Economic News Release

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
                                                   2007     2008     2008p         2007     2008     2008p

Total...........................................  5,612    4,799    5,012           4.1      3.5      3.6

                   INDUSTRY

 Total private..................................  5,193    4,488    4,609           4.5      3.9      4.0
  Natural resources and mining..................     35       34       29           4.9      4.6      3.9
  Construction..................................    465      513      387           6.0      7.2      5.3
  Manufacturing.................................    407      300      313           2.9      2.2      2.3
   Durable goods................................    234      173      172           2.6      2.0      2.0
   Nondurable goods.............................    173      127      142           3.4      2.6      2.9
  Trade, transportation, and utilities..........  1,164      934      898           4.4      3.6      3.4
   Wholesale trade..............................    186      140      117           3.1      2.3      1.9
   Retail trade.................................    826      629      639           5.3      4.1      4.2
   Transportation, warehousing, and utilities...    152      165      142           3.0      3.3      2.8
  Information...................................     78       53       49           2.6      1.8      1.6
  Financial activities..........................    264      186      210           3.2      2.3      2.6
   Finance and insurance........................    168      118      127           2.7      1.9      2.1
   Real estate and rental and leasing...........     96       68       83           4.4      3.2      3.9
  Professional and business services............    986      911      852           5.5      5.1      4.7
  Education and health services.................    503      463      496           2.7      2.4      2.6
   Educational services.........................     54       52       66           1.8      1.6      2.1
   Health care and social assistance............    449      411      431           2.9      2.6      2.7
  Leisure and hospitality.......................  1,106      905    1,146           8.1      6.7      8.2
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation..........    209      151      228          10.2      7.7     10.9
   Accommodation and food services.............     897      754      917           7.7      6.5      7.8
  Other services................................    186      189      229           3.4      3.4      4.1

 Government.....................................    419      312      402           1.9      1.4      1.8
  Federal.......................................     82       85       78           3.0      3.1      2.9
  State and local...............................    336      226      324           1.7      1.1      1.6

                    REGION (3)

  Northeast.....................................    838      769      812           3.3      3.0      3.1
  South.........................................  2,168    1,720    1,782           4.3      3.5      3.6
  Midwest.......................................  1,382    1,071    1,179           4.4      3.4      3.7
  West..........................................  1,224    1,240    1,239           3.9      4.0      4.0


  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 See footnote 8, table 1.
  p = preliminary.