June 10, 2004 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Hires rate in April 2004

The hires rate (the number of hires during the month divided by employment) decreased to 3.3 percent in April. The rate had been 3.5 percent in March. Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month.

[Chart data—TXT]

The hires rate decreased in professional and business services in April, following an increase in March. The hires rate for government decreased to 1.4 percent in April. Other major industries showed little or no change in their hires rates over the month. However, in the leisure and hospitality industry, there were approximately 100,000 more hires each month in February, March, and April 2004 than in the same months in 2003.

These data come from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The above data are seasonally adjusted. Data for April 2004 are preliminary and subject to revision. Find additional information in "Job Openings and Labor Turnover: April 2004" (PDF) (TXT), USDL 04-1025.