Technical information:   (202) 691-5870       USDL 04-1199
                http://www.bls.gov/jlt/
                                              For release:  10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                 691-5902       Wednesday, July 7, 2004


                JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER:  MAY 2004

   There were 4.2 million hires and 4.0 million separations in May, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.
The number of hires outpaced the number of separations for the 13th straight
month, and there were fewer hires and separations than in April.  The job
openings rate was unchanged at 2.3 percent in May.  The series in this report
include estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separa-
tions for the total nonfarm sector by industry and geographic region.

Job Openings
     
   On the last business day of May 2004, there were 3.1 million job openings
in the United States, and the job openings rate (the number of job openings
on the last business day of the month divided by employment plus job openings)
was 2.3 percent.  (See table 1.)  The job openings rate has ranged from
2.0 percent to 2.4 percent since October 2001.  In May, the job openings rate
edged down in manufacturing and showed little or no change for other major
industry categories. 

Hires and Separations
     
   The hires rate (the number of hires during the month divided by employment)
decreased to 3.2 percent in May.  (See table 2.)  Hires are any additions to
the payroll during the month.  The hires rate decreased in trade, transporta-
tion, and utilities and government over the month, while other major indus-
tries showed little or no change in their hires rates.
   
   The total separations, or turnover, rate (the number of separations
during the month divided by employment) was 3.1 percent in May and has
remained in the range of 2.9 percent to 3.3 percent since December 2001.
Separations are terminations of employment that occur at any time during
the month.  The total separations rate for trade, transportation, and
utilities decreased to 3.5 percent in May, and the total separations rate
in construction continued on a downward trend.  The other major industries
showed little change in their total separations rates over the month.
(See table 3.)

                                      - 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 
                   | 2003 | 2004 | 2004p| 2003 | 2004 | 2004p| 2003 | 2004 | 2004p
-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                     Levels (in thousands)
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1/...........|2,723 |3,135 |3,104 |3,958 |4,398 |4,173 |3,736 |4,088 |4,003
  Total private 1/.|2,370 |2,778 |2,727 |3,652 |4,090 |3,907 |3,456 |3,843 |3,745
    Construction...|   90 |  105 |   98 |  430 |  421 |  405 |  364 |  391 |  360
    Manufacturing..|  180 |  251 |  231 |  305 |  354 |  332 |  375 |  353 |  375
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  422 |  531 |  522 |  837 |1,032 |  927 |  784 |1,013 |  903
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  461 |  518 |  521 |  527 |  609 |  624 |  437 |  606 |  571
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     vices.........|  563 |  576 |  556 |  425 |  460 |  452 |  410 |  386 |  375
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  326 |  376 |  387 |  686 |  766 |  725 |  700 |  679 |  697
  Government.......|  350 |  354 |  375 |  307 |  300 |  268 |  267 |  245 |  257
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
                   |                       Rates (percent)                
                   |--------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1/...........|  2.1 |  2.3 |  2.3 |  3.0 |  3.4 |  3.2 |  2.9 |  3.1 |  3.1
  Total private 1/.|  2.1 |  2.5 |  2.4 |  3.4 |  3.7 |  3.6 |  3.2 |  3.5 |  3.4
    Construction...|  1.3 |  1.5 |  1.4 |  6.4 |  6.1 |  5.9 |  5.4 |  5.7 |  5.2
    Manufacturing..|  1.2 |  1.7 |  1.6 |  2.1 |  2.5 |  2.3 |  2.6 |  2.5 |  2.6
    Trade, trans-  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     portation, and|      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     utilities.....|  1.6 |  2.0 |  2.0 |  3.3 |  4.1 |  3.6 |  3.1 |  4.0 |  3.5
    Professional   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     and business  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     services......|  2.8 |  3.1 |  3.1 |  3.3 |  3.7 |  3.8 |  2.7 |  3.7 |  3.5
    Education and  |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     health ser-   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |           
     vices.........|  3.3 |  3.3 |  3.2 |  2.6 |  2.7 |  2.7 |  2.5 |  2.3 |  2.2
    Leisure and    |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
     hospitality...|  2.6 |  3.0 |  3.0 |  5.7 |  6.2 |  5.9 |  5.8 |  5.5 |  5.6
  Government.......|  1.6 |  1.6 |  1.7 |  1.4 |  1.4 |  1.2 |  1.2 |  1.1 |  1.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1/ Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and
other services, not shown separately.
  p = preliminary.


   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, edged down to 1.6 percent in May.  (See table 4.)
The quits rate fell in professional and business services and edged down
in manufacturing over the month.  Quits as a percent of total separations
fell to 53.8 percent in May, after increasing each month since December
2003. The other two components of total separations, layoffs and discharges
(1.0 percent) and other separations (0.2 percent), are not seasonally ad-
justed and were unchanged over the year.  (See tables 9 and 10.)
   
   Hires and separations help show dynamic flows in the labor market.  Over
the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.2 million per month and separations
have averaged 4.0 million per month.  (See the Technical Note for additional
information on these measures.)  Hires have outpaced separations in each of
the last 13 months.  In April and May, hires outpaced separations in every
industry except manufacturing.
     
                                  - 3 -

For More Information
     
   For additional information, please see the Technical Note or the JOLTS
website 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 report on Job Openings and Labor Turnover for June 2004 is scheduled
to be released on Wednesday, August 11, 2004.



                                  - 4 -

Technical Note


  The data for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) are
collected and compiled monthly from a sample of business establishments 
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
   
Collection
   
  Each month, data are collected in a survey of business establishments
for total employment, job openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges,
and other separations.  Data collection methods include computer-assisted
telephone interviewing, touchtone data entry, fax, and mail.
   
Coverage
   
  The JOLTS program covers all private nonfarm establishments such as
factories, offices, and stores, as well as federal, state, and local
government entities in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
   
Concepts
   
  Industry classification.  The industry classifications in this release
are in accordance with the 2002 version of the North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS).  In order to ensure the highest possible
quality of data, State Employment Security Agencies verify with employers
and update, if necessary, the industry code, location, and ownership clas-
sification of all establishments on a 3-year cycle.  Changes in establish-
ment characteristics resulting from the verification process are always 
introduced into the JOLTS sampling frame with the data reported for the 
first month of the year.
   
  Employment.  Employment includes persons on the payroll who worked or re-
ceived pay for the pay period that includes the 12th day of the reference
month.  Full-time, part-time, permanent, short-term, seasonal, salaried,
and hourly employees are included, as are employees on paid vacations or
other paid leave.  Proprietors or partners of unincorporated businesses,
unpaid family workers, or persons on leave without pay or on strike for 
the entire pay period, are not counted as employed.  Employees of tempo-
rary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, and
consultants are counted by their employer of record, not by the establish-
ment where they are working.
   
  Job openings.  Establishments submit job openings information for the
last business day of the reference month.  A job opening requires that:  
1) a specific position exists and there is work available for that posi-
tion, 2) work could start within 30 days regardless of whether a suitable
candidate is found, and 3) the employer is actively recruiting from outside
the establishment to fill the position.  Included are full-time, part-time,
permanent, short-term, and seasonal openings.  Active recruiting means that
the establishment is taking steps to fill a position by advertising in news-
papers or on the Internet, posting help-wanted signs, accepting applications, 
or using other similar methods.
   
  Jobs to be filled only by internal transfers, promotions, demotions, or
recall from layoffs are excluded.  Also excluded are jobs with start dates
more than 30 days in the future, jobs for which employees have been hired
but have not yet reported for work, and jobs to be filled by employees of
temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors,
or consultants.  The job openings rate is computed by dividing the number
of job openings by the sum of employment and job openings and multiplying
that quotient by 100.
   
                                  - 5 -

  Hires.  Hires are the total number of additions to the payroll occurring
at any time during the reference month, including both new and rehired em-
ployees, full-time and part-time, permanent, short-term and seasonal em-
ployees, employees recalled to the location after a layoff lasting more
than 7 days, on-call or intermittent employees who returned to work after
having been formally separated, and transfers from other locations.  The
hires count does not include transfers or promotions within the reporting
site, employees returning from strike, employees of temporary help agencies
or employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants.  The
hires rate is computed by dividing the number of hires by employment and
multiplying that quotient by 100.
   
  Separations.  Separations are the total number of terminations of
employment occurring at any time during the reference month, and are
reported by type of separation--quits, layoffs and discharges, and 
other separations.  Quits are voluntary separations by employees (ex-
cept for retirements, which are reported as other separations).  Lay-
offs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the em-
ployer and include layoffs with no intent to rehire, formal layoffs 
lasting or expected to last more than 7 days, discharges resulting 
from mergers, downsizing, or closings, firings or other discharges 
for cause, terminations of permanent or short-term employees, and 
terminations of seasonal employees.  Other separations include re-
tirements, transfers to other locations, deaths, and separations 
due to disability.  Separations do not include transfers within the 
same location or employees on strike.
   
  The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations
by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100.  The quits, layoffs
and discharges, and other separations rates are computed similarly, divid-
ing the number by employment and multiplying by 100.
   
Sample methodology
   
  The JOLTS sample design is a random sample of 16,000 nonfarm business
establishments, including factories, offices, and stores, as well as
federal, state, and local governments in the 50 states and the District 
of Columbia.  The establishments are drawn from a universe of over eight
million establishments compiled as part of the operations of the Quarterly
Census of Employment and Wages, or QCEW, program.  This program includes
all employers subject to state Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws and federal
agencies subject to Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE).
   
  The sampling frame is stratified by ownership, region, industry sector,
and size class.  Large firms fall into the sample with virtual certainty.
JOLTS total employment estimates are controlled to the employment estimates
of the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey.  A ratio of CES to JOLTS
employment is used to adjust the levels for all other JOLTS data elements.
Rates are then computed from the adjusted levels.
   
                                  - 6 -

Using JOLTS data
   
  The JOLTS data series on job openings, hires, and separations are rel-
atively new.  The full sample is divided into panels, with one panel
enrolled each month.  A full complement of panels for the original data
series based on the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system
was not completely enrolled in the survey until January 2002.  The supple-
mental panels of establishments needed to create NAICS estimates were not 
completely enrolled until May 2003.  The data collected up until those
points are from less than a full sample.  Therefore, estimates from earlier
months should be used with caution, as fewer sampled units were reporting
data at that time.
   
  In March 2002, BLS procedures for collecting hires and separations data
were revised to address possible underreporting.  As a result, JOLTS hires
and separations estimates for months prior to March 2002 may not be compar-
able with estimates for March 2002 and later.
   
  The federal government reorganization that involved transferring approx-
imately 180,000 employees to the new Department of Homeland Security is not 
reflected in the JOLTS hires and separations estimates for the federal gov-
ernment.  The Office of Personnel Management's record shows these transfers 
were completed in March 2003.  The inclusion of transfers in the JOLTS defi-
nitions of hires and separations is intended to cover ongoing movements of 
workers between establishments.  The Department of Homeland Security reorgan-
ization was a massive one-time event, and the inclusion of these intergovern-
mental transfers would distort the federal government time series.
   
Seasonal adjustment
   
  BLS seasonally adjusts several JOLTS series using the X-12-ARIMA
seasonal adjustment program.  Seasonal adjustment is the process of
estimating and removing periodic fluctuations caused by events such 
as weather, holidays, and the beginning and ending of the school year.
Seasonal adjustment makes it easier to observe fundamental changes in 
the level of the series, particularly those associated with general 
economic expansions and contractions.  A concurrent seasonal adjust-
ment methodology is used in which new seasonal adjustment factors are 
calculated each month, using all relevant data, up to and including 
the data for the current month.
   
  Data users should note that seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS series is
conducted with fewer data observations than is customary.  The historical
data, therefore, may be subject to larger than normal revisions.  Since the
seasonal patterns in economic data series typically emerge over time, the
standard use of moving averages as seasonal filters to capture these effects 
requires longer series than are currently available.  As a result, the stable 
seasonal filter option is used in the seasonal adjustment of the JOLTS data.  
When calculating seasonal factors, this filter takes an average for each cal-
endar month after detrending the series.  The stable seasonal filter assumes 
that the seasonal factors are fixed; a necessary assumption until sufficient 
data are available.  When the stable seasonal filter is no longer needed, 
other program features also may be introduced, such as outlier adjustment 
and extended diagnostic testing.  Additionally, it is expected that more 
series, such as layoffs and discharges and additional industries, may be 
seasonally adjusted when more data are available.
   
                                  - 7 -

Reliability of the estimates
   
  JOLTS estimates are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error.
When a sample rather than the entire population is surveyed, there is a
chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true" population
values they represent.  The exact difference, or sampling error, varies
depending on the particular sample selected, and this variability is
measured by the standard error of the estimate.  BLS analysis is generally
conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.  That means that there is
a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a
sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true"
population value because of sampling error.  Estimates of sampling errors
are available upon request.
   
  The JOLTS estimates also are affected by nonsampling error.  Nonsampling
error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to include a seg-
ment of the population, the inability to obtain data from all units in the 
sample, the inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide data on a 
timely basis, mistakes made by respondents, errors made in the collection 
or processing of the data, and errors from the employment benchmark data 
used in estimation.
   
  JOLTS hires and separations estimates cannot be used to exactly ex-
plain net changes in nonfarm payroll employment.  Some reasons why it is
problematic to compare changes in payroll employment with JOLTS hires and
separations, especially on a monthly basis, are: 1) the reference period
for payroll employment is the pay period including the 12th of the month,
while the reference period for hires and separations is the calendar month;
and 2) payroll employment can vary from month to month simply because part-
time and on-call workers may not always work during the pay period that in-
cludes the 12th of the month.  Additionally, research has found that some
reporters systematically underreport separations relative to hires due to a
number of factors, including the nature of their payroll systems and prac-
tices.  The shortfall appears to be about 2 percent or less over a 12-month 
period.
   
Other information
   
  Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone: 1-800-877-8339.





Table 1.  Job openings levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

                                                      Levels(3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region            May    Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Apr.   May    May   Dec.  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May
                                          2003   2003   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004p  2003  2003  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004p

Total(4)...............................  2,723  3,062  2,868  2,906  3,079  3,135  3,104    2.1   2.3   2.2   2.2   2.3   2.3   2.3

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  2,370  2,719  2,518  2,534  2,740  2,778  2,727    2.1   2.4   2.3   2.3   2.5   2.5   2.4
  Construction.........................     90    110    106     99    113    105     98    1.3   1.6   1.5   1.4   1.6   1.5   1.4
  Manufacturing........................    180    234    233    226    232    251    231    1.2   1.6   1.6   1.6   1.6   1.7   1.6
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    422    520    430    458    524    531    522    1.6   2.0   1.7   1.8   2.0   2.0   2.0
  Professional and business services...    461    594    501    491    502    518    521    2.8   3.5   3.0   2.9   3.0   3.1   3.1
  Education and health services........    563    520    549    551    559    576    556    3.3   3.0   3.2   3.2   3.2   3.3   3.2
  Leisure and hospitality..............    326    399    368    383    370    376    387    2.6   3.2   2.9   3.0   2.9   3.0   3.0
 Government............................    350    351    350    364    353    354    375    1.6   1.6   1.6   1.7   1.6   1.6   1.7


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    513    541    476    500    569    560    515    2.0   2.1   1.9   2.0   2.2   2.2   2.0
  South................................  1,026  1,204  1,132  1,112  1,176  1,191  1,195    2.2   2.6   2.4   2.4   2.5   2.5   2.5
  Midwest..............................    591    666    679    680    663    692    679    1.9   2.1   2.2   2.2   2.1   2.2   2.1
  West.................................    607    649    586    632    655    694    734    2.1   2.2   2.0   2.2   2.2   2.4   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            May    Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Apr.   May    May   Dec.  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May
                                          2003   2003   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004p  2003  2003  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004p

Total(4)...............................  3,958  4,216  4,106  4,103  4,603  4,398  4,173    3.0   3.2   3.2   3.2   3.5   3.4   3.2

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  3,652  3,923  3,800  3,772  4,256  4,090  3,907    3.4   3.6   3.5   3.5   3.9   3.7   3.6
  Construction.........................    430    404    358    382    437    421    405    6.4   6.0   5.3   5.6   6.4   6.1   5.9
  Manufacturing........................    305    340    349    355    361    354    332    2.1   2.4   2.4   2.5   2.5   2.5   2.3
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    837    913    957    945  1,009  1,032    927    3.3   3.6   3.8   3.7   4.0   4.1   3.6
  Professional and business services...    527    650    708    529    713    609    624    3.3   4.0   4.4   3.3   4.4   3.7   3.8
  Education and health services........    425    427    416    447    444    460    452    2.6   2.5   2.5   2.7   2.6   2.7   2.7
  Leisure and hospitality..............    686    753    715    766    810    766    725    5.7   6.2   5.9   6.3   6.6   6.2   5.9
 Government............................    307    300    295    323    343    300    268    1.4   1.4   1.4   1.5   1.6   1.4   1.2


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    675    792    722    689    744    810    695    2.7   3.2   2.9   2.8   3.0   3.2   2.8
  South................................  1,468  1,517  1,585  1,608  1,781  1,582  1,612    3.2   3.3   3.4   3.5   3.9   3.4   3.5
  Midwest..............................    881    897    921    953  1,040    991    941    2.9   2.9   3.0   3.1   3.4   3.2   3.0
  West.................................    927    992    883    876  1,029  1,093    944    3.3   3.5   3.1   3.1   3.6   3.8   3.3


  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
                                          2003   2003   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004p  2003  2003  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004p

Total(4)...............................  3,736  4,022  3,968  4,073  4,134  4,088  4,003    2.9   3.1   3.0   3.1   3.2   3.1   3.1

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  3,456  3,723  3,716  3,807  3,868  3,843  3,745    3.2   3.4   3.4   3.5   3.5   3.5   3.4
  Construction.........................    364    391    436    400    392    391    360    5.4   5.8   6.4   5.9   5.7   5.7   5.2
  Manufacturing........................    375    343    323    355    377    353    375    2.6   2.4   2.3   2.5   2.6   2.5   2.6
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    784    968    936    899    978  1,013    903    3.1   3.8   3.7   3.5   3.8   4.0   3.5
  Professional and business services...    437    575    572    590    597    606    571    2.7   3.6   3.5   3.6   3.7   3.7   3.5
  Education and health services........    410    330    389    388    382    386    375    2.5   2.0   2.3   2.3   2.3   2.3   2.2
  Leisure and hospitality..............    700    723    709    727    715    679    697    5.8   5.9   5.8   5.9   5.8   5.5   5.6
 Government............................    267    269    258    268    284    245    257    1.2   1.2   1.2   1.2   1.3   1.1   1.2


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    697    687    712    688    666    716    644    2.8   2.8   2.9   2.8   2.7   2.9   2.6
  South................................  1,337  1,518  1,505  1,499  1,612  1,524  1,483    2.9   3.3   3.3   3.3   3.5   3.3   3.2
  Midwest..............................    848    901    903    929    938    877    837    2.8   2.9   2.9   3.0   3.0   2.8   2.7
  West.................................    867    898    896    941  1,003    959  1,001    3.1   3.2   3.2   3.3   3.5   3.4   3.5


  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
                                          2003   2003   2004   2004   2004   2004   2004p  2003  2003  2004  2004  2004  2004  2004p

Total(4)...............................  2,013  2,131  2,118  2,178  2,271  2,278  2,152    1.5   1.6   1.6   1.7   1.7   1.7   1.6

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)......................  1,889  2,010  2,002  2,051  2,144  2,151  2,014    1.7   1.9   1.8   1.9   2.0   2.0   1.8
  Construction.........................    134    171    148    133    154    149    139    2.0   2.5   2.2   2.0   2.3   2.2   2.0
  Manufacturing........................    149    178    165    169    176    189    167    1.0   1.2   1.2   1.2   1.2   1.3   1.2
  Trade, transportation, and utilities.    475    534    530    493    530    563    520    1.9   2.1   2.1   1.9   2.1   2.2   2.0
  Professional and business services...    240    256    261    302    309    323    257    1.5   1.6   1.6   1.9   1.9   2.0   1.6
  Education and health services........    228    212    237    234    252    245    220    1.4   1.3   1.4   1.4   1.5   1.5   1.3
  Leisure and hospitality..............    439    462    428    447    465    429    454    3.6   3.8   3.5   3.7   3.8   3.5   3.7
 Government............................    120    119    116    126    129    129    130     .6    .6    .5    .6    .6    .6    .6


                 REGION

  Northeast............................    311    315    288    319    314    390    312    1.2   1.3   1.2   1.3   1.3   1.6   1.2
  South................................    798    894    852    867    957    888    851    1.7   1.9   1.9   1.9   2.1   1.9   1.8
  Midwest..............................    459    465    513    455    474    479    473    1.5   1.5   1.7   1.5   1.5   1.5   1.5
  West.................................    426    436    475    520    565    524    518    1.5   1.5   1.7   1.8   2.0   1.8   1.8


  1 Quits are the number of quits during the entire month.
  2 The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  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
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  2,954    3,307    3,381           2.2      2.5      2.5

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  2,575    2,951    2,970           2.3      2.6      2.6
  Natural resources and mining..................      5        6        6            .9      1.0      1.0
  Construction..................................    118      137      126           1.7      2.0      1.8
  Manufacturing.................................    198      254      259           1.3      1.7      1.8
   Durable goods................................    114      166      165           1.3      1.8      1.8
   Nondurable goods.............................     84       88       95           1.5      1.6      1.7
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    435      553      541           1.7      2.1      2.1
   Wholesale trade..............................     75      118      120           1.3      2.0      2.1
   Retail trade.................................    283      351      345           1.9      2.3      2.2
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     77       84       76           1.6      1.7      1.6
  Information...................................     45       70       77           1.4      2.2      2.4
  Financial activities..........................    171      220      199           2.1      2.7      2.4
   Finance and insurance........................    138      177      154           2.3      2.9      2.5
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     33       43       45           1.6      2.1      2.1
  Professional and business services............    497      546      561           3.0      3.2      3.3
  Education and health services.................    581      578      575           3.4      3.3      3.3
   Educational services.........................     45       51       52           1.6      1.7      1.8
   Health care and social assistance............    536      527      523           3.7      3.6      3.6
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    381      446      457           3.0      3.5      3.5
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     36       45       59           1.9      2.5      3.1
   Accommodations and food services.............    344      401      398           3.2      3.7      3.6
  Other services................................    142      141      168           2.6      2.5      3.0

 Government.....................................    379      355      411           1.7      1.6      1.8
  Federal.......................................     41       46       42           1.5      1.6      1.5
  State and local...............................    338      310      369           1.7      1.6      1.9

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    580      585      572           2.3      2.3      2.2
  South.........................................  1,102    1,249    1,289           2.3      2.6      2.7
  Midwest.......................................    614      746      710           2.0      2.4      2.2
  West..........................................    657      727      810           2.3      2.5      2.7


  1 Job openings are the number of job openings on the last business day of the month.
  2 The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a
percent of total employment plus job openings.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.





Table 6.  Hires levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  May      Apr.     May           May      Apr.     May
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  4,527    4,668    4,761           3.5      3.6      3.6

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  4,200    4,444    4,476           3.9      4.1      4.1
  Natural resources and mining..................     26       27       23           4.6      4.7      4.0
  Construction..................................    532      552      502           7.9      8.2      7.2
  Manufacturing.................................    359      377      382           2.5      2.6      2.7
   Durable goods................................    225      227      232           2.5      2.5      2.6
   Nondurable goods.............................    133      150      150           2.4      2.8      2.8
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    921    1,013    1,026           3.7      4.0      4.0
   Wholesale trade..............................    133      174      136           2.4      3.1      2.4
   Retail trade.................................    689      708      728           4.6      4.8      4.9
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     99      130      163           2.1      2.7      3.4
  Information...................................     70       66       64           2.2      2.1      2.0
  Financial activities..........................    192      190      218           2.4      2.4      2.7
   Finance and insurance........................    112      112      119           1.9      1.9      2.0
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     81       78       99           3.9      3.8      4.7
  Professional and business services............    582      695      692           3.7      4.3      4.2
  Education and health services.................    410      401      439           2.5      2.4      2.6
   Educational services.........................     40       37       37           1.5      1.3      1.3
   Health care and social assistance............    370      365      401           2.7      2.6      2.8
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    914      930      956           7.4      7.6      7.6
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........    191      167      148          10.2      9.5      7.9
   Accommodations and food services.............    724      763      808           7.0      7.3      7.6
  Other services................................    192      192      174           3.6      3.5      3.2

 Government.....................................    327      224      285           1.5      1.0      1.3
  Federal.......................................     54       36       35           1.9      1.3      1.3
  State and local...............................    273      188      250           1.4      1.0      1.3

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    814      794      821           3.3      3.2      3.2
  South.........................................  1,625    1,638    1,789           3.5      3.5      3.8
  Midwest.......................................  1,067    1,115    1,122           3.5      3.6      3.6
  West..........................................  1,021    1,121    1,029           3.6      3.9      3.6


  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
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  3,689    3,759    3,870           2.8      2.9      2.9

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  3,402    3,578    3,595           3.1      3.3      3.3
  Natural resources and mining..................     16       18       19           2.9      3.1      3.2
  Construction..................................    322      322      305           4.8      4.8      4.4
  Manufacturing.................................    347      339      357           2.4      2.4      2.5
   Durable goods................................    215      196      207           2.4      2.2      2.3
   Nondurable goods.............................    132      143      150           2.4      2.6      2.8
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    804      886      878           3.2      3.5      3.5
   Wholesale trade..............................    134      135      149           2.4      2.4      2.6
   Retail trade.................................    566      629      605           3.8      4.2      4.0
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    104      122      124           2.2      2.6      2.6
  Information...................................     63       85       57           2.0      2.7      1.8
  Financial activities..........................    144      146      155           1.8      1.8      1.9
   Finance and insurance........................     91       86       96           1.5      1.5      1.6
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     53       60       59           2.6      2.9      2.8
  Professional and business services............    469      606      598           2.9      3.7      3.6
  Education and health services.................    424      355      384           2.5      2.1      2.3
   Educational services.........................     68       30       56           2.5      1.0      2.0
   Health care and social assistance............    356      325      328           2.6      2.3      2.3
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    675      678      659           5.5      5.5      5.2
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     80      118       71           4.3      6.7      3.8
   Accommodations and food services.............    596      560      588           5.7      5.3      5.5
  Other services................................    138      144      183           2.6      2.7      3.4

 Government.....................................    287      181      276           1.3       .8      1.3
  Federal.......................................     32       26       29           1.2       .9      1.1
  State and local...............................    255      156      247           1.3       .8      1.3

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    634      624      569           2.5      2.5      2.3
  South.........................................  1,388    1,456    1,517           3.0      3.1      3.3
  Midwest.......................................    848      776      824           2.7      2.5      2.6
  West..........................................    820      903      960           2.9      3.2      3.3


  1 Total separations are the number of total separations during the entire month.
  2 The total separations rate is the number of total separations during the entire month as a percent of
total employment.
  p = preliminary.
  NOTE:  See NOTE, table 1.





Table 8.  Quits levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted

                                                    Levels (in thousands)                  Rates

              Industry and region                  May      Apr.     May           May      Apr.     May
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  2,098    2,184    2,233           1.6      1.7      1.7

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  1,962    2,085    2,085           1.8      1.9      1.9
  Natural resources and mining..................      7       10        8           1.2      1.7      1.4
  Construction..................................    137      151      140           2.0      2.2      2.0
  Manufacturing.................................    158      191      176           1.1      1.3      1.2
   Durable goods................................     95      116      108           1.1      1.3      1.2
   Nondurable goods.............................     63       75       68           1.1      1.4      1.2
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    501      543      531           2.0      2.2      2.1
   Wholesale trade..............................     68       65       92           1.2      1.1      1.6
   Retail trade.................................    377      422      384           2.5      2.8      2.6
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     56       56       55           1.2      1.2      1.1
  Information...................................     37       51       32           1.2      1.6      1.0
  Financial activities..........................     80       95      110           1.0      1.2      1.4
   Finance and insurance........................     53       57       66            .9      1.0      1.1
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     27       38       44           1.3      1.9      2.1
  Professional and business services............    262      305      266           1.6      1.9      1.6
  Education and health services.................    244      231      231           1.5      1.4      1.4
   Educational services.........................     30       16       24           1.1       .6       .9
   Health care and social assistance............    215      214      207           1.5      1.5      1.5
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    452      413      473           3.7      3.4      3.8
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     39       44       35           2.1      2.5      1.9
   Accommodations and food services.............    413      369      438           4.0      3.5      4.1
  Other services................................     84       96      116           1.6      1.8      2.1

 Government.....................................    136       98      149            .6       .4       .7
  Federal.......................................     16       12       13            .6       .4       .5
  State and local...............................    120       86      136            .6       .4       .7

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    319      339      313           1.3      1.3      1.2
  South.........................................    837      888      881           1.8      1.9      1.9
  Midwest.......................................    488      450      500           1.6      1.5      1.6
  West..........................................    454      507      540           1.6      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
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................  1,308    1,328    1,323           1.0      1.0      1.0

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  1,212    1,280    1,250           1.1      1.2      1.1
  Natural resources and mining..................      6        5        7           1.1       .9      1.3
  Construction..................................    179      155      156           2.6      2.3      2.2
  Manufacturing.................................    158      122      146           1.1       .9      1.0
   Durable goods................................    100       61       75           1.1       .7       .8
   Nondurable goods.............................     58       61       71           1.0      1.1      1.3
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........    240      287      287           1.0      1.1      1.1
   Wholesale trade..............................     51       61       51            .9      1.1       .9
   Retail trade.................................    151      176      178           1.0      1.2      1.2
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     38       50       58            .8      1.1      1.2
  Information...................................     23       25       22            .7       .8       .7
  Financial activities..........................     43       30       32            .5       .4       .4
   Finance and insurance........................     24       14       21            .4       .2       .3
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     19       16       12            .9       .8       .6
  Professional and business services............    176      270      281           1.1      1.7      1.7
  Education and health services.................    150      103      117            .9       .6       .7
   Educational services.........................     34       10       27           1.2       .3      1.0
   Health care and social assistance............    116       93       89            .8       .7       .6
  Leisure and hospitality.......................    199      238      155           1.6      1.9      1.2
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........     39       72       34           2.1      4.1      1.8
   Accommodations and food services.............    160      166      121           1.5      1.6      1.1
  Other services................................     39       44       49            .7       .8       .9

 Government.....................................     96       47       72            .4       .2       .3
  Federal.......................................      6        6        6            .2       .2       .2
  State and local...............................     90       42       67            .5       .2       .3

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................    252      238      187           1.0       .9       .7
  South.........................................    456      473      539           1.0      1.0      1.2
  Midwest.......................................    303      272      266           1.0       .9       .9
  West..........................................    296      345      331           1.0      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
                                                   2003     2004     2004p         2003     2004     2004p

Total...........................................    284      248      314           0.2      0.2      0.2

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................    229      213      260            .2       .2       .2
  Natural resources and mining..................      3        3        3            .6       .5       .5
  Construction..................................      6       16       10            .1       .2       .1
  Manufacturing.................................     31       26       35            .2       .2       .2
   Durable goods................................     19       19       24            .2       .2       .3
   Nondurable goods.............................     12        7       11            .2       .1       .2
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........     62       56       60            .2       .2       .2
   Wholesale trade..............................     14       10        7            .3       .2       .1
   Retail trade.................................     38       30       43            .3       .2       .3
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...     10       16       11            .2       .3       .2
  Information...................................      2        9        4            .1       .3       .1
  Financial activities..........................     22       21       12            .3       .3       .1
   Finance and insurance........................     15       15        9            .2       .2       .1
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........      7        6        3            .3       .3       .1
  Professional and business services............     31       32       50            .2       .2       .3
  Education and health services.................     30       21       36            .2       .1       .2
   Educational services.........................      5        4        5            .2       .1       .2
   Health care and social assistance............     25       17       32            .2       .1       .2
  Leisure and hospitality.......................     25       26       30            .2       .2       .2
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........      2        1        2            .1       .1       .1
   Accommodations and food services.............     23       25       29            .2       .2       .3
  Other services................................     15        4       19            .3       .1       .3

 Government.....................................     55       36       54            .3       .2       .2
  Federal.......................................      9        8       10            .3       .3       .4
  State and local...............................     46       28       45            .2       .1       .2

                    REGION

  Northeast.....................................     62       47       70            .2       .2       .3
  South.........................................     95       96       96            .2       .2       .2
  Midwest.......................................     57       54       58            .2       .2       .2
  West..........................................     69       51       90            .2       .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.