Technical information:  (202) 691-5870     USDL 05-055
               http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
                                           For release:  10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902     Wednesday, January 12, 2005


              JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER:  NOVEMBER 2004


   The job openings rate edged down in November, while the hires rate
increased and the total separations rate remained unchanged, the Bureau
of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.  The
job openings rate decreased slightly to 2.4 percent.  The hires rate in-
creased to 3.6 percent; the total separations rate was unchanged at 3.1 per-
cent.  This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job open-
ings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector by industry and
geographic region.

Job Openings
     
   On the last business day of November 2004, there were 3.2 million job
openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.4 percent.
(See table 1.)  The job openings rate edged down in November, although it
has followed a generally upward trend since August 2003.  In November, the
job openings rate decreased in government; manufacturing; and trade, trans-
portation, and utilities.  The job openings rate was down in the Northeast
and South regions.

Hires and Separations
     
   The hires rate (the number of hires during the month divided by employ-
ment) was 3.6 percent in November, a slight increase from a month earlier.
(See table 2.)  Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month.
The hires rate increased in the manufacturing; trade, transportation, and
utilities; and education and health services industries over the month.
The hires rate rose in the Midwest region.
   
   The total separations, or turnover, rate (the total number of separations
during the month divided by employment) was 3.1 percent in November.  The
overall total separations rate is 0.2 percentage point higher than its most
recent low in November 2003.  Separations are terminations of employment that
occur at any time during the month.  (See table 3.)  The total separations
rate increased in professional and business services in November.
   
   Total separations include quits (voluntary separations), layoffs and dis-
charges (involuntary separations), and other separations (including retire-
ments).  The quits rate, which can serve as a barometer of workers' ability
to change jobs, was essentially unchanged at 1.8 percent in November, after
holding steady at 1.7 percent from February through October 2004.  (See
table 4.)  The quits rate increased in professional and business services
and edged down in government in November.  The other two components of total
separations, layoffs and discharges (1.2 percent) and other separations
(0.2 percent), are not seasonally adjusted.  Both rates showed little change
from a year earlier.

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally
adjusted           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------                       
                   |    Job openings    |       Hires        | Total separations
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
     Industry      | Nov. | Oct. | Nov. | Nov. | Oct. | Nov. | Nov. | Oct. | Nov.
                   | 2003 | 2004 | 2004p| 2003 | 2004 | 2004p| 2003 | 2004 | 2004p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                     Levels (in thousands)
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1/...........|2,952 |3,420 |3,204 |4,135 |4,469 |4,821 |3,797 |4,129 |4,098
  Total private 1/.|2,593 |3,042 |2,867 |3,843 |4,149 |4,521 |3,543 |3,877 |3,843
    Construction...|   89 |  114 |  108 |  397 |  361 |  388 |  372 |  423 |  358
    Manufacturing..|  221 |  263 |  236 |  345 |  333 |  389 |  330 |  338 |  307
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  513 |  630 |  551 |  875 |  976 |1,088 |  856 |  922 |  930
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  499 |  614 |  595 |  613 |  783 |  843 |  542 |  580 |  721
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     vices.........|  551 |  550 |  540 |  436 |  411 |  453 |  372 |  373 |  403
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  364 |  405 |  385 |  776 |  769 |  805 |  678 |  747 |  732
  Government.......|  358 |  403 |  335 |  302 |  321 |  310 |  259 |  260 |  255
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                       Rates (percent)                
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1/...........|  2.2 |  2.5 |  2.4 |  3.2 |  3.4 |  3.6 |  2.9 |  3.1 |  3.1
  Total private 1/.|  2.3 |  2.7 |  2.5 |  3.5 |  3.8 |  4.1 |  3.3 |  3.5 |  3.5
    Construction...|  1.3 |  1.6 |  1.5 |  5.9 |  5.1 |  5.5 |  5.5 |  6.0 |  5.1
    Manufacturing..|  1.5 |  1.8 |  1.6 |  2.4 |  2.3 |  2.7 |  2.3 |  2.3 |  2.1
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  2.0 |  2.4 |  2.1 |  3.5 |  3.8 |  4.3 |  3.4 |  3.6 |  3.6
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  3.0 |  3.6 |  3.4 |  3.8 |  4.7 |  5.1 |  3.4 |  3.5 |  4.3
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |           
     vices.........|  3.2 |  3.1 |  3.1 |  2.6 |  2.4 |  2.7 |  2.2 |  2.2 |  2.4
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  2.9 |  3.2 |  3.0 |  6.4 |  6.2 |  6.5 |  5.6 |  6.0 |  5.9
  Government.......|  1.6 |  1.8 |  1.5 |  1.4 |  1.5 |  1.4 |  1.2 |  1.2 |  1.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1/ Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.
                                 

   Hires and separations help show dynamic flows in the labor market.  Over
the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.3 million per month and separations
have averaged 4.1 million per month.  (See the Technical Note for additional
information on these measures.)
   
For More Information
   
   For additional information, please see the Technical Note or the JOLTS
Web site at www.bls.gov/jlt/.  Additional information about JOLTS also may
be obtained by e-mailing Joltsinfo@bls.gov or by calling (202) 691-5870.

                      ______________________________
   
   The Job Openings and Labor Turnover release for December 2004 is
scheduled to be issued on Wednesday, February 9, 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            Nov.   June   July   Aug.  Sept.   Oct.  Nov.    Nov.  June  July  Aug.  Sept. Oct.  Nov.
                                          2003   2004   2004   2004  2004    2004  2004p   2003  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004p

Total(4)...............................  2,952  3,022  3,237  3,195  3,294  3,420  3,204    2.2   2.3   2.4   2.4   2.4   2.5   2.4

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  2,593  2,640  2,894  2,859  2,934  3,042  2,867    2.3   2.3   2.6   2.5   2.6   2.7   2.5
  Construction.........................     89     94     88    121    113    114    108    1.3   1.3   1.3   1.7   1.6   1.6   1.5
  Manufacturing........................    221    247    240    234    251    263    236    1.5   1.7   1.6   1.6   1.7   1.8   1.6
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    513    503    567    551    591    630    551    2.0   1.9   2.2   2.1   2.3   2.4   2.1
  Professional and business services...    499    494    583    594    564    614    595    3.0   2.9   3.4   3.5   3.3   3.6   3.4
  Education and health services........    551    496    537    536    543    550    540    3.2   2.9   3.1   3.1   3.1   3.1   3.1
  Leisure and hospitality..............    364    421    435    410    425    405    385    2.9   3.3   3.4   3.2   3.3   3.2   3.0
 Government............................    358    380    343    337    350    403    335    1.6   1.7   1.6   1.5   1.6   1.8   1.5


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    526    546    545    540    562    606    523    2.1   2.1   2.1   2.1   2.2   2.3   2.0
  South................................  1,154  1,164  1,280  1,259  1,245  1,385  1,214    2.5   2.4   2.7   2.6   2.6   2.9   2.5
  Midwest..............................    655    631    635    613    699    711    713    2.1   2.0   2.0   1.9   2.2   2.2   2.2
  West.................................    621    677    738    771    790    756    750    2.1   2.3   2.5   2.6   2.7   2.6   2.5


  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            Nov.   June   July   Aug.   Sept.  Oct.   Nov.   Nov.  June  July  Aug.  Sept. Oct.  Nov.
                                          2003   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004p  2003  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004p

Total(4)...............................  4,135  4,433  4,229  4,375  4,253  4,469  4,821    3.2   3.4   3.2   3.3   3.2   3.4   3.6

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  3,843  4,110  3,930  4,058  3,906  4,149  4,521    3.5   3.7   3.6   3.7   3.6   3.8   4.1
  Construction.........................    397    436    368    401    383    361    388    5.9   6.3   5.3   5.8   5.5   5.1   5.5
  Manufacturing........................    345    370    352    356    379    333    389    2.4   2.6   2.4   2.5   2.6   2.3   2.7
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    875    945    957    984    864    976  1,088    3.5   3.7   3.8   3.9   3.4   3.8   4.3
  Professional and business services...    613    692    621    690    689    783    843    3.8   4.2   3.8   4.2   4.2   4.7   5.1
  Education and health services........    436    428    418    470    401    411    453    2.6   2.5   2.5   2.8   2.4   2.4   2.7
  Leisure and hospitality..............    776    749    760    760    782    769    805    6.4   6.1   6.2   6.1   6.3   6.2   6.5
 Government............................    302    328    310    322    337    321    310    1.4   1.5   1.4   1.5   1.6   1.5   1.4


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    717    703    720    763    745    755    812    2.9   2.8   2.9   3.0   2.9   3.0   3.2
  South................................  1,508  1,709  1,640  1,643  1,635  1,694  1,809    3.3   3.7   3.5   3.5   3.5   3.6   3.9
  Midwest..............................    925  1,009    935    945    942  1,054  1,149    3.0   3.2   3.0   3.0   3.0   3.4   3.7
  West.................................    924  1,023    865  1,018    942    928    994    3.3   3.6   3.0   3.5   3.3   3.2   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            Nov.   June   July   Aug.  Sept.   Oct.  Nov.     Nov.  June  July  Aug. Sept.  Oct. Nov.
                                          2003   2004   2004   2004  2004    2004  2004p    2003  2004  2004  2004 2004   2004 2004p

Total(4)...............................  3,797  4,069  4,074  4,134  4,158  4,129  4,098    2.9   3.1   3.1   3.1   3.2   3.1   3.1

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  3,543  3,789  3,793  3,894  3,856  3,877  3,843    3.3   3.5   3.5   3.5   3.5   3.5   3.5
  Construction.........................    372    382    364    391    350    423    358    5.5   5.5   5.3   5.6   5.0   6.0   5.1
  Manufacturing........................    330    343    367    379    381    338    307    2.3   2.4   2.5   2.6   2.6   2.3   2.1
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    856    927    972    951    909    922    930    3.4   3.6   3.8   3.7   3.6   3.6   3.6
  Professional and business services...    542    607    613    575    590    580    721    3.4   3.7   3.7   3.5   3.6   3.5   4.3
  Education and health services........    372    362    363    380    384    373    403    2.2   2.1   2.1   2.2   2.3   2.2   2.4
  Leisure and hospitality..............    678    734    694    760    756    747    732    5.6   5.9   5.6   6.2   6.1   6.0   5.9
 Government............................    259    270    273    246    306    260    255    1.2   1.3   1.3   1.1   1.4   1.2   1.2


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    622    704    674    717    730    670    716    2.5   2.8   2.7   2.8   2.9   2.6   2.8
  South................................  1,438  1,533  1,545  1,527  1,506  1,568  1,549    3.1   3.3   3.3   3.3   3.2   3.4   3.3
  Midwest..............................    881    853    935    831    931    948  1,028    2.9   2.7   3.0   2.7   3.0   3.0   3.3
  West.................................    858    979    945  1,087    978    914    800    3.0   3.4   3.3   3.8   3.4   3.2   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. 
  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            Nov.   June   July   Aug.  Sept.   Oct.  Nov.     Nov.  June  July  Aug. Sept.  Oct. Nov.
                                          2003   2004   2004   2004  2004    2004  2004p    2003  2004  2004  2004 2004   2004 2004p

Total(4)...............................  2,104  2,284  2,265  2,252  2,248  2,283  2,363    1.6   1.7   1.7   1.7   1.7   1.7   1.8

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  1,999  2,162  2,141  2,140  2,118  2,147  2,269    1.8   2.0   2.0   1.9   1.9   1.9   2.1
  Construction.........................    158    156    101    147    138    161    152    2.3   2.3   1.5   2.1   2.0   2.3   2.2
  Manufacturing........................    166    171    174    165    183    172    176    1.2   1.2   1.2   1.1   1.3   1.2   1.2
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    491    536    559    552    536    515    559    1.9   2.1   2.2   2.2   2.1   2.0   2.2
  Professional and business services...    261    322    322    308    325    296    374    1.6   2.0   2.0   1.9   2.0   1.8   2.2
  Education and health services........    225    225    271    239    240    242    250    1.3   1.3   1.6   1.4   1.4   1.4   1.5
  Leisure and hospitality..............    463    480    442    476    439    476    488    3.8   3.9   3.6   3.9   3.6   3.9   3.9
 Government............................    100    123    126    116    130    122    106     .5    .6    .6    .5    .6    .6    .5


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    301    334    338    339    325    316    353    1.2   1.3   1.3   1.3   1.3   1.2   1.4
  South................................    869    910    901    897    903    910    955    1.9   2.0   1.9   1.9   1.9   2.0   2.0
  Midwest..............................    466    485    505    447    472    510    558    1.5   1.6   1.6   1.4   1.5   1.6   1.8
  West.................................    464    573    519    566    546    539    483    1.6   2.0   1.8   2.0   1.9   1.9   1.7


  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                  Nov.     Oct.    Nov.           Nov.     Oct.     Nov.
                                                   2003     2004    2004p          2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  2,714    3,458    2,934           2.0      2.5      2.2

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  2,365    3,071    2,610           2.1      2.7      2.3
  Natural resources and mining..................      7       10        9           1.2      1.6      1.4
  Construction..................................     72      102       86           1.0      1.4      1.2
  Manufacturing.................................    193      258      205           1.3      1.8      1.4
   Durable goods................................    122      164      126           1.3      1.8      1.4
   Nondurable goods.............................     71       93       79           1.3      1.7      1.4
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    481      765      511           1.8      2.9      1.9
   Wholesale trade..............................     77       82       99           1.4      1.4      1.7
   Retail trade.................................    307      591      316           2.0      3.8      2.0
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     97       92       96           2.0      1.8      1.9
  Information...................................     53       78       64           1.6      2.4      2.0
  Financial activities..........................    160      220      206           2.0      2.7      2.5
   Finance and insurance........................    133      185      177           2.2      3.0      2.9
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     27       35       29           1.3      1.7      1.4
  Professional and business services............    441      603      537           2.6      3.5      3.1
  Education and health services.................    533      546      519           3.1      3.1      2.9
   Educational services.........................     37       59       49           1.3      2.0      1.6
   Health care and social assistance............    496      487      470           3.4      3.3      3.2
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    323      366      336           2.6      2.9      2.7
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     32       35       38           1.9      2.0      2.2
   Accommodations and food services.............    290      331      298           2.7      3.0      2.8
  Other services................................    103      122      137           1.9      2.2      2.5

 Government.....................................    349      388      323           1.6      1.7      1.4
  Federal.......................................     45       42       31           1.6      1.5      1.1
  State and local...............................    304      345      292           1.6      1.8      1.5

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    515      635      503           2.0      2.4      1.9
  South.........................................  1,060    1,345    1,118           2.2      2.8      2.3
  Midwest.......................................    583      718      641           1.8      2.2      2.0
  West..........................................    555      759      672           1.9      2.5      2.3


  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                  Nov.     Oct.    Nov.           Nov.     Oct.     Nov.
                                                   2003     2004    2004p          2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  3,706    4,411    4,392           2.8      3.3      3.3

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  3,459    4,096    4,143           3.2      3.7      3.7
  Natural resources and mining..................     11       21       18           1.9      3.5      2.9
  Construction..................................    309      336      299           4.5      4.7      4.2
  Manufacturing.................................    282      302      322           2.0      2.1      2.2
   Durable goods................................    167      190      176           1.9      2.1      2.0
   Nondurable goods.............................    116      112      146           2.1      2.1      2.7
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........  1,056    1,144    1,310           4.1      4.5      5.0
   Wholesale trade..............................     87      159       96           1.6      2.8      1.7
   Retail trade.................................    836      830    1,037           5.5      5.5      6.7
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    134      155      177           2.8      3.2      3.6
  Information...................................     54       61       75           1.7      1.9      2.4
  Financial activities..........................    139      179      183           1.7      2.2      2.3
   Finance and insurance........................     96      129      129           1.6      2.2      2.2
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     44       50       54           2.1      2.4      2.6
  Professional and business services............    500      813      730           3.1      4.8      4.3
  Education and health services.................    366      414      388           2.2      2.4      2.2
   Educational services.........................     40       59       50           1.4      2.0      1.7
   Health care and social assistance............    326      356      338           2.3      2.5      2.4
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    626      671      670           5.2      5.5      5.5
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     87       73       67           5.2      4.2      4.1
   Accommodations and food services.............    540      598      604           5.3      5.7      5.8
  Other services................................    115      155      148           2.1      2.9      2.7

 Government.....................................    247      315      249           1.1      1.4      1.1
  Federal.......................................     44       37       27           1.6      1.3      1.0
  State and local...............................    203      279      221           1.1      1.4      1.1

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    653      754      762           2.6      3.0      3.0
  South.........................................  1,394    1,689    1,694           3.0      3.6      3.6
  Midwest.......................................    803    1,034    1,009           2.6      3.3      3.2
  West..........................................    855      933      927           3.0      3.2      3.2


  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                  Nov.     Oct.    Nov.           Nov.     Oct.     Nov.
                                                   2003     2004    2004p          2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  3,557    4,196    3,814           2.7      3.2      2.9

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  3,365    3,966    3,629           3.1      3.6      3.3
  Natural resources and mining..................     11       18       16           1.8      3.0      2.7
  Construction..................................    426      453      394           6.2      6.3      5.5
  Manufacturing.................................    310      375      276           2.2      2.6      1.9
   Durable goods................................    204      230      148           2.3      2.6      1.6
   Nondurable goods.............................    106      146      128           1.9      2.7      2.4
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    799      890      866           3.1      3.5      3.3
   Wholesale trade..............................    106      132      109           1.9      2.3      1.9
   Retail trade.................................    587      629      637           3.8      4.2      4.1
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    105      130      121           2.2      2.7      2.5
  Information...................................     54       81       51           1.7      2.6      1.6
  Financial activities..........................    128      190      171           1.6      2.4      2.1
   Finance and insurance........................     75      124      111           1.3      2.1      1.9
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     53       67       59           2.6      3.2      2.8
  Professional and business services............    487      561      646           3.0      3.3      3.8
  Education and health services.................    289      347      323           1.7      2.0      1.9
   Educational services.........................     25       45       26            .8      1.5       .9
   Health care and social assistance............    264      302      296           1.9      2.1      2.1
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    668      882      716           5.6      7.2      5.9
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........    129      153      130           7.8      8.8      7.9
   Accommodations and food services.............    539      729      586           5.2      6.9      5.6
  Other services................................    194      169      170           3.6      3.1      3.2

 Government.....................................    192      230      186            .9      1.0       .8
  Federal.......................................     39       29       21           1.4      1.1       .8
  State and local...............................    153      201      165            .8      1.0       .8

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    591      695      682           2.3      2.7      2.7
  South.........................................  1,267    1,612    1,354           2.7      3.4      2.9
  Midwest.......................................    833      938      989           2.7      3.0      3.1
  West..........................................    866      952      789           3.0      3.3      2.7


  1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month.
  2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of
total employment.
  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                  Nov.     Oct.    Nov.           Nov.     Oct.     Nov.
                                                   2003     2004    2004p          2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  1,810    2,241    2,040           1.4      1.7      1.5

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  1,730    2,135    1,958           1.6      1.9      1.8
  Natural resources and mining..................      5       10        7            .8      1.7      1.2
  Construction..................................    120      156      128           1.7      2.2      1.8
  Manufacturing.................................    125      176      133            .9      1.2       .9
   Durable goods................................     71      112       64            .8      1.2       .7
   Nondurable goods.............................     54       64       69           1.0      1.2      1.3
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    429      517      502           1.7      2.0      1.9
   Wholesale trade..............................     61       66       48           1.1      1.2       .9
   Retail trade.................................    324      386      386           2.1      2.6      2.5
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     44       65       68            .9      1.3      1.4
  Information...................................     26       44       29            .8      1.4       .9
  Financial activities..........................     69       95       89            .9      1.2      1.1
   Finance and insurance........................     41       67       63            .7      1.1      1.1
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     29       28       26           1.4      1.4      1.2
  Professional and business services............    232      292      334           1.4      1.7      2.0
  Education and health services.................    184      228      204           1.1      1.3      1.2
   Educational services.........................     12       27       16            .4       .9       .5
   Health care and social assistance............    172      201      188           1.2      1.4      1.3
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    401      499      433           3.4      4.1      3.6
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     33       45       40           2.0      2.6      2.4
   Accommodations and food services.............    368      453      393           3.6      4.3      3.7
  Other services................................    138      118       99           2.6      2.2      1.8

 Government.....................................     80      106       81            .4       .5       .4
  Federal.......................................     10       11        7            .4       .4       .3
  State and local...............................     71       95       74            .4       .5       .4

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    253      337      306           1.0      1.3      1.2
  South.........................................    739      906      830           1.6      1.9      1.8
  Midwest.......................................    404      491      488           1.3      1.6      1.5
  West..........................................    415      507      416           1.4      1.7      1.4


  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                  Nov.     Oct.    Nov.           Nov.     Oct.     Nov.
                                                   2003     2004    2004p          2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  1,530    1,689    1,535           1.2      1.3      1.2

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  1,452    1,600    1,462           1.3      1.4      1.3
  Natural resources and mining..................      5        5        6            .9       .9      1.0
  Construction..................................    297      271      256           4.3      3.8      3.6
  Manufacturing.................................    159      180      126           1.1      1.2       .9
   Durable goods................................    115      105       73           1.3      1.2       .8
   Nondurable goods.............................     44       74       53            .8      1.4      1.0
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    319      305      305           1.2      1.2      1.2
   Wholesale trade..............................     37       59       57            .7      1.0      1.0
   Retail trade.................................    236      194      210           1.5      1.3      1.4
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     46       51       38           1.0      1.0       .8
  Information...................................     25       33       16            .8      1.0       .5
  Financial activities..........................     47       69       69            .6       .8       .9
   Finance and insurance........................     24       32       36            .4       .5       .6
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     23       36       33           1.1      1.7      1.6
  Professional and business services............    232      232      278           1.4      1.4      1.7
  Education and health services.................     82       95       99            .5       .6       .6
   Educational services.........................      9       14       10            .3       .5       .3
   Health care and social assistance............     73       81       89            .5       .6       .6
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    232      367      242           1.9      3.0      2.0
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     92      104       85           5.6      6.0      5.2
   Accommodations and food services.............    141      262      157           1.4      2.5      1.5
  Other services................................     53       44       64           1.0       .8      1.2

 Government.....................................     78       89       73            .4       .4       .3
  Federal.......................................     22        9        3            .8       .3       .1
  State and local...............................     56       80       71            .3       .4       .4

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    297      296      320           1.2      1.2      1.3
  South.........................................    448      603      449           1.0      1.3      1.0
  Midwest.......................................    378      405      448           1.2      1.3      1.4
  West..........................................    407      385      318           1.4      1.3      1.1


  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                  Nov.     Oct.     Nov.          Nov.     Oct.     Nov.
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................    218      266      239           0.2      0.2      0.2

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................    184      231      208            .2       .2       .2
  Natural resources and mining..................      1        3        3            .1       .5       .5
  Construction..................................      9       25        9            .1       .4       .1
  Manufacturing.................................     26       19       17            .2       .1       .1
   Durable goods................................     18       13       11            .2       .1       .1
   Nondurable goods.............................      8        7        6            .1       .1       .1
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........     50       68       60            .2       .3       .2
   Wholesale trade..............................      9        7        3            .2       .1       .1
   Retail trade.................................     27       48       41            .2       .3       .3
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     15       14       15            .3       .3       .3
  Information...................................      4        5        6            .1       .2       .2
  Financial activities..........................     11       26       13            .1       .3       .2
   Finance and insurance........................     10       24       12            .2       .4       .2
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........      1        2        1           (3)       .1      (3)
  Professional and business services............     23       36       34            .1       .2       .2
  Education and health services.................     22       24       20            .1       .1       .1
   Educational services.........................      3        3        1            .1       .1      (3)
   Health care and social assistance............     19       20       19            .1       .1       .1
  Leisure and hospitality.......................     34       16       40            .3       .1       .3
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........      4        3        5            .2       .2       .3
   Accommodations and food services.............     30       13       36            .3       .1       .3
  Other services................................      3        7        7            .1       .1       .1

 Government.....................................     34       36       31            .2       .2       .1
  Federal.......................................      8        9       10            .3       .4       .4
  State and local...............................     26       26       21            .1       .1       .1

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................     42       62       56            .2       .2       .2
  South.........................................     81      103       76            .2       .2       .2
  Midwest.......................................     51       42       53            .2       .1       .2
  West..........................................     44       60       54            .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.