Hires rate, total nonfarm sector, seasonally adjusted, January 2003-February 2009 Percent Jan-03 3.9 Feb-03 3.8 Mar-03 3.5 Apr-03 3.6 May-03 3.6 Jun-03 3.7 Jul-03 3.6 Aug-03 3.6 Sep-03 3.7 Oct-03 3.9 Nov-03 3.7 Dec-03 3.9 Jan-04 3.8 Feb-04 3.8 Mar-04 4.1 Apr-04 4.0 May-04 3.9 Jun-04 3.9 Jul-04 3.8 Aug-04 3.9 Sep-04 3.9 Oct-04 4.0 Nov-04 4.0 Dec-04 4.0 Jan-05 4.2 Feb-05 4.0 Mar-05 4.0 Apr-05 4.0 May-05 4.0 Jun-05 4.1 Jul-05 4.0 Aug-05 4.1 Sep-05 4.1 Oct-05 3.8 Nov-05 3.9 Dec-05 3.9 Jan-06 3.8 Feb-06 4.1 Mar-06 4.0 Apr-06 3.8 May-06 4.1 Jun-06 4.0 Jul-06 4.1 Aug-06 3.9 Sep-06 4.0 Oct-06 3.9 Nov-06 4.0 Dec-06 3.9 Jan-07 3.9 Feb-07 3.9 Mar-07 3.9 Apr-07 3.8 May-07 3.9 Jun-07 3.9 Jul-07 3.8 Aug-07 3.8 Sep-07 3.8 Oct-07 3.9 Nov-07 3.8 Dec-07 3.7 Jan-08 3.6 Feb-08 3.7 Mar-08 3.5 Apr-08 3.6 May-08 3.4 Jun-08 3.5 Jul-08 3.4 Aug-08 3.4 Sep-08 3.3 Oct-08 3.3 Nov-08 3.1 Dec-08 3.3 Jan-09 3.3 Feb-09 3.3 February 2009 figure is preliminary The hires rate is the number of hires as a percent of total employment.