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

                                                      Levels(3) (in thousands)                              Rates

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

Total(4).................................  4,700  4,715  4,123  4,438  4,026  4,063  4,364    3.4   3.4   3.0   3.2   2.9   3.0   3.2

                INDUSTRY

 Total private(4)........................  4,325  4,311  3,871  4,136  3,751  3,822  4,094    3.7   3.7   3.4   3.6   3.3   3.3   3.6
  Construction...........................    336    385    286    354    242    322    261    4.4   5.3   3.9   4.9   3.4   4.5   3.7
  Manufacturing..........................    352    300    274    285    249    251    273    2.5   2.2   2.0   2.1   1.8   1.9   2.0
  Trade, transportation, and utilities(5)    977    943    828    906    858    878    877    3.7   3.6   3.1   3.4   3.3   3.3   3.3
   Retail trade..........................    699    642    585    608    585    619    626    4.5   4.2   3.8   4.0   3.8   4.0   4.1
  Professional and business services.....    799    858    770    889    748    701    807    4.4   4.8   4.3   5.0   4.2   3.9   4.5
  Education and health services..........    453    510    479    485    474    509    498    2.5   2.7   2.5   2.6   2.5   2.7   2.6
  Leisure and hospitality(6).............    888    841    847    741    798    728    814    6.6   6.1   6.2   5.4   5.8   5.3   6.0
   Accommodation and food services.......    732    719    731    645    683    626    678    6.3   6.2   6.3   5.5   5.9   5.4   5.8
 Government(7)...........................    359    407    329    340    321    315    312    1.6   1.8   1.5   1.5   1.4   1.4   1.4
  State and local government.............    287    315    304    309    300    286    285    1.5   1.6   1.5   1.6   1.5   1.4   1.4


                 REGION(8)

  Northeast..............................    689    743    646    761    657    679    693    2.7   2.9   2.5   3.0   2.6   2.7   2.7
  South..................................  1,844  1,725  1,538  1,666  1,512  1,549  1,598    3.7   3.5   3.1   3.4   3.0   3.1   3.2
  Midwest................................  1,093    986    914    966    934    926  1,020    3.5   3.1   2.9   3.1   3.0   2.9   3.2
  West...................................  1,048  1,246  1,111  1,084    979  1,004  1,035    3.4   4.0   3.6   3.5   3.2   3.3   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.