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

                                                      Levels (3) (in thousands)                              Rates

           Industry and region                Feb.   Sept.  Oct.   Nov.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Feb.  Sept. Oct.  Nov.  Dec.  Jan.  Feb.
                                              2007   2007   2007   2007   2007   2008   2008p  2007  2007  2007  2007  2007  2008  2008p

Total (4)..................................  4,800  4,700  4,914  4,672  4,717  4,639  4,638    3.5   3.4   3.6   3.4   3.4   3.4   3.4

                INDUSTRY

 Total private (4).........................  4,468  4,325  4,552  4,305  4,314  4,227  4,261    3.9   3.7   3.9   3.7   3.7   3.7   3.7
  Construction.............................    277    336    331    351    335    319    358    3.6   4.4   4.4   4.7   4.5   4.3   4.8
  Manufacturing..........................      362    352    396    353    350    326    285    2.6   2.5   2.9   2.6   2.5   2.4   2.1
  Trade, transportation, and utilities (5).  1,018    977  1,018    946    970    916    901    3.8   3.7   3.8   3.5   3.6   3.4   3.4
   Retail trade............................    695    699    699    655    693    656    617    4.5   4.5   4.5   4.2   4.5   4.2   4.0
  Professional and business services.......    911    799    855    902    851    897    821    5.1   4.4   4.7   5.0   4.7   5.0   4.5
  Education and health services............    525    453    517    527    460    516    522    2.9   2.5   2.8   2.8   2.5   2.8   2.8
  Leisure and hospitality (6)..............    935    888    924    846    880    824    850    7.0   6.6   6.8   6.2   6.4   6.0   6.2
   Accommodation and food services.........    782    732    803    708    713    702    706    6.9   6.3   6.9   6.1   6.1   6.0   6.1
 Government (7)............................    393    359    373    349    390    394    389    1.8   1.6   1.7   1.6   1.7   1.8   1.7
  State and local government...............    321    287    315    287    326    319    302    1.7   1.5   1.6   1.5   1.7   1.6   1.5

                 REGION (8)

  Northeast................................    705    689    653    761    770    767    768    2.8   2.7   2.5   3.0   3.0   3.0   3.0
  South....................................  1,854  1,844  1,924  1,828  1,802  1,814  1,789    3.7   3.7   3.9   3.7   3.6   3.6   3.6
  Midwest..................................  1,154  1,093  1,097  1,027  1,045    998    966    3.7   3.5   3.5   3.3   3.3   3.2   3.1
  West.....................................  1,133  1,048  1,216  1,018  1,067  1,058  1,146    3.7   3.4   3.9   3.3   3.4   3.4   3.7

   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.