Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 691-6378  USDL 00-245

                                        For release:  10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                691-5902  Tuesday, August 29, 2000


                          EMPLOYEE TENURE IN 2000


   The median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with
their current employer (referred to as employee tenure) was 3.5 years in
February 2000, about the same as in February 1998, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported.  Although the median
years of tenure has been consistantly higher for men than for women, the
gap has narrowed in recent years.
   
   Information on tenure has been obtained periodically since the early
1950s from supplemental questions in the Current Population Survey (CPS), a
monthly survey of about 50,000 households that provides information on
employment, unemployment, earnings, demographics, and other characteristics
of the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over.  The questions
on tenure measure how long workers had been with their current employer at
the time they were surveyed, not how long they will eventually stay with
their employer.  The tenure questions that were asked prior to 1983 differ
from those asked in more recent surveys.  As a result, this release focuses
only on data from 1983 to 2000.  (See the Technical Note.)  Some highlights
follow:
   
   --  Median years of tenure tend to increase with age.  For example, the
       median tenure for older workers age 45 to 54 was more than three times
       that of workers age 25 to 34.
   
   --  About one-fourth of all workers had been with their current employer
       for 12 months or less.
   
   --  Among men, the proportion of workers who had been with their current
       employer for 10 or more years fell in nearly every age group over the
       1983-to-2000 period.  Among women, the proportion of workers with 10
       or more years of tenure increased.
   
   --  The median years of tenure for men in most age groups had been
       declining from 1983-98.  There were, however, virtually no further
       declines between 1998 and 2000.  Over this 2-year period, median tenure
       for women by age also was stable.
   
   --  The median years of tenure for workers in the public sector was more
       than twice that of workers in the private sector.  Government workers
       tend to be older than workers in private industries.
   
   --  Managers and professionals had the highest median years of tenure
       among the major occupational groups, while workers in service occupa-
       tions had the lowest median tenure.  Managers and professionals tend
       to be older than workers in service occupations.
   
                                  - 2 -

Demographic characteristics
   
   The median tenure (the point at which half of the workers had more
tenure and half had less tenure) was 3.8 years for men and 3.3 years for
women in February 2000. Though the median years of tenure has been
consistently higher for men than for women, in recent years, the gap has
narrowed to about one-half year from about a year in 1983 through 1991.
(See table 1.)
   
   For men, median tenure in February 2000 was unchanged from February
1998, but slightly lower than in January 1983, despite an upward shift in
the age of the male workforce.  As shown below, a larger proportion of male
wage and salary workers was between the ages of 35 and 54 in February 2000
than in January 1983.  All other things being equal, this age shift would
have been associated with an increase in median tenure because, until
retirement age, tenure tends to increase with age.  However, a decline in
median tenure for men in most age groups offset the aging effect.  For
women, median years of tenure was only slightly higher in February 2000,
although there also was an upward shift in the age of the female workforce
from 1983 to 2000.

Percent distribution of employed wage and salary workers by age and
sex, January 1983 and February 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------
                           |                    |
                           |        Men         |       Women
                           |                    |
           Age             |--------------------|-------------------
                           |         |          |         |
                           | January | February | January | February
                           |  1983   |   2000   |  1983   |   2000
                           |         |          |         |
---------------------------|---------|----------|---------|---------
                           |         |          |         |
 Total, 16 years and over..| 100.0   |  100.0   | 100.0   |   100.0
                           |         |          |         |
16 to 24 years.............|  20.0   |   15.9   |  22.5   |    16.1
25 to 34 years.............|  29.9   |   24.4   |  28.9   |    23.0
35 to 44 years.............|  21.2   |   27.3   |  21.2   |    26.9
45 to 54 years.............|  15.6   |   20.6   |  14.7   |    22.1
55 to 64 years.............|  11.1   |    9.4   |  10.5   |     9.5
65 years and over..........|   2.2   |    2.3   |   2.3   |     2.5
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Note:  Data exclude the incorporated and unincorporated self-employed.

   Thirty-four percent of male workers age 25 and over had worked for
their current employer for 10 years or more in February 2000, compared with
30 percent of working women.  (See table 2.  Workers age 16 to 24 are
excluded from table 2 because few of these young workers could have been
with their current employer for 10 or more years.)   The proportion of
employed men with 10 or more years of tenure with their current employer
declined by about 4 percentage points over the January 1983 to February
2000 period, while the proportion of employed women with 10 or more years
of tenure increased by almost 5 percentage points.  Declines in the
proportion of men with long tenure were widespread among men age 25 to 64;
increases in the proportion of women with long tenure occurred entirely
among 35- to 64-year-olds.

                                  - 3 -
   
   In February 2000, a smaller percentage of Hispanic workers had 10 or
more years of tenure with their current employer than blacks or whites.
Nearly 1 in 5 working Hispanics (age 16 and over) had been with their
current employer for 10 years or more, compared with 1 in 4 of either black
or white workers.  (See table 3.)  This difference can be explained, in part,
by the fact that the Hispanic workforce is relatively young.  For example, 
61 percent of white and 58 percent of black workers were age 35 and over in
February 2000; only 49 percent of employed Hispanics were in this age
range.  In addition, according to Current Population Survey data, about 1
in 5 Hispanic workers age 25 and over had immigrated to the United States
in the last 10 years.

   In February 2000, more than a quarter of all wage and salary workers
had been with their current employer for 12 months or less.  This group
includes new entrants and reentrants to the workforce, job losers who found
new jobs during the previous year, and workers who had voluntarily changed
employers during the previous year.  Young workers are more likely to have
short tenure:  Seventy-five percent of 16- to 19-year-olds and 55 percent
of 20- to 24-year-olds had tenure of 12 months or less with their current
employer.  Conversely, for workers age 55 to 64, that share was only 11
percent, while 28 percent had worked for their current employer 20 years or
more.

Industry

   In February 2000, nonagricultural wage and salary workers in the public
sector had much higher median tenure (7.2 years) than their counterparts in
private industries (3.2 years).  Government workers tend to be older than
workers in private industries.  For example, 73 percent of government
workers are age 35 and over, compared with 58 percent of those in the
private sector.  (See table 5.)
   
   Within the private sector, workers in the mining industry had the
highest median tenure (6.5 years) and workers in retail trade had the
lowest median tenure (2.0 years) in February 2000.  Seventy-seven percent
of the workers in the mining industry are age 35 and over compared with 42
percent of workers in retail trade.

Occupation

   In February 2000, managers and professionals had the highest median
tenure (4.8 years) among the major occupational groups.  Within this group,
officials and administrators in public administration had the highest
median tenure, 12.0 years.  Workers in service occupations had the lowest
median years of tenure, 2.5 years.  Within services, food service workers
had the lowest median tenure (1.5 years), while protective service workers
had the highest median tenure (5.7 years).  A greater percentage of workers
in the managerial and professional specialty occupations than in the
service occupations are age 35 and older.  (See table 6.)
Technical Note
   
   
   The data in this release were collected through a supplement to the
February 2000 Current Population Survey (CPS), the monthly survey of about
50,000 households that provides information on employment, unemployment,
earnings, demographics, and other characteristics of the nation's civilian
noninstitutional population age 16 and over.  The CPS is conducted by the
U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
   
   The February 2000 CPS supplement obtained information on worker
displacement and on workers' tenure with their current employer.  The data
on worker displacement appear in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) news
release USDL 00-223, "Worker Displacement During the Late 1990s," issued on
Aug. 9, 2000.
   
   Information in this release will be made available to sensory-impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone number:  1-800-877-8339.
   
Reliability of the estimates
   
   Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsampling
error.  When a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed,
there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true"
population values they represent.  The exact difference, or sampling error,
varies depending on the particular sample selected, and this variability is
measured by the standard error of the estimate.  There is about a 90-
percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample
will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true" population
value because of sampling error.  BLS analyses are generally conducted at
the 90-percent level of confidence.
   
   The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error.  Nonsampling error
can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of
the population, inability to obtain information for all respondents in the
sample, inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct
information, and errors made in the collection or processing of the data.
   
   For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and
information on estimating standard errors, see the "Explanatory Notes and
Estimates of Error" section of Employment and Earnings.
   
Tenure questions and concepts
   
   In the February 2000 CPS supplement, questions on tenure were asked of
all employed persons.  The first question was: "How long has ... been
working continuously for (fill in name of present employer)?"

                       _____ Days
                       _____ Weeks
                       _____ Months
                       _____ Years
   

For responses of "1 year" or "2 years," a follow-up question asked:
"Could you please give the exact number of months?"

                                  - 2 - 

   The purpose of the follow-up question was to obtain more precise
information on workers who had been with their current employer a
relatively short time.  This follow-up question was included for the first
time in the February 1996 CPS supplement on worker displacement and tenure.
CPS supplements that obtained information on tenure in January of 1983,
1987, and 1991 did not include the follow-up question.  In those surveys,
responses of 1 year or more could be coded only as the nearest full year,
and responses of less than a year were coded as the nearest full month.
   
   Prior to January 1983, CPS supplements on tenure asked wage and salary
workers, "When did ... start working at (his/her) present job?"  For wage
and salary workers, the meaning of the term "job" is ambiguous.  For
example, a worker who had been employed at a particular company for 10
years and had been promoted to a managerial position 1 year prior to the
survey may have been counted as having 10 years or 1 year of tenure,
depending on whether the respondent interpreted the question to mean tenure
with the current employer or tenure in the managerial position.  To rectify
this ambiguity, the wording of the question was changed in January 1983 to
specify the length of time a worker had been with his or her current
employer.  The change resulted in a break in historical comparability, and,
for this reason, estimates of tenure are not presented in this release for
years prior to 1983.
   
Interpreting tenure data

   Data on tenure have been used as a gauge of employment security, with
some observers regarding increases in tenure as a sign of improving
security and decreasing tenure as a sign of deteriorating security.
However, there are limitations to using the data in this way.  For example,
during recessions or other periods of declining job security, median tenure
and the proportion of workers with long tenure could rise because less-
senior workers are more likely to lose their jobs than are workers with
longer tenure.  During periods of economic growth, median tenure and the
proportion of workers with long tenure could fall because more job
opportunities are available for new entrants to the workforce and
experienced workers have more opportunities to change employers and take
better jobs.  Tenure also could rise under improving economic conditions,
however, as fewer layoffs occur and good job matches develop between
workers and employers.
     Table 1.  Median years of tenure with current employer for employed wage and salary workers by age and sex,
     selected years, 1983-2000
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                      Age and sex                    January    January    January   February   February   February 
                                                      1983       1987       1991       1996       1998       2000   
                                                                                                                    
                         TOTAL                                                                                      
                                                                                                                    
           16 years and over......................     3.5        3.4        3.6        3.8        3.6        3.5   
     16 to 17 years...............................      .7         .6         .7         .7         .6         .6   
     18 to 19 years...............................      .8         .7         .8         .7         .7         .7   
     20 to 24 years...............................     1.5        1.3        1.3        1.2        1.1        1.1   
     25 years and over............................     5.0        5.0        4.8        5.0        4.7        4.7   
       25 to 34 years.............................     3.0        2.9        2.9        2.8        2.7        2.6   
       35 to 44 years.............................     5.2        5.5        5.4        5.3        5.0        4.8   
       45 to 54 years.............................     9.5        8.8        8.9        8.3        8.1        8.2   
       55 to 64 years.............................    12.2       11.6       11.1       10.2       10.1       10.0   
       65 years and over..........................     9.6        9.5        8.1        8.4        7.8        9.5   
                                                                                                                    
                          Men                                                                                       
                                                                                                                    
           16 years and over......................     4.1        4.0        4.1        4.0        3.8        3.8   
     16 to 17 years...............................      .7         .6         .7         .6         .6         .6   
     18 to 19 years...............................      .8         .7         .8         .7         .7         .7   
     20 to 24 years...............................     1.5        1.3        1.4        1.2        1.2        1.2   
     25 years and over............................     5.9        5.7        5.4        5.3        4.9        5.0   
       25 to 34 years.............................     3.2        3.1        3.1        3.0        2.8        2.7   
       35 to 44 years.............................     7.3        7.0        6.5        6.1        5.5        5.4   
       45 to 54 years.............................    12.8       11.8       11.2       10.1        9.4        9.5   
       55 to 64 years.............................    15.3       14.5       13.4       10.5       11.2       10.2   
       65 years and over..........................     8.3        8.3        7.0        8.3        7.1        9.1   
                                                                                                                    
                         Women                                                                                      
                                                                                                                    
           16 years and over......................     3.1        3.0        3.2        3.5        3.4        3.3   
     16 to 17 years...............................      .7         .6         .7         .7         .7         .6   
     18 to 19 years...............................      .8         .7         .8         .7         .7         .7   
     20 to 24 years...............................     1.5        1.3        1.3        1.2        1.1        1.0   
     25 years and over............................     4.2        4.3        4.3        4.7        4.4        4.4   
       25 to 34 years.............................     2.8        2.6        2.7        2.7        2.5        2.5   
       35 to 44 years.............................     4.1        4.4        4.5        4.8        4.5        4.3   
       45 to 54 years.............................     6.3        6.8        6.7        7.0        7.2        7.3   
       55 to 64 years.............................     9.8        9.7        9.9       10.0        9.6        9.9   
       65 years and over..........................    10.1        9.9        9.5        8.4        8.7        9.7   

         NOTE:  Data for 1996, 1998, and 2000 are not strictly comparable with data for 1991 and earlier years
     because population controls from the 1990 census, adjusted for the estimated undercount, are used beginning in
     1996.  Figures for the 1983-91 period are based on population controls from the 1980 census.  Also, beginning
     in 1996, the figures incorporate the effects of the redesign of the Current Population Survey introduced in
     January 1994.  Data exclude the incorporated and unincorporated self-employed.
     Table 2.  Percent of employed wage and salary workers 25 years and over who had 10 years or more of tenure with
     their current employer by age and sex, selected years, 1983-2000
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                      Age and sex                    January    January    January   February   February   February 
                                                      1983       1987       1991       1996       1998       2000   
                                                                                                                    
                         TOTAL                                                                                      
                                                                                                                    
            25 years and over.....................     31.9       30.7       32.2       30.5       30.7       31.7  
     25 to 29 years...............................      3.3        4.1        5.1        2.8        2.7        2.5  
     30 to 34 years...............................     16.9       16.9       19.3       14.7       14.7       14.0  
     35 to 39 years...............................     29.9       29.6       31.1       26.9       27.0       26.2  
     40 to 44 years...............................     38.1       38.7       39.3       36.1       35.6       35.9  
     45 to 49 years...............................     46.5       45.2       46.5       44.5       42.9       45.3  
     50 to 54 years...............................     53.5       51.8       51.4       50.4       48.8       48.6  
     55 to 59 years...............................     59.3       57.6       56.7       54.0       52.9       53.1  
     60 to 64 years...............................     59.8       55.9       55.4       51.5       54.4       53.2  
     65 years and over............................     50.9       50.1       46.3       47.4       45.0       50.0  
                                                                                                                    
                          Men                                                                                       
                                                                                                                    
            25 years and over.....................     37.7       35.0       35.9       33.1       32.7       33.6  
     25 to 29 years...............................      4.0        4.5        5.7        3.3        3.1        3.0  
     30 to 34 years...............................     18.7       18.7       21.1       15.6       15.3       15.3  
     35 to 39 years...............................     36.9       34.8       35.6       30.5       29.7       29.5  
     40 to 44 years...............................     51.1       48.5       46.3       41.7       39.1       40.4  
     45 to 49 years...............................     57.8       53.0       53.5       50.8       47.4       49.0  
     50 to 54 years...............................     62.3       59.4       58.5       54.9       52.8       51.6  
     55 to 59 years...............................     66.2       63.2       61.0       55.7       56.5       53.7  
     60 to 64 years...............................     65.6       58.7       57.5       50.4       55.7       52.5  
     65 years and over............................     47.6       47.4       42.6       47.6       42.3       48.9  
                                                                                                                    
                         Women                                                                                      
                                                                                                                    
            25 years and over.....................     24.9       25.7       28.2       27.6       28.4       29.5  
     25 to 29 years...............................      2.5        3.6        4.4        2.2        2.2        1.9  
     30 to 34 years...............................     14.8       14.7       17.3       13.6       14.0       12.6  
     35 to 39 years...............................     21.6       23.8       26.1       22.9       24.0       22.4  
     40 to 44 years...............................     23.4       27.9       32.0       30.4       31.8       31.4  
     45 to 49 years...............................     33.0       36.4       39.3       38.1       38.4       41.5  
     50 to 54 years...............................     42.5       43.0       43.4       45.8       44.6       45.6  
     55 to 59 years...............................     51.0       50.8       51.4       52.1       49.2       52.5  
     60 to 64 years...............................     52.6       52.4       53.1       52.7       53.0       54.0  
     65 years and over............................     54.5       53.1       49.9       47.2       47.7       51.2  

         NOTE:  Data for 1996, 1998, and 2000 are not strictly comparable with data for 1991 and earlier years
     because population controls from the 1990 census, adjusted for the estimated undercount, are used beginning in
     1996.  Figures for the 1983-91 period are based on population controls from the 1980 census.  Also, beginning
     in 1996, the figures incorporate the effects of the redesign of the Current Population Survey introduced in
     January 1994.  Data exclude the incorporated and unincorporated self-employed.
     Table 3.  Distribution of employed wage and salary workers by tenure with current employer, age, sex, race, and
     Hispanic origin, February 2000
                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                     
                                                        Percent distribution by tenure with current employer         
                                   Number                                                                            
        Age, sex, race, and       employed                                                                           
          Hispanic origin      (in thousands)            12    13 to           3 to 4  5 to 9  10 to   15 to     20  
                                               Total   months    23   2 years  years   years     14      19    years 
                                                      or less  months                          years   years  or more
                                                                                                                     
               TOTAL                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                     
            16 years and over.    120,303      100.0    26.8     8.0     5.3    16.1    17.1    11.0     6.1     9.5 
     16 to 19 years...........      6,713      100.0    75.1    11.9     6.9     5.8      .3     -       -       -   
     20 years and over........    113,590      100.0    24.0     7.7     5.3    16.7    18.1    11.7     6.4    10.1 
       20 to 24 years.........     12,535      100.0    54.7    13.0     9.3    17.5     5.5    (1)      -       -   
       25 to 34 years.........     28,560      100.0    31.1    10.3     7.1    21.9    21.2     7.4      .9    (1)  
       35 to 44 years.........     32,625      100.0    19.4     6.9     4.5    16.9    21.2    15.5     9.5     6.1 
       45 to 54 years.........     25,650      100.0    13.7     5.4     3.3    13.0    17.7    14.9    10.0    21.8 
       55 to 64 years.........     11,326      100.0    11.2     3.9     3.3    11.7    16.8    15.8     9.8    27.5 
       65 years and over......      2,893      100.0    12.9     4.9     2.7    12.6    16.9    15.4     9.2    25.5 
                                                                                                                     
                Men                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                     
            16 years and over.     62,306      100.0    25.6     7.7     5.3    15.8    17.3    10.9     6.5    11.0 
     16 to 19 years...........      3,401      100.0    73.8    12.2     7.7     6.0      .4     -       -       -   
     20 years and over........     58,905      100.0    22.9     7.4     5.2    16.4    18.2    11.5     6.8    11.6 
       20 to 24 years.........      6,499      100.0    52.0    12.7     9.2    19.8     6.1      .1     -       -   
       25 to 34 years.........     15,222      100.0    29.4    10.0     7.3    21.8    22.1     8.4      .9    (1)  
       35 to 44 years.........     17,023      100.0    17.9     6.4     4.2    15.7    20.9    16.4    11.1     7.3 
       45 to 54 years.........     12,858      100.0    13.1     5.0     3.2    11.7    16.8    13.0    10.8    26.3 
       55 to 64 years.........      5,841      100.0    11.2     3.9     3.2    11.4    16.9    14.5     8.2    30.6 
       65 years and over......      1,461      100.0    14.4     3.4     2.5    12.2    18.5    12.7     8.1    28.0 
                                                                                                                     
               Women                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                     
            16 years and over.     57,997      100.0    28.1     8.3     5.4    16.4    17.0    11.1     5.7     8.0 
     16 to 19 years...........      3,312      100.0    76.5    11.7     6.0     5.6      .1     -       -       -   
     20 years and over........     54,685      100.0    25.2     8.1     5.3    17.1    18.0    11.8     6.0     8.5 
       20 to 24 years.........      6,037      100.0    57.6    13.3     9.4    15.0     4.8     -       -       -   
       25 to 34 years.........     13,338      100.0    33.0    10.7     6.8    22.0    20.2     6.3     1.0     -   
       35 to 44 years.........     15,601      100.0    21.0     7.4     4.9    18.2    21.5    14.4     7.8     4.8 
       45 to 54 years.........     12,791      100.0    14.4     5.9     3.5    14.3    18.7    16.8     9.2    17.3 
       55 to 64 years.........      5,485      100.0    11.3     3.8     3.4    11.9    16.6    17.2    11.6    24.3 
       65 years and over......      1,432      100.0    11.5     6.4     2.8    12.9    15.3    18.0    10.3    22.8 
                                                                                                                     
               White                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                     
         16 years and over....    100,624      100.0    26.2     8.0     5.2    16.0    17.1    11.2     6.3     9.8 
     Men......................     52,890      100.0    24.9     7.6     5.3    15.7    17.2    11.0     6.6    11.5 
     Women....................     47,735      100.0    27.6     8.5     5.2    16.4    17.0    11.4     6.0     7.9 
                                                                                                                     
               Black                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                     
         16 years and over....     14,199      100.0    29.3     7.0     6.1    15.6    17.6    10.0     5.3     9.2 
     Men......................      6,546      100.0    29.0     7.2     6.0    15.1    17.8    10.1     6.2     8.6 
     Women....................      7,653      100.0    29.5     6.8     6.1    16.1    17.4     9.8     4.5     9.8 
                                                                                                                     
          Hispanic origin                                                                                            
                                                                                                                     
         16 years and over....     13,767      100.0    30.7     8.3     7.7    18.1    16.6     8.8     4.3     5.5 
     Men......................      7,971      100.0    28.7     8.0     7.6    17.7    17.6     9.6     4.8     6.0 
     Women....................      5,796      100.0    33.4     8.6     7.9    18.7    15.3     7.7     3.7     4.7 

       1 Less than 0.05 percent.
         NOTE:  Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the
     "other races" groups are not presented  and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population
     groups.  Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.  Data exclude the incorporated and unincorporated
     self-employed.  Dash represents zero.
     Table 4.  Median years of tenure with current employer for employed wage and salary workers 25 years
     and over by educational attainment, sex, and age, February 2000
                                                                                                          
                                                                                                          
                                                                 25 years and over                        
                                                                                                          
       Educational attainment and sex                                                                     
                                            Total    25 to 34   35 to 44   45 to 54   55 to 64   65 years 
                                                       years      years      years      years    and over 
                                                                                                          
         Total..........................     4.7        2.6        4.8        8.2       10.0        9.5   
     Less than a high school diploma....     3.7        2.0        3.5        5.0        9.5        9.1   
     High school graduates, no college..     5.0        2.8        5.1        8.1       10.0        8.6   
     Some college, no degree............     4.7        2.7        5.0        8.7        9.7        7.9   
     Associate degree...................     4.7        2.9        4.8        7.5        9.6        6.2   
     College graduates..................     4.7        2.5        5.0        9.4       10.9       11.0   
       Bachelor's degree................     4.3        2.6        4.9        8.2       10.3       10.4   
       Master's degree..................     6.1        2.6        5.5       10.9       11.1       10.2   
       Doctoral or professional degree..     5.2        1.9        4.3        9.2       13.5       15.4   
                                                                                                          
         Men............................     5.0        2.7        5.4        9.5       10.2        9.1   
     Less than a high school diploma....     4.2        2.4        4.1        5.6       10.1        7.8   
     High school graduates, no college..     5.3        3.1        5.9        9.7       10.1        8.9   
     Some college, no degree............     5.1        2.8        5.9       10.1       10.0        7.1   
     Associate degree...................     5.2        3.1        6.6        8.4        9.3        5.1   
     College graduates..................     4.8        2.5        5.0        9.9       10.8       10.9   
       Bachelor's degree................     4.5        2.5        5.2        9.4        9.9       11.3   
       Master's degree..................     5.4        2.5        4.8       10.5       10.3        7.3   
       Doctoral or professional degree..     6.6        2.0        4.0       10.5       14.9       16.0   
                                                                                                          
         Women..........................     4.4        2.5        4.3        7.3        9.9        9.7   
     Less than a high school diploma....     3.2        1.2        2.8        4.2        7.8        9.8   
     High school graduates, no college..     4.6        2.5        4.3        7.0       10.0        8.3   
     Some college, no degree............     4.4        2.5        4.4        7.7        9.4        8.9   
     Associate degree...................     4.1        2.8        3.9        6.7        9.8        8.7   
     College graduates..................     4.6        2.6        5.0        8.6       11.1       11.5   
       Bachelor's degree................     4.1        2.6        4.5        7.2       10.7       10.1   
       Master's degree..................     6.7        2.7        6.6       11.5       12.3       15.4   
       Doctoral or professional degree..     3.9        1.8        4.6        5.2       10.0        4.1   

         NOTE:  Data exclude the incorporated and unincorporated self-employed.
     Table 5.  Median years of tenure with current employer for employed wage and salary workers by industry,
     selected years, 1983-2000
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                             Industry                           January  January  January February February February
                                                                 1983     1987     1991     1996     1998     2000  
                                                                                                                    
        Total, 16 years and over..............................    3.5      3.4      3.6      3.8      3.6      3.5  
                                                                                                                    
     Agriculture..............................................    2.2      2.4      2.6      3.4      2.9      3.1  
     Nonagricultural industries...............................    3.6      3.4      3.6      3.8      3.6      3.5  
       Government.............................................    5.8      6.5      6.5      6.9      7.3      7.2  
       Private industries.....................................    3.2      3.0      3.2      3.3      3.2      3.2  
         Mining...............................................    3.4      6.1      5.8      6.1      5.6      6.5  
         Construction.........................................    2.0      2.0      2.6      2.9      2.7      2.8  
                                                                                                                    
         Manufacturing........................................    5.4      5.5      5.2      5.4      4.9      5.0  
           Durable goods(1)...................................    5.6      6.0      5.8      5.3      4.9      4.9  
             Lumber and wood products.........................    4.0      3.2      3.6      3.3      3.8      4.0  
             Furniture and fixtures...........................    4.2      3.2      4.0      4.2      3.9      4.1  
             Stone, clay, and glass products..................    7.0      6.8      6.3      5.1      6.1      5.4  
             Primary metal industries.........................   10.0     10.2      9.7      8.1      8.0      7.0  
             Fabricated metal products........................    5.7      5.5      5.5      5.1      4.0      4.7  
             Machinery and computing equipment................    5.8      6.7      5.9      5.2      4.4      4.5  
             Electrical machinery, equipment, and supplies....    4.7      4.8      5.5      4.9      5.0      4.7  
             Transportation equipment(1)......................    8.8      8.0      7.6      8.3      7.8      6.4  
               Motor vehicles and equipment...................   13.0     11.2     11.7      7.8      6.4      5.8  
               Aircraft and parts.............................    6.4      6.8      6.3      9.8      9.6      9.7  
             Professional and photographic equipment and                                                            
              watches.........................................    4.7      5.9      5.1      5.1      5.5      5.2  
             Toys, amusements, and sporting goods.............    3.6      5.8      3.2      2.7      3.6      3.7  
                                                                                                                    
           Nondurable goods(1)................................    5.1      4.9      4.7      5.4      4.9      5.1  
             Food and kindred products........................    5.2      4.4      4.2      5.1      5.1      5.0  
             Textile mill products............................    7.0      7.0      5.6      5.4      6.7      7.4  
             Apparel and other finished textile products......    3.8      3.2      3.8      3.8      3.8      3.3  
             Paper and allied products........................    7.6      8.6      7.6      8.4      7.5      6.1  
             Printing and publishing..........................    3.2      3.2      3.5      4.3      4.0      4.4  
             Chemicals and allied products....................    7.0      7.2      5.7      6.9      5.4      5.8  
             Petroleum and coal products......................    6.0     11.7      8.4     10.3      9.4      7.5  
             Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products.......    5.4      4.4      4.7      4.7      4.6      4.9  
                                                                                                                    
         Transportation and public utilities..................    5.8      5.7      5.8      5.2      4.8      4.4  
           Transportation.....................................    4.6      3.9      4.2      4.1      3.8      3.9  
           Communications and other public utilities..........    8.3      8.4      9.9      8.2      8.2      5.2  
                                                                                                                    
         Wholesale trade......................................    3.8      3.7      3.4      3.9      4.1      3.9  
         Retail trade.........................................    1.9      1.8      1.9      1.9      1.8      2.0  
                                                                                                                    
         Finance, insurance, and real estate..................    3.2      3.0      3.4      4.1      3.5      3.6  
           Banking and other finance..........................    3.3      3.1      3.6      3.9      3.7      3.3  
           Insurance and real estate..........................    3.0      2.9      3.2      4.2      3.4      3.9  
                                                                                                                    
         Services(1)..........................................    2.5      2.5      2.7      3.0      2.9      2.9  
           Private households.................................    1.8      1.7      1.9      2.3      2.3      2.9  
           Services, except private households................    2.5      2.5      2.7      3.0      2.9      2.9  
             Business services................................    1.5      1.6      1.8      2.0      1.9     c1.8  
             Automobile and repair services...................    2.3      2.0      2.2      2.9      2.4      2.7  
             Personal services, except private households.....    2.0      2.0      2.1      2.3      2.3      2.7  
             Entertainment and recreation services............    1.8      1.8      2.3      1.9      1.9      2.3  
             Hospitals........................................    3.5      4.6      4.2      5.2      5.2      5.2  
             Health services, except hospitals................    2.5      2.4      2.7      2.9      2.9      3.2  
             Educational services.............................    2.7      3.1      3.5      3.8      3.5      3.3  
             Social services..................................    2.2      2.3      2.3      2.8      2.7      2.6  
             Other professional services......................    2.9      2.8      3.3      3.5      3.3     c3.2  

         1 Includes other industries, not shown separately.
         c = corrected.
         NOTE:  Data for 1996, 1998, and 2000 are not strictly comparable with data for 1991 and earlier years
     because population controls from the 1990 census, adjusted for the estimated undercount, are used beginning in
     1996.  Figures for the 1983-91 period are based on population controls from the 1980 census.  Also, beginning
     in 1996, the figures incorporate the effects of the redesign of the Current Population Survey introduced in
     January 1994.  Data exclude the incorporated and unincorporated self-employed.
     Table 6.  Median years of tenure with current employer for employed wage and salary workers by occupation,
     selected years, 1983-2000
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                            Occupation                          January  January  January February February February
                                                                 1983     1987     1991     1996     1998     2000  
                                                                                                                    
         Total, 16 years and over.............................    3.5      3.4      3.6      3.8      3.6      3.5  
                                                                                                                    
     Managerial and professional specialty....................    4.8      5.0      5.2      5.1      4.8      4.8  
       Executive, administrative, and managerial..............    5.3      5.1      5.5      5.5      5.3      5.0  
         Officials and administrators, public                                                                       
          administration(1)...................................    8.4      9.7     10.7     10.4     12.3     12.0  
         Other executive, administrative, and managerial(1)...    5.3      5.2      5.7      5.6      5.5      5.2  
         Management-related occupations.......................    4.8      4.2      4.7      4.8      4.1      3.9  
       Professional specialty.................................    4.5      5.0      4.9      4.8      4.4      4.6  
         Engineers............................................    6.3      6.1      6.7      6.6      5.3      4.8  
         Mathematical and computer scientists.................    3.8      5.0      4.2      4.5      3.3      3.3  
         Natural scientists...................................    4.7      6.0      5.6      4.4      5.0      5.2  
         Health diagnosing occupations........................    2.8      2.5      3.0      3.3      3.2      3.4  
         Health assessment and treating occupations...........    3.6      4.1      4.2      4.9      4.6      5.3  
         Teachers, college and university.....................    4.4      7.2      5.5      4.4      4.2      4.7  
         Teachers, except college and university..............    6.0      7.0      6.7      5.8      5.9      5.6  
         Lawyers and judges...................................    3.2      3.3      3.4      4.3      4.3      3.8  
         Other professional specialty occupations.............    3.4      3.5      3.6      3.9      3.6      3.9  
                                                                                                                    
     Technical, sales, and administrative support.............    3.1      2.9      3.2      3.4      3.2      3.1  
       Technicians and related support........................    3.3      3.8      3.8      4.7      4.3      3.8  
         Health technologists and technicians.................    3.3      4.4      3.5      4.5      4.5      3.8  
         Engineering and science technicians..................    3.9      4.7      4.0      5.5      4.0      4.1  
         Technicians, except health, engineering, and science.    2.7      2.9      3.9      4.4      4.1      3.4  
       Sales occupations......................................    2.3      2.3      2.4      2.5      2.4      2.7  
         Supervisors and proprietors..........................    4.4      4.4      4.9      4.8      4.8      4.7  
         Sales representatives, finance and business services.    2.6      2.4      2.7      3.3      2.7      2.8  
         Sales representatives, commodities, except retail....    3.7      3.9      3.4      3.8      4.1      4.3  
         Sales workers, retail and personal services..........    1.6      1.4      1.4      1.3      1.2      1.4  
         Sales-related occupations............................    1.7      2.4      3.8      1.5      2.4      3.7  
       Administrative support, including clerical.............    3.5      3.3      3.6      4.0      3.6      3.4  
         Supervisors..........................................    7.6      8.9      8.4      9.4      8.2      7.6  
         Computer equipment operators.........................    3.2      3.0      3.8      4.8      4.1      2.9  
         Secretaries, stenographers, and typists..............    3.2      3.0      3.4      4.4      4.1      4.4  
         Financial records processing.........................    4.0      3.6      4.0      4.2      4.2      4.1  
         Mail and message distributing........................    6.1      4.6      5.9      7.3      7.6      9.4  
         Other administrative support, including clerical.....    3.2      3.0      3.1      3.4      3.1      2.8  
                                                                                                                    
     Service occupations......................................    2.2      2.0      2.3      2.4      2.4      2.5  
       Private household......................................    1.9      1.9      2.2      2.2      2.3      2.8  
       Protective service.....................................    4.6      5.0      4.4      5.2      5.4      5.7  
       Service, except private household and protective.......    2.0      1.8      2.0      2.1      2.1      2.2  
         Food service.........................................    1.5      1.3      1.4      1.3      1.3      1.5  
         Health service.......................................    2.6      2.2      2.4      2.8      2.8      3.1  
         Cleaning and building service........................    3.0      2.7      3.0      3.0      3.1      3.2  
         Personal service.....................................    1.9      1.9      2.1      2.2      2.2      2.3  
                                                                                                                    
     Precision production, craft, and repair..................    4.8      4.7      4.8      4.9      4.6      4.3  
         Mechanics and repairers..............................    5.2      5.8      5.0      5.3      4.9      4.7  
         Construction trades..................................    3.2      2.6      3.2      3.5      3.4      3.1  
         Other precision production, craft, and repair........    6.0      6.2      6.4      6.3      6.1      5.4  
                                                                                                                    
     Operators, fabricators, and laborers.....................    3.9      3.4      3.5      3.2      3.2      3.2  
       Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..........    4.8      4.3      4.4      4.1      3.9      4.0  
       Transportation and material moving occupations.........    4.4      4.1      3.9      3.9      3.8      3.7  
         Motor vehicle operators..............................    3.5      3.2      3.2      3.4      3.4      3.5  
         Other transportation and material moving occupations.    6.8      7.2      6.3      5.4      4.8      4.8  
       Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers....    2.1      2.0      2.2      1.9      1.9      2.0  
         Construction laborers................................    2.0      1.3      2.4      2.2      1.6      2.6  
         Other handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and                                                           
          laborers............................................    2.2      2.2      2.1      1.8      1.9      1.9  
                                                                                                                    
     Farming, forestry, and fishing...........................    2.3      2.4      2.7      3.7      2.8      3.1  
       Farm operators and managers............................    3.9      5.0      4.8      6.2      4.7      3.9  
       Other farming, forestry, and fishing occupations.......    2.3      2.3      2.6      3.6      2.8      3.1  

       1 Data for 1983-98 have been corrected.
         NOTE:  Data for 1996, 1998, and 2000 are not strictly comparable with data for 1991 and earlier years
     because population controls from the 1990 census, adjusted for the estimated undercount, are used beginning in
     1996.  Figures for the 1983-91 period are based on population controls from the 1980 census.  Also, beginning
     in 1996, the figures incorporate the effects of the redesign of the Current Population Survey introduced in
     January 1994.  Data exclude the incorporated and unincorporated self-employed.