Table 2.  Hires levels(1) and rates(2) by industry and region, seasonally adjusted

                                                      Levels(3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region              Aug.   Mar.   Apr.   May    June   July   Aug.   Aug.  Mar.  Apr.  May   June  July  Aug.
                                            2007   2008   2008   2008   2008   2008   2008p  2007  2008  2008  2008  2008  2008  2008p

Total(4).................................  4,796  4,569  4,715  4,123  4,438  4,026  4,070    3.5   3.3   3.4   3.0   3.2   2.9   3.0

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)........................  4,371  4,147  4,311  3,871  4,136  3,751  3,826    3.8   3.6   3.7   3.4   3.6   3.3   3.3
  Construction...........................    367    350    385    286    354    242    332    4.8   4.8   5.3   3.9   4.9   3.4   4.6
  Manufacturing..........................    350    309    300    274    285    249    256    2.5   2.3   2.2   2.0   2.1   1.8   1.9
  Trade, transportation, and utilities(5)    924    884    943    828    906    858    859    3.5   3.3   3.6   3.1   3.4   3.3   3.3
   Retail trade..........................    677    598    642    585    608    585    585    4.4   3.9   4.2   3.8   4.0   3.8   3.8
  Professional and business services.....    776    893    858    770    889    748    719    4.3   5.0   4.8   4.3   5.0   4.2   4.0
  Education and health services..........    504    501    510    479    485    474    499    2.7   2.7   2.7   2.5   2.6   2.5   2.6
  Leisure and hospitality(6).............    898    801    841    847    741    798    762    6.7   5.9   6.1   6.2   5.4   5.8   5.6
   Accommodation and food services.......    753    654    719    731    645    683    615    6.5   5.6   6.2   6.3   5.5   5.9   5.3
 Government(7)...........................    393    429    407    329    340    321    316    1.8   1.9   1.8   1.5   1.5   1.4   1.4
  State and local government.............    319    315    315    304    309    300    290    1.6   1.6   1.6   1.5   1.6   1.5   1.5


                 REGION(8)

  Northeast..............................    753    715    743    646    761    657    665    2.9   2.8   2.9   2.5   3.0   2.6   2.6
  South..................................  1,835  1,703  1,725  1,538  1,666  1,512  1,490    3.7   3.4   3.5   3.1   3.4   3.0   3.0
  Midwest................................  1,053    986    986    914    966    934    946    3.3   3.1   3.1   2.9   3.1   3.0   3.0
  West...................................  1,157  1,170  1,246  1,111  1,084    979  1,064    3.7   3.8   4.0   3.6   3.5   3.2   3.4


  1 Hires are the number of hires during the entire month.
  2 The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment. 
  3 Detail will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
  4 Includes natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, and other services, not shown separately.
  5 Includes wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities, not shown separately.
  6 Includes arts, entertainment, and recreation, not shown separately.
  7 Includes federal government, not shown separately.
  8 See footnote 8, table 1.
  p = preliminary.