Technical information:    (202) 691-6378        USDL 06-1563
                 http://www.bls.gov/cps/
                                                For release:  10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                  691-5902        Friday, September 8, 2006


                          EMPLOYEE TENURE IN 2006


   The median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with
their current employer was 4.0 years in January 2006, unchanged from Janu-
ary 2004, according to the data released today by the Bureau of Labor Sta-
tistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.

   Information on employee tenure has been obtained from supplemental ques-
tions in the Current Population Survey (CPS) every 2 years since 1996.  The
CPS is a monthly survey of about 60,000 households that provides information
on the labor force status, demographics, and other characteristics of the
civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over.  The questions about
employee tenure measure how long workers had been with their current employer
at the time they were surveyed.  A number of factors can affect the median
tenure of the workforce, including changes in the age profile among workers
as well as changes in the number of hires and separations.  (See the Techni-
cal Note.)

Demographic Characteristics

   In January 2006, median tenure for men was 4.1 years, little different
than that of women (3.9 years).  From 1996 to 2002, the median tenure for
men was about 0.5 year higher than for women.  (See table 1.)

   Older workers tend to have more years of tenure than their younger coun-
terparts.  For example, median tenure (the point at which half of all workers
had more tenure and half had less tenure) for employees ages 55 to 64 was
9.3 years in January 2006, about three times the tenure for workers ages 25
to 34 (2.9 years). 

   As would be expected, a larger percentage of older workers than younger
workers had 10 or more years of tenure.  For example, among wage and salary
workers ages 55 to 59, about half were employed for 10 years or more with
their current employer.  Among workers ages 30 to 34, about 11 percent have
10 or more years of tenure; for workers ages 25 to 29, the proportion was
about 2 percent.  (See table 2.)                                         

   The proportion of all wage and salary workers age 16 and over with at
least 10 years of tenure with their current employer, at 26 percent in
January 2006, was little changed from January 2004.  Among men, 27 percent
had at least 10 years of tenure with their current employer in January 2006
compared with 25 percent among women.  (See table 3.)

                                  - 2 -

   In January 2006, 16 percent of Hispanic wage and salary workers (age 16
years and over) had been with their current employer for 10 or more years
compared with 26 percent of white, 23 percent of black, and 21 percent of
Asian workers.  The shorter tenure among Hispanics can be explained, in
part, by their relative youth.  Nearly 50 percent of Hispanic workers age
16 and over were between the ages of 16 and 34.  By contrast, fewer than
40 percent of whites, blacks, and Asians were 16 to 34 years old.  (See
table 3.)

   About 24 percent of wage and salary workers age 16 and over had 12 months
or less of tenure with their current employer in January 2006.  These short-
tenured workers include new entrants and reentrants to the labor force, job
losers who found new jobs during the previous year, and workers who had vol-
untarily changed employers during the previous year.  As would be expected,
younger workers are more likely than older workers to have short tenure.  For
example, among 20- to 24-year-olds, about half had a year or less of tenure
with their current employer.  (See table 3.)

Industry

   In January 2006, wage and salary workers in the public sector had almost
double the median tenure of private sector employees, 6.9 versus 3.6 years.
One factor behind this difference is age.  About 75 percent of government
workers were age 35 and over compared with about 60 percent of private wage
and salary workers.  Federal employees had a higher median tenure (9.9 years)
than state (6.3 years) or local government (6.6 years) employees.  (See
table 5.)

   Within the private sector, workers in manufacturing had the highest tenure
among major industries, at 5.5 years in January 2006.  By comparison, workers
in leisure and hospitality had the lowest median tenure (1.9 years).  These
differences in tenure reflect many factors, one of which is varying age dis-
tributions across industries; workers in manufacturing tend to be older on
average than those in leisure and hospitality.

Occupation

   Among the major occupations, workers in management, professional, and re-
lated occupations had the highest median tenure (5.2 years) in January 2006.
Within this group, employees with jobs in architecture and engineering occu-
pations (6.5 years) and management occupations (6.0 years) had the longest
tenure.  Workers in service occupations, who are generally younger than per-
sons employed in management, professional, and related occupations, had the
lowest median tenure (2.8 years).  Among employees working in service occu-
pations, food service workers had the lowest median tenure, at 1.8 years.
(See table 6.)






                                  - 3 -

Technical Note


   The data in this release were collected through a supplement to the
January 2006 Current Population Survey (CPS).  The CPS, which is conducted
by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is a
monthly survey of about 60,000 households that provides information on the
labor force status, demographics, and other characteristics of the nation's
civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over.   
  
   The January 2006 CPS supplement obtained information on worker displace-
ment and workers' tenure with their current employer.  The data on worker 
displacement appear in the BLS news release USDL 06-1454, "Worker Displace-
ment, 2003-05," issued on August 17, 2006.
   
   Information in this release will be made available to sensory-impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  202-691-5200, TDD message referral
phone number:  1-800-877-8339.
   
Reliability of the estimates
   
   Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsampling
error.  When a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed, there 
is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true" population 
values they represent.  The exact difference, or sampling error, varies de-
pending on the particular sample selected, and this variability is measured 
by the standard error of the estimate.  There is about a 90-percent chance, 
or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will differ by no 
more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true" population value because of 
sampling error.  BLS analyses are generally conducted at the 90-percent level 
of confidence.

   The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error.  Nonsampling error
can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of
the population, inability to obtain information for all respondents in the
sample, inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct in-
formation, and errors made in the collection or processing of the data.   

   For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and in-
formation on estimating standard errors, see the "Explanatory Notes and
Estimates of Error" section of Employment and Earnings.
   
Tenure questions and concepts
   
   In the January 2006 CPS supplement, questions on tenure were asked of all 
employed persons.  The first question was:  "How long has ... been working 
continuously for (fill in name of present employer)?"

                       _____ Days
                       _____ Weeks
                       _____ Months
                       _____ Years

For responses of "1 year" or "2 years," a follow-up question was asked:
"Could you please give the exact number of months?"

                                  - 4 -

   The purpose of the follow-up question is to obtain more precise infor-
mation on workers who had been with their current employer for a relatively 
short time.  This follow-up question was included for the first time in the 
February 1996 CPS supplement on worker displacement and tenure.  CPS sup-
plements that obtained information on tenure in January of 1983, 1987, and 
1991 did not include the follow-up question.  In those surveys, responses of 
1 year or more could be coded only as the nearest full year, and responses of 
less than a year were coded as the nearest full month.
   
   Prior to January 1983, CPS supplements on tenure asked wage and salary
workers, "When did ... start working at (his/her) present job?"  For wage 
and salary workers, the meaning of the term "job" is ambiguous.  For example, 
a worker who had been employed at a particular company for 10 years and had 
been promoted to a managerial position 1 year prior to the survey may have 
been counted as having 10 years or 1 year of tenure, depending on whether the 
respondent interpreted the question to mean tenure with the current employer 
or tenure in the managerial position.  To rectify this ambiguity, the wording 
of the question was changed in January 1983 to specify the length of time a 
worker had been with his or her current employer.  The change resulted in a 
break in historical comparability, and, for this reason, estimates of tenure 
are not presented in this release for years prior to 1983.

   Data refer to the sole or pricipal job of full- and part-time workers.
All data exclude the incorporated and unincorporated self employed.

   
Interpreting tenure data
   
   Data on tenure have been used as a gauge of employment security, with
some observers regarding increases in tenure as a sign of improving security 
and decreasing tenure as a sign of deteriorating security.  However, there 
are limitations to using the data in this way.  For example, during reces-
sions or other periods of declining job security, median tenure and the pro-
portion of workers with long tenure could rise because less-senior workers 
are more likely to lose their jobs than are workers with longer tenure.  Dur-
ing periods of economic growth, median tenure and the proportion of workers 
with long tenure could fall because more job opportunities are available for 
new entrants to the workforce and experienced workers have more opportunities 
to change employers and take better jobs.  Tenure also could rise under im-
proving economic conditions, however, as fewer layoffs occur and good job 
matches develop between workers and employers.
   
   A changing age distribution among workers would also affect median tenure.  
Since older workers are more likely to have long tenure with their current 
employer than younger workers, aging baby boomers in the workforce would pro-
vide upward pressure on overall median tenure.
 
 
 

  Table 1.  Median years of tenure with current employer for employed wage and salary
  workers by age and sex, selected years, 1996-2006
                                                                                             
                                                                                             
            Age and sex            February  February  February  January   January   January 
                                     1996      1998      2000      2002      2004      2006  
                                                                                             
               TOTAL                                                                         
                                                                                             
      16 years and over..........     3.8       3.6       3.5       3.7       4.0       4.0  
   16 to 17 years................      .7        .6        .6        .7        .7        .6  
   18 to 19 years................      .7        .7        .7        .8        .8        .7  
   20 to 24 years................     1.2       1.1       1.1       1.2       1.3       1.3  
   25 years and over.............     5.0       4.7       4.7       4.7       4.9       4.9  
     25 to 34 years..............     2.8       2.7       2.6       2.7       2.9       2.9  
     35 to 44 years..............     5.3       5.0       4.8       4.6       4.9       4.9  
     45 to 54 years..............     8.3       8.1       8.2       7.6       7.7       7.3  
     55 to 64 years..............    10.2      10.1      10.0       9.9       9.6       9.3  
     65 years and over...........     8.4       7.8       9.4       8.6       9.0       8.8  
                                                                                             
                Men                                                                          
                                                                                             
      16 years and over..........     4.0       3.8       3.8       3.9       4.1       4.1  
   16 to 17 years................      .6        .6        .6        .8        .7        .7  
   18 to 19 years................      .7        .7        .7        .8        .8        .7  
   20 to 24 years................     1.2       1.2       1.2       1.4       1.3       1.4  
   25 years and over.............     5.3       4.9       4.9       4.9       5.1       5.0  
     25 to 34 years..............     3.0       2.8       2.7       2.8       3.0       2.9  
     35 to 44 years..............     6.1       5.5       5.3       5.0       5.2       5.1  
     45 to 54 years..............    10.1       9.4       9.5       9.1       9.6       8.1  
     55 to 64 years..............    10.5      11.2      10.2      10.2       9.8       9.5  
     65 years and over...........     8.3       7.1       9.0       8.1       8.2       8.3  
                                                                                             
               Women                                                                         
                                                                                             
      16 years and over..........     3.5       3.4       3.3       3.4       3.8       3.9  
   16 to 17 years................      .7        .6        .6        .7        .6        .6  
   18 to 19 years................      .7        .7        .7        .8        .8        .7  
   20 to 24 years................     1.2       1.1       1.0       1.1       1.3       1.2  
   25 years and over.............     4.7       4.4       4.4       4.4       4.7       4.8  
     25 to 34 years..............     2.7       2.5       2.5       2.5       2.8       2.8  
     35 to 44 years..............     4.8       4.5       4.3       4.2       4.5       4.6  
     45 to 54 years..............     7.0       7.2       7.3       6.5       6.4       6.7  
     55 to 64 years..............    10.0       9.6       9.9       9.6       9.2       9.2  
     65 years and over...........     8.4       8.7       9.7       9.4       9.6       9.5  


      NOTE:  Data for 1996 and 1998 are based on population controls from the 1990 census.
   Data beginning in 2000 reflect the introduction of Census 2000 population controls and
   are not strictly comparable with data for prior years.  Some data in this table may vary 
   slightly from the data published in the Employee Tenure 2004 news release (USDL 04-1829)
   due to recalculation of the estimates with the new population controls.  In addition,
   data for January 2004 reflect the introduction of revisions to population controls in
   January 2003 and 2004, and data for January 2006 reflect the introduction of revisions
   to population controls in January 2005 and 2006.  





   Table 2.  Percent of employed wage and salary workers 25 years and over who had 10 years
   or more of tenure with their current employer by age and sex, selected years, 1996-2006
                                                                                             
                                                                                             
            Age and sex            February  February  February  January   January   January 
                                     1996      1998      2000      2002      2004      2006  
                                                                                             
               TOTAL                                                                         
                                                                                             
      25 years and over..........    30.5      30.7      31.5      30.8      30.6      30.0  
   25 to 29 years................     2.8       2.7       2.5       2.2       2.4       2.4  
   30 to 34 years................    14.7      14.7      13.9      11.7      10.9      10.6  
   35 to 39 years................    26.9      27.0      26.1      25.2      23.2      22.8  
   40 to 44 years................    36.1      35.6      35.8      33.9      32.4      31.8  
   45 to 49 years................    44.5      42.9      45.2      41.2      42.1      39.9  
   50 to 54 years................    50.4      48.8      48.7      49.4      48.5      46.6  
   55 to 59 years................    54.0      52.9      53.1      53.3      50.9      50.1  
   60 to 64 years................    51.5      54.4      53.0      50.5      49.7      48.4  
   65 years and over.............    47.4      45.0      49.8      48.0      48.7      48.5  
                                                                                             
                Men                                                                          
                                                                                             
      25 years and over..........    33.1      32.7      33.4      32.6      32.4      31.1  
   25 to 29 years................     3.3       3.1       3.0       2.6       2.7       2.6  
   30 to 34 years................    15.6      15.3      15.1      13.0      11.9      11.6  
   35 to 39 years................    30.5      29.7      29.4      27.2      24.9      24.7  
   40 to 44 years................    41.7      39.1      40.2      37.4      36.2      34.8  
   45 to 49 years................    50.8      47.4      49.0      45.4      48.1      42.9  
   50 to 54 years................    54.9      52.8      51.6      54.0      53.0      49.7  
   55 to 59 years................    55.7      56.5      53.7      56.5      53.4      51.0  
   60 to 64 years................    50.4      55.7      52.4      48.4      48.5      48.1  
   65 years and over.............    47.6      42.3      48.6      46.4      46.8      47.2  
                                                                                             
               Women                                                                         
                                                                                             
     25 years and over..........     27.6      28.4      29.5      28.8      28.6      28.8  
   25 to 29 years................     2.2       2.2       1.9       1.8       1.9       2.1  
   30 to 34 years................    13.6      14.0      12.5      10.2       9.8       9.4  
   35 to 39 years................    22.9      24.0      22.3      22.9      21.3      20.5  
   40 to 44 years................    30.4      31.8      31.2      30.2      28.5      28.4  
   45 to 49 years................    38.1      38.4      41.4      37.0      36.2      36.9  
   50 to 54 years................    45.8      44.6      45.8      44.8      44.1      43.6  
   55 to 59 years................    52.1      49.2      52.5      49.9      48.4      49.1  
   60 to 64 years................    52.7      53.0      53.6      52.6      51.0      48.7  
   65 years and over.............    47.2      47.7      51.0      49.7      50.7      49.9  


      NOTE:  Data for 1996 and 1998 are based on population controls from the 1990 census.
   Data beginning in 2000 reflect the introduction of Census 2000 population controls and
   are not strictly comparable with data for prior years.  Some data in this table may vary 
   slightly from the data published in the Employee Tenure 2004 news release (USDL 04-1829)
   due to recalculation of the estimates with the new population controls.  In addition,
   data for January 2004 reflect the introduction of revisions to population controls in
   January 2003 and 2004, and data for January 2006 reflect the introduction of revisions
   to population controls in January 2005 and 2006.  





   Table 3.  Distribution of employed wage and salary workers by tenure with current employer, age, sex, race, and
   Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, January 2006
                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                   
                                                      Percent distribution by tenure with current employer         
     Age, sex, race, and         Number                                                                            
      Hispanic or Latino        employed                                                                           
           ethnicity         (in thousands)            12    13 to           3 to 4  5 to 9  10 to   15 to     20  
                                             Total   months    23   2 years  years   years     14      19    years 
                                                    or less  months                          years   years  or more
                                                                                                                   
             TOTAL                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                   
      16 years and over.....    125,668      100.0    24.4     7.0     5.2    16.9    20.9     9.5     6.7     9.4 
   16 to 19 years...........      5,563      100.0    75.1    10.5     7.2     6.8      .4      -       -       -  
   20 years and over........    120,105      100.0    22.0     6.8     5.1    17.4    21.9     9.9     7.0     9.8 
     20 to 24 years.........     13,083      100.0    50.4    12.5    10.2    19.4     7.5     (1)      -       -  
     25 to 34 years.........     28,392      100.0    28.8     9.3     6.8    23.4    25.3     5.6      .8     (1) 
     35 to 44 years.........     30,466      100.0    18.6     6.2     4.6    17.2    26.1    13.7     9.3     4.4 
     45 to 54 years.........     28,845      100.0    13.5     4.6     3.2    14.0    21.7    12.7    11.1    19.2 
     55 to 64 years.........     15,619      100.0    11.4     3.9     2.6    12.9    19.7    12.7    11.3    25.5 
     65 years and over......      3,699      100.0    10.4     3.1     2.8    12.6    22.6    12.8    10.3    25.4 
                                                                                                                   
              Men                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                   
      16 years and over.....     65,212      100.0    23.9     6.8     5.3    16.7    20.7     9.6     6.6    10.3 
   16 to 19 years...........      2,696      100.0    74.1     9.9     8.3     7.2      .4      -       -       -  
   20 years and over........     62,516      100.0    21.8     6.7     5.2    17.2    21.5    10.0     6.8    10.8 
     20 to 24 years.........      6,840      100.0    49.7    12.0    10.2    20.8     7.3      .1      -       -  
     25 to 34 years.........     15,477      100.0    28.0     9.1     7.2    22.8    25.9     6.0     1.0     (1) 
     35 to 44 years.........     16,184      100.0    17.9     5.8     4.5    16.5    25.5    14.9     9.8     5.1 
     45 to 54 years.........     14,392      100.0    13.0     4.3     3.1    13.0    20.6    12.5    11.3    22.2 
     55 to 64 years.........      7,750      100.0    11.6     4.1     3.0    12.8    18.5    11.7     9.5    28.8 
     65 years and over......      1,873      100.0    10.7     3.4     3.0    12.4    23.3    12.4     8.9    25.9 
                                                                                                                   
             Women                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                   
      16 years and over.....     60,456      100.0    24.9     7.2     5.0    17.2    21.2     9.3     6.8     8.4 
   16 to 19 years...........      2,867      100.0    76.0    11.1     6.2     6.4      .3      -       -       -  
   20 years and over........     57,589      100.0    22.4     7.0     5.0    17.7    22.2     9.8     7.2     8.8 
     20 to 24 years.........      6,243      100.0    51.2    13.0    10.2    17.8     7.7      -       -       -  
     25 to 34 years.........     12,915      100.0    29.8     9.5     6.5    24.0    24.6     5.2      .5      -  
     35 to 44 years.........     14,282      100.0    19.3     6.8     4.7    17.9    26.7    12.3     8.8     3.6 
     45 to 54 years.........     14,453      100.0    14.0     4.9     3.4    14.9    22.8    13.0    10.8    16.2 
     55 to 64 years.........      7,870      100.0    11.1     3.6     2.3    13.1    20.9    13.6    13.2    22.2 
     65 years and over......      1,826      100.0    10.0     2.7     2.6    12.8    22.0    13.2    11.7    25.0 
                                                                                                                   
           White                                                                                               
                                                                                                                   
       16 years and over....    102,900      100.0    24.0     6.9     5.1    16.8    20.9     9.7     6.9     9.8 
   Men......................     54,241      100.0    23.4     6.7     5.1    16.6    20.7     9.9     6.9    10.8 
   Women....................     48,659      100.0    24.6     7.2     5.0    17.0    21.1     9.4     6.9     8.7 
                                                                                                                   
   Black or African American                                                                                       
                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                   
       16 years and over....     14,265      100.0    26.2     6.6     5.7    17.2    21.1     8.4     6.5     8.2 
   Men......................      6,501      100.0    26.4     6.7     6.4    17.8    19.8     8.6     5.5     8.9 
   Women....................      7,764      100.0    26.1     6.6     5.1    16.7    22.2     8.2     7.5     7.7 
                                                                                                                   
           Asian                                                                                                
                                                                                                                   
       16 years and over....      5,463      100.0    23.7     8.3     5.8    19.0    22.5     9.9     4.3     6.4 
   Men......................      2,941      100.0    23.1     9.0     6.2    17.5    24.9     9.3     3.5     6.5 
   Women....................      2,522      100.0    24.5     7.4     5.3    20.7    19.8    10.7     5.2     6.4 
                                                                                                                   
      Hispanic or Latino                                                                                           
          ethnicity                                                                                                
                                                                                                                   
       16 years and over....     17,741      100.0    30.1     6.5     7.3    20.2    20.3     7.2     4.6     3.7 
   Men......................     10,550      100.0    29.7     6.0     7.7    20.5    20.5     7.4     4.7     3.5 
   Women....................      7,191      100.0    30.6     7.3     6.8    19.7    20.1     7.0     4.4     4.1 


      1 Less than 0.05 percent.
      NOTE:  Detail for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because 
   data are not presented for all races.  In addition, persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be
   of any race and, therefore, are classified by ethnicity as well as by race.  Data reflect the introduction of revisions
   to population controls in January 2005 and 2006.  Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.





   Table 4.  Median years of tenure with current employer for employed wage and salary workers 25 years
   and over by educational attainment, sex, and age, January 2006
                                                                                                        
                                                                                                        
                                                               25 years and over                        
                                                                                                        
     Educational attainment and sex                                                                     
                                          Total    25 to 34   35 to 44   45 to 54   55 to 64   65 years 
                                                     years      years      years      years    and over 
                                                                                                        
       Total..........................     4.9        2.9        4.9        7.3        9.3        8.8   
   Less than a high school diploma....     3.8        2.4        3.7        5.1        6.6        7.1   
   High school graduates, no                                                                            
    college...........................     5.0        3.0        4.8        6.9        9.0        9.2   
   Some college, no degree............     4.9        2.7        4.9        7.9        8.0        9.5   
   Associate degree...................     5.3        3.2        5.4        7.4        9.5        8.4   
   College graduates..................     5.1        3.0        5.1        8.2       10.4        9.5   
     Bachelor's degree................     4.9        3.0        5.1        7.9        9.9        9.5   
     Master's degree..................     5.6        3.2        5.3        9.1       10.6        7.4   
     Doctoral or professional                                                                           
      degree..........................     5.9        2.0        4.9        8.0       14.2       15.3   
                                                                                                        
       Men............................     5.0        2.9        5.1        8.1        9.5        8.3   
   Less than a high school diploma....     4.0        2.5        4.0        6.0        6.5        8.6   
   High school graduates, no                                                                            
    college...........................     5.0        3.1        5.1        7.4        8.1        7.7   
   Some college, no degree............     5.0        2.7        5.5        9.0        8.3        7.9   
   Associate degree...................     5.5        3.4        5.8        9.3        9.8       11.6   
   College graduates..................     5.3        3.0        5.2        8.8       11.1        8.4   
     Bachelor's degree................     5.1        3.1        5.3        8.6       10.4        7.5   
     Master's degree..................     5.6        2.8        5.3        8.6       10.2        7.4   
     Doctoral or professional                                                                           
      degree..........................     7.5        2.0        5.1        9.2       14.8       17.2   
                                                                                                        
       Women..........................     4.8        2.8        4.6        6.7        9.2        9.5   
   Less than a high school diploma....     3.6        1.8        3.2        4.3        6.6        6.7   
   High school graduates, no                                                                            
    college...........................     5.0        2.8        4.5        6.4        9.6       10.0   
   Some college, no degree............     4.8        2.7        4.5        7.2        7.9       10.0   
   Associate degree...................     5.1        2.9        5.1        6.6        8.8        7.4   
   College graduates..................     4.9        3.0        5.0        7.6       10.1       10.1   
     Bachelor's degree................     4.7        2.9        5.0        7.2        9.6       13.3   
     Master's degree..................     5.6        3.3        5.3        9.6       11.6        7.3   
     Doctoral or professional                                                                           
      degree..........................     4.7        1.9        4.6        6.0       11.4       10.7   


      NOTE:  Data reflect the introduction of revisions to population controls in January 2005 and 
   January 2006.





   Table 5.  Median years of tenure with current employer for employed wage and salary workers by
   industry, selected years, 2000-06
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                           Industry                           February  January   January   January 
                                                                2000      2002      2004      2006  
                                                                                                    
     Total, 16 years and over...............................     3.5       3.7       4.0       4.0  
                                                                                                    
   Private sector...........................................     3.2       3.3       3.5       3.6  
     Agriculture and related industries.....................     3.7       4.2       3.7       3.8  
     Nonagricultural industries.............................     3.2       3.3       3.5       3.6  
       Mining...............................................     4.8       4.5       5.2       3.8  
       Construction.........................................     2.7       3.0       3.0       3.0  
       Manufacturing........................................     4.9       5.4       5.8       5.5  
         Durable goods manufacturing........................     4.8       5.5       6.0       5.6  
           Nonmetallic mineral products.....................     5.5       5.3       4.8       5.0  
           Primary metals and fabricated metal products.....     5.0       6.3       6.4       6.2  
           Machinery manufacturing..........................     5.3       6.8       6.4       6.6  
           Computers and electronic products................     3.9       4.7       5.2       5.9  
           Electrical equipment and appliances..............     5.0       5.5       9.8       6.2  
           Transportation equipment.........................     6.4       7.0       7.7       7.2  
           Wood products....................................     3.7       4.3       5.0       4.7  
           Furniture and fixtures...........................     4.4       4.7       4.7       4.2  
           Miscellaneous manufacturing......................     3.7       4.5       4.6       3.9  
         Nondurable goods manufacturing.....................     5.0       5.3       5.5       5.4  
           Food manufacturing...............................     4.6       5.0       4.9       5.2  
           Beverage and tobacco products....................     5.5       4.6       8.0       5.4  
           Textiles, apparel, and leather...................     4.7       5.0       5.0       4.4  
           Paper and printing...............................     5.1       6.2       6.9       6.3  
           Petroleum and coal products......................     9.5       9.8      11.4       5.0  
           Chemicals........................................     6.0       5.7       5.3       6.1  
           Plastics and rubber products.....................     4.6       5.3       5.7       5.0  
       Wholesale and retail trade...........................     2.7       2.8       3.1       3.1  
         Wholesale trade....................................     3.9       3.9       4.3       4.6  
         Retail trade.......................................     2.5       2.6       2.8       2.8  
       Transportation and utilities.........................     4.7       4.9       5.3       4.9  
         Transportation and warehousing.....................     4.0       4.3       4.7       4.3  
         Utilities..........................................    11.5      13.4      13.3      10.4  
       Information (1)......................................     3.4       3.3       4.3       4.8  
         Publishing, except Internet........................     4.2       4.8       4.7       5.3  
         Motion picture and sound recording industries......     1.6       2.3       2.2       1.9  
         Broadcasting, except Internet......................     3.6       3.1       4.0       4.6  
         Telecommunications.................................     4.3       3.4       4.6       5.3  
       Financial activities.................................     3.5       3.6       3.9       4.0  
         Finance and insurance..............................     3.6       3.9       4.1       4.1  
           Finance..........................................     3.3       3.6       4.0       3.9  
           Insurance........................................     4.4       4.5       4.4       4.7  
         Real estate and rental and leasing.................     3.1       3.0       3.3       3.4  
           Real estate......................................     3.1       3.2       3.5       3.5  
           Rental and leasing services......................     3.0       2.2       2.9       3.1  
       Professional and business services...................     2.4       2.7       3.2       3.2  
         Professional and technical services................     2.6       3.1       3.6       3.8  
         Management, administrative, and waste services (1).     2.0       2.1       2.6       2.5  
           Administrative and support services..............     1.8       1.9       2.4       2.4  
           Waste management and remediation services........     3.6       4.3       3.4       4.1  
       Education and health services........................     3.4       3.5       3.6       4.0  
         Educational services...............................     3.2       3.6       3.8       4.0  
         Health care and social assistance..................     3.5       3.5       3.6       4.1  
           Hospitals........................................     5.1       4.9       4.7       5.2  
           Health services, except hospitals................     3.2       3.1       3.3       3.6  
           Social assistance................................     2.4       2.5       2.8       3.1  
       Leisure and hospitality..............................     1.7       1.8       2.0       1.9  
         Arts, entertainment, and recreation................     2.6       2.3       2.8       3.1  
         Accommodation and food services....................     1.5       1.6       1.9       1.6  
           Accommodation....................................     2.8       2.7       3.1       2.5  
           Food services and drinking places................     1.4       1.4       1.6       1.4  
       Other services.......................................     3.1       3.3       3.3       3.2  
         Other services, except private households..........     3.2       3.3       3.5       3.3  
           Repair and maintenance...........................     3.0       3.0       3.2       2.9  
           Personal and laundry services....................     2.7       2.8       3.4       2.8  
           Membership associations and organizations........     4.0       4.1       3.9       4.2  
         Other services, private households.................     3.0       2.7       2.3       2.8  
                                                                                                    
   Public sector............................................     7.1       6.7       6.9       6.9  
     Federal government.....................................    11.5      11.3      10.4       9.9  
     State government.......................................     5.5       5.4       6.4       6.3  
     Local government.......................................     6.7       6.2       6.4       6.6  


     1 Includes other industries, not shown separately.
     NOTE:  Data for January 2004 reflect the introduction of revisions to population controls in
   January 2003 and 2004.  Data for January 2006 reflect the introduction of revisions to population
   controls in January 2005 and 2006.  





   Table 6.  Median years of tenure with current employer for employed wage and salary workers by
   occupation, selected years, 2000-06
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                          Occupation                          February  January   January   January 
                                                                2000      2002      2004      2006  
                                                                                                    
       Total, 16 years and over.............................     3.5       3.7       4.0       4.0  
                                                                                                    
    Management, professional, and related occupations.......     4.6       4.6       5.0       5.2  
      Management, business, and financial operations                                                
       occupations..........................................     4.9       5.2       5.5       5.5  
         Management occupations.............................     5.3       5.6       6.0       6.0  
         Business and financial operations occupations......     4.0       4.2       4.5       4.7  
      Professional and related occupations..................     4.4       4.2       4.7       5.0  
         Computer and mathematical occupations..............     3.1       3.2       4.8       4.8  
         Architecture and engineering occupations...........     4.8       5.2       5.8       6.5  
         Life, physical, and social science occupations.....     4.6       4.3       4.2       4.7  
         Community and social services occupations..........     4.6       4.4       4.7       4.7  
         Legal occupations..................................     3.9       4.5       4.1       5.0  
         Education, training, and library occupations.......     5.4       4.8       5.1       5.3  
         Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media                                             
          occupations.......................................     3.2       3.0       3.6       3.6  
         Healthcare practitioner and technical                                                      
          occupations.......................................     4.6       4.3       4.5       4.8  
                                                                                                    
    Service occupations.....................................     2.5       2.4       2.8       2.8  
      Healthcare support occupations........................     2.8       2.5       2.9       3.1  
      Protective service occupations........................     5.6       5.4       5.5       5.5  
      Food preparation and serving related occupations......     1.6       1.5       1.8       1.8  
      Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance                                                 
       occupations..........................................     3.4       3.0       3.3       3.7  
      Personal care and service occupations.................     2.3       2.3       2.7       2.4  
                                                                                                    
    Sales and office occupations............................     3.1       3.2       3.4       3.4  
      Sales and related occupations.........................     2.6       2.7       2.8       2.8  
      Office and administrative support occupations.........     3.4       3.6       4.0       4.1  
                                                                                                    
    Natural resources, construction, and maintenance                                                
     occupations............................................     3.6       3.7       3.7       3.5  
      Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations............     2.8       4.0       3.7       3.6  
      Construction and extraction occupations...............     3.1       3.2       3.2       3.0  
      Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.....     4.7       4.6       4.7       4.6  
                                                                                                    
    Production, transportation, and material moving                                                 
     occupations............................................     3.9       4.3       4.2       4.0  
      Production occupations................................     4.5       5.2       5.0       4.8  
      Transportation and material moving occupations........     3.2       3.2       3.4       3.3  


      NOTE:  Data for January 2004 reflect the introduction of revisions to population controls in
   January 2003 and 2004.  Data for January 2006 reflect the introduction of revisions to population
   controls in January 2005 and 2006.