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Economic News Release
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Quarterly Data Series on Business Employment Dynamics News Release

For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT), Wednesday, July 24, 2019                                   	USDL-19-1342

Technical Information:	(202) 691-6553  *  BDMInfo@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/bdm
Media Contact:	        (202) 691-5902  *  PressOffice@bls.gov

BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT DYNAMICS – FOURTH QUARTER 2018

From September 2018 to December 2018, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector 
establishments were 7.7 million, an increase of 281,000 jobs from the previous quarter, the U.S. Bureau 
of Labor Statistics reported today. Over this period, gross job losses from closing and contracting 
private-sector establishments were 6.9 million, a decrease of 506,000 jobs from the previous quarter. 
The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net 
employment gain of 814,000 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2018. (See tables A and 
1.)

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
|                                                                                                         |
|                            South Carolina Business Employment Dynamics Data                             |
|                                                                                                         |
|   Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data for all four quarters 2018 for South Carolina show            |
|   unusual movements, which may be a result of a change in reporting. These unusual movements            |
|   coincide with a modernization of the South Carolina unemployment insurance system. For more           |
|   information, please visit: www.bls.gov/cew/2018-notice-regarding-south-carolina-employment-           |
|   and-wages-data.htm                                                                                    |
|                                                                                                         |
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment 
that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics statistics track 
these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the 
third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross 
job losses is the net change in employment. (See Technical Note.) The BED data series include gross job 
gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, 
and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size 
class.

Gross Job Gains

In the fourth quarter of 2018, gross job gains represented 6.1 percent of private-sector employment. Gross 
job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the 
addition of new jobs at opening establishments. Gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 6.3 
million in the fourth quarter of 2018, an increase of 202,000 jobs compared to the previous quarter. 
Opening establishments accounted for 1.4 million of the jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2018, an 
increase of 79,000 jobs from the previous quarter. (See tables A, 1, 2, and 3.)

Gross Job Losses

In the fourth quarter of 2018, gross job losses represented 5.6 percent of private-sector employment. 
Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of 
jobs at closing establishments. Contracting establishments lost 5.6 million jobs in the fourth quarter of 
2018, a decrease of 516,000 jobs from the prior quarter. In the fourth quarter of 2018, closing 
establishments lost 1.3 million jobs, an increase of 10,000 jobs from the previous quarter. (See tables A, 
1, 2, and 3.)

Establishment Births and Deaths

In the fourth quarter of 2018, the number of establishment births (a subset of the openings data) 
decreased by 4,000, to a total of 248,000 establishments. These new establishments accounted for 
857,000 jobs, a decrease of 2,000 jobs from the previous quarter. Data for establishment deaths (a 
subset of the closings data) are available through the first quarter of 2018, when 662,000 jobs were 
lost at 214,000 establishments, a decrease of 70,000 jobs from the fourth quarter of 2017. (See Technical 
Note and table 8.)

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 9 of 13 industries in the fourth quarter of 2018. The service-
providing industries experienced a net job increase of 669,000 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2018. Within 
service-providing industries, transportation and warehousing had the largest over-the-quarter net job 
increase, with a gain of 187,000 jobs. The net job increase in transportation and warehousing was the result 
of 424,000 gross job gains and 237,000 gross job losses. The retail trade industry had the largest decrease
among service-providing industries, with a loss of 70,000 jobs. The goods-producing industries experienced
a net job increase of 145,000 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2018. Of the goods-producing industries,
manufacturing added 90,000 jobs, construction experienced a net increase of 69,000 jobs, and natural
resources and mining lost 14,000 jobs. (See table 3.)

 Table A. Three-month private sector gross job gains and losses, seasonally adjusted

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          |                  3 months ended                 
                 Category                 |    Dec. |    Mar. |    June |   Sept. |    Dec.
                                          |    2017 |    2018 |    2018 |    2018 |    2018
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          |              Levels (in thousands)              
                                          |--------------------------------------------------
 Gross job gains......................... |   7,826 |   7,406 |   7,639 |   7,448 |   7,729
        At expanding establishments...... |   6,383 |   6,071 |   6,245 |   6,099 |   6,301
        At opening establishments........ |   1,443 |   1,335 |   1,394 |   1,349 |   1,428
                                          |         |         |         |         |        
 Gross job losses........................ |   6,847 |   6,666 |   7,202 |   7,421 |   6,915
        At contracting establishments.... |   5,547 |   5,526 |   5,942 |   6,099 |   5,583
        At closing establishments........ |   1,300 |   1,140 |   1,260 |   1,322 |   1,332
                                          |         |         |         |         |        
 Net employment change (1)............... |     979 |     740 |     437 |      27 |     814
                                          |         |         |         |         |        
                                          |--------------------------------------------------
                                          |                 Rates (percent)                 
                                          |--------------------------------------------------
 Gross job gains......................... |     6.4 |     6.0 |     6.1 |     6.0 |     6.1
        At expanding establishments...... |     5.2 |     4.9 |     5.0 |     4.9 |     5.0
        At opening establishments........ |     1.2 |     1.1 |     1.1 |     1.1 |     1.1
                                          |         |         |         |         |        
 Gross job losses........................ |     5.6 |     5.4 |     5.8 |     6.0 |     5.6
        At contracting establishments.... |     4.5 |     4.5 |     4.8 |     4.9 |     4.5
        At closing establishments........ |     1.1 |     0.9 |     1.0 |     1.1 |     1.1
                                          |         |         |         |         |        
 Net employment change (1)............... |     0.8 |     0.6 |     0.3 |     0.0 |     0.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross 
    job losses. See the Technical Note for further information.

Firm Size

In the fourth quarter of 2018, firms with 1-49 employees had a net employment gain of 199,000. Firms 
with 50-249 employees had a net employment gain of 147,000. Firms with 250 or more employees had a 
net employment gain of 400,000. (See tables 4 and 5.)

States

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands
in the fourth quarter of 2018. Among the states, Alaska had the highest rate of gross job gains as a
percent of employment at 10.9 percent, above the U.S. rate of 6.1 percent. Connecticut and Pennsylvania
had the lowest rate of gross job gains as a percent of employment at 5.3 percent each. Alaska had the 
highest rate of gross job losses as a percent of employment at 9.7 percent, above the national rate of 5.6
percent. Pennsylvania had the lowest rate of gross job losses as a percent of employment at 4.7 percent.
(See tables 6 and 7.)

For More Information

Additional information on gross job gains and gross job losses is available online at www.bls.gov/bdm. 
This information includes data on the levels and rates of gross job gains and gross job losses by firm 
size, not seasonally adjusted data and other seasonally adjusted time series not presented in this release, 
charts of gross job gains and gross job losses by industry and firm size, and answers to frequently asked  
questions. Additional information about the Business Employment Dynamics data can be found 
in the Technical Note of this release or can be obtained by emailing BDMinfo@bls.gov.

_____________
The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2019 are scheduled to be released on 
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
|                                                                                                         |
|                            Changes to Business Employment Dynamics (BED) Data                           |
|                                                                                                         |
|   Data in the next release, published on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, will incorporate annual           |
|   revisions to the BED series. Annual revisions are published each year with the release of             |
|   first quarter data. These revisions will cover the last four quarters of not seasonally adjusted      |
|   data and five years of seasonally adjusted data.                                                      |
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 







Technical Note

The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative 
program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are 
compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records. Most 
employers in the U.S. are required to file quarterly reports on the employment and wages of 
workers covered by unemployment insurance (UI) laws and to pay quarterly UI taxes. The QCEW 
is based largely on quarterly UI reports which are sent by businesses to the State Workforce 
Agencies (SWAs). These UI reports are supplemented by two additional BLS data collections to 
render administrative data into economic statistics. Together these data comprise the QCEW and 
form the basis of the Bureau’s establishment universe sampling frame.

These reports are used to produce the quarterly QCEW data on total employment and wages and 
the longitudinal BED data on gross job gains and losses. The QCEW is also the employment 
benchmark for the Current Employment Statistics (CES), Occupational Employment Statistics 
(OES), and Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) programs and is a major input to 
the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s Personal Income Accounts.

In the BED program, the quarterly QCEW records are linked across quarters to provide a 
longitudinal history for each establishment. The linkage process allows the tracking of net 
employment changes at the establishment level, which in turn allows the estimation of jobs gained 
at opening and expanding units and jobs lost at closing and contracting units.

Differences between QCEW, BED, and CES employment measures

The Bureau publishes three different establishment-based employment measures for any given 
quarter. Each of these measures—Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Business 
Employment Dynamics (BED), and Current Employment Statistics (CES)—makes use of the 
quarterly UI employment reports in producing data; however, each measure has a somewhat 
different universe coverage, estimation procedure, and publication product.

Differences in coverage and estimation methods can result in somewhat different measures of 
employment change over time. It is important to understand program differences and the intended 
uses of the program products. (See table.) Additional information on each program can be obtained 
from the program websites shown in the table.

Summary of Major Differences between QCEW, BED, and CES Employment Measures
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           |         QCEW        |         BED          |         CES
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Source     |--Count of UI admini-|--Count of longitudi- |--Sample survey:
           |  strative records   |  nally-linked UI ad- |  651,000 establish-
           |  submitted by 10.0  |  ministrative records|  ments
           |  million establish- |  submitted by 8.0    |
           |  ments in first qu- |  million private-sec-|
           |  arter of 2018      |  tor establishments  |
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Coverage   |--UI and UCFE cover- |--UI Coverage, exclud-|Nonfarm wage and salary
           |  age, including all |  ing government, pri-|  jobs:
           |  employers subject  |  vate households, and|--UI Coverage, exclud-
           |  to state and feder-|  establishments with |  ing agriculture, pri-
           |  ral UI Laws        |  zero employment     |  vate households, and
           |                     |                      |  self-employed workers
           |                     |                      |--other employment, 
           |                     |                      |  including railroads,
           |                     |                      |  religious organiza-
           |                     |                      |  tions, and other non-
           |                     |                      |  UI-covered jobs
           |                     |                      |
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Publication|--Quarterly          |--Quarterly           |--Monthly 
frequency  |  -6 months after the|  -7 months after the |  -Usually the 3rd Fri-
           |   end of each quar- |   end of each quarter|   day after the end of
           |   ter               |                      |   the week including 
           |                     |                      |   the 12th of the month
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Use of UI  |--Directly summarizes|--Links each new UI   |--Uses UI file as a sam-
file       |  and publishes each |  quarter to longitu- |  pling frame and to ann-
           |  new quarter of UI  |  dinal database and  |  ually realign sample-
           |  data               |  directly summarizes |  based estimates to pop-
           |                     |  gross job gains and |  ulation counts (bench-
           |                     |  losses              |  marking)
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Principal  |--Provides a quarter-|--Provides quarterly  |--Provides current month-
products   |  ly and annual uni- |  employer dynamics   |  ly estimates of employ-
           |  verse count of es- |  data on establish-  |  ment, hours, and earn-
           |  tablishments, em-  |  ment openings, clos-|  ings at the MSA, state,
           |  ployment, and wages|  ings, expansions,   |  and national level by
           |  at the county, Met-|  and contractions at |  industry
           |  ropolitan statisti-|  the national level  |
           |  cal area (MSA), St-|  by NAICS super-     |
           |  ate, and national  |  sectors,3-digit     |
           |  levels by detailed |  NAICS, and by size  |
           |  industry           |  of firm, and at the |
           |                     |  state private-sector|
           |                     |  total level         |
           |                     |--Future expansions   |
           |                     |  will include        |
           |                     |  data with greater   |
           |                     |  industry detail and |
           |                     |  data at the county  |
           |                     |  and MSA level       |
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Principal  |--Major uses include:|--Major uses include: |--Major uses include:
uses       |  -Detailed locality |  -Business cycle     |  -Principal federal
           |   data              |   analysis           |   economic indicator
           |  -Periodic universe |  -Analysis of employ-|  -Official time series 
           |   counts for bench- |   er dynamics under- |   for employment change
           |   marking sample    |   lying economic ex- |   measures
           |   survey estimates  |   pansions and con-  |  -Input into other ma-
           |  -Sample frame for  |   tractions          |   jor economic indi-
           |   BLS establishment |  -Analysis of employ-|   cators
           |   surveys           |   ment expansion and |
           |                     |   contraction by size|
           |                     |   of firm            |
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Program    |--www.bls.gov/cew    |--www.bls.gov/bdm     |--www.bls.gov/ces 
Web sites  |                     |                      |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coverage

Employment and wage data for workers covered by state UI and Unemployment Compensation for 
Federal Employees (UCFE) laws are compiled from quarterly contribution reports submitted to the 
SWAs by employers. In addition to the quarterly contribution reports, employers who operate 
multiple establishments within a state complete a questionnaire, called the “Multiple Worksite 
Report,” which provides detailed information on the location of their establishments. These reports 
are based on place of employment rather than place of residence. UI and UCFE coverage is broad 
and basically comparable from state to state. 

Major exclusions from UI coverage are self-employed workers, religious organizations, most 
agricultural workers on small farms, all members of the Armed Forces, elected officials in most 
states, most employees of railroads, some domestic workers, most student workers at schools, and 
employees of certain small nonprofit organizations.

Gross job gains and gross job losses in this release are derived from longitudinal histories of 8.0 
million private sector employer reports out of 10.0 million total reports of employment and wages 
submitted by states to BLS in the first quarter of 2018. Gross job gains and gross job losses data in 
this release do not report estimates for government employees or private households (NAICS 
814110) and do not include establishments with zero employment in both previous and current 
quarters. Data from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are also excluded from the national data. 
The table below shows, in millions of establishments, the number of establishments excluded from 
the national gross job gains and gross job losses data in the first quarter 2018.

                         Number of active establishments included in                       
                   Business Employment Dynamics data at the national level                 

 Total establishments QCEW program....................................................10.0

   Excluded: Public sector............................................................ 0.3
           Private households......................................................... 0.2
           Zero employment............................................................ 1.5

 Total establishments included in Business
 Employment Dynamics data............................................................. 8.0

Unit of analysis

Establishments are used in the tabulation of the BED statistics by industry and firms are used in the 
tabulation of the BED size class statistics. An establishment is defined as an economic unit that 
produces goods or services, usually at a single physical location, and engages in one or 
predominantly one activity. A firm is a legal business, either corporate or otherwise, and may 
consist of several establishments. Firm-level data are compiled based on an aggregation of 
establishments under common ownership by a corporate parent using employer tax identification 
numbers. The firm level aggregation which is consistent with the role of corporations as the 
economic decision makers are used for the measurement of the BED data elements by size class.

Because of the difference in the unit of analysis, total gross job gains and gross job losses by size 
class are lower than total gross job gains and gross job losses by industry, as some establishment 
gains and losses within a firm are offset during the aggregation process. However, the total net 
changes in employment are the same for not seasonally adjusted data and are similar for seasonally 
adjusted data.

Concepts and methodology

The Business Employment Dynamics data measure the net change in employment at the 
establishment or firm level. These changes come about in one of four ways. A net increase in 
employment can come from either opening units or expanding units. A net decrease in 
employment can come from either closing units or contracting units. Gross job gains include the 
sum of all jobs added at either opening or expanding units. Gross job losses include the sum of all 
jobs lost in either closing or contracting units. The net change in employment is the difference 
between gross job gains and gross job losses.

The formal definitions of employment changes are as follows:

Openings. These are either units with positive third month employment for the first time in the 
current quarter, with no links to the prior quarter, or with positive third month employment in the 
current quarter following zero employment in the previous quarter.

Expansions. These are units with positive employment in the third month in both the previous and 
current quarters, with a net increase in employment over this period.

Closings. These are either units with positive third month employment in the previous quarter, with 
no employment or zero employment reported in the current quarter.

Contractions. These are units with positive employment in the third month in both the previous and 
current quarters, with a net decrease in employment over this period.

Births. These are units with positive third month employment for the first time in the current 
quarter with no links to the prior quarter, or units with positive third month employment in the 
current quarter and zero employment in the third month of the previous four quarters. Births are a 
subset of openings not including re-openings of seasonal businesses.

Deaths. These are units with no employment or zero employment reported in the third month of 
four consecutive quarters following the last quarter with positive employment. Deaths are a subset 
of closings not including temporary shutdowns of seasonal businesses. A unit that closes during the 
quarter may be a death, but we wait three quarters to determine whether it is a permanent closing 
or a temporary shutdown. Therefore, there is always a lag of three quarters for the publication of 
death statistics.

All employment changes are measured from the third month of the previous quarter to the third 
month of the current quarter. Not all establishments and firms change their employment levels. 
Units with no change in employment count towards estimates of total employment, but not for 
levels of gross job gains and gross job losses.

Gross job gains and gross job losses are expressed as rates by dividing their levels by the average 
of employment in the current and previous quarters. This provides a symmetric growth rate. The 
rates are calculated for the components of gross job gains and gross job losses and then summed to 
form their respective totals. These rates can be added and subtracted just as their levels can. For 
instance, the difference between the gross job gains rate and the gross job losses rate is the net 
growth rate.

Establishment Births and Deaths

For the purpose of BED statistics, births are defined as establishments that appear in the 
longitudinal database for the first time with positive employment in the third month of a quarter, or 
showed four consecutive quarters of zero employment in the third month followed by a quarter in 
which it shows positive employment in the third month. Similarly, deaths are defined as 
establishments that either drop out of the longitudinal database or an establishment that had 
positive employment in the third month of a given quarter followed by four consecutive quarters of 
showing zero employment in the third month. Although the data for establishment births and 
deaths are tabulated independently from the data for openings and closings, the concepts are not 
mutually exclusive. An establishment that is defined as a birth in a given quarter is necessarily an 
opening as well, and an establishment defined as a death in a quarter must also be a closing. Since 
openings include seasonal and other re-openings and closings include temporary shutdowns, the 
not seasonally adjusted values for births and deaths must be less than those for openings and 
closings. However, because some BED series do not have many re-openings or temporary 
shutdowns, as well as the fact that births and deaths are independently seasonally adjusted from 
openings and closings, there may be instances in which the seasonally adjusted value of the former 
is greater than the latter.

Linkage methodology

Prior to the measurement of gross job gains and gross job losses, QCEW records are linked across 
two quarters. The linkage process matches establishments' unique SWA identification numbers 
(SWA-ID). Between 95 and 97 percent of establishments identified as continuous from quarter to 
quarter are matched by SWA-ID. The rest are linked in one of three ways. The first method uses 
predecessor and successor information, identified by the states, which relates records with different 
SWA-IDs across quarters. Predecessor and successor relations can come about for a variety of 
reasons, including a change in ownership, a firm restructuring, or a UI account restructuring. If a 
match cannot be attained in this manner, a probability-based match is used. This match attempts to 
identify two establishments with different SWA-IDs as continuous. The match is based upon 
comparisons such as the same name, address, and phone number. Third, an analyst examines 
unmatched records individually and makes a possible match.

In order to ensure the highest possible quality of data, SWAs verify with employers and update, if 
necessary, the industry, location, and ownership classification of all establishments on a 3-year 
cycle. Changes in establishment classification codes resulting from the verification process are 
introduced with the data reported for the first quarter of the year. Changes resulting from improved 
employer reporting also are introduced in the first quarter.

Sizing methodology

The method of dynamic sizing is used in calculations for the BED size class data series. Dynamic 
sizing allocates each firm’s employment gain or loss during a quarter to each respective size class 
in which the change occurred. For example, if a firm grew from 2 employees in quarter 1 to 38 
employees in quarter 2, then, of the 36-employee increase, 2 would be allocated to the first size 
class, 5 to the size class 5 to 9, 10 to size class 10 to 19, and 19 to size class 20 to 49.

Dynamic sizing provides symmetrical firm-size estimates and eliminates any systematic effects 
which may be caused by the transitory and reverting changes in firms’ sizes over time. 
Additionally, it allocates each job gain or loss to the actual size class where it occurred.

Annual Data

The annual gross job gains and gross job losses measure the net change in employment at the 
establishment level from the third month of a quarter in the previous year to the third month of the 
same quarter in the current year. The BLS publishes annual BED data based on March-to-March 
changes once a year with the release of the first quarter BED data. The annual data based on over-
the-year changes for other quarters of the year are available upon request. The definitions and 
methodology in measuring annual gross job gains and gross job losses are similar to the quarterly 
measures. The linkage method considers all predecessor and successor relations that may come 
about due to changes in ownership and corporate restructuring over the entire year. At the 
establishment level, some of the quarterly job gains and job losses are offset during the estimation 
over the year. Therefore, the sum of four quarters of gross job gains and gross job losses are not 
equal to annual gross job gains and gross job losses. The net change in employment over the year, 
however, is equal to the sum of four quarterly net changes on a not seasonally adjusted basis.

Seasonal adjustment

Over the course of a year, the levels of employment and the associated job flows undergo sharp 
fluctuations due to such seasonal events as changes in the weather, reduced or expanded 
production, harvests, major holidays, and the opening and closing of schools. The effect of such 
seasonal variation can be very large.

Because these seasonal events follow a more or less regular pattern each year, their influence can 
be eliminated by adjusting these statistics from quarter to quarter. These adjustments make 
nonseasonal developments, such as declines in economic activity, easier to recognize. For 
example, the large number of youths taking summer jobs is likely to obscure other changes that 
have taken place in June relative to March, making it difficult to determine if the level of economic 
activity has risen or declined. However, because the effect of students finishing school in previous 
years is known, the statistics for the current year can be adjusted to allow for a comparable change. 
The adjusted figures provide a more useful tool with which to analyze changes in economic 
activity.

The employment data series for opening, expanding, closing, and contracting units are 
independently seasonally adjusted; net changes are calculated based on the difference between 
gross job gains and gross job losses. Similarly, for industry data, the establishment counts data 
series for opening, expanding, closing, and contracting establishments are independently adjusted, 
and the net changes are calculated based on the difference between the number of opening and 
closing establishments. Additionally establishment and employment levels are independently 
seasonally adjusted to calculate the seasonally adjusted rates. Concurrent seasonal adjustment is 
run using X-13 ARIMA-SEATS. Seasonally adjusted data series for total private are the sum of 
seasonally adjusted data of all sectors including the unclassified sector, which is not separately 
published.

The net over-the-quarter change derived by summing the BED component series will differ from 
the net employment change estimated from the seasonally adjusted total private employment series 
from the CES program. The intended use of BED statistics is to show the dynamic labor market 
changes that underlie the net employment change statistic. As such, data users interested 
particularly in the net employment change and not in the gross job flows underlying this change 
should refer to CES data for over-the-quarter net employment changes.

Reliability of the data

Since the data series on Business Employment Dynamics are based on administrative rather than 
sample data, there are no issues related to sampling error. Nonsampling error, however, still exists. 
Nonsampling errors can occur for many reasons, such as the employer submitting corrected 
employment data after the end of the quarter or typographical errors made by businesses when 
providing information. Such errors, however, are likely to be distributed randomly throughout the 
dataset.

Changes in administrative data sometimes create complications for the linkage process. This can 
result in overstating openings and closings while understating expansions and contractions. The 
BLS continues to refine methods for improving the linkage process to alleviate the effects of these 
complications.

The BED data series are subject to periodic minor changes based on corrections in QCEW records, 
updates on predecessors and successors information, and seasonal adjustment revisions.

Annual revisions are published each year with the release of the first quarter data. These revisions 
cover the last four quarters of not seasonally adjusted data and 5 years of seasonally adjusted data.

Additional statistics and other information

Several other programs within BLS produce closely related information. The QCEW program 
provides both quarterly and annual estimates of employment by state, county, and detailed 
industry. News releases on quarterly county employment and wages and the annual bulletin also 
are available upon request from the Division of Administrative Statistics and Labor Turnover 
(Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages), telephone (202) 691-6567; (www.bls.gov/cew/); 
(e-mail: QCEWInfo@bls.gov).

The Current Employment Statistics (CES) program produces monthly estimates of employment, its 
net change, hours, and earnings by detailed industry. These estimates are part of the Employment 
Situation report put out monthly by BLS.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) program provides monthly measures of 
job openings, as well as employee hires and separations.

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.






Table 1. Private sector gross job gains and job losses, seasonally adjusted

Total private

(In thousands)

                                                     Gross job gains                          Gross job losses
Year  3 months ended  Net change(1)     Total     Expanding      Opening         Total     Contracting    Closing
                                               establishments establishments            establishments establishments

2008  March                 -199        7,320         5,860        1,460         7,519          6,111       1,408
      June                  -593        7,281         5,833        1,448         7,874          6,363       1,511
      September             -913        6,944         5,535        1,409         7,857          6,436       1,421
      December            -1,838        6,738         5,345        1,393         8,576          7,056       1,520
 
2009  March               -2,680        5,918         4,675        1,243         8,598          7,142       1,456
      June                -1,667        6,425         5,080        1,345         8,092          6,674       1,418
      September             -849        6,399         5,139        1,260         7,248          5,854       1,394
      December              -264        6,665         5,308        1,357         6,929          5,605       1,324
 
2010  March                 -247        6,325         5,108        1,217         6,572          5,324       1,248
      June                   698        6,995         5,674        1,321         6,297          5,090       1,207
      September              237        6,741         5,438        1,303         6,504          5,231       1,273
      December               566        7,052         5,639        1,413         6,486          5,219       1,267
 
2011  March                  334        6,540         5,322        1,218         6,206          5,025       1,181
      June                   582        6,966         5,625        1,341         6,384          5,115       1,269
      September              841        7,205         5,810        1,395         6,364          5,172       1,192
      December               335        6,865         5,503        1,362         6,530          5,273       1,257
 
2012  March                  948        7,080         5,746        1,334         6,132          5,005       1,127
      June                   616        7,051         5,724        1,327         6,435          5,266       1,169
      September              252        6,881         5,571        1,310         6,629          5,430       1,199
      December               695        7,110         5,753        1,357         6,415          5,225       1,190
 
2013  March                  558        6,941         5,705        1,236         6,383          5,201       1,182
      June                   674        7,152         5,830        1,322         6,478          5,271       1,207
      September              507        7,058         5,719        1,339         6,551          5,408       1,143
      December               700        7,255         5,926        1,329         6,555          5,353       1,202
 
2014  March                  433        6,955         5,687        1,268         6,522          5,372       1,150
      June                   885        7,454         6,114        1,340         6,569          5,350       1,219
      September              553        7,241         5,912        1,329         6,688          5,504       1,184
      December             1,060        7,629         6,256        1,373         6,569          5,334       1,235
 
2015  March                  221        7,039         5,729        1,310         6,818          5,614       1,204
      June                   832        7,584         6,239        1,345         6,752          5,558       1,194
      September              445        7,335         5,975        1,360         6,890          5,680       1,210
      December               987        7,834         6,372        1,462         6,847          5,582       1,265
 
2016  March                  253        7,145         5,860        1,285         6,892          5,692       1,200
      June                   294        7,449         6,076        1,373         7,155          5,846       1,309
      September              714        7,704         6,243        1,461         6,990          5,744       1,246
      December               368        7,440         6,026        1,414         7,072          5,770       1,302
 
2017  March                  658        7,423         6,088        1,335         6,765          5,582       1,183
      June                   463        7,624         6,255        1,369         7,161          5,889       1,272
      September              -93        7,311         5,959        1,352         7,404          6,106       1,298
      December               979        7,826         6,383        1,443         6,847          5,547       1,300
 
2018  March                  740        7,406         6,071        1,335         6,666          5,526       1,140
      June                   437        7,639         6,245        1,394         7,202          5,942       1,260
      September               27        7,448         6,099        1,349         7,421          6,099       1,322
      December               814        7,729         6,301        1,428         6,915          5,583       1,332
 
 
(1) Net change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses.

Table 2. Private sector gross job gains and losses, as a percent of employment(1), seasonally adjusted

Total private

(Percent)

                                                     Gross job gains                          Gross job losses
Year  3 months ended  Net change(2)     Total     Expanding      Opening         Total     Contracting    Closing
                                               establishments establishments            establishments establishments

2008  March                 -0.1          6.4           5.1          1.3           6.5            5.3         1.2
      June                  -0.5          6.4           5.1          1.3           6.9            5.6         1.3
      September             -0.9          6.1           4.9          1.2           7.0            5.7         1.3
      December              -1.7          6.0           4.8          1.2           7.7            6.3         1.4
 
2009  March                 -2.4          5.4           4.3          1.1           7.8            6.5         1.3
      June                  -1.5          6.0           4.7          1.3           7.5            6.2         1.3
      September             -0.8          6.0           4.8          1.2           6.8            5.5         1.3
      December              -0.3          6.3           5.0          1.3           6.6            5.3         1.3
 
2010  March                 -0.2          6.0           4.8          1.2           6.2            5.0         1.2
      June                   0.7          6.6           5.4          1.2           5.9            4.8         1.1
      September              0.2          6.3           5.1          1.2           6.1            4.9         1.2
      December               0.5          6.6           5.3          1.3           6.1            4.9         1.2
 
2011  March                  0.3          6.1           5.0          1.1           5.8            4.7         1.1
      June                   0.5          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.9            4.7         1.2
      September              0.8          6.7           5.4          1.3           5.9            4.8         1.1
      December               0.4          6.4           5.1          1.3           6.0            4.8         1.2
 
2012  March                  0.8          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.6            4.6         1.0
      June                   0.5          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.9            4.8         1.1
      September              0.2          6.2           5.0          1.2           6.0            4.9         1.1
      December               0.6          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.8            4.7         1.1
 
2013  March                  0.5          6.2           5.1          1.1           5.7            4.6         1.1
      June                   0.6          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.8            4.7         1.1
      September              0.5          6.3           5.1          1.2           5.8            4.8         1.0
      December               0.6          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.8            4.7         1.1
 
2014  March                  0.4          6.1           5.0          1.1           5.7            4.7         1.0
      June                   0.7          6.5           5.3          1.2           5.8            4.7         1.1
      September              0.4          6.2           5.1          1.1           5.8            4.8         1.0
      December               0.9          6.6           5.4          1.2           5.7            4.6         1.1
 
2015  March                  0.2          6.0           4.9          1.1           5.8            4.8         1.0
      June                   0.7          6.4           5.3          1.1           5.7            4.7         1.0
      September              0.5          6.3           5.1          1.2           5.8            4.8         1.0
      December               0.8          6.6           5.4          1.2           5.8            4.7         1.1
 
2016  March                  0.2          6.0           4.9          1.1           5.8            4.8         1.0
      June                   0.2          6.2           5.1          1.1           6.0            4.9         1.1
      September              0.6          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.8            4.8         1.0
      December               0.3          6.2           5.0          1.2           5.9            4.8         1.1
 
2017  March                  0.5          6.1           5.0          1.1           5.6            4.6         1.0
      June                   0.4          6.2           5.1          1.1           5.8            4.8         1.0
      September             -0.1          6.0           4.9          1.1           6.1            5.0         1.1
      December               0.8          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.6            4.5         1.1
 
2018  March                  0.6          6.0           4.9          1.1           5.4            4.5         0.9
      June                   0.3          6.1           5.0          1.1           5.8            4.8         1.0
      September              0.0          6.0           4.9          1.1           6.0            4.9         1.1
      December               0.5          6.1           5.0          1.1           5.6            4.5         1.1
 
 
(1) The rates measure gross job gains and job losses as a percentage of the average of the previous and current quarter
    employment levels.

(2) Net change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses.

Table 3. Private sector gross job gains and losses by industry, seasonally adjusted

                                   Gross job gains and job losses              Gross job gains and job losses
                                          (in thousands)                         as a percent of employment

    Category                              3 months ended                               3 months ended

                                   Dec.     Mar.     June     Sept.    Dec.    Dec.    Mar.    June    Sept.   Dec.
                                   2017     2018     2018     2018     2018    2017    2018    2018    2018    2018
Total private(1)

Gross job gains                   7,826    7,406    7,639    7,448    7,729     6.4     6.0     6.1     6.0     6.1
 At expanding establishments      6,383    6,071    6,245    6,099    6,301     5.2     4.9     5.0     4.9     5.0
 At opening establishments        1,443    1,335    1,394    1,349    1,428     1.2     1.1     1.1     1.1     1.1
Gross job losses                  6,847    6,666    7,202    7,421    6,915     5.6     5.4     5.8     6.0     5.6
 At contracting establishments    5,547    5,526    5,942    6,099    5,583     4.5     4.5     4.8     4.9     4.5
 At closing establishments        1,300    1,140    1,260    1,322    1,332     1.1     0.9     1.0     1.1     1.1
Net employment change               979      740      437       27      814     0.8     0.6     0.3     0.0     0.5
 
Goods-producing

Gross job gains                   1,435    1,390    1,398    1,296    1,393     6.8     6.4     6.4     5.9     6.3
 At expanding establishments      1,226    1,200    1,208    1,111    1,189     5.8     5.5     5.5     5.1     5.4
 At opening establishments          209      190      190      185      204     1.0     0.9     0.9     0.8     0.9
Gross job losses                  1,233    1,174    1,256    1,308    1,248     5.8     5.4     5.7     6.0     5.7
 At contracting establishments    1,039      997    1,058    1,111    1,047     4.9     4.6     4.8     5.1     4.8
 At closing establishments          194      177      198      197      201     0.9     0.8     0.9     0.9     0.9
Net employment change               202      216      142      -12      145     1.0     1.0     0.7    -0.1     0.6
 
Natural resources and mining

Gross job gains                     256      254      275      236      242    13.5    13.2    14.2    12.3    12.5
 At expanding establishments        223      224      241      207      211    11.8    11.6    12.4    10.8    10.9
 At opening establishments           33       30       34       29       31     1.7     1.6     1.8     1.5     1.6
Gross job losses                    258      236      247      243      256    13.6    12.3    12.8    12.7    13.2
 At contracting establishments      227      206      213      215      227    12.0    10.7    11.0    11.2    11.7
 At closing establishments           31       30       34       28       29     1.6     1.6     1.8     1.5     1.5
Net employment change                -2       18       28       -7      -14    -0.1     0.9     1.4    -0.4    -0.7
 
Construction

Gross job gains                     719      716      685      641      687    10.4    10.0     9.5     8.9     9.5
 At expanding establishments        582      590      563      524      557     8.4     8.2     7.8     7.3     7.7
 At opening establishments          137      126      122      117      130     2.0     1.8     1.7     1.6     1.8
Gross job losses                    608      584      634      656      618     8.8     8.1     8.7     9.1     8.5
 At contracting establishments      491      476      515      533      496     7.1     6.6     7.1     7.4     6.8
 At closing establishments          117      108      119      123      122     1.7     1.5     1.6     1.7     1.7
Net employment change               111      132       51      -15       69     1.6     1.9     0.8    -0.2     1.0
 
Manufacturing

Gross job gains                     460      420      438      419      464     3.7     3.4     3.5     3.3     3.6
 At expanding establishments        421      386      404      380      421     3.4     3.1     3.2     3.0     3.3
 At opening establishments           39       34       34       39       43     0.3     0.3     0.3     0.3     0.3
Gross job losses                    367      354      375      409      374     3.0     2.8     3.0     3.3     2.9
 At contracting establishments      321      315      330      363      324     2.6     2.5     2.6     2.9     2.5
 At closing establishments           46       39       45       46       50     0.4     0.3     0.4     0.4     0.4
Net employment change                93       66       63       10       90     0.7     0.6     0.5     0.0     0.7
 
Service-providing(1)

Gross job gains                   6,391    6,016    6,241    6,152    6,336     6.3     5.9     6.1     6.0     6.2
 At expanding establishments      5,157    4,871    5,037    4,988    5,112     5.1     4.8     4.9     4.9     5.0
 At opening establishments        1,234    1,145    1,204    1,164    1,224     1.2     1.1     1.2     1.1     1.2
Gross job losses                  5,614    5,492    5,946    6,113    5,667     5.5     5.3     5.8     6.0     5.5
 At contracting establishments    4,508    4,529    4,884    4,988    4,536     4.4     4.4     4.8     4.9     4.4
 At closing establishments        1,106      963    1,062    1,125    1,131     1.1     0.9     1.0     1.1     1.1
Net employment change               777      524      295       39      669     0.8     0.6     0.3     0.0     0.7
 
Wholesale trade

Gross job gains                     280      263      273      268      277     4.7     4.5     4.7     4.6     4.7
 At expanding establishments        233      220      229      220      228     3.9     3.8     3.9     3.8     3.9
 At opening establishments           47       43       44       48       49     0.8     0.7     0.8     0.8     0.8
Gross job losses                    249      243      250      267      243     4.2     4.2     4.3     4.6     4.1
 At contracting establishments      193      192      196      210      188     3.3     3.3     3.4     3.6     3.2
 At closing establishments           56       51       54       57       55     0.9     0.9     0.9     1.0     0.9
Net employment change                31       20       23        1       34     0.5     0.3     0.4     0.0     0.6
 
Retail trade

Gross job gains                     907      919      902      909      841     5.7     5.8     5.6     5.7     5.4
 At expanding establishments        793      811      772      791      735     5.0     5.1     4.8     5.0     4.7
 At opening establishments          114      108      130      118      106     0.7     0.7     0.8     0.7     0.7
Gross job losses                    898      848      955      998      911     5.7     5.3     6.0     6.3     5.8
 At contracting establishments      783      748      837      850      781     5.0     4.7     5.3     5.4     5.0
 At closing establishments          115      100      118      148      130     0.7     0.6     0.7     0.9     0.8
Net employment change                 9       71      -53      -89      -70     0.0     0.5    -0.4    -0.6    -0.4
 
Transportation and warehousing

Gross job gains                     390      257      284      308      424     7.6     4.9     5.5     5.9     7.9
 At expanding establishments        343      224      245      269      369     6.7     4.3     4.7     5.2     6.9
 At opening establishments           47       33       39       39       55     0.9     0.6     0.8     0.7     1.0
Gross job losses                    231      327      252      254      237     4.5     6.3     4.9     4.9     4.5
 At contracting establishments      190      296      217      217      196     3.7     5.7     4.2     4.2     3.7
 At closing establishments           41       31       35       37       41     0.8     0.6     0.7     0.7     0.8
Net employment change               159      -70       32       54      187     3.1    -1.4     0.6     1.0     3.4
 
Utilities

Gross job gains                      12       11       13       11       12     2.2     2.0     2.4     2.0     2.2
 At expanding establishments         11       10       11       10       11     2.0     1.8     2.0     1.8     2.0
 At opening establishments            1        1        2        1        1     0.2     0.2     0.4     0.2     0.2
Gross job losses                     12       11       15       13       13     2.2     2.0     2.7     2.4     2.4
 At contracting establishments       10       10       13       12       11     1.8     1.8     2.3     2.2     2.0
 At closing establishments            2        1        2        1        2     0.4     0.2     0.4     0.2     0.4
Net employment change                 0        0       -2       -2       -1     0.0     0.0    -0.3    -0.4    -0.2
 
Information

Gross job gains                     147      154      158      147      140     5.3     5.5     5.6     5.3     5.0
 At expanding establishments        120      131      133      123      114     4.3     4.7     4.7     4.4     4.1
 At opening establishments           27       23       25       24       26     1.0     0.8     0.9     0.9     0.9
Gross job losses                    148      143      167      157      149     5.3     5.1     5.9     5.6     5.3
 At contracting establishments      121      120      139      129      120     4.3     4.3     4.9     4.6     4.3
 At closing establishments           27       23       28       28       29     1.0     0.8     1.0     1.0     1.0
Net employment change                -1       11       -9      -10       -9     0.0     0.4    -0.3    -0.3    -0.3
 
Financial activities

Gross job gains                     389      351      389      375      389     4.8     4.3     4.8     4.6     4.7
 At expanding establishments        301      281      311      297      297     3.7     3.4     3.8     3.6     3.6
 At opening establishments           88       70       78       78       92     1.1     0.9     1.0     1.0     1.1
Gross job losses                    370      338      354      386      373     4.6     4.1     4.4     4.8     4.6
 At contracting establishments      283      262      275      299      283     3.5     3.2     3.4     3.7     3.5
 At closing establishments           87       76       79       87       90     1.1     0.9     1.0     1.1     1.1
Net employment change                19       13       35      -11       16     0.2     0.2     0.4    -0.2     0.1
 
Professional and business services

Gross job gains                   1,499    1,324    1,456    1,412    1,489     7.3     6.4     7.0     6.8     7.1
 At expanding establishments      1,215    1,088    1,193    1,150    1,195     5.9     5.3     5.7     5.5     5.7
 At opening establishments          284      236      263      262      294     1.4     1.1     1.3     1.3     1.4
Gross job losses                  1,315    1,255    1,354    1,365    1,344     6.4     6.1     6.5     6.5     6.4
 At contracting establishments    1,029    1,016    1,086    1,095    1,052     5.0     4.9     5.2     5.2     5.0
 At closing establishments          286      239      268      270      292     1.4     1.2     1.3     1.3     1.4
Net employment change               184       69      102       47      145     0.9     0.3     0.5     0.3     0.7
 
Education and health services

Gross job gains                     987      971    1,005    1,008      998     4.4     4.4     4.4     4.5     4.4
 At expanding establishments        805      799      814      836      816     3.6     3.6     3.6     3.7     3.6
 At opening establishments          182      172      191      172      182     0.8     0.8     0.8     0.8     0.8
Gross job losses                    863      830      933      915      864     3.9     3.7     4.2     4.0     3.8
 At contracting establishments      681      668      758      735      680     3.1     3.0     3.4     3.2     3.0
 At closing establishments          182      162      175      180      184     0.8     0.7     0.8     0.8     0.8
Net employment change               124      141       72       93      134     0.5     0.7     0.2     0.5     0.6
 
Leisure and hospitality

Gross job gains                   1,391    1,331    1,338    1,314    1,391     8.8     8.2     8.2     8.1     8.6
 At expanding establishments      1,093    1,058    1,061    1,039    1,104     6.9     6.5     6.5     6.4     6.8
 At opening establishments          298      273      277      275      287     1.9     1.7     1.7     1.7     1.8
Gross job losses                  1,221    1,183    1,351    1,417    1,220     7.6     7.3     8.4     8.8     7.5
 At contracting establishments      997      991    1,131    1,187      997     6.2     6.1     7.0     7.4     6.1
 At closing establishments          224      192      220      230      223     1.4     1.2     1.4     1.4     1.4
Net employment change               170      148      -13     -103      171     1.2     0.9    -0.2    -0.7     1.1
 
Other services

Gross job gains                     295      287      314      294      297     7.1     6.9     7.5     7.0     7.0
 At expanding establishments        232      228      250      234      234     5.6     5.5     6.0     5.6     5.5
 At opening establishments           63       59       64       60       63     1.5     1.4     1.5     1.4     1.5
Gross job losses                    275      275      283      308      289     6.6     6.6     6.8     7.3     6.8
 At contracting establishments      212      215      221      243      221     5.1     5.2     5.3     5.8     5.2
 At closing establishments           63       60       62       65       68     1.5     1.4     1.5     1.5     1.6
Net employment change                20       12       31      -14        8     0.5     0.3     0.7    -0.3     0.2
 
(1) Includes unclassified sector, not shown separately.

Table 4. Private sector gross job gains and losses by firm size, seasonally adjusted

(In thousands)

                   Total private by firm(1)          Firm size 1 - 49 employees       Firm size 50 - 249 employees     Firm size 250 or more employees
Year  3 months      Net           Gross job           Net          Gross job           Net          Gross job           Net          Gross job
        ended      change       gains   losses       change      gains   losses       change      gains   losses       change      gains   losses

2008  March         -274        5,831    6,105        -152       3,235    3,387         -11       1,079    1,090        -111       1,517    1,628
      June          -548        5,850    6,398        -287       3,174    3,461         -44       1,090    1,134        -217       1,586    1,803
      September     -956        5,532    6,488        -343       3,051    3,394        -140       1,020    1,160        -473       1,461    1,934
      December    -1,886        5,338    7,224        -689       2,910    3,599        -375         947    1,322        -822       1,481    2,303
 
2009  March       -2,638        4,617    7,255        -983       2,721    3,704        -616         810    1,426      -1,039       1,086    2,125
      June        -1,763        5,169    6,932        -474       2,946    3,420        -281         950    1,231      -1,008       1,273    2,281
      September     -906        5,164    6,070        -372       2,826    3,198        -110         932    1,042        -424       1,406    1,830
      December      -317        5,403    5,720        -159       2,940    3,099         -45         962    1,007        -113       1,501    1,614
 
2010  March         -234        5,115    5,349        -195       2,863    3,058          -2         914      916         -37       1,338    1,375
      June           664        5,805    5,141         235       3,093    2,858         204       1,071      867         225       1,641    1,416
      September      226        5,525    5,299          26       2,946    2,920          87         998      911         113       1,581    1,468
      December       502        5,781    5,279          92       3,051    2,959          92       1,034      942         318       1,696    1,378
 
2011  March          340        5,375    5,035          99       2,983    2,884         122         971      849         119       1,421    1,302
      June           537        5,746    5,209         190       3,073    2,883         169       1,063      894         178       1,610    1,432
      September      852        5,974    5,122         272       3,137    2,865         171       1,066      895         409       1,771    1,362
      December       297        5,585    5,288          45       2,970    2,925          44         981      937         208       1,634    1,426
 
2012  March          972        5,904    4,932         388       3,173    2,785         220       1,054      834         364       1,677    1,313
      June           612        5,828    5,216         174       3,039    2,865         158       1,074      916         280       1,715    1,435
      September      226        5,581    5,355          55       2,963    2,908          54       1,006      952         117       1,612    1,495
      December       637        5,779    5,142         180       3,025    2,845          94       1,014      920         363       1,740    1,377
 
2013  March          582        5,743    5,161         212       3,071    2,859         156       1,029      873         214       1,643    1,429
      June           650        5,906    5,256         226       3,085    2,859         135       1,071      936         289       1,750    1,461
      September      473        5,764    5,291         225       3,063    2,838          69       1,021      952         179       1,680    1,501
      December       631        5,886    5,255         122       3,021    2,899         105       1,034      929         404       1,831    1,427
 
2014  March          455        5,666    5,211         240       3,073    2,833         152       1,035      883          63       1,558    1,495
      June           887        6,136    5,249         300       3,179    2,879         215       1,121      906         372       1,836    1,464
      September      536        5,860    5,324         185       3,060    2,875         110       1,063      953         241       1,737    1,496
      December       967        6,158    5,191         217       3,107    2,890         154       1,086      932         596       1,965    1,369
 
2015  March          230        5,665    5,435         172       3,097    2,925          77       1,022      945         -19       1,546    1,565
      June           833        6,252    5,419         318       3,199    2,881         189       1,133      944         326       1,920    1,594
      September      417        5,899    5,482         133       3,048    2,915          65       1,041      976         219       1,810    1,591
      December       879        6,267    5,388         242       3,179    2,937          98       1,077      979         539       2,011    1,472
 
2016  March          265        5,746    5,481         213       3,121    2,908          58       1,016      958          -6       1,609    1,615
      June           302        6,046    5,744          66       3,126    3,060         115       1,106      991         121       1,814    1,693
      September      701        6,245    5,544         164       3,143    2,979          88       1,084      996         449       2,018    1,569
      December       302        5,912    5,610          76       3,070    2,994          50       1,033      983         176       1,809    1,633
 
2017  March          674        5,992    5,318         367       3,241    2,874         189       1,077      888         118       1,674    1,556
      June           513        6,198    5,685         143       3,162    3,019         146       1,128      982         224       1,908    1,684
      September     -153        5,812    5,965        -136       2,985    3,121         -60       1,009    1,069          43       1,818    1,775
      December       885        6,224    5,339         245       3,194    2,949         161       1,092      931         479       1,938    1,459
 
2018  March          779        6,021    5,242         334       3,182    2,848         167       1,061      894         278       1,778    1,500
      June           458        6,169    5,711         137       3,171    3,034         154       1,132      978         167       1,866    1,699
      September      -19        5,948    5,967        -131       2,987    3,118         -37       1,025    1,062         149       1,936    1,787
      December       746        6,119    5,373         199       3,161    2,962         147       1,084      937         400       1,874    1,474
 
 
(1) Total gross job gains and gross job losses by firm are lower than total gross job gains and gross job losses by establishment, as some
    establishment gains and losses within a firm are offset during the aggregation process.

NOTE: Net change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. Net change totals for the firm-level data differ from
the establishment-level data due to independent seasonal adjustment. The unit of analysis section in the technical note provides additional detail.
See www.bls.gov/bdm/bdmfirmsize.htm for more detailed firm size class data.

Table 5. Components of private sector gross job gains and losses by firm size, seasonally adjusted

                                   Gross job gains and job losses              Gross job gains and job losses
                                          (in thousands)                         as a percent of employment

    Category                              3 months ended                               3 months ended

                                   Dec.     Mar.     June     Sept.    Dec.    Dec.    Mar.    June    Sept.   Dec.
                                   2017     2018     2018     2018     2018    2017    2018    2018    2018    2018
Total private by firm(1)

Gross job gains                   6,224    6,021    6,169    5,948    6,119     5.1     4.9     4.9     4.8     4.9
 At expanding firms               5,264    5,078    5,265    5,086    5,168     4.3     4.1     4.2     4.1     4.1
 At opening firms                   960      943      904      862      951     0.8     0.8     0.7     0.7     0.8
 
Gross job losses                  5,339    5,242    5,711    5,967    5,373     4.3     4.3     4.6     4.8     4.3
 At contracting firms             4,460    4,433    4,851    5,078    4,488     3.6     3.6     3.9     4.1     3.6
 At closing firms                   879      809      860      889      885     0.7     0.7     0.7     0.7     0.7
 
Net employment change               885      779      458      -19      746     0.8     0.6     0.3     0.0     0.6
 

Firm size 1 to 49 employees

Gross job gains                   3,194    3,182    3,171    2,987    3,161     9.4     9.3     9.2     8.7     9.3
 At expanding firms               2,270    2,283    2,309    2,158    2,250     6.7     6.7     6.7     6.3     6.6
 At opening firms                   924      899      862      829      911     2.7     2.6     2.5     2.4     2.7
 
Gross job losses                  2,949    2,848    3,034    3,118    2,962     8.7     8.3     8.8     9.1     8.7
 At contracting firms             2,107    2,064    2,212    2,265    2,114     6.2     6.0     6.4     6.6     6.2
 At closing firms                   842      784      822      853      848     2.5     2.3     2.4     2.5     2.5
 
Net employment change               245      334      137     -131      199     0.7     1.0     0.4    -0.4     0.6
 

Firm size 50 to 249 employees

Gross job gains                   1,092    1,061    1,132    1,025    1,084     4.9     4.7     5.1     4.6     4.8
 At expanding firms               1,060    1,032    1,096      994    1,053     4.8     4.6     4.9     4.5     4.7
 At opening firms                    32       29       36       31       31     0.1     0.1     0.2     0.1     0.1
 
Gross job losses                    931      894      978    1,062      937     4.2     4.0     4.4     4.7     4.2
 At contracting firms               898      871      950    1,032      905     4.1     3.9     4.3     4.6     4.1
 At closing firms                    33       23       28       30       32     0.1     0.1     0.1     0.1     0.1
 
Net employment change               161      167      154      -37      147     0.7     0.7     0.7    -0.1     0.6
 

Firm size 250 or more employees

Gross job gains                   1,938    1,778    1,866    1,936    1,874     2.9     2.6     2.7     2.8     2.7
 At expanding firms               1,934    1,763    1,860    1,934    1,865     2.9     2.6     2.7     2.8     2.7
 At opening firms                     4       15        6        2        9     0.0     0.0     0.0     0.0     0.0
 
Gross job losses                  1,459    1,500    1,699    1,787    1,474     2.2     2.2     2.5     2.6     2.2
 At contracting firms             1,455    1,498    1,689    1,781    1,469     2.2     2.2     2.5     2.6     2.2
 At closing firms                     4        2       10        6        5     0.0     0.0     0.0     0.0     0.0
 
Net employment change               479      278      167      149      400     0.7     0.4     0.2     0.2     0.5
 
 
(1) Total gross job gains and gross job losses by firm are lower than total gross job gains and gross job losses by
    establishment, as some establishment gains and losses within a firm are offset during the aggregation process.

NOTE: Net change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. Net change totals for
the firm-level data differ from the establishment-level data due to independent seasonal adjustment. The unit of
analysis section in the technical note provides additional detail. See www.bls.gov/bdm/bdmfirmsize.htm for more
detailed firm size class data.

Table 6. Private sector gross job gains and losses by state, seasonally adjusted

                                           Gross job gains                                         Gross job losses
State                                      3 months ended                                          3 months ended

                           Dec.       Mar.       June       Sept.      Dec.        Dec.       Mar.       June       Sept.      Dec.
                           2017       2018       2018       2018       2018        2017       2018       2018       2018       2018

United States(1)....  7,826,000  7,406,000  7,639,000  7,448,000  7,729,000   6,847,000  6,666,000  7,202,000  7,421,000  6,915,000
 
Alabama.............     94,822     95,408     92,414     94,873    100,130      86,247     84,599     91,229     93,501     85,072
Alaska..............     23,753     24,212     26,957     21,822     26,655      25,045     21,672     26,327     26,053     23,854
Arizona.............    149,164    143,329    144,858    159,633    154,603     126,322    127,123    142,484    122,205    125,642
Arkansas............     61,837     54,713     50,184     60,077     59,430      51,164     51,129     57,117     55,090     49,735
California..........  1,006,720    943,168    994,036    952,711  1,010,567     879,820    873,921    943,723    916,902    889,366
Colorado............    151,305    152,077    153,411    149,663    155,567     135,072    133,458    138,208    151,939    137,813
Connecticut.........     76,225     73,726     82,914     75,079     76,397      75,144     74,835     72,541     80,313     71,220
Delaware............     26,545     27,296     24,983     21,527     25,360      24,302     22,600     23,141     25,465     21,909
District of Columbia     30,487     31,638     29,663     28,106     29,756      25,823     25,107     29,569     29,263     26,908
Florida.............    610,728    461,699    490,156    517,791    485,085     396,998    415,301    462,786    435,454    454,669
 
Georgia.............    256,202    243,572    236,252    253,249    238,969     206,907    211,926    240,874    234,073    217,289
Hawaii..............     27,322     26,880     28,019     27,074     30,445      25,437     26,108     29,625     29,782     27,615
Idaho...............     44,087     47,380     44,433     41,148     45,650      38,758     35,993     41,092     42,067     38,745
Illinois............    306,642    297,390    291,226    289,306    286,523     273,761    263,419    287,764    295,943    290,151
Indiana.............    152,730    150,823    146,171    139,020    148,496     132,131    135,050    147,061    142,048    132,939
Iowa................     77,044     72,763     74,977     69,092     75,387      69,393     68,476     70,344     74,016     68,764
Kansas..............     67,371     59,291     64,974     67,041     69,167      59,074     62,541     63,272     64,410     61,579
Kentucky............     96,637     97,348     94,775     90,270     97,409      88,557     93,418     89,163     94,436     87,136
Louisiana...........     99,534    104,399     97,557     99,790     98,689      95,862     93,651    103,617    100,875     93,114
Maine...............     36,637     37,325     42,263     31,345     37,890      34,260     36,037     36,791     38,925     32,789
 
Maryland............    135,910    136,190    131,382    137,227    146,999     136,873    124,625    127,460    144,016    140,316
Massachusetts.......    179,340    170,940    191,050    171,572    182,641     170,518    161,219    169,458    195,777    167,732
Michigan............    209,924    215,009    212,862    190,601    212,435     201,345    172,727    194,576    232,016    196,541
Minnesota...........    142,622    133,031    143,233    135,941    143,079     137,459    124,520    130,411    141,344    135,193
Mississippi.........     57,247     49,047     51,181     52,089     57,676      48,680     52,670     53,851     50,879     46,751
Missouri............    134,191    128,761    136,175    142,104    138,175     129,197    122,569    135,227    142,150    127,453
Montana.............     31,819     29,814     30,470     27,300     34,427      27,823     26,996     29,587     29,985     27,342
Nebraska............     50,496     46,119     47,811     47,714     47,904      44,716     44,422     47,285     48,567     46,929
Nevada..............     77,583     77,239     74,203     81,864     80,791      61,853     64,015     70,292     68,534     66,139
New Hampshire.......     38,049     34,737     38,301     31,989     37,953      33,715     33,948     35,786     39,158     32,548
 
New Jersey..........    222,652    195,067    226,840    207,612    222,013     198,679    202,204    197,622    218,225    196,070
New Mexico..........     40,895     40,492     41,958     41,157     43,273      38,285     35,382     39,635     41,027     38,724
New York............    486,419    487,774    501,866    485,791    503,189     458,703    446,548    463,111    507,585    458,865
North Carolina......    228,877    227,451    228,600    209,332    247,084     201,030    190,130    202,562    239,220    196,545
North Dakota........     23,364     24,123     23,378     22,946     23,527      23,093     21,767     21,525     22,656     21,749
Ohio................    264,245    257,964    260,528    247,650    259,585     241,351    233,979    250,063    268,421    243,935
Oklahoma............     82,246     78,771     81,185     84,980     83,749      74,837     70,899     82,922     77,976     77,698
Oregon..............    108,362    126,218    101,845    100,887    109,501      95,674     91,805    101,444    101,496     97,912
Pennsylvania........    280,828    269,034    275,982    276,475    277,177     254,044    253,319    266,297    273,678    247,646
Rhode Island........     27,510     26,816     26,413     26,106     26,804      25,380     25,611     25,793     27,015     24,413
 
South Carolina......    117,366    101,452    130,498    100,034    128,834      88,279     80,164    113,086    113,956     94,634
South Dakota........     22,366     22,660     21,354     21,085     22,230      20,135     20,837     21,540     20,475     20,496
Tennessee...........    148,658    128,609    140,227    149,180    149,515     124,382    122,183    132,038    134,468    125,914
Texas...............    647,693    594,270    605,354    618,195    647,373     543,784    524,628    542,770    565,234    530,060
Utah................     85,107     91,524     85,608     90,954     86,722      70,867     73,492     79,338     80,550     76,884
Vermont.............     18,850     16,527     18,573     17,625     18,832      16,838     18,162     18,737     19,020     17,547
Virginia............    196,457    184,748    193,648    176,965    197,460     171,383    167,145    183,646    197,904    175,551
Washington..........    188,715    201,454    204,773    171,856    181,728     163,741    160,868    176,916    177,466    159,139
West Virginia.......     34,506     37,645     37,803     38,930     35,351      33,250     32,156     35,644     35,662     36,484
Wisconsin...........    137,630    138,695    137,077    126,007    134,627     121,738    116,842    137,348    145,552    121,967
 
Wyoming.............     17,919     17,379     17,108     16,755     20,766      17,229     16,363     17,239     17,184     16,342
Puerto Rico.........     46,357     55,031     52,532     48,061     39,799      76,992     43,925     40,796     38,298     45,090
Virgin Islands......      2,218      2,702      2,815      2,510      1,965       6,800      3,775      1,929      1,449      1,859
 
(1) The sum of the states will not necessarily add to the U.S. total because of the independent seasonal adjustment of each state.

NOTE: Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Table 7. Private sector gross job gains and losses, as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted

                        Gross job gains as a percent of employment    Gross job losses as a percent of employment
State                               3 months ended                                3 months ended

                        Dec.    Mar.    June    Sept.   Dec.          Dec.    Mar.    June    Sept.   Dec.
                        2017    2018    2018    2018    2018          2017    2018    2018    2018    2018

United States.......     6.4     6.0     6.1     6.0     6.1           5.6     5.4     5.8     6.0     5.6
 
Alabama.............     6.0     6.0     5.8     5.9     6.3           5.4     5.3     5.7     5.9     5.3
Alaska..............     9.7     9.8    10.9     8.9    10.9          10.2     8.8    10.7    10.6     9.7
Arizona.............     6.3     6.0     6.0     6.6     6.2           5.3     5.3     5.9     5.0     5.1
Arkansas............     6.1     5.4     5.0     6.0     5.8           5.1     5.0     5.6     5.5     4.9
California..........     6.9     6.4     6.7     6.5     6.7           6.0     5.9     6.3     6.2     5.9
Colorado............     6.8     6.8     6.8     6.6     6.8           6.1     6.0     6.1     6.8     6.0
Connecticut.........     5.3     5.1     5.8     5.2     5.3           5.2     5.2     5.0     5.6     4.9
Delaware............     7.0     7.1     6.5     5.6     6.6           6.4     5.9     6.0     6.6     5.7
District of Columbia     5.8     6.0     5.6     5.3     5.6           5.0     4.7     5.5     5.5     5.1
Florida.............     8.2     6.1     6.5     6.7     6.3           5.3     5.5     6.1     5.7     5.9
 
Georgia.............     6.9     6.5     6.2     6.7     6.3           5.6     5.6     6.4     6.2     5.7
Hawaii..............     5.1     5.0     5.2     5.1     5.7           4.7     4.8     5.5     5.5     5.1
Idaho...............     7.4     7.9     7.3     6.8     7.4           6.6     5.9     6.7     6.9     6.3
Illinois............     6.0     5.7     5.6     5.6     5.6           5.3     5.1     5.5     5.7     5.6
Indiana.............     5.7     5.6     5.4     5.2     5.6           5.0     5.1     5.5     5.4     4.9
Iowa................     5.9     5.5     5.7     5.3     5.8           5.3     5.3     5.4     5.7     5.3
Kansas..............     5.9     5.2     5.7     5.9     6.1           5.2     5.5     5.6     5.7     5.4
Kentucky............     6.1     6.2     5.9     5.7     6.1           5.6     5.9     5.6     6.0     5.5
Louisiana...........     6.2     6.5     6.1     6.2     6.2           6.0     5.8     6.5     6.2     5.7
Maine...............     7.2     7.2     8.1     6.0     7.3           6.6     7.0     7.1     7.5     6.3
 
Maryland............     6.2     6.3     6.0     6.3     6.8           6.3     5.7     5.8     6.6     6.4
Massachusetts.......     5.7     5.4     6.1     5.5     5.8           5.4     5.2     5.4     6.2     5.3
Michigan............     5.7     5.7     5.6     5.0     5.7           5.4     4.6     5.1     6.2     5.2
Minnesota...........     5.8     5.3     5.8     5.4     5.7           5.5     5.0     5.3     5.7     5.4
Mississippi.........     6.3     5.5     5.7     5.8     6.4           5.4     5.8     6.0     5.7     5.2
Missouri............     5.7     5.4     5.7     5.9     5.8           5.5     5.2     5.7     6.0     5.4
Montana.............     8.5     7.8     8.0     7.2     9.0           7.4     7.1     7.8     7.9     7.2
Nebraska............     6.2     5.6     5.9     5.8     5.9           5.5     5.5     5.8     6.0     5.8
Nevada..............     6.6     6.5     6.1     6.7     6.6           5.2     5.4     5.8     5.6     5.3
New Hampshire.......     6.7     6.1     6.7     5.6     6.7           5.9     5.9     6.3     6.8     5.7
 
New Jersey..........     6.4     5.6     6.5     6.0     6.3           5.8     5.8     5.7     6.3     5.6
New Mexico..........     6.5     6.3     6.5     6.4     6.7           6.1     5.5     6.2     6.4     6.0
New York............     6.2     6.2     6.3     6.1     6.2           5.8     5.6     5.8     6.4     5.7
North Carolina......     6.3     6.2     6.1     5.6     6.7           5.5     5.2     5.5     6.5     5.3
North Dakota........     6.8     7.0     6.7     6.6     6.8           6.8     6.3     6.2     6.6     6.2
Ohio................     5.7     5.5     5.6     5.3     5.6           5.2     5.0     5.4     5.7     5.2
Oklahoma............     6.4     6.1     6.3     6.6     6.4           5.8     5.5     6.5     6.1     6.0
Oregon..............     6.8     7.8     6.2     6.2     6.7           6.0     5.6     6.2     6.3     5.9
Pennsylvania........     5.5     5.2     5.3     5.4     5.3           5.0     4.9     5.1     5.2     4.7
Rhode Island........     6.6     6.3     6.3     6.2     6.4           6.0     6.1     6.1     6.4     5.7
 
South Carolina......     7.0     5.9     7.5     5.8     7.4           5.3     4.7     6.5     6.5     5.4
South Dakota........     6.4     6.4     6.1     5.9     6.3           5.7     5.9     6.1     5.8     5.8
Tennessee...........     5.9     5.0     5.5     5.8     5.8           4.9     4.8     5.1     5.2     4.9
Texas...............     6.4     5.8     5.9     5.9     6.1           5.3     5.1     5.2     5.4     5.1
Utah................     7.0     7.4     6.9     7.3     6.9           5.9     6.0     6.3     6.5     6.1
Vermont.............     7.4     6.4     7.2     6.9     7.4           6.5     7.0     7.3     7.4     6.8
Virginia............     6.3     5.8     6.1     5.6     6.2           5.5     5.2     5.8     6.3     5.5
Washington..........     6.9     7.2     7.3     6.1     6.5           6.0     5.7     6.3     6.3     5.6
West Virginia.......     6.3     6.8     6.8     7.0     6.3           6.1     5.8     6.4     6.4     6.5
Wisconsin...........     5.6     5.6     5.4     5.1     5.4           5.0     4.7     5.5     5.9     4.9
 
Wyoming.............     8.7     8.4     8.2     8.2    10.0           8.4     8.0     8.3     8.3     7.8
Puerto Rico.........     7.1     8.4     8.0     7.2     6.0          11.8     6.8     6.2     5.8     6.7
Virgin Islands......     9.2    12.0    12.5    10.9     8.3          28.2    16.8     8.6     6.3     7.8
 
NOTE: Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Table 8. Private sector establishment births and deaths, seasonally adjusted

Total private

(Levels in thousands)

                           Number of Establishments                           Employment
                             Births              Deaths(1)            Births              Deaths
Year  3 months ended     Level     Rate(2)   Level     Rate       Level     Rate      Level     Rate

2008  March                226      3.1        224      3.1         919      0.8        832      0.7
      June                 221      3.0        238      3.3         876      0.8        913      0.8
      September            216      3.0        233      3.2         849      0.8        881      0.8
      December             211      2.9        253      3.5         819      0.7        951      0.9
 
2009  March                197      2.7        247      3.4         738      0.7        869      0.8
      June                 201      2.8        238      3.3         767      0.7        837      0.8
      September            192      2.7        227      3.2         725      0.7        793      0.7
      December             202      2.8        218      3.1         728      0.7        749      0.7
 
2010  March                193      2.7        211      3.0         706      0.7        687      0.7
      June                 193      2.7        202      2.9         730      0.7        665      0.6
      September            207      2.9        204      2.9         754      0.7        701      0.7
      December             216      3.0        201      2.8         805      0.8        700      0.7
 
2011  March                204      2.9        200      2.8         715      0.7        632      0.6
      June                 210      2.9        205      2.9         767      0.7        689      0.6
      September            206      2.9        196      2.7         794      0.7        675      0.6
      December             214      3.0        198      2.8         800      0.7        700      0.6
 
2012  March                236      3.3        188      2.6         787      0.7        614      0.6
      June                 217      3.0        194      2.7         799      0.7        673      0.6
      September            210      2.9        196      2.7         804      0.7        692      0.6
      December             218      3.0        183      2.5         809      0.7        673      0.6
 
2013  March                205      2.8        193      2.6         748      0.7        648      0.6
      June                 222      3.0        215      2.9         789      0.7        695      0.6
      September            219      2.9        195      2.6         818      0.7        678      0.6
      December             215      2.9        187      2.5         803      0.7        670      0.6
 
2014  March                220      2.9        189      2.5         781      0.7        635      0.6
      June                 221      2.9        205      2.7         805      0.7        716      0.6
      September            225      3.0        199      2.6         827      0.7        704      0.6
      December             224      2.9        197      2.6         839      0.7        707      0.6
 
2015  March                234      3.1        206      2.7         814      0.7        694      0.6
      June                 234      3.1        212      2.8         839      0.7        732      0.6
      September            242      3.1        207      2.7         880      0.7        704      0.6
      December             247      3.2        208      2.7         893      0.8        733      0.6
 
2016  March                236      3.0        203      2.6         786      0.7        663      0.6
      June                 242      3.1        214      2.7         839      0.7        723      0.6
      September            239      3.0        215      2.7         872      0.7        747      0.6
      December             239      3.0        217      2.8         869      0.7        729      0.6
 
2017  March                241      3.0        203      2.6         800      0.7        659      0.5
      June                 240      3.0        225      2.8         851      0.7        760      0.6
      September            241      3.0        226      2.8         851      0.7        763      0.6
      December             246      3.1        216      2.7         853      0.7        732      0.6
 
2018  March                250      3.1        214      2.6         817      0.7        662      0.5
      June                 263      3.2        N/A      N/A         878      0.7        N/A      N/A
      September            252      3.1        N/A      N/A         859      0.7        N/A      N/A
      December             248      3.0        N/A      N/A         857      0.7        N/A      N/A
 
 
(1) Values for deaths are not available for the most recent three quarters by definition. See the
    Technical Note for more informations.

(2) The rates measure births and deaths as a percentage of the average of the previous and current
    quarter employment levels or total number of establishments.

Last Modified Date: July 24, 2019