Technical information:  (202) 691-5870      USDL 05-833
               http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
                                            For release:  10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                691-5902      Tuesday, May 10, 2005


               JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER:  MARCH 2005

   The job openings rate was unchanged in March at 2.6 percent, while the
hires and total separations rates were little changed at 3.7 and 3.3 percent,
respectively, 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 March 2005, there were 3.6 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 March but has generally trended upward
since September 2003.  In March, the job openings rate changed significantly
only for the government sector, where the rate fell slightly.  The job openings
rate did not change significantly in any of the regions.

Hires and Separations

   The hires rate (the number of hires during the month divided by employment)
was 3.7 percent in March, essentially unchanged from a month earlier.  (See
table 2.)  Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month.  None of
the industries or regions had significant changes in their hires rates from
February to March.

   The total separations, or turnover, rate (the total number of separa-
tions during the month divided by employment) was 3.3 percent in March,
little changed from February.  Separations are terminations of employment
that occur at any time during the month.  (See table 3.)  The total separa-
tions rate fell in construction and rose in professional and business ser-
vices and in the Midwest region in March.
   
   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, increased to 1.9 percent in March.  (See table 4.)
The quits rate rose in March for private industries overall; for the trade,
transportation, and utilities industry; and for the Northeast and Midwest
regions.  The other two components of total separations, layoffs and dis-
charges and other separations, are not seasonally adjusted.  From March
2004 to March 2005, the layoffs and discharges rate (1.0 percent) was
little changed and the other separations rate (0.2 percent) was unchanged.
(See tables 9 and 10.)

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally
adjusted           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------                       
                   |    Job openings    |       Hires        | Total separations
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
     Industry      | Mar. | Feb. | Mar. | Mar. | Feb. | Mar. | Mar. | Feb. | Mar.
                   | 2004 | 2005 | 2005p| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                     Levels (in thousands)
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........|3,105 |3,569 |3,568 |4,838 |4,760 |4,880 |4,289 |4,295 |4,421
  Total private(1).|2,780 |3,160 |3,199 |4,494 |4,430 |4,541 |4,013 |4,035 |4,158
    Construction...|  114 |  133 |  158 |  408 |  430 |  409 |  394 |  403 |  297
    Manufacturing..|  240 |  252 |  258 |  376 |  336 |  335 |  373 |  341 |  356
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  562 |  668 |  615 |1,068 |1,055 |1,046 |1,003 |  940 |  971
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  529 |  607 |  667 |  815 |  853 |  924 |  674 |  772 |  902
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     vices.........|  551 |  602 |  599 |  441 |  500 |  464 |  386 |  389 |  441
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  379 |  447 |  437 |  885 |  771 |  822 |  759 |  790 |  728
  Government.......|  341 |  404 |  365 |  341 |  329 |  336 |  273 |  260 |  261
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                       Rates (percent)                
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........|  2.3 |  2.6 |  2.6 |  3.7 |  3.6 |  3.7 |  3.3 |  3.2 |  3.3
  Total private(1).|  2.5 |  2.8 |  2.8 |  4.1 |  4.0 |  4.1 |  3.7 |  3.6 |  3.7
    Construction...|  1.6 |  1.8 |  2.2 |  5.9 |  6.0 |  5.7 |  5.7 |  5.7 |  4.2
    Manufacturing..|  1.7 |  1.7 |  1.8 |  2.6 |  2.3 |  2.3 |  2.6 |  2.4 |  2.5
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  2.2 |  2.5 |  2.3 |  4.2 |  4.1 |  4.1 |  3.9 |  3.7 |  3.8
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  3.2 |  3.5 |  3.8 |  5.0 |  5.1 |  5.5 |  4.2 |  4.6 |  5.4
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |           
     vices.........|  3.2 |  3.4 |  3.4 |  2.6 |  2.9 |  2.7 |  2.3 |  2.3 |  2.6
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  3.0 |  3.4 |  3.3 |  7.1 |  6.1 |  6.5 |  6.1 |  6.3 |  5.8
  Government.......|  1.6 |  1.8 |  1.7 |  1.6 |  1.5 |  1.5 |  1.3 |  1.2 |  1.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.
                                  

   Hires and separations data help show dynamic flows in the labor market.
Over the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.6 million per month and
separations have averaged 4.3 million per month.  The comparable figures
a year earlier were 4.2 million hires and 4.0 million separations.  (See
the Technical Note for additional information on these measures.)
   
For More Information
   
   For additional information, please see the Technical Note or the JOLTS
Web site at www.bls.gov/jlt/.  Additional information about JOLTS also may
be obtained by e-mailing Joltsinfo@bls.gov or by calling (202) 691-5870.

                      ______________________________
                                     

   The Job Openings and Labor Turnover release for April 2005 is scheduled
to be issued on Tuesday, June 7, 2005.
   





                                  - 3 -

Technical Note


  The data for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) are
collected and compiled monthly from a sample of business establishments 
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
   
Collection
   
  Each month, data are collected in a survey of business establishments
for total employment, job openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges,
and other separations.  Data collection methods include computer-assisted
telephone interviewing, touchtone data entry, fax, and mail.
   
Coverage
   
  The JOLTS program covers all private nonfarm establishments such as
factories, offices, and stores, as well as federal, state, and local
government entities in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
   
Concepts
   
  Industry classification.  The industry classifications in this release
are in accordance with the 2002 version of the North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS).  In order to ensure the highest possible
quality of data, State Employment Security Agencies verify with employers
and update, if necessary, the industry code, location, and ownership clas-
sification of all establishments on a 3-year cycle.  Changes in establish-
ment characteristics resulting from the verification process are always 
introduced into the JOLTS sampling frame with the data reported for the 
first month of the year.
   
  Employment.  Employment includes persons on the payroll who worked or re-
ceived pay for the pay period that includes the 12th day of the reference
month.  Full-time, part-time, permanent, short-term, seasonal, salaried,
and hourly employees are included, as are employees on paid vacations or
other paid leave.  Proprietors or partners of unincorporated businesses,
unpaid family workers, or persons on leave without pay or on strike for 
the entire pay period, are not counted as employed.  Employees of tempo-
rary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, and
consultants are counted by their employer of record, not by the establish-
ment where they are working.
   
  Job openings.  Establishments submit job openings information for the
last business day of the reference month.  A job opening requires that:  
1) a specific position exists and there is work available for that posi-
tion, 2) work could start within 30 days regardless of whether a suitable
candidate is found, and 3) the employer is actively recruiting from outside
the establishment to fill the position.  Included are full-time, part-time,
permanent, short-term, and seasonal openings.  Active recruiting means that
the establishment is taking steps to fill a position by advertising in news-
papers or on the Internet, posting help-wanted signs, accepting applications, 
or using other similar methods.
   
  Jobs to be filled only by internal transfers, promotions, demotions, or
recall from layoffs are excluded.  Also excluded are jobs with start dates
more than 30 days in the future, jobs for which employees have been hired
but have not yet reported for work, and jobs to be filled by employees of
temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors,
or consultants.  The job openings rate is computed by dividing the number
of job openings by the sum of employment and job openings and multiplying
that quotient by 100.
   
                                  - 4 -

  Hires.  Hires are the total number of additions to the payroll occurring
at any time during the reference month, including both new and rehired em-
ployees, full-time and part-time, permanent, short-term and seasonal em-
ployees, employees recalled to the location after a layoff lasting more
than 7 days, on-call or intermittent employees who returned to work after
having been formally separated, and transfers from other locations.  The
hires count does not include transfers or promotions within the reporting
site, employees returning from strike, employees of temporary help agencies
or employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants.  The
hires rate is computed by dividing the number of hires by employment and
multiplying that quotient by 100.
   
  Separations.  Separations are the total number of terminations of
employment occurring at any time during the reference month, and are
reported by type of separation--quits, layoffs and discharges, and 
other separations.  Quits are voluntary separations by employees (ex-
cept for retirements, which are reported as other separations).  Lay-
offs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the em-
ployer and include layoffs with no intent to rehire, formal layoffs 
lasting or expected to last more than 7 days, discharges resulting 
from mergers, downsizing, or closings, firings or other discharges 
for cause, terminations of permanent or short-term employees, and 
terminations of seasonal employees.  Other separations include re-
tirements, transfers to other locations, deaths, and separations 
due to disability.  Separations do not include transfers within the 
same location or employees on strike.
   
  The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations
by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100.  The quits, layoffs
and discharges, and other separations rates are computed similarly, divid-
ing the number by employment and multiplying by 100.
   
Sample methodology
   
  The JOLTS sample design is a random sample of 16,000 nonfarm business
establishments, including factories, offices, and stores, as well as
federal, state, and local governments in the 50 states and the District 
of Columbia.  The establishments are drawn from a universe of over eight
million establishments compiled as part of the operations of the Quarterly
Census of Employment and Wages, or QCEW, program.  This program includes
all employers subject to state Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws and federal
agencies subject to Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE).
   
  The sampling frame is stratified by ownership, region, industry sector,
and size class.  Large firms fall into the sample with virtual certainty.
JOLTS total employment estimates are controlled to the employment estimates
of the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey.  A ratio of CES to JOLTS
employment is used to adjust the levels for all other JOLTS data elements.
Rates are then computed from the adjusted levels.
   
                                  - 5 -

Using JOLTS data
   
  The JOLTS data series on job openings, hires, and separations are rel-
atively new.  The full sample is divided into panels, with one panel
enrolled each month.  A full complement of panels for the original data
series based on the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system
was not completely enrolled in the survey until January 2002.  The supple-
mental panels of establishments needed to create NAICS estimates were not 
completely enrolled until May 2003.  The data collected up until those
points are from less than a full sample.  Therefore, estimates from earlier
months should be used with caution, as fewer sampled units were reporting
data at that time.
   
  In March 2002, BLS procedures for collecting hires and separations data
were revised to address possible underreporting.  As a result, JOLTS hires
and separations estimates for months prior to March 2002 may not be compar-
able with estimates for March 2002 and later.
   
  The federal government reorganization that involved transferring approx-
imately 180,000 employees to the new Department of Homeland Security is not 
reflected in the JOLTS hires and separations estimates for the federal gov-
ernment.  The Office of Personnel Management's record shows these transfers 
were completed in March 2003.  The inclusion of transfers in the JOLTS defi-
nitions of hires and separations is intended to cover ongoing movements of 
workers between establishments.  The Department of Homeland Security reorgan-
ization was a massive one-time event, and the inclusion of these intergovern-
mental transfers would distort the federal government time series.
   
Seasonal adjustment
   
  BLS seasonally adjusts several JOLTS series using the X-12-ARIMA
seasonal adjustment program.  Seasonal adjustment is the process of
estimating and removing periodic fluctuations caused by events such 
as weather, holidays, and the beginning and ending of the school year.
Seasonal adjustment makes it easier to observe fundamental changes in 
the level of the series, particularly those associated with general 
economic expansions and contractions.  A concurrent seasonal adjust-
ment methodology is used in which new seasonal adjustment factors are 
calculated each month, using all relevant data, up to and including 
the data for the current month.
   
  Data users should note that seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS series is
conducted with fewer data observations than is customary.  The historical
data, therefore, may be subject to larger than normal revisions.  Since the
seasonal patterns in economic data series typically emerge over time, the
standard use of moving averages as seasonal filters to capture these effects 
requires longer series than are currently available.  As a result, the stable 
seasonal filter option is used in the seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS data.  
When calculating seasonal factors, this filter takes an average for each cal-
endar month after detrending the series.  The stable seasonal filter assumes 
that the seasonal factors are fixed; a necessary assumption until sufficient 
data are available.  When the stable seasonal filter is no longer needed, 
other program features also may be introduced, such as outlier adjustment 
and extended diagnostic testing.  Additionally, it is expected that more 
series, such as layoffs and discharges and additional industries, may be 
seasonally adjusted when more data are available.
   
                                  - 6 -

Reliability of the estimates
   
  JOLTS estimates are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error.
When a sample rather than the entire population is surveyed, there is a
chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true" population
values they represent.  The exact difference, or sampling error, varies
depending on the particular sample selected, and this variability is
measured by the standard error of the estimate.  BLS analysis is generally
conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.  That means that there is
a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a
sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true"
population value because of sampling error.  Estimates of sampling errors
are available upon request.
   
  The JOLTS estimates also are affected by nonsampling error.  Nonsampling
error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to include a seg-
ment of the population, the inability to obtain data from all units in the 
sample, the inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide data on a 
timely basis, mistakes made by respondents, errors made in the collection 
or processing of the data, and errors from the employment benchmark data 
used in estimation.
   
  JOLTS hires and separations estimates cannot be used to exactly ex-
plain net changes in nonfarm payroll employment.  Some reasons why it is
problematic to compare changes in payroll employment with JOLTS hires and
separations, especially on a monthly basis, are: 1) the reference period
for payroll employment is the pay period including the 12th of the month,
while the reference period for hires and separations is the calendar month;
and 2) payroll employment can vary from month to month simply because part-
time and on-call workers may not always work during the pay period that in-
cludes the 12th of the month.  Additionally, research has found that some
reporters systematically underreport separations relative to hires due to a
number of factors, including the nature of their payroll systems and prac-
tices.  The shortfall appears to be about 2 percent or less over a 12-month 
period.
   
Other information
   
  Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone: 1-800-877-8339.





Table 1.  Job openings levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

                                                      Levels(3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region            Mar.   Oct.   Nov.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Mar.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec.  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.
                                          2004   2004   2004   2004   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2004  2004  2004  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  3,105  3,300  3,277  3,507  3,385  3,569  3,568    2.3   2.4   2.4   2.6   2.5   2.6   2.6

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  2,780  2,924  2,910  3,106  3,020  3,160  3,199    2.5   2.6   2.6   2.7   2.7   2.8   2.8
  Construction.........................    114    114    118    132    127    133    158    1.6   1.6   1.6   1.8   1.8   1.8   2.2
  Manufacturing........................    240    250    248    266    252    252    258    1.7   1.7   1.7   1.8   1.7   1.7   1.8
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    562    559    554    561    564    668    615    2.2   2.1   2.1   2.1   2.2   2.5   2.3
  Professional and business services...    529    602    620    699    682    607    667    3.2   3.5   3.6   4.0   3.9   3.5   3.8
  Education and health services........    551    547    543    557    560    602    599    3.2   3.1   3.1   3.1   3.2   3.4   3.4
  Leisure and hospitality..............    379    413    411    450    434    447    437    3.0   3.2   3.2   3.4   3.3   3.4   3.3
 Government............................    341    400    369    396    346    404    365    1.6   1.8   1.7   1.8   1.6   1.8   1.7


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    606    562    560    620    602    606    587    2.4   2.2   2.2   2.4   2.3   2.3   2.3
  South................................  1,197  1,318  1,250  1,329  1,342  1,399  1,416    2.5   2.7   2.6   2.8   2.8   2.9   2.9
  Midwest..............................    673    688    726    740    716    745    759    2.1   2.1   2.3   2.3   2.2   2.3   2.4
  West.................................    634    742    759    792    718    823    811    2.2   2.5   2.6   2.7   2.4   2.8   2.7


  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            Mar.   Oct.   Nov.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Mar.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec.  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.
                                          2004   2004   2004   2004   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2004  2004  2004  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  4,838  4,552  4,990  4,639  4,709  4,760  4,880    3.7   3.4   3.8   3.5   3.6   3.6   3.7

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  4,494  4,216  4,652  4,337  4,374  4,430  4,541    4.1   3.8   4.2   3.9   3.9   4.0   4.1
  Construction.........................    408    353    373    368    339    430    409    5.9   5.0   5.3   5.2   4.8   6.0   5.7
  Manufacturing........................    376    353    386    324    307    336    335    2.6   2.5   2.7   2.3   2.1   2.3   2.3
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.  1,068    977  1,077    986  1,056  1,055  1,046    4.2   3.8   4.2   3.8   4.1   4.1   4.1
  Professional and business services...    815    812    935    878    882    853    924    5.0   4.9   5.6   5.3   5.3   5.1   5.5
  Education and health services........    441    420    447    452    445    500    464    2.6   2.5   2.6   2.6   2.6   2.9   2.7
  Leisure and hospitality..............    885    801    858    834    826    771    822    7.1   6.4   6.8   6.6   6.6   6.1   6.5
 Government............................    341    318    335    307    341    329    336    1.6   1.5   1.5   1.4   1.6   1.5   1.5


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    803    811    851    858    762    820    873    3.2   3.2   3.4   3.4   3.0   3.2   3.4
  South................................  1,912  1,809  1,903  1,770  1,880  1,867  1,904    4.1   3.9   4.1   3.8   4.0   4.0   4.0
  Midwest..............................  1,043  1,013  1,149  1,043  1,092  1,081  1,083    3.4   3.2   3.7   3.3   3.5   3.5   3.5
  West.................................  1,087    916  1,014    970    959  1,069  1,024    3.8   3.2   3.5   3.4   3.3   3.7   3.5


  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. 
  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            Mar.   Oct.   Nov.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Mar.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec.  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.
                                          2004   2004   2004   2004   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2004  2004  2004  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  4,289  4,215  4,266  4,435  4,352  4,295  4,421    3.3   3.2   3.2   3.3   3.3   3.2   3.3

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  4,013  3,957  3,996  4,146  4,091  4,035  4,158    3.7   3.6   3.6   3.7   3.7   3.6   3.7
  Construction.........................    394    425    351    355    417    403    297    5.7   6.0   5.0   5.0   5.9   5.7   4.2
  Manufacturing........................    373    354    327    353    361    341    356    2.6   2.5   2.3   2.5   2.5   2.4   2.5
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.  1,003    889    943  1,062    882    940    971    3.9   3.5   3.7   4.1   3.4   3.7   3.8
  Professional and business services...    674    585    822    833    836    772    902    4.2   3.5   4.9   5.0   5.0   4.6   5.4
  Education and health services........    386    376    408    375    356    389    441    2.3   2.2   2.4   2.2   2.1   2.3   2.6
  Leisure and hospitality..............    759    767    727    758    832    790    728    6.1   6.1   5.8   6.0   6.6   6.3   5.8
 Government............................    273    263    275    274    258    260    261    1.3   1.2   1.3   1.3   1.2   1.2   1.2


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    729    711    756    773    773    732    778    2.9   2.8   3.0   3.0   3.1   2.9   3.1
  South................................  1,631  1,614  1,594  1,707  1,747  1,647  1,713    3.5   3.5   3.4   3.6   3.7   3.5   3.6
  Midwest..............................  1,004    952  1,041    986    981    937  1,094    3.2   3.0   3.3   3.1   3.1   3.0   3.5
  West.................................    990    896    826    953    964    961    898    3.5   3.1   2.9   3.3   3.3   3.3   3.1


  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            Mar.   Oct.   Nov.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Mar.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec.  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.
                                          2004   2004   2004   2004   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2004  2004  2004  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  2,346  2,344  2,436  2,495  2,530  2,307  2,496    1.8   1.8   1.8   1.9   1.9   1.7   1.9

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  2,211  2,217  2,319  2,366  2,412  2,192  2,368    2.0   2.0   2.1   2.1   2.2   2.0   2.1
  Construction.........................    152    182    159    162    171    139    146    2.2   2.6   2.2   2.3   2.4   2.0   2.0
  Manufacturing........................    194    187    185    194    185    181    182    1.4   1.3   1.3   1.4   1.3   1.3   1.3
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    541    517    568    570    563    512    584    2.1   2.0   2.2   2.2   2.2   2.0   2.3
  Professional and business services...    341    281    401    415    417    410    429    2.1   1.7   2.4   2.5   2.5   2.4   2.6
  Education and health services........    245    239    250    232    230    259    286    1.5   1.4   1.5   1.4   1.3   1.5   1.7
  Leisure and hospitality..............    469    474    499    506    516    474    461    3.8   3.8   4.0   4.0   4.1   3.8   3.6
 Government............................    130    123    118    129    124    117    123     .6    .6    .5    .6    .6    .5    .6


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    327    333    359    392    424    340    396    1.3   1.3   1.4   1.5   1.7   1.3   1.6
  South................................    992    943  1,014  1,021  1,053    914    972    2.1   2.0   2.2   2.2   2.2   1.9   2.1
  Midwest..............................    491    500    551    544    539    509    619    1.6   1.6   1.8   1.7   1.7   1.6   2.0
  West.................................    545    550    492    536    530    550    549    1.9   1.9   1.7   1.9   1.8   1.9   1.9


  1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.
  2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
  4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE: See NOTE, table 1.






Table 5.  Job openings levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Mar.     Feb.     Mar.          Mar.     Feb.     Mar.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  3,098    3,433    3,586           2.3      2.5      2.6

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  2,761    3,064    3,228           2.5      2.7      2.9
  Natural resources and mining..................      7        8       12           1.1      1.4      1.9
  Construction..................................    106      121      162           1.6      1.8      2.3
  Manufacturing.................................    246      248      265           1.7      1.7      1.8
   Durable goods................................    167      164      176           1.9      1.8      1.9
   Nondurable goods.............................     79       85       89           1.5      1.6      1.6
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    552      619      610           2.1      2.4      2.3
   Wholesale trade..............................     98      143      121           1.7      2.5      2.1
   Retail trade.................................    352      373      391           2.3      2.4      2.6
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    102      103       99           2.1      2.1      2.0
  Information...................................     63       87       85           2.0      2.7      2.6
  Financial activities..........................    182      220      227           2.2      2.6      2.7
   Finance and insurance........................    159      174      184           2.6      2.8      3.0
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     23       46       44           1.1      2.2      2.0
  Professional and business services............    518      597      651           3.1      3.5      3.8
  Education and health services.................    540      597      593           3.1      3.3      3.3
   Educational services.........................     41       57       59           1.4      1.9      1.9
   Health care and social assistance............    499      540      534           3.4      3.6      3.6
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    418      436      483           3.3      3.5      3.8
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     43       57       50           2.5      3.4      2.9
   Accommodations and food services.............    375      379      433           3.5      3.5      3.9
  Other services................................    129      132      140           2.3      2.4      2.5

 Government.....................................    337      369      358           1.5      1.6      1.6
  Federal.......................................     46       48       52           1.7      1.8      1.9
  State and local...............................    291      321      306           1.5      1.6      1.6

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    594      567      573           2.3      2.2      2.2
  South.........................................  1,181    1,393    1,408           2.5      2.9      2.9
  Midwest.......................................    701      695      797           2.2      2.2      2.5
  West..........................................    621      778      809           2.1      2.6      2.7


  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                  Mar.     Feb.     Mar.          Mar.     Feb.     Mar.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  4,603    3,938    4,680           3.5      3.0      3.5

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  4,373    3,709    4,451           4.0      3.4      4.0
  Natural resources and mining..................     18       19       24           3.1      3.1      3.9
  Construction..................................    450      363      466           6.9      5.5      6.9
  Manufacturing.................................    390      318      351           2.7      2.2      2.5
   Durable goods................................    256      211      214           2.9      2.4      2.4
   Nondurable goods.............................    134      107      136           2.5      2.0      2.6
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    968      803      948           3.9      3.2      3.7
   Wholesale trade..............................    171      116      137           3.1      2.1      2.4
   Retail trade.................................    655      560      684           4.4      3.8      4.6
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    141      126      126           3.0      2.6      2.6
  Information...................................     62       62       71           2.0      2.0      2.3
  Financial activities..........................    173      158      200           2.2      1.9      2.5
   Finance and insurance........................    111       93      112           1.9      1.5      1.9
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     62       65       88           3.0      3.1      4.2
  Professional and business services............    803      758      923           5.0      4.6      5.6
  Education and health services.................    410      430      435           2.4      2.5      2.5
   Educational services.........................     40       51       41           1.4      1.7      1.4
   Health care and social assistance............    370      380      393           2.6      2.6      2.7
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    913      607      849           7.6      5.0      6.9
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........    122       78      103           7.2      4.8      6.3
   Accommodations and food services.............    791      529      746           7.6      5.0      7.0
  Other services................................    187      192      186           3.5      3.5      3.4

 Government.....................................    230      230      229           1.0      1.0      1.0
  Federal.......................................     29       33       24           1.1      1.2       .9
  State and local...............................    201      197      205           1.0      1.0      1.1

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    692      578      762           2.8      2.3      3.0
  South.........................................  1,868    1,619    1,879           4.1      3.5      4.0
  Midwest.......................................  1,002      823    1,049           3.3      2.7      3.4
  West..........................................  1,041      918      990           3.7      3.2      3.4


  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                  Mar.     Feb.     Mar.          Mar.     Feb.     Mar.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  3,739    3,529    3,878           2.9      2.7      2.9

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  3,555    3,350    3,703           3.3      3.1      3.4
  Natural resources and mining..................     15       15       18           2.6      2.5      3.0
  Construction..................................    363      386      271           5.5      5.8      4.0
  Manufacturing.................................    340      297      325           2.4      2.1      2.3
   Durable goods................................    212      189      196           2.4      2.1      2.2
   Nondurable goods.............................    128      108      129           2.4      2.0      2.4
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    904      815      881           3.6      3.2      3.5
   Wholesale trade..............................    134      134      113           2.4      2.4      2.0
   Retail trade.................................    612      549      655           4.1      3.7      4.4
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    158      133      113           3.3      2.7      2.3
  Information...................................     73       45       68           2.3      1.5      2.2
  Financial activities..........................    130      146      135           1.6      1.8      1.7
   Finance and insurance........................     89       97       94           1.5      1.6      1.6
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     42       49       41           2.0      2.3      1.9
  Professional and business services............    601      591      838           3.8      3.6      5.1
  Education and health services.................    351      333      409           2.1      1.9      2.4
   Educational services.........................     37       27       45           1.3       .9      1.5
   Health care and social assistance............    314      305      364           2.2      2.1      2.5
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    626      553      593           5.2      4.6      4.8
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     81       66       71           4.8      4.1      4.3
   Accommodations and food services.............    545      486      522           5.2      4.6      4.9
  Other services................................    152      169      164           2.8      3.1      3.0

 Government.....................................    184      179      175            .8       .8       .8
  Federal.......................................     30       21       21           1.1       .8       .8
  State and local...............................    154      158      154            .8       .8       .8

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    595      553      643           2.4      2.2      2.6
  South.........................................  1,422    1,406    1,507           3.1      3.0      3.2
  Midwest.......................................    813      753      922           2.6      2.4      3.0
  West..........................................    909      816      806           3.2      2.8      2.8


  1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month.
  2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of
total employment.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.





Table 8.  Quits levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  Mar.     Feb.     Mar.          Mar.     Feb.     Mar.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  2,089    1,912    2,249           1.6      1.5      1.7

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  1,990    1,820    2,155           1.8      1.7      2.0
  Natural resources and mining..................      6        6       11           1.1      1.0      1.9
  Construction..................................    144      123      136           2.2      1.8      2.0
  Manufacturing.................................    185      152      172           1.3      1.1      1.2
   Durable goods................................    114       96      104           1.3      1.1      1.2
   Nondurable goods.............................     71       56       68           1.3      1.1      1.3
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    501      426      546           2.0      1.7      2.1
   Wholesale trade..............................     72       73       74           1.3      1.3      1.3
   Retail trade.................................    371      302      410           2.5      2.0      2.8
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     58       51       62           1.2      1.1      1.3
  Information...................................     31       29       39           1.0       .9      1.3
  Financial activities..........................     72       87       79            .9      1.1      1.0
   Finance and insurance........................     52       67       57            .9      1.1       .9
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     20       21       22           1.0      1.0      1.1
  Professional and business services............    324      311      417           2.0      1.9      2.5
  Education and health services.................    221      217      264           1.3      1.3      1.5
   Educational services.........................     17       18       25            .6       .6       .8
   Health care and social assistance............    204      199      239           1.4      1.4      1.7
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    399      364      387           3.3      3.0      3.1
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     31       31       40           1.9      1.9      2.4
   Accommodations and food services.............    367      333      347           3.5      3.2      3.3
  Other services................................    108      105      104           2.0      1.9      1.9

 Government.....................................     99       92       94            .5       .4       .4
  Federal.......................................     15        8        6            .6       .3       .2
  State and local...............................     84       83       88            .4       .4       .5

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    274      262      333           1.1      1.0      1.3
  South.........................................    886      766      865           1.9      1.6      1.8
  Midwest.......................................    424      407      542           1.4      1.3      1.7
  West..........................................    505      477      509           1.8      1.7      1.8


  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                  Mar.     Feb.     Mar.          Mar.     Feb.     Mar.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  1,407    1,364    1,375           1.1      1.0      1.0

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  1,363    1,320    1,336           1.3      1.2      1.2
  Natural resources and mining..................      6        6        6           1.1      1.0       .9
  Construction..................................    209      255      129           3.2      3.8      1.9
  Manufacturing.................................    132      116      128            .9       .8       .9
   Durable goods................................     82       74       76            .9       .8       .9
   Nondurable goods.............................     50       42       51            .9       .8      1.0
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    334      331      259           1.3      1.3      1.0
   Wholesale trade..............................     55       51       36           1.0       .9       .6
   Retail trade.................................    189      212      185           1.3      1.4      1.2
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     90       67       38           1.9      1.4       .8
  Information...................................     39       13       23           1.2       .4       .8
  Financial activities..........................     42       44       45            .5       .5       .6
   Finance and insurance........................     24       19       29            .4       .3       .5
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     19       26       16            .9      1.2       .8
  Professional and business services............    247      235      380           1.5      1.4      2.3
  Education and health services.................    115       97      131            .7       .6       .8
   Educational services.........................     18        8       16            .6       .3       .5
   Health care and social assistance............     97       89      115            .7       .6       .8
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    204      172      186           1.7      1.4      1.5
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     49       34       30           2.9      2.1      1.8
   Accommodations and food services.............    155      139      157           1.5      1.3      1.5
  Other services................................     35       49       48            .6       .9       .9

 Government.....................................     44       44       39            .2       .2       .2
  Federal.......................................      7        5        4            .3       .2       .1
  State and local...............................     37       39       36            .2       .2       .2

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    278      250      259           1.1      1.0      1.0
  South.........................................    442      544      553           1.0      1.2      1.2
  Midwest.......................................    333      299      329           1.1      1.0      1.1
  West..........................................    354      271      235           1.2       .9       .8


  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                  Mar.     Feb.     Mar.          Mar.     Feb.     Mar.
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................    243      253      254           0.2      0.2      0.2

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................    202      210      212            .2       .2       .2
  Natural resources and mining..................      2        3        1            .3       .6       .2
  Construction..................................     10        8        6            .2       .1       .1
  Manufacturing.................................     24       28       26            .2       .2       .2
   Durable goods................................     16       18       16            .2       .2       .2
   Nondurable goods.............................      8       10       10            .1       .2       .2
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........     69       58       76            .3       .2       .3
   Wholesale trade..............................      7       10        4            .1       .2       .1
   Retail trade.................................     52       34       60            .4       .2       .4
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     10       14       12            .2       .3       .3
  Information...................................      3        3        5            .1       .1       .2
  Financial activities..........................     15       14       10            .2       .2       .1
   Finance and insurance........................     12       12        8            .2       .2       .1
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........      3        2        2            .2       .1       .1
  Professional and business services............     30       44       42            .2       .3       .3
  Education and health services.................     15       19       14            .1       .1       .1
   Educational services.........................      2        1        3            .1      (3)       .1
   Health care and social assistance............     13       18       10            .1       .1       .1
  Leisure and hospitality.......................     24       16       20            .2       .1       .2
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........      1        1        2            .1       .1       .1
   Accommodations and food services.............     22       15       18            .2       .1       .2
  Other services................................     10       16       12            .2       .3       .2

 Government.....................................     41       43       42            .2       .2       .2
  Federal.......................................      8        8       12            .3       .3       .4
  State and local...............................     33       35       30            .2       .2       .2

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................     43       41       51            .2       .2       .2
  South.........................................     95       96       89            .2       .2       .2
  Midwest.......................................     56       48       52            .2       .2       .2
  West..........................................     50       68       62            .2       .2       .2


  1 Other separations are the number of other separations during the entire month.
  2 The other separations rate is the number of other separations during the entire month as a percent of
total employment.
  3 Data round to zero.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.