Technical information:      (202) 691-5870       USDL 05-1962
                   http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
                                                 For release:  10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                    691-5902       Wednesday, October 12, 2005


               JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER:  AUGUST 2005


   The job openings, hires, and total separations rates were all essentially
unchanged in August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department
of Labor reported today.  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 August 2005, there were 3.5 million job
openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.6 percent.
(See table 1.)  The job openings rate was unchanged in August, but has
generally trended upward since September 2003.  In August, the job openings
rate did not change significantly in any industry or region.   
     
Hires and Separations

   The hires rate was unchanged at 3.5 percent in August.  (See table 2.)
Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month.  In August, the
hires rate did not change significantly in any industry, but did decrease
in the Midwest region.
     
   The total separations, or turnover, rate was little changed at 3.3 per-
cent in August.  (See table 3.)  Separations are terminations of employment
that occur at any time during the month.  In August, the total separations
rate decreased in the professional and business services industry.  The
total separations rates in all other industries and the regions did not
change significantly from July.
     
   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 essentially unchanged at 1.9 percent in August.
(See table 4.)  The quits rate increased in the construction industry but
did not change significantly in any other industry or in any of the
regions.
    
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
   |                          Hurricane Katrina                        |
   |                                                                   |
   |    Hurricane Katrina struck Florida and the Gulf Coast at the end |
   | of August, the reference month for the estimates in this release. |
   | All possible efforts were made to contact survey respondents in   |
   | the hurricane-affected areas.  Special estimation procedures were |
   | used for selected nonresponding sample units as discussed in the  |
   | note on page 3.                                                   |
    ------------------------------------------------------------------- 

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally
adjusted           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------                       
                   |    Job openings    |       Hires        | Total separations
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
     Industry      | Aug. | July | Aug. | Aug. | July | Aug. | Aug. | July | Aug.
                   | 2004 | 2005 | 2005p| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                     Levels (in thousands)
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........|3,206 |3,588 |3,549 |4,504 |4,649 |4,654 |4,271 |4,270 |4,457
  Total private(1).|2,855 |3,204 |3,173 |4,174 |4,342 |4,341 |4,038 |4,007 |4,202
    Construction...|  110 |  128 |  133 |  398 |  381 |  427 |  412 |  370 |  436
    Manufacturing..|  238 |  287 |  275 |  356 |  345 |  350 |  383 |  361 |  377
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |   
     utilities.....|  548 |  600 |  601 |  975 |  990 |1,046 |  942 |  948 |1,048
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  589 |  666 |  633 |  770 |  832 |  783 |  663 |  747 |  634
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     vices.........|  533 |  607 |  622 |  450 |  453 |  463 |  401 |  391 |  414 
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  418 |  439 |  428 |  770 |  834 |  798 |  789 |  750 |  783
  Government.......|  348 |  388 |  379 |  339 |  330 |  332 |  248 |  257 |  263
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                       Rates (percent)                
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........|  2.4 |  2.6 |  2.6 |  3.4 |  3.5 |  3.5 |  3.2 |  3.2 |  3.3
  Total private(1).|  2.5 |  2.8 |  2.8 |  3.8 |  3.9 |  3.9 |  3.7 |  3.6 |  3.7
    Construction...|  1.6 |  1.7 |  1.8 |  5.7 |  5.3 |  5.9 |  5.9 |  5.1 |  6.0
    Manufacturing..|  1.6 |  2.0 |  1.9 |  2.5 |  2.4 |  2.5 |  2.7 |  2.5 |  2.6
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  2.1 |  2.3 |  2.3 |  3.8 |  3.8 |  4.0 |  3.7 |  3.7 |  4.0
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  3.5 |  3.8 |  3.6 |  4.7 |  4.9 |  4.6 |  4.0 |  4.4 |  3.7
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |           
     vices.........|  3.0 |  3.4 |  3.5 |  2.6 |  2.6 |  2.7 |  2.4 |  2.3 |  2.4
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  3.2 |  3.3 |  3.2 |  6.2 |  6.5 |  6.2 |  6.3 |  5.9 |  6.1
  Government.......|  1.6 |  1.7 |  1.7 |  1.6 |  1.5 |  1.5 |  1.1 |  1.2 |  1.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.

     
   The other two components of total separations--layoffs and discharges,
and other separations--are not seasonally adjusted.  From August 2004 to
August 2005, the layoffs and discharges rate decreased to 1.3 percent, but
the other separations rate was unchanged at 0.3 percent.  (See tables 9 and
10.)
     
   Hires and separations data help show dynamic flows in the labor market.
Over the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.7 million per month and
separations have averaged 4.4 million per month (not seasonally adjusted).
The comparable figures a year earlier were 4.4 million hires and 4.2 mil-
lion separations.  (See the Technical Note for additional information on
these measures.)

                                  - 3 -

For More Information

   For additional information, please read the Technical Note or visit the
JOLTS Web site at http://www.bls.gov/jlt/.  Additional information about
JOLTS also may be obtained by e-mailing Joltsinfo@bls.gov or by calling
(202) 691-5870.
   
                      ______________________________
   

   The Job Openings and Labor Turnover release for September 2005 is
scheduled to be issued on Tuesday, November 8, 2005.
     


  --------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                          
 |                             Hurricane Katrina                            |
 |                                                                          |
 |    The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) sample is designed |
 | to produce estimates of job openings, hires, and separations for the     |
 | nation as a whole and for four geographic regions.  Industry detail is   |
 | produced only for the national-level estimates.  While JOLTS does not    |
 | produce data at the detailed local level, some effect of the storm and   |
 | ensuing flooding may be reflected in the JOLTS estimates.                |
 |                                                                          |
 |    All possible efforts were made to contact survey respondents in the   |
 | areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, and special treatment procedures    |
 | were used for selected cases as described below.  Nonresponding sample   |
 | units that met the following criteria were given special treatment in    |
 | the August estimation:  1) the unit had established a consistent pattern |
 | of reporting survey data in the months preceding the storm, 2) the unit  |
 | was located in one of the most heavily damaged or flooded areas as de-   |
 | fined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 3) research     |
 | produced independent corroboration that the business location itself     |
 | was physically damaged, and 4) research produced no evidence that the    |
 | unit's workforce was still being paid or was otherwise considered em-    |
 | ployed.  For such sample units, BLS assumed that they had no job open-   |
 | ings as of the last business day of the month, and that by the end of    |
 | August the business was closed and their entire workforce was laid off.  |
 | There were very few units subject to the special procedures.             |
 |                                                                          |
 |    While the preliminary estimates in this release reflect this special  |
 | treatment, it is not possible to quantify the effect of Hurricane Ka-    |
 | trina on the overall JOLTS estimates.  Attempts to collect August data   |
 | in the affected areas will continue, and final August estimates will be  |
 | released next month.                                                     |              
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                  - 4 -

Technical Note


  The data for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) are
collected and compiled monthly from a sample of business establishments 
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
   
Collection
   
  Each month, data are collected in a survey of business establishments
for total employment, job openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges,
and other separations.  Data collection methods include computer-assisted
telephone interviewing, touchtone data entry, fax, and mail.
   
Coverage
   
  The JOLTS program covers all private nonfarm establishments such as
factories, offices, and stores, as well as federal, state, and local
government entities in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
   
Concepts
   
  Industry classification.  The industry classifications in this release
are in accordance with the 2002 version of the North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS).  In order to ensure the highest possible
quality of data, State 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.
   
                                  - 5 -

  Hires.  Hires are the total number of additions to the payroll occurring
at any time during the reference month, including both new and rehired em-
ployees, full-time and part-time, permanent, short-term and seasonal em-
ployees, employees recalled to the location after a layoff lasting more
than 7 days, on-call or intermittent employees who returned to work after
having been formally separated, and transfers from other locations.  The
hires count does not include transfers or promotions within the reporting
site, employees returning from strike, employees of temporary help agencies
or employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants.  The
hires rate is computed by dividing the number of hires by employment and
multiplying that quotient by 100.
   
  Separations.  Separations are the total number of terminations of
employment occurring at any time during the reference month, and are
reported by type of separation--quits, layoffs and discharges, and 
other separations.  Quits are voluntary separations by employees (ex-
cept for retirements, which are reported as other separations).  Lay-
offs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the em-
ployer and include layoffs with no intent to rehire, formal layoffs 
lasting or expected to last more than 7 days, discharges resulting 
from mergers, downsizing, or closings, firings or other discharges 
for cause, terminations of permanent or short-term employees, and 
terminations of seasonal employees.  Other separations include re-
tirements, transfers to other locations, deaths, and separations 
due to disability.  Separations do not include transfers within the 
same location or employees on strike.
   
  The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations
by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100.  The quits, layoffs
and discharges, and other separations rates are computed similarly, divid-
ing the number by employment and multiplying by 100.
   
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.
   
                                  - 6 -

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.
   
                                  - 7 -

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            Aug.   Mar.   Apr.   May    June   July   Aug.   Aug.  Mar.  Apr.  May   June  July  Aug.
                                          2004   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  3,206  3,598  3,576  3,416  3,647  3,588  3,549    2.4   2.6   2.6   2.5   2.7   2.6   2.6

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  2,855  3,212  3,178  3,050  3,239  3,204  3,173    2.5   2.8   2.8   2.7   2.8   2.8   2.8
  Construction.........................    110    170    113    107    104    128    133    1.6   2.3   1.5   1.5   1.4   1.7   1.8
  Manufacturing........................    238    258    259    240    269    287    275    1.6   1.8   1.8   1.6   1.8   2.0   1.9
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    548    624    627    597    624    600    601    2.1   2.4   2.4   2.3   2.4   2.3   2.3
  Professional and business services...    589    646    691    659    686    666    633    3.5   3.7   3.9   3.8   3.9   3.8   3.6
  Education and health services........    533    616    608    611    609    607    622    3.0   3.5   3.4   3.4   3.4   3.4   3.5
  Leisure and hospitality..............    418    440    457    440    517    439    428    3.2   3.4   3.5   3.3   3.9   3.3   3.2
 Government............................    348    383    396    378    394    388    379    1.6   1.7   1.8   1.7   1.8   1.7   1.7


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    562    615    602    563    634    610    607    2.2   2.4   2.3   2.2   2.4   2.3   2.3
  South................................  1,248  1,447  1,414  1,303  1,333  1,343  1,366    2.6   3.0   2.9   2.7   2.7   2.7   2.8
  Midwest..............................    671    737    742    786    781    764    720    2.1   2.3   2.3   2.4   2.4   2.4   2.2
  West.................................    738    806    818    799    869    832    862    2.5   2.7   2.7   2.7   2.9   2.8   2.9


  1 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day of the month.
  2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a percent of total employment plus
job openings.
  3 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            Aug.   Mar.   Apr.   May    June   July   Aug.   Aug.  Mar.  Apr.  May   June  July  Aug.
                                          2004   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  4,504  4,841  4,538  4,740  4,694  4,649  4,654    3.4   3.6   3.4   3.6   3.5   3.5   3.5

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  4,174  4,497  4,212  4,398  4,365  4,342  4,341    3.8   4.0   3.8   3.9   3.9   3.9   3.9
  Construction.........................    398    414    412    420    393    381    427    5.7   5.8   5.7   5.8   5.4   5.3   5.9
  Manufacturing........................    356    334    319    342    347    345    350    2.5   2.3   2.2   2.4   2.4   2.4   2.5
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    975  1,047  1,042  1,030  1,045    990  1,046    3.8   4.1   4.0   4.0   4.0   3.8   4.0
  Professional and business services...    770    895    792    887    835    832    783    4.7   5.3   4.7   5.3   4.9   4.9   4.6
  Education and health services........    450    472    487    466    457    453    463    2.6   2.7   2.8   2.7   2.6   2.6   2.7
  Leisure and hospitality..............    770    798    742    750    877    834    798    6.2   6.3   5.8   5.9   6.9   6.5   6.2
 Government............................    339    336    329    339    337    330    332    1.6   1.5   1.5   1.6   1.6   1.5   1.5


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    785    856    825    764    794    772    779    3.1   3.4   3.3   3.0   3.1   3.0   3.1
  South................................  1,668  1,922  1,701  1,816  1,786  1,689  1,766    3.6   4.1   3.6   3.8   3.8   3.6   3.7
  Midwest..............................    996  1,034  1,020  1,129  1,054  1,045    936    3.2   3.3   3.3   3.6   3.4   3.3   3.0
  West.................................  1,057  1,036  1,037  1,048  1,070  1,081  1,158    3.7   3.6   3.6   3.6   3.7   3.7   3.9


  1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.
  2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
  4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
  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            Aug.   Mar.   Apr.   May    June   July   Aug.   Aug.  Mar.  Apr.  May   June  July  Aug.
                                          2004   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  4,271  4,502  4,562  4,504  4,477  4,270  4,457    3.2   3.4   3.4   3.4   3.4   3.2   3.3

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  4,038  4,237  4,306  4,256  4,223  4,007  4,202    3.7   3.8   3.9   3.8   3.8   3.6   3.7
  Construction.........................    412    303    421    408    380    370    436    5.9   4.2   5.8   5.6   5.3   5.1   6.0
  Manufacturing........................    383    360    369    369    350    361    377    2.7   2.5   2.6   2.6   2.4   2.5   2.6
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    942    980  1,018    989    980    948  1,048    3.7   3.8   3.9   3.8   3.8   3.7   4.0
  Professional and business services...    663    924    869    851    818    747    634    4.0   5.5   5.2   5.1   4.8   4.4   3.7
  Education and health services........    401    445    433    405    401    391    414    2.4   2.6   2.5   2.3   2.3   2.3   2.4
  Leisure and hospitality..............    789    743    709    750    803    750    783    6.3   5.9   5.6   5.9   6.3   5.9   6.1
 Government............................    248    267    256    254    254    257    263    1.1   1.2   1.2   1.2   1.2   1.2   1.2


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    748    802    807    714    761    715    718    3.0   3.2   3.2   2.8   3.0   2.8   2.8
  South................................  1,563  1,763  1,766  1,743  1,653  1,567  1,653    3.4   3.7   3.7   3.7   3.5   3.3   3.5
  Midwest..............................    915  1,051    982    976    946  1,011  1,018    2.9   3.4   3.1   3.1   3.0   3.2   3.2
  West.................................  1,084    926  1,006  1,034  1,062  1,001  1,086    3.8   3.2   3.4   3.5   3.6   3.4   3.7


  1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month.
  2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 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            Aug.   Mar.   Apr.   May    June   July   Aug.   Aug.  Mar.  Apr.  May   June  July  Aug.
                                          2004   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  2,288  2,516  2,520  2,514  2,475  2,474  2,590    1.7   1.9   1.9   1.9   1.9   1.8   1.9

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  2,178  2,383  2,395  2,391  2,348  2,351  2,461    2.0   2.1   2.1   2.1   2.1   2.1   2.2
  Construction.........................    156    150    146    168    139    140    211    2.2   2.1   2.0   2.3   1.9   1.9   2.9
  Manufacturing........................    166    186    178    183    190    189    191    1.2   1.3   1.2   1.3   1.3   1.3   1.3
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    543    583    577    589    588    577    626    2.1   2.3   2.2   2.3   2.3   2.2   2.4
  Professional and business services...    326    424    417    420    386    353    350    2.0   2.5   2.5   2.5   2.3   2.1   2.1
  Education and health services........    241    280    272    249    256    271    271    1.4   1.6   1.6   1.4   1.5   1.6   1.6
  Leisure and hospitality..............    477    458    506    488    510    525    519    3.8   3.6   4.0   3.8   4.0   4.1   4.0
 Government............................    116    124    125    123    124    125    130     .5    .6    .6    .6    .6    .6    .6


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    342    410    446    373    350    381    401    1.4   1.6   1.8   1.5   1.4   1.5   1.6
  South................................    897  1,003    992  1,020    960    964  1,038    1.9   2.1   2.1   2.2   2.0   2.0   2.2
  Midwest..............................    484    561    540    554    542    548    547    1.6   1.8   1.7   1.8   1.7   1.7   1.7
  West.................................    562    562    573    562    653    577    597    2.0   1.9   2.0   1.9   2.2   2.0   2.0


  1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.
  2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
  4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
  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                  Aug.     July     Aug.          Aug.     July     Aug.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  3,466    3,821    3,821           2.6      2.8      2.8

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  3,084    3,402    3,410           2.7      2.9      2.9
  Natural resources and mining..................      8       14       12           1.3      2.2      1.8
  Construction..................................    118      152      149           1.6      2.0      1.9
  Manufacturing.................................    257      311      297           1.7      2.1      2.0
   Durable goods................................    154      204      203           1.7      2.2      2.2
   Nondurable goods.............................    102      107       94           1.8      2.0      1.7
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    607      613      661           2.3      2.3      2.5
   Wholesale trade..............................    113      128      128           1.9      2.2      2.2
   Retail trade.................................    410      372      425           2.7      2.4      2.7
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     85      113      107           1.7      2.3      2.1
  Information...................................     68       79       87           2.1      2.4      2.7
  Financial activities..........................    211      246      237           2.5      2.9      2.8
   Finance and insurance........................    173      197      191           2.8      3.1      3.0
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     39       48       45           1.8      2.1      2.0
  Professional and business services............    642      720      683           3.7      4.0      3.8
  Education and health services.................    571      629      665           3.3      3.6      3.8
   Educational services.........................     57       65       73           2.3      2.5      2.9
   Health care and social assistance............    514      564      592           3.5      3.7      3.9
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    471      500      476           3.5      3.6      3.4
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     52       73       66           2.4      3.3      3.0
   Accommodations and food services.............    419      426      411           3.7      3.6      3.5
  Other services................................    131      139      142           2.3      2.4      2.5

 Government.....................................    382      419      411           1.8      2.0      2.0
  Federal.......................................     45       50       43           1.6      1.8      1.5
  State and local...............................    338      369      368           1.9      2.0      2.0

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    627      631      677           2.4      2.4      2.6
  South.........................................  1,302    1,468    1,425           2.7      3.0      2.9
  Midwest.......................................    748      822      790           2.4      2.6      2.5
  West..........................................    789      900      929           2.7      3.0      3.1


  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                  Aug.     July     Aug.          Aug.     July     Aug.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  5,209    4,847    5,363           4.0      3.6      4.0

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  4,686    4,479    4,855           4.2      4.0      4.3
  Natural resources and mining..................     20       22       24           3.2      3.5      3.7
  Construction..................................    399      396      446           5.5      5.2      5.9
  Manufacturing.................................    409      375      401           2.8      2.6      2.8
   Durable goods................................    255      221      229           2.8      2.5      2.6
   Nondurable goods.............................    154      154      172           2.8      2.9      3.2
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........  1,072      956    1,156           4.2      3.7      4.5
   Wholesale trade..............................    174      120      148           3.1      2.1      2.6
   Retail trade.................................    716      681      819           4.8      4.5      5.4
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    183      156      189           3.8      3.2      3.8
  Information...................................     75       59       77           2.4      1.9      2.4
  Financial activities..........................    186      205      184           2.3      2.5      2.2
   Finance and insurance........................    125      128      118           2.1      2.1      1.9
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     61       76       66           2.9      3.5      3.0
  Professional and business services............    858      854      860           5.1      5.0      5.0
  Education and health services.................    561      489      574           3.4      2.9      3.4
   Educational services.........................     90       69       97           3.7      2.8      3.9
   Health care and social assistance............    472      420      477           3.3      2.9      3.3
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    877      889      910           6.7      6.6      6.8
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........    118      133      103           5.7      6.2      4.9
   Accommodations and food services.............    758      756      807           6.9      6.7      7.1
  Other services................................    230      234      223           4.2      4.2      4.0

 Government.....................................    522      368      509           2.6      1.8      2.5
  Federal.......................................     38       39       40           1.4      1.4      1.5
  State and local...............................    484      329      468           2.7      1.8      2.6

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    845      851      836           3.4      3.4      3.3
  South.........................................  1,956    1,778    2,072           4.2      3.7      4.4
  Midwest.......................................  1,228    1,037    1,142           4.0      3.3      3.6
  West..........................................  1,180    1,181    1,313           4.1      4.0      4.5


  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                  Aug.     July     Aug.          Aug.     July     Aug.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  5,455    4,470    5,683           4.2      3.3      4.3

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  5,074    4,153    5,277           4.6      3.7      4.7
  Natural resources and mining..................     21       15       27           3.5      2.3      4.1
  Construction..................................    480      315      525           6.6      4.2      6.9
  Manufacturing.................................    467      384      463           3.2      2.7      3.2
   Durable goods................................    311      247      302           3.5      2.8      3.4
   Nondurable goods.............................    156      137      161           2.9      2.5      3.0
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........  1,105      944    1,243           4.3      3.6      4.8
   Wholesale trade..............................    176      134      154           3.1      2.3      2.7
   Retail trade.................................    768      675      898           5.1      4.4      5.9
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    161      135      191           3.3      2.7      3.9
  Information...................................     89       82       91           2.8      2.6      2.9
  Financial activities..........................    241      171      226           3.0      2.1      2.7
   Finance and insurance........................    164      123      160           2.7      2.0      2.6
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     77       49       65           3.6      2.2      3.0
  Professional and business services............    855      835      803           5.1      4.9      4.7
  Education and health services.................    523      436      539           3.1      2.6      3.2
   Educational services.........................     75       61       76           3.1      2.4      3.1
   Health care and social assistance............    448      375      464           3.2      2.6      3.2
  Leisure and hospitality.......................  1,002      773    1,011           7.7      5.8      7.5
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........    165       83      183           7.9      3.9      8.7
   Accommodations and food services.............    838      690      827           7.6      6.1      7.3
  Other services................................    290      199      350           5.3      3.6      6.3

 Government.....................................    381      317      407           1.9      1.5      2.0
  Federal.......................................     32       31       39           1.2      1.1      1.4
  State and local...............................    349      286      368           2.0      1.6      2.1

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    976      697      930           3.9      2.8      3.7
  South.........................................  2,036    1,701    2,141           4.4      3.6      4.5
  Midwest.......................................  1,194    1,009    1,337           3.8      3.2      4.3
  West..........................................  1,248    1,062    1,276           4.3      3.6      4.3


  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                  Aug.     July     Aug.          Aug.     July     Aug.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  3,120    2,730    3,576           2.4      2.0      2.7

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  2,934    2,583    3,358           2.6      2.3      3.0
  Natural resources and mining..................     10        9       12           1.7      1.5      1.8
  Construction..................................    195      164      253           2.7      2.2      3.3
  Manufacturing.................................    234      227      272           1.6      1.6      1.9
   Durable goods................................    141      140      166           1.6      1.6      1.8
   Nondurable goods.............................     93       87      107           1.7      1.6      2.0
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    722      597      844           2.8      2.3      3.3
   Wholesale trade..............................     80       82       92           1.4      1.4      1.6
   Retail trade.................................    558      439      636           3.7      2.9      4.2
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     83       76      117           1.7      1.5      2.4
  Information...................................     66       48       68           2.1      1.5      2.1
  Financial activities..........................    136      104      160           1.7      1.3      1.9
   Finance and insurance........................     93       77      109           1.5      1.3      1.8
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     44       26       52           2.1      1.2      2.3
  Professional and business services............    451      400      467           2.7      2.3      2.7
  Education and health services.................    321      293      362           1.9      1.7      2.1
   Educational services.........................     35       34       50           1.4      1.4      2.0
   Health care and social assistance............    287      259      312           2.0      1.8      2.1
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    658      593      721           5.0      4.4      5.4
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     63       60       66           3.0      2.8      3.2
   Accommodations and food services.............    596      533      654           5.4      4.7      5.8
  Other services................................    140      148      199           2.6      2.7      3.6

 Government.....................................    185      148      218            .9       .7      1.1
  Federal.......................................     13       14       21            .5       .5       .8
  State and local...............................    172      134      197           1.0       .7      1.1

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    481      414      570           1.9      1.6      2.2
  South.........................................  1,171    1,106    1,398           2.5      2.3      2.9
  Midwest.......................................    699      574      788           2.3      1.8      2.5
  West..........................................    769      636      820           2.7      2.2      2.8


  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                  Aug.     July     Aug.          Aug.     July     Aug.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  1,984    1,442    1,771           1.5      1.1      1.3

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  1,853    1,335    1,636           1.7      1.2      1.4
  Natural resources and mining..................      7        5        9           1.1       .7      1.4
  Construction..................................    268      144      248           3.7      1.9      3.3
  Manufacturing.................................    203      122      155           1.4       .9      1.1
   Durable goods................................    148       82      109           1.6       .9      1.2
   Nondurable goods.............................     54       40       45           1.0       .8       .8
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    305      290      342           1.2      1.1      1.3
   Wholesale trade..............................     77       45       51           1.4       .8       .9
   Retail trade.................................    163      198      230           1.1      1.3      1.5
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     64       47       61           1.3      1.0      1.2
  Information...................................     19       23       18            .6       .7       .6
  Financial activities..........................     80       46       53           1.0       .6       .6
   Finance and insurance........................     49       26       43            .8       .4       .7
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     32       20       10           1.5       .9       .4
  Professional and business services............    357      395      281           2.1      2.3      1.6
  Education and health services.................    163      110      143           1.0       .6       .8
   Educational services.........................     35       21       22           1.5       .8       .9
   Health care and social assistance............    128       89      121            .9       .6       .8
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    304      156      250           2.3      1.2      1.9
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........    100       21      113           4.8      1.0      5.4
   Accommodations and food services.............    205      135      137           1.9      1.2      1.2
  Other services................................    146       44      138           2.7       .8      2.5

 Government.....................................    131      108      134            .6       .5       .7
  Federal.......................................      9        9        9            .3       .3       .3
  State and local...............................    123       98      126            .7       .5       .7

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    416      236      302           1.7       .9      1.2
  South.........................................    747      490      616           1.6      1.0      1.3
  Midwest.......................................    419      350      483           1.3      1.1      1.5
  West..........................................    403      366      369           1.4      1.2      1.3


  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                  Aug.     July     Aug.          Aug.     July     Aug.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................    351      297      336           0.3      0.2      0.3

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................    286      236      282            .3       .2       .2
  Natural resources and mining..................      4        1        6            .6       .2       .9
  Construction..................................     16        7       23            .2       .1       .3
  Manufacturing.................................     30       35       36            .2       .2       .3
   Durable goods................................     22       26       27            .2       .3       .3
   Nondurable goods.............................      8       10        9            .1       .2       .2
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........     78       57       57            .3       .2       .2
   Wholesale trade..............................     18        7       12            .3       .1       .2
   Retail trade.................................     46       38       32            .3       .3       .2
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     13       11       14            .3       .2       .3
  Information...................................      4       11        6            .1       .3       .2
  Financial activities..........................     25       22       13            .3       .3       .2
   Finance and insurance........................     23       20        9            .4       .3       .1
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........      2        2        4            .1       .1       .2
  Professional and business services............     47       40       54            .3       .2       .3
  Education and health services.................     38       33       34            .2       .2       .2
   Educational services.........................      5        6        4            .2       .2       .2
   Health care and social assistance............     34       27       30            .2       .2       .2
  Leisure and hospitality.......................     40       23       40            .3       .2       .3
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........      2        2        4            .1       .1       .2
   Accommodations and food services.............     37       22       36            .3       .2       .3
  Other services................................      4        7       12            .1       .1       .2

 Government.....................................     64       61       55            .3       .3       .3
  Federal.......................................     11        8        9            .4       .3       .3
  State and local...............................     54       54       46            .3       .3       .3

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................     79       47       58            .3       .2       .2
  South.........................................    119      105      127            .3       .2       .3
  Midwest.......................................     76       84       65            .2       .3       .2
  West..........................................     77       61       87            .3       .2       .3


  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.