      838           5.9      6.5      6.7
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     84      111      122           4.6      5.5      6.6
   Accommodations and food services.............    644      730      716           6.1      6.7      6.7
  Other services................................    201      215      182           3.7      3.9      3.4

 Government.....................................    418      504      512           2.0      2.5      2.4
  Federal.......................................     38       35       42           1.4      1.3      1.5
  State and local...............................    381      469      470           2.1      2.7      2.5

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    870      802      960           3.5      3.2      3.8
  South.........................................  1,605    1,956    1,740           3.5      4.2      3.7
  Midwest.......................................  1,078    1,167    1,134           3.5      3.8      3.6
  West..........................................  1,059    1,113    1,035           3.7      3.9      3.6


  1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.
  2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.





Table 7.  Total separations levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Sept.    Aug.     Sept.         Sept.    Aug.     Sept.
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  4,309    5,269    4,672           3.3      4.0      3.5

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  4,007    4,887    4,330           3.7      4.4      3.9
  Natural resources and mining..................     18       22       19           3.2      3.6      3.2
  Construction..................................    443      466      388           6.3      6.4      5.4
  Manufacturing.................................    338      455      378           2.3      3.1      2.6
   Durable goods................................    201      298      244           2.3      3.3      2.7
   Nondurable goods.............................    136      157      135           2.5      2.9      2.5
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    883    1,117      967           3.5      4.4      3.8
   Wholesale trade..............................    150      160      146           2.7      2.8      2.6
   Retail trade.................................    621      796      682           4.2      5.3      4.6
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    113      162      139           2.4      3.4      2.9
  Information...................................     66       87       66           2.1      2.7      2.1
  Financial activities..........................    202      204      197           2.5      2.5      2.4
   Finance and insurance........................    112      141      117           1.9      2.4      2.0
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     91       63       80           4.4      2.9      3.7
  Professional and business services............    548      727      617           3.4      4.3      3.7
  Education and health services.................    430      492      420           2.6      3.0      2.5
   Educational services.........................     49       62       61           1.9      2.6      2.3
   Health care and social assistance............    381      431      358           2.7      3.0      2.5
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    883    1,019    1,050           7.2      7.9      8.4
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........    212      145      232          11.4      7.2     12.4
   Accommodations and food services.............    672      874      818           6.4      8.0      7.7
  Other services................................    197      299      229           3.7      5.5      4.2

 Government.....................................    302      381      342           1.4      1.9      1.6
  Federal.......................................     36       26       26           1.3       .9      1.0
  State and local...............................    265      356      316           1.4      2.0      1.7

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    825      951      914           3.3      3.8      3.6
  South.........................................  1,574    1,957    1,600           3.4      4.2      3.4
  Midwest.......................................    945    1,107    1,075           3.1      3.6      3.4
  West..........................................    964    1,254    1,083           3.4      4.4      3.8


  1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month.
  2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of
total employment.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.





Table 8.  Quits levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Sept.    Aug.     Sept.         Sept.    Aug.     Sept.
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  2,406    3,103    2,613           1.8      2.4      2.0

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  2,276    2,916    2,475           2.1      2.6      2.2
  Natural resources and mining..................      8       11       12           1.4      1.8      2.0
  Construction..................................    175      191      153           2.5      2.6      2.1
  Manufacturing.................................    161      237      215           1.1      1.6      1.5
   Durable goods................................     98      139      131           1.1      1.5      1.5
   Nondurable goods.............................     63       98       84           1.1      1.8      1.5
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    544      740      608           2.2      2.9      2.4
   Wholesale trade..............................     85       82       90           1.5      1.4      1.6
   Retail trade.................................    398      586      453           2.7      3.9      3.0
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     61       72       65           1.3      1.5      1.3
  Information...................................     40       61       37           1.3      1.9      1.2
  Financial activities..........................     97      129      110           1.2      1.6      1.4
   Finance and insurance........................     60       83       65           1.0      1.4      1.1
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     37       46       46           1.8      2.1      2.1
  Professional and business services............    301      438      333           1.9      2.6      2.0
  Education and health services.................    293      315      279           1.8      1.9      1.7
   Educational services.........................     31       32       34           1.2      1.3      1.3
   Health care and social assistance............    262      283      245           1.9      2.0      1.7
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    529      664      619           4.3      5.1      4.9
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     75       56       67           4.1      2.7      3.6
   Accommodations and food services.............    454      609      552           4.3      5.6      5.2
  Other services................................    127      131      107           2.4      2.4      2.0

 Government.....................................    131      186      139            .6       .9       .6
  Federal.......................................     14       13       10            .5       .5       .4
  State and local...............................    117      173      129            .6      1.0       .7

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    398      484      425           1.6      1.9      1.7
  South.........................................    893    1,181    1,016           1.9      2.5      2.2
  Midwest.......................................    541      665      541           1.8      2.1      1.7
  West..........................................    575      773      631           2.0      2.7      2.2


  1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.
  2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.





Table 9.  Layoffs and discharges levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Sept.    Aug.     Sept.         Sept.    Aug.     Sept.
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  1,607    1,832    1,760           1.2      1.4      1.3

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  1,487    1,692    1,604           1.4      1.5      1.5
  Natural resources and mining..................      8        7        4           1.4      1.2       .7
  Construction..................................    257      259      214           3.7      3.6      3.0
  Manufacturing.................................    147      186      135           1.0      1.3       .9
   Durable goods................................     86      136       92           1.0      1.5      1.0
   Nondurable goods.............................     61       49       44           1.1       .9       .8
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    265      303      302           1.1      1.2      1.2
   Wholesale trade..............................     52       64       47            .9      1.1       .8
   Retail trade.................................    175      165      194           1.2      1.1      1.3
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     39       74       61            .8      1.5      1.3
  Information...................................     24       22       20            .7       .7       .6
  Financial activities..........................     90       46       70           1.1       .6       .9
   Finance and insurance........................     37       31       37            .6       .5       .6
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     53       15       32           2.5       .7      1.5
  Professional and business services............    206      249      247           1.3      1.5      1.5
  Education and health services.................    106      144      107            .6       .9       .6
   Educational services.........................     14       26       23            .5      1.1       .9
   Health care and social assistance............     91      119       84            .7       .8       .6
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    331      313      397           2.7      2.4      3.2
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........    133       88      159           7.2      4.4      8.5
   Accommodations and food services.............    198      224      238           1.9      2.1      2.2
  Other services................................     55      163      109           1.0      3.0      2.0

 Government.....................................    120      139      156            .6       .7       .7
  Federal.......................................     13        6        9            .5       .2       .3
  State and local...............................    106      133      147            .6       .8       .8

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    369      389      413           1.5      1.6      1.6
  South.........................................    580      660      480           1.3      1.4      1.0
  Midwest.......................................    342      369      475           1.1      1.2      1.5
  West..........................................    315      413      392           1.1      1.4      1.4


  1 Layoffs and discharges are the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month.
  2 The layoffs and discharges rate is the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month as a
percent of total employment.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.





Table 10.  Other separations levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Sept.    Aug.     Sept.         Sept.    Aug.     Sept.
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................    295      335      298           0.2      0.3      0.2

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................    244      279      251            .2       .3       .2
  Natural resources and mining..................      2        4        3            .3       .6       .5
  Construction..................................     11       15       22            .2       .2       .3
  Manufacturing.................................     30       32       28            .2       .2       .2
   Durable goods................................     18       22       21            .2       .2       .2
   Nondurable goods.............................     13       10        7            .2       .2       .1
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........     74       75       56            .3       .3       .2
   Wholesale trade..............................     13       14        8            .2       .2       .1
   Retail trade.................................     48       45       35            .3       .3       .2
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     13       16       13            .3       .3       .3
  Information...................................      2        4        9            .1       .1       .3
  Financial activities..........................     16       29       17            .2       .4       .2
   Finance and insurance........................     14       27       15            .2       .5       .2
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........      1        2        2            .1       .1       .1
  Professional and business services............     41       39       37            .3       .2       .2
  Education and health services.................     31       34       33            .2       .2       .2
   Educational services.........................      4        4        4            .1       .2       .2
   Health care and social assistance............     27       29       29            .2       .2       .2
  Leisure and hospitality.......................     23       42       34            .2       .3       .3
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........      3        1        6            .2       .1       .3
   Accommodations and food services.............     20       40       28            .2       .4       .3
  Other services................................     14        5       13            .3       .1       .2

 Government.....................................     52       56       48            .2       .3       .2
  Federal.......................................     10        6        7            .4       .2       .3
  State and local...............................     42       49       40            .2       .3       .2

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................     58       78       77            .2       .3       .3
  South.........................................    101      115      104            .2       .2       .2
  Midwest.......................................     61       73       58            .2       .2       .2
  West..........................................     75       68       59            .3       .2       .2


  1 Other separations are the number of other separations during the entire month.
  2 The other separations rate is the number of other separations during the entire month as a percent of
total employment.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.