April 12, 2006 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Layoffs and discharges rate, February 2006

From February 2005 to February 2006, the layoffs and discharges rate in the total nonfarm sector fell from 1.1 percent to 0.9 percent.

[Chart data—TXT]

The layoffs and discharges rate is the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month as a percent of total employment.

Layoffs and separations comprise one component of job separations. The other components are quits (voluntary separations) and other separations (including retirements).

These data come from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The above data are not seasonally adjusted. Data for February 2006 are preliminary and subject to revision. Find additional information in "Job Openings and Labor Turnover: February 2006" (PDF) (TXT), USDL 06-637.