Technical information:  (202) 691-5870      USDL 05-1290
               http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
                                            For release:  10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                691-5902      Tuesday, July 12, 2005


                JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER:  MAY 2005

   The job openings, hires, and total separations rates were all essentially
unchanged in May, 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 in-
dustry and geographic region.
   
Job Openings
     
   On the last business day of May 2005, there were 3.5 million job
openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.5 percent.
(See table 1.)  The job openings rate was little changed in May, but has
generally trended upward since September 2003.  In May, the job openings
rate decreased in the manufacturing industry and in the Northeast region.

Hires and Separations
     
   The hires rate was little changed at 3.5 percent in May.  (See table 2.)
Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month.  In May, the hires
rate did not change significantly in any industry, but increased in the
South and Midwest regions.
   
   The total separations, or turnover, rate was little changed at 3.3 per-
cent in May.  (See table 3.)  Separations are terminations of employment
that occur at any time during the month.  In May, the total separations
rate did not change significantly in any industry, but decreased in the
Northeast region.

     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, remained at 1.9 percent in May.  (See table 4.)
The quits rate did not change significantly in any industry in May, but
decreased in the Northeast region.  The other two components of total
separations--layoffs and discharges, and other separations--are not
seasonally adjusted.  From May 2004 to May 2005, the layoffs and dis-
charges rate (1.1 percent) and the other separations rate (0.2 percent)
were 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      | May  | Apr. | May  | May  | Apr. | May  | May  | Apr. | May 
                   | 2004 | 2005 | 2005p| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p| 2004 | 2005 | 2005p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                     Levels (in thousands)
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........|3,181 |3,576 |3,465 |4,339 |4,538 |4,708 |4,254 |4,562 |4,425
  Total private(1).|2,819 |3,178 |3,090 |4,057 |4,212 |4,366 |3,986 |4,306 |4,180
    Construction...|  114 |  113 |  111 |  369 |  412 |  422 |  388 |  421 |  392
    Manufacturing..|  241 |  259 |  236 |  347 |  319 |  345 |  370 |  369 |  357
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |   
     utilities.....|  549 |  627 |  622 |  954 |1,042 |1,036 |  976 |1,018 |  946
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  582 |  691 |  645 |  691 |  792 |  834 |  648 |  869 |  824
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     vices.........|  540 |  608 |  604 |  445 |  487 |  460 |  390 |  433 |  413 
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  394 |  457 |  465 |  790 |  742 |  750 |  736 |  709 |  746
  Government.......|  359 |  396 |  374 |  276 |  329 |  338 |  274 |  256 |  251
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                       Rates (percent)                
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total(1)...........|  2.4 |  2.6 |  2.5 |  3.3 |  3.4 |  3.5 |  3.2 |  3.4 |  3.3
  Total private(1).|  2.5 |  2.8 |  2.7 |  3.7 |  3.8 |  3.9 |  3.6 |  3.9 |  3.7
    Construction...|  1.6 |  1.5 |  1.5 |  5.3 |  5.7 |  5.8 |  5.6 |  5.8 |  5.4
    Manufacturing..|  1.7 |  1.8 |  1.6 |  2.4 |  2.2 |  2.4 |  2.6 |  2.6 |  2.5
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  2.1 |  2.4 |  2.4 |  3.7 |  4.0 |  4.0 |  3.8 |  3.9 |  3.7
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  3.4 |  3.9 |  3.7 |  4.2 |  4.7 |  5.0 |  4.0 |  5.2 |  4.9
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |           
     vices.........|  3.1 |  3.4 |  3.4 |  2.6 |  2.8 |  2.7 |  2.3 |  2.5 |  2.4
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  3.1 |  3.5 |  3.5 |  6.3 |  5.8 |  5.9 |  5.9 |  5.6 |  5.9
  Government.......|  1.6 |  1.8 |  1.7 |  1.3 |  1.5 |  1.6 |  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 sepa-
rations have averaged 4.3 million per month.  The comparable figures a year
earlier were 4.3 million hires and 4.1 million separations.  (See the Tech-
nical 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 June 2005 is scheduled
to be issued on Wednesday, August 10, 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            May    Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Apr.   May    May   Dec.  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May 
                                          2004   2004   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2004  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  3,181  3,507  3,385  3,569  3,598  3,576  3,465    2.4   2.6   2.5   2.6   2.6   2.6   2.5

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  2,819  3,106  3,020  3,160  3,212  3,178  3,090    2.5   2.7   2.7   2.8   2.8   2.8   2.7
  Construction.........................    114    132    127    133    170    113    111    1.6   1.8   1.8   1.8   2.3   1.5   1.5
  Manufacturing........................    241    266    252    252    258    259    236    1.7   1.8   1.7   1.7   1.8   1.8   1.6
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    549    561    564    668    624    627    622    2.1   2.1   2.2   2.5   2.4   2.4   2.4
  Professional and business services...    582    699    682    607    646    691    645    3.4   4.0   3.9   3.5   3.7   3.9   3.7
  Education and health services........    540    557    560    602    616    608    604    3.1   3.1   3.2   3.4   3.5   3.4   3.4
  Leisure and hospitality..............    394    450    434    447    440    457    465    3.1   3.4   3.3   3.4   3.4   3.5   3.5
 Government............................    359    396    346    404    383    396    374    1.6   1.8   1.6   1.8   1.7   1.8   1.7


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    546    620    602    606    615    602    548    2.1   2.4   2.3   2.3   2.4   2.3   2.1
  South................................  1,224  1,329  1,342  1,399  1,447  1,414  1,335    2.6   2.8   2.8   2.9   3.0   2.9   2.7
  Midwest..............................    698    740    716    745    737    742    798    2.2   2.3   2.2   2.3   2.3   2.3   2.5
  West.................................    720    792    718    823    806    818    801    2.5   2.7   2.4   2.8   2.7   2.7   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            May    Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Apr.   May    May   Dec.  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May 
                                          2004   2004   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2004  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  4,339  4,639  4,709  4,760  4,841  4,538  4,708    3.3   3.5   3.6   3.6   3.6   3.4   3.5

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  4,057  4,337  4,374  4,430  4,497  4,212  4,366    3.7   3.9   3.9   4.0   4.0   3.8   3.9
  Construction.........................    369    368    339    430    414    412    422    5.3   5.2   4.8   6.0   5.8   5.7   5.8
  Manufacturing........................    347    324    307    336    334    319    345    2.4   2.3   2.1   2.3   2.3   2.2   2.4
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    954    986  1,056  1,055  1,047  1,042  1,036    3.7   3.8   4.1   4.1   4.1   4.0   4.0
  Professional and business services...    691    878    882    853    895    792    834    4.2   5.3   5.3   5.1   5.3   4.7   5.0
  Education and health services........    445    452    445    500    472    487    460    2.6   2.6   2.6   2.9   2.7   2.8   2.7
  Leisure and hospitality..............    790    834    826    771    798    742    750    6.3   6.6   6.6   6.1   6.3   5.8   5.9
 Government............................    276    307    341    329    336    329    338    1.3   1.4   1.6   1.5   1.5   1.5   1.6


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    769    858    762    820    856    825    768    3.1   3.4   3.0   3.2   3.4   3.3   3.0
  South................................  1,645  1,770  1,880  1,867  1,922  1,701  1,834    3.5   3.8   4.0   4.0   4.1   3.6   3.9
  Midwest..............................    982  1,043  1,092  1,081  1,034  1,020  1,113    3.2   3.3   3.5   3.5   3.3   3.3   3.5
  West.................................    957    970    959  1,069  1,036  1,037  1,005    3.3   3.4   3.3   3.7   3.6   3.6   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. 
  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            May    Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Apr.   May    May   Dec.  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May 
                                          2004   2004   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2004  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  4,254  4,435  4,352  4,295  4,502  4,562  4,425    3.2   3.3   3.3   3.2   3.4   3.4   3.3

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  3,986  4,146  4,091  4,035  4,237  4,306  4,180    3.6   3.7   3.7   3.6   3.8   3.9   3.7
  Construction.........................    388    355    417    403    303    421    392    5.6   5.0   5.9   5.7   4.2   5.8   5.4
  Manufacturing........................    370    353    361    341    360    369    357    2.6   2.5   2.5   2.4   2.5   2.6   2.5
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    976  1,062    882    940    980  1,018    946    3.8   4.1   3.4   3.7   3.8   3.9   3.7
  Professional and business services...    648    833    836    772    924    869    824    4.0   5.0   5.0   4.6   5.5   5.2   4.9
  Education and health services........    390    375    356    389    445    433    413    2.3   2.2   2.1   2.3   2.6   2.5   2.4
  Leisure and hospitality..............    736    758    832    790    743    709    746    5.9   6.0   6.6   6.3   5.9   5.6   5.9
 Government............................    274    274    258    260    267    256    251    1.3   1.3   1.2   1.2   1.2   1.2   1.2


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    753    773    773    732    802    807    685    3.0   3.0   3.1   2.9   3.2   3.2   2.7
  South................................  1,594  1,707  1,747  1,647  1,763  1,766  1,728    3.4   3.6   3.7   3.5   3.7   3.7   3.6
  Midwest..............................    881    986    981    937  1,051    982    976    2.8   3.1   3.1   3.0   3.4   3.1   3.1
  West.................................  1,026    953    964    961    926  1,006    984    3.6   3.3   3.3   3.3   3.2   3.4   3.4


  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            May    Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Apr.   May    May   Dec.  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May 
                                          2004   2004   2005   2005   2005   2005   2005p  2004  2004  2005  2005  2005  2005  2005p

Total(4)...............................  2,276  2,495  2,530  2,307  2,516  2,520  2,493    1.7   1.9   1.9   1.7   1.9   1.9   1.9

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  2,148  2,366  2,412  2,192  2,383  2,395  2,370    2.0   2.1   2.2   2.0   2.1   2.1   2.1
  Construction.........................    142    162    171    139    150    146    151    2.0   2.3   2.4   2.0   2.1   2.0   2.1
  Manufacturing........................    170    194    185    181    186    178    168    1.2   1.4   1.3   1.3   1.3   1.2   1.2
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    533    570    563    512    583    577    589    2.1   2.2   2.2   2.0   2.3   2.2   2.3
  Professional and business services...    311    415    417    410    424    417    413    1.9   2.5   2.5   2.4   2.5   2.5   2.5
  Education and health services........    229    232    230    259    280    272    260    1.4   1.4   1.3   1.5   1.6   1.6   1.5
  Leisure and hospitality..............    480    506    516    474    458    506    494    3.8   4.0   4.1   3.8   3.6   4.0   3.9
 Government............................    128    129    124    117    124    125    122     .6    .6    .6    .5    .6    .6    .6


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    331    392    424    340    410    446    364    1.3   1.5   1.7   1.3   1.6   1.8   1.4
  South................................    896  1,021  1,053    914  1,003    992  1,024    1.9   2.2   2.2   1.9   2.1   2.1   2.2
  Midwest..............................    502    544    539    509    561    540    556    1.6   1.7   1.7   1.6   1.8   1.7   1.8
  West.................................    545    536    530    550    562    573    544    1.9   1.9   1.8   1.9   1.9   2.0   1.9


  1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.
  2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
  4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.





Table 5.  Job openings levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  May      Apr.     May           May      Apr.     May 
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  3,456    3,711    3,761           2.6      2.7      2.7

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  3,059    3,323    3,349           2.7      2.9      2.9
  Natural resources and mining..................      5        9       13            .9      1.4      2.0
  Construction..................................    151      141      143           2.1      2.0      1.9
  Manufacturing.................................    272      266      265           1.9      1.8      1.8
   Durable goods................................    168      178      176           1.8      1.9      1.9
   Nondurable goods.............................    104       88       89           1.9      1.6      1.6
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    577      631      654           2.2      2.4      2.5
   Wholesale trade..............................    111      126      137           1.9      2.2      2.3
   Retail trade.................................    379      413      381           2.5      2.7      2.5
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     87       92      135           1.8      1.8      2.7
  Information...................................     83       78       79           2.6      2.4      2.4
  Financial activities..........................    199      226      224           2.4      2.7      2.7
   Finance and insurance........................    163      175      168           2.7      2.8      2.7
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     36       51       57           1.7      2.4      2.6
  Professional and business services............    627      707      683           3.7      4.0      3.9
  Education and health services.................    559      604      630           3.2      3.3      3.5
   Educational services.........................     47       62       72           1.6      2.0      2.4
   Health care and social assistance............    513      542      558           3.5      3.6      3.7
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    449      543      533           3.4      4.1      4.0
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     64       67       53           3.3      3.6      2.7
   Accommodations and food services.............    385      476      481           3.4      4.2      4.2
  Other services................................    137      118      125           2.4      2.1      2.2

 Government.....................................    397      388      412           1.8      1.7      1.8
  Federal.......................................     49       58       62           1.8      2.1      2.2
  State and local...............................    348      330      350           1.8      1.7      1.8

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    619      632      607           2.4      2.4      2.3
  South.........................................  1,305    1,465    1,418           2.7      3.0      2.9
  Midwest.......................................    730      774      843           2.3      2.4      2.6
  West..........................................    802      840      893           2.7      2.8      2.9


  1 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day of the month.
  2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a
percent of total employment plus job openings.
  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                  May      Apr.     May           May      Apr.     May 
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  4,935    4,774    5,354           3.7      3.6      4.0

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  4,653    4,535    5,007           4.2      4.1      4.5
  Natural resources and mining..................     22       28       25           3.7      4.6      4.1
  Construction..................................    461      541      541           6.6      7.6      7.4
  Manufacturing.................................    391      326      398           2.7      2.3      2.8
   Durable goods................................    243      193      248           2.7      2.2      2.8
   Nondurable goods.............................    148      132      149           2.7      2.5      2.8
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........  1,044    1,031    1,131           4.1      4.0      4.4
   Wholesale trade..............................    147      167      165           2.6      2.9      2.9
   Retail trade.................................    746      709      792           5.0      4.7      5.2
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    151      155      174           3.1      3.2      3.5
  Information...................................     80       80       82           2.6      2.6      2.6
  Financial activities..........................    235      174      268           2.9      2.1      3.3
   Finance and insurance........................    118      117      166           2.0      1.9      2.7
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........    117       57      102           5.6      2.7      4.8
  Professional and business services............    735      895      892           4.5      5.3      5.3
  Education and health services.................    432      431      447           2.5      2.5      2.6
   Educational services.........................     41       45       45           1.5      1.5      1.6
   Health care and social assistance............    391      386      403           2.8      2.7      2.8
  Leisure and hospitality.......................  1,054      853      992           8.3      6.7      7.7
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........    193      145      160          10.1      8.1      8.5
   Accommodations and food services.............    862      709      832           8.0      6.5      7.5
  Other services................................    197      176      230           3.6      3.2      4.2

 Government.....................................    282      239      347           1.3      1.1      1.6
  Federal.......................................     45       34       44           1.6      1.3      1.6
  State and local...............................    238      205      304           1.2      1.1      1.6

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    905      803      891           3.6      3.2      3.5
  South.........................................  1,839    1,749    2,052           3.9      3.7      4.3
  Midwest.......................................  1,153    1,146    1,326           3.7      3.7      4.2
  West..........................................  1,038    1,075    1,085           3.6      3.7      3.7


  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                  May      Apr.     May           May      Apr.     May 
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  4,222    4,231    4,368           3.2      3.2      3.3

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  3,931    4,039    4,104           3.6      3.6      3.7
  Natural resources and mining..................     19       15       18           3.2      2.5      2.9
  Construction..................................    344      355      348           4.9      5.0      4.8
  Manufacturing.................................    351      366      337           2.4      2.6      2.4
   Durable goods................................    202      242      226           2.3      2.7      2.5
   Nondurable goods.............................    150      124      111           2.8      2.3      2.1
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........  1,001      891      966           3.9      3.5      3.7
   Wholesale trade..............................    183      135      158           3.2      2.4      2.8
   Retail trade.................................    645      631      656           4.3      4.2      4.3
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    172      125      152           3.6      2.6      3.1
  Information...................................     71       80       72           2.3      2.5      2.3
  Financial activities..........................    184      159      190           2.3      2.0      2.3
   Finance and insurance........................    110       99      101           1.8      1.6      1.7
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     74       61       89           3.5      2.9      4.2
  Professional and business services............    655      890      816           4.0      5.3      4.8
  Education and health services.................    404      394      430           2.4      2.3      2.5
   Educational services.........................     59       38       58           2.1      1.3      2.0
   Health care and social assistance............    345      356      371           2.4      2.5      2.6
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    713      692      720           5.6      5.5      5.6
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     81       88       85           4.2      4.9      4.5
   Accommodations and food services.............    632      604      635           5.9      5.6      5.8
  Other services................................    189      196      207           3.5      3.6      3.8

 Government.....................................    291      192      264           1.3       .9      1.2
  Federal.......................................     35       28       26           1.3      1.0       .9
  State and local...............................    256      164      238           1.3       .8      1.2

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    673      723      607           2.7      2.8      2.4
  South.........................................  1,673    1,694    1,823           3.6      3.6      3.8
  Midwest.......................................    860      870      950           2.8      2.8      3.0
  West..........................................  1,016      944      988           3.5      3.2      3.4


  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                  May      Apr.     May           May      Apr.     May 
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  2,396    2,420    2,625           1.8      1.8      2.0

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  2,251    2,321    2,486           2.0      2.1      2.2
  Natural resources and mining..................      7        9       12           1.1      1.4      1.9
  Construction..................................    143      148      152           2.0      2.1      2.1
  Manufacturing.................................    179      183      176           1.2      1.3      1.2
   Durable goods................................    112      112      108           1.3      1.3      1.2
   Nondurable goods.............................     67       71       67           1.2      1.3      1.3
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    551      545      616           2.2      2.1      2.4
   Wholesale trade..............................    101       71       71           1.8      1.2      1.2
   Retail trade.................................    392      419      478           2.6      2.8      3.2
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     58       55       67           1.2      1.1      1.3
  Information...................................     33       51       50           1.1      1.6      1.6
  Financial activities..........................    139       89      125           1.7      1.1      1.5
   Finance and insurance........................     78       55       65           1.3       .9      1.1
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     62       34       59           2.9      1.6      2.8
  Professional and business services............    315      399      412           1.9      2.4      2.4
  Education and health services.................    243      254      276           1.4      1.5      1.6
   Educational services.........................     27       21       31           1.0       .7      1.1
   Health care and social assistance............    216      234      245           1.5      1.6      1.7
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    514      493      529           4.0      3.9      4.1
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     37       44       49           2.0      2.5      2.6
   Accommodations and food services.............    476      449      480           4.4      4.1      4.4
  Other services................................    126      150      139           2.3      2.7      2.5

 Government.....................................    145       99      139            .7       .4       .6
  Federal.......................................     15       11       11            .5       .4       .4
  State and local...............................    130       89      128            .7       .5       .7

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    345      399      367           1.4      1.6      1.4
  South.........................................    946      978    1,098           2.0      2.1      2.3
  Midwest.......................................    533      503      592           1.7      1.6      1.9
  West..........................................    572      540      567           2.0      1.8      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. 
  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                  May      Apr.     May           May      Apr.     May 
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................  1,509    1,549    1,451           1.1      1.2      1.1

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  1,420    1,495    1,376           1.3      1.3      1.2
  Natural resources and mining..................      8        5        4           1.4       .7       .6
  Construction..................................    190      194      180           2.7      2.7      2.5
  Manufacturing.................................    136      150      133            .9      1.1       .9
   Durable goods................................     65      105       95            .7      1.2      1.1
   Nondurable goods.............................     71       45       38           1.3       .9       .7
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    382      292      299           1.5      1.1      1.2
   Wholesale trade..............................     76       61       80           1.3      1.1      1.4
   Retail trade.................................    206      182      150           1.4      1.2      1.0
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     99       49       70           2.1      1.0      1.4
  Information...................................     33       19       19           1.1       .6       .6
  Financial activities..........................     30       51       54            .4       .6       .7
   Finance and insurance........................     21       28       26            .4       .5       .4
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........      9       23       28            .4      1.1      1.3
  Professional and business services............    296      446      341           1.8      2.6      2.0
  Education and health services.................    131      118      129            .8       .7       .7
   Educational services.........................     28       13       25           1.0       .4       .9
   Health care and social assistance............    103      105      104            .7       .7       .7
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    169      179      163           1.3      1.4      1.3
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     39       42       35           2.0      2.4      1.9
   Accommodations and food services.............    130      137      128           1.2      1.3      1.2
  Other services................................     44       42       55            .8       .8      1.0

 Government.....................................     89       54       75            .4       .2       .3
  Federal.......................................      6        7        8            .2       .3       .3
  State and local...............................     83       47       67            .4       .2       .3

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    249      265      188           1.0      1.0       .7
  South.........................................    632      624      636           1.4      1.3      1.3
  Midwest.......................................    264      307      296            .8      1.0       .9
  West..........................................    364      353      331           1.3      1.2      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                  May      Apr.     May           May      Apr.     May 
                                                   2004     2005     2005p         2004     2005     2005p

Total...........................................    317      263      292           0.2      0.2      0.2

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................    260      224      242            .2       .2       .2
  Natural resources and mining..................      4        2        3            .7       .4       .4
  Construction..................................     10       14       17            .1       .2       .2
  Manufacturing.................................     36       33       29            .3       .2       .2
   Durable goods................................     25       25       23            .3       .3       .3
   Nondurable goods.............................     11        8        6            .2       .2       .1
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........     68       54       51            .3       .2       .2
   Wholesale trade..............................      7        3        7            .1       .1       .1
   Retail trade.................................     47       30       28            .3       .2       .2
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     15       21       16            .3       .4       .3
  Information...................................      4        9        4            .1       .3       .1
  Financial activities..........................     14       19       11            .2       .2       .1
   Finance and insurance........................     11       16        9            .2       .3       .1
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........      3        3        2            .2       .1       .1
  Professional and business services............     44       46       63            .3       .3       .4
  Education and health services.................     29       22       25            .2       .1       .1
   Educational services.........................      4        5        2            .1       .2       .1
   Health care and social assistance............     25       17       23            .2       .1       .2
  Leisure and hospitality.......................     30       20       28            .2       .2       .2
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........      4        2        1            .2       .1       .1
   Accommodations and food services.............     26       18       26            .2       .2       .2
  Other services................................     19        4       13            .4       .1       .2

 Government.....................................     57       39       50            .3       .2       .2
  Federal.......................................     14       10        7            .5       .4       .3
  State and local...............................     43       29       43            .2       .1       .2

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................     79       60       52            .3       .2       .2
  South.........................................     95       92       89            .2       .2       .2
  Midwest.......................................     62       61       62            .2       .2       .2
  West..........................................     80       51       90            .3       .2       .3


  1 Other separations are the number of other separations during the entire month.
  2 The other separations rate is the number of other separations during the entire month as a percent of
total employment.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.