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Economic News Release
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Quarterly Data Series on Business Employment Dynamics News Release

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET), Wednesday, July 27, 2022                                   	USDL-22-1551

Technical Information:	(202) 691-6553  *  BDMInfo@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/bdm
Media Contact:	        (202) 691-5902  *  PressOffice@bls.gov

BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT DYNAMICS – FOURTH QUARTER 2021

From September 2021 to December 2021, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector
establishments were 9.6 million, an increase of 781,000 jobs from the previous quarter, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over this period, gross job losses from closing and contracting
private-sector establishments were 6.7 million, a decrease of 785,000 jobs from the previous quarter.
The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net
employment gain of 2.9 million jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2021. (See tables A
and 1.)

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment
that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track
these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the
third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross
job losses is the net change in employment. (See Technical Note.) The BED data series include gross job
gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico,
and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size
class.

Gross Job Gains

In the fourth quarter of 2021, gross job gains represented 7.7 percent of private-sector employment. Gross
job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the
addition of new jobs at opening establishments. Gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 7.7
million in the fourth quarter of 2021, an increase of 594,000 jobs compared to the previous quarter.
Opening establishments accounted for 1.8 million of the jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2021, an
increase of 187,000 jobs from the previous quarter. (See tables A, 1, 2, and 3.)

Gross Job Losses

In the fourth quarter of 2021, gross job losses represented 5.4 percent of private-sector employment.
Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of
jobs at closing establishments. Contracting establishments lost 5.3 million jobs in the fourth quarter of
2021, a decrease of 590,000 jobs from the prior quarter. In the fourth quarter of 2021, closing
establishments lost 1.4 million jobs, a decrease of 195,000 jobs from the previous quarter. (See
tables A, 1, 2, and 3.)

Establishment Births and Deaths

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the number of establishment births (a subset of the openings data)
increased by 20,000 to a total of 376,000 establishments. These new establishments accounted for
1.1 million jobs, an increase of 96,000 jobs from the previous quarter. Data for establishment deaths (a
subset of the closings data) are available through the first quarter of 2021, when 608,000 jobs were
lost at 211,000 establishments, a decrease of 86,000 jobs from the fourth quarter of 2020. (See
Technical Note and table 8.)


 Table A. Three-month private-sector gross job gains and losses, seasonally adjusted

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          |                  3 months ended                 
                 Category                 |    Dec. |    Mar. |    June |    Sept.|    Dec.
                                          |    2020 |    2021 |    2021 |    2021 |    2021
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          |              Levels (in thousands)              
                                          |--------------------------------------------------
 Gross job gains......................... |   8,821 |   8,154 |   8,141 |   8,795 |   9,576
        At expanding establishments...... |   7,124 |   6,644 |   6,597 |   7,139 |   7,733
        At opening establishments........ |   1,697 |   1,510 |   1,544 |   1,656 |   1,843
                                          |         |         |         |         |        
 Gross job losses........................ |   6,757 |   6,469 |   7,248 |   7,482 |   6,697
        At contracting establishments.... |   5,403 |   5,340 |   5,982 |   5,937 |   5,347
        At closing establishments........ |   1,354 |   1,129 |   1,266 |   1,545 |   1,350
                                          |         |         |         |         |        
 Net employment change (1)............... |   2,064 |   1,685 |     893 |   1,313 |   2,879
                                          |         |         |         |         |        
                                          |--------------------------------------------------
                                          |                 Rates (percent)                 
                                          |--------------------------------------------------
 Gross job gains......................... |     7.4 |     6.8 |     6.7 |     7.2 |     7.7
        At expanding establishments...... |     6.0 |     5.5 |     5.4 |     5.8 |     6.2
        At opening establishments........ |     1.4 |     1.3 |     1.3 |     1.4 |     1.5
                                          |         |         |         |         |        
 Gross job losses........................ |     5.7 |     5.4 |     5.9 |     6.2 |     5.4
        At contracting establishments.... |     4.6 |     4.5 |     4.9 |     4.9 |     4.3
        At closing establishments........ |     1.1 |     0.9 |     1.0 |     1.3 |     1.1
                                          |         |         |         |         |        
 Net employment change (1)............... |     1.7 |     1.4 |     0.8 |     1.0 |     2.3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross 
    job losses. See the Technical Note for further information.


Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in all 13 industry sectors in the fourth quarter of 2021. The
service-providing industries experienced a net job increase of 2.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Within the service-providing industries, the professional and business services sector had the largest
over-the-quarter net employment gain, adding 663,000 jobs. This was the result of 2.0 million gross job
gains and 1.3 million gross job losses. The retail trade sector had gross job gains of 925,000 and
gross job losses of 830,000, leading to a net job increase of 95,000 in the fourth quarter of 2021. The
goods-producing industries had a net job gain of 384,000 in the fourth quarter of 2021. Of the
goods-producing industries, the manufacturing sector posted a net job gain of 230,000, the construction
sector experienced a net increase of 143,000, and the natural resources and mining sector added 11,000
jobs. (See table 3.)

Firm Size

In the fourth quarter of 2021, firms with 1-49 employees had a net employment increase of 896,000. Firms
with 50-249 employees had a net employment gain of 474,000. Firms with 250 or more employees had a net
employment increase of 1.4 million. (See tables 4 and 5.)

States

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in
the fourth quarter of 2021. (See tables 6 and 7.)

For More Information

Additional information on gross job gains and gross job losses is available online at www.bls.gov/bdm. 
This information includes data for the levels and rates of gross job gains and gross job losses by firm 
size, not seasonally adjusted data and seasonally adjusted time series not presented in this release, 
charts of gross job gains and gross job losses by industry and firm size, and answers to frequently asked  
questions. Additional information about the Business Employment Dynamics data can be found 
in the Technical Note of this release or can be obtained by emailing BDMinfo@bls.gov.


 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
|                                                                                                         |
|          Coronavirus (COVID-19) Effect on Fourth Quarter 2021 Business Employment Dynamics              |
|                                                                                                         |
|   Data collection and processing methods have been impacted because of the COVID-19 pandemic. More      |
|   detail can be found at www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-pandemic-on-business-employment        |
|   -dynamics.htm                                                                                         |
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

_____________
The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2022 are scheduled to be released on 
Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
|                                                                                                         |
|                        Revisions to Business Employment Dynamics (BED) Data                             |
|                                                                                                         |
|   The release of First Quarter 2022 Business Employment Dynamics data will incorporate annual           |
|   revisions in accordance with standard procedures. However, the release scheduled for October 26, 2022 |
|   will include two years of not seasonally adjusted data, along with the customary five years of        |
|   seasonally adjusted data. This temporary procedural change is to amend spikes in the openings and     |
|   closings series for the education and health services sector in Washington caused by an               |
|   administrative change.                                                                                |
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Technical Note

Special technical note:  The following technical note details procedures regularly adhered
to for tabulating the quarterly Business Employment Dynamics series on private-sector
gross job gains and gross job losses. Data collection and processing methods have been
impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. More detail can be found at
www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-pandemic-on-business-employment-dynamics.htm.


The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative 
program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are 
compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records. Most 
employers in the U.S. are required to file quarterly reports on the employment and wages of 
workers covered by unemployment insurance (UI) laws and to pay quarterly UI taxes. The QCEW 
is based largely on quarterly UI reports which are sent by businesses to the State Workforce 
Agencies (SWAs). These UI reports are supplemented by two additional BLS data collections to 
render administrative data into economic statistics. Together these data comprise the QCEW and 
form the basis of the Bureau’s establishment universe sampling frame.

These reports are used to produce the quarterly QCEW data on total employment and wages and 
the longitudinal BED data on gross job gains and losses. The QCEW is also the employment 
benchmark for the Current Employment Statistics (CES), Occupational Employment Statistics 
(OES), and Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) programs and is a major input to 
the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s Personal Income Accounts.

In the BED program, the quarterly QCEW records are linked across quarters to provide a 
longitudinal history for each establishment. The linkage process allows the tracking of net 
employment changes at the establishment level, which in turn allows the estimation of jobs gained 
at opening and expanding units and jobs lost at closing and contracting units.

Differences between QCEW, BED, and CES employment measures

The Bureau publishes three different establishment-based employment measures for any given 
quarter. Each of these measures—Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Business 
Employment Dynamics, and Current Employment Statistics—makes use of the 
quarterly UI employment reports in producing data; however, each measure has a somewhat 
different universe coverage, estimation procedure, and publication product.

Differences in coverage and estimation methods can result in somewhat different measures of 
employment change over time. It is important to understand program differences and the intended 
uses of the program products. (See table.) Additional information on each program can be obtained 
from the program websites shown in the table.

Coverage

Employment and wage data for workers covered by state UI and Unemployment Compensation for 
Federal Employees (UCFE) laws are compiled from quarterly contribution reports submitted to the 
SWAs by employers. In addition to the quarterly contribution reports, employers who operate 
multiple establishments within a state complete a questionnaire, called the “Multiple Worksite 
Report,” which provides detailed information on the location of their establishments. These reports 
are based on place of employment rather than place of residence. UI and UCFE coverage is broad 
and basically comparable from state to state. 

Major exclusions from UI coverage are self-employed workers, religious organizations, most 
agricultural workers on small farms, all members of the Armed Forces, elected officials in most 
states, most employees of railroads, some domestic workers, most student workers at schools, and 
employees of certain small nonprofit organizations.

Gross job gains and gross job losses in this release are derived from longitudinal histories of 8.7
million private-sector employer reports out of 10.8 million total reports of employment and wages 
submitted by states to BLS in the first quarter of 2021. Gross job gains and gross job losses data in 
this release do not report estimates for government employees or private households (NAICS 
814110) and do not include establishments with zero employment in both previous and current 
quarters. Data from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are also excluded from the national data. 
The table below shows, in millions of establishments, the number of establishments excluded from 
the national gross job gains and gross job losses data in the first quarter of 2021.


                         Number of active establishments included in                       
                   Business Employment Dynamics data at the national level                 
                                                                                      Millions
 Total establishments QCEW program....................................................10.8

   Excluded: Public sector............................................................ 0.3
           Private households......................................................... 0.2
           Zero employment............................................................ 1.6

 Total establishments included in Business
 Employment Dynamics data............................................................. 8.7


Summary of Major Differences between QCEW, BED, and CES Employment Measures
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           |         QCEW        |         BED          |         CES
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Source     |--Count of UI admini-|--Count of longitudi- |--Sample survey:
           |  strative records   |  nally-linked UI ad- |  697,000 establish-
           |  submitted by 10.8  |  ministrative records|  ments
           |  million establish- |  submitted by 8.7    |
           |  ments in first qu- |  million private-sec-|
           |  arter of 2021      |  tor establishments  |
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Coverage   |--UI and UCFE cover- |--UI coverage, exclud-|Nonfarm wage and salary
           |  age, including all |  ing government, pri-|  jobs:
           |  employers subject  |  vate households, and|--UI coverage, exclud-
           |  to state and feder-|  establishments with |  ing agriculture, pri-
           |  ral UI Laws        |  zero employment     |  vate households, and
           |                     |                      |  self-employed workers
           |                     |                      |--Other employment, 
           |                     |                      |  including railroads,
           |                     |                      |  religious organiza-
           |                     |                      |  tions, and other non-
           |                     |                      |  UI-covered jobs
           |                     |                      |
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Publication|--Quarterly          |--Quarterly           |--Monthly 
frequency  |  -6 months after the|  -7 months after the |  -Usually the 3rd Fri-
           |   end of each quar- |   end of each quarter|   day after the end of
           |   ter               |                      |   the week including 
           |                     |                      |   the 12th of the month
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Use of UI  |--Directly summarizes|--Links each new UI   |--Uses UI file as a sam-
file       |  and publishes each |  quarter to longitu- |  pling frame and to ann-
           |  new quarter of UI  |  dinal database and  |  ually realign sample-
           |  data               |  directly summarizes |  based estimates to pop-
           |                     |  gross job gains and |  ulation counts (bench-
           |                     |  losses              |  marking)
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Principal  |--Provides a quarter-|--Provides quarterly  |--Provides current month-
products   |  ly and annual uni- |  employer dynamics   |  ly estimates of employ-
           |  verse count of es- |  data on establish-  |  ment, hours, and earn-
           |  tablishments, em-  |  ment openings, clos-|  ings at the MSA, state,
           |  ployment, and wages|  ings, expansions,   |  and national level by
           |  at the county, met-|  and contractions at |  industry
           |  ropolitan statisti-|  the national level  |
           |  cal area (MSA), st-|  by NAICS super-     |
           |  ate, and national  |  sectors, 3-digit    |
           |  levels by detailed |  NAICS, and by size  |
           |  industry           |  of firm, and at the |
           |                     |  state private-sector|
           |                     |  total level         |
           |                     |--Future expansions   |
           |                     |  will include        |
           |                     |  data with greater   |
           |                     |  industry detail and |
           |                     |  data at the county  |
           |                     |  and MSA level       |
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Principal  |--Major uses include:|--Major uses include: |--Major uses include:
uses       |  -Detailed locality |  -Business cycle     |  -Principal federal
           |   data              |   analysis           |   economic indicator
           |  -Periodic universe |  -Analysis of employ-|  -Official time series 
           |   counts for bench- |   er dynamics under- |   for employment change
           |   marking sample    |   lying economic ex- |   measures
           |   survey estimates  |   pansions and con-  |  -Input into other ma-
           |  -Sample frame for  |   tractions          |   jor economic indi-
           |   BLS establishment |  -Analysis of employ-|   cators
           |   surveys           |   ment expansion and |
           |                     |   contraction by size|
           |                     |   of firm            |
-----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------
Program    |--www.bls.gov/cew    |--www.bls.gov/bdm     |--www.bls.gov/ces 
web sites  |                     |                      |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Unit of analysis

Establishments are used in the tabulation of the BED statistics by industry and firms are used in the 
tabulation of the BED size class statistics. An establishment is defined as an economic unit that 
produces goods or services, usually at a single physical location, and engages in one or 
predominantly one activity. A firm is a legal business, either corporate or otherwise, and may 
consist of several establishments. Firm-level data are compiled based on an aggregation of 
establishments under common ownership by a corporate parent using employer tax identification 
numbers. The firm level aggregation which is consistent with the role of corporations as the 
economic decision makers are used for the measurement of the BED data elements by size class.

Because of the difference in the unit of analysis, total gross job gains and gross job losses by size 
class are lower than total gross job gains and gross job losses by industry, as some establishment 
gains and losses within a firm are offset during the aggregation process. However, the total net 
changes in employment are the same for not seasonally adjusted data and are similar for seasonally 
adjusted data.

Concepts and methodology

The Business Employment Dynamics data measure the net change in employment at the 
establishment or firm level. These changes come about in one of four ways. A net increase in 
employment can come from either opening units or expanding units. A net decrease in 
employment can come from either closing units or contracting units. Gross job gains include the 
sum of all jobs added at either opening or expanding units. Gross job losses include the sum of all 
jobs lost in either closing or contracting units. The net change in employment is the difference 
between gross job gains and gross job losses.

The formal definitions of employment changes are as follows:

Openings. These are either units with positive third month employment for the first time in the 
current quarter, with no links to the prior quarter, or with positive third month employment in the 
current quarter following zero employment in the previous quarter.

Expansions. These are units with positive employment in the third month in both the previous and 
current quarters, with a net increase in employment over this period.

Closings. These are either units with positive third month employment in the previous quarter, with 
no employment or zero employment reported in the current quarter.

Contractions. These are units with positive employment in the third month in both the previous and 
current quarters, with a net decrease in employment over this period.

Births. These are units with positive third month employment for the first time in the current 
quarter with no links to the prior quarter, or units with positive third month employment in the 
current quarter and zero employment in the third month of the previous four quarters. Births are a 
subset of openings not including re-openings of seasonal businesses.

Deaths. These are units with no employment or zero employment reported in the third month of 
four consecutive quarters following the last quarter with positive employment. Deaths are a subset 
of closings not including temporary shutdowns of seasonal businesses. A unit that closes during the 
quarter may be a death, but we wait three quarters to determine whether it is a permanent closing 
or a temporary shutdown. Therefore, there is always a lag of three quarters for the publication of 
death statistics.

All employment changes are measured from the third month of the previous quarter to the third 
month of the current quarter. Not all establishments and firms change their employment levels. 
Units with no change in employment count towards estimates of total employment, but not for 
levels of gross job gains and gross job losses.

Gross job gains and gross job losses are expressed as rates by dividing their levels by the average 
of employment in the current and previous quarters. This provides a symmetric growth rate. The 
rates are calculated for the components of gross job gains and gross job losses and then summed to 
form their respective totals. These rates can be added and subtracted just as their levels can. For 
instance, the difference between the gross job gains rate and the gross job losses rate is the net 
growth rate.

Establishment Births and Deaths

For the purpose of BED statistics, births are defined as establishments that appear in the 
longitudinal database for the first time with positive employment in the third month of a quarter, or 
showed four consecutive quarters of zero employment in the third month followed by a quarter in 
which it shows positive employment in the third month. Similarly, deaths are defined as 
establishments that either drop out of the longitudinal database or an establishment that had 
positive employment in the third month of a given quarter followed by four consecutive quarters of 
showing zero employment in the third month. Although the data for establishment births and 
deaths are tabulated independently from the data for openings and closings, the concepts are not 
mutually exclusive. An establishment that is defined as a birth in a given quarter is necessarily an 
opening as well, and an establishment defined as a death in a quarter must also be a closing. Since 
openings include seasonal and other re-openings and closings include temporary shutdowns, the 
not seasonally adjusted values for births and deaths must be less than those for openings and 
closings. However, because some BED series do not have many re-openings or temporary 
shutdowns, as well as the fact that births and deaths are independently seasonally adjusted from 
openings and closings, there may be instances in which the seasonally adjusted value of the former 
is greater than the latter.

Linkage methodology

Prior to the measurement of gross job gains and gross job losses, QCEW records are linked across 
two quarters. The linkage process matches establishments' unique SWA identification numbers 
(SWA-ID). Between 95 and 97 percent of establishments identified as continuous from quarter to 
quarter are matched by SWA-ID. The rest are linked in one of three ways. The first method uses 
predecessor and successor information, identified by the states, which relates records with different 
SWA-IDs across quarters. Predecessor and successor relations can come about for a variety of 
reasons, including a change in ownership, a firm restructuring, or a UI account restructuring. If a 
match cannot be attained in this manner, a probability-based match is used. This match attempts to 
identify two establishments with different SWA-IDs as continuous. The match is based upon 
comparisons such as the same name, address, and phone number. Third, an analyst examines 
unmatched records individually and makes a possible match.

In order to ensure the highest possible quality of data, SWAs verify with employers and update, if 
necessary, the industry, location, and ownership classification of all establishments on a 3-year 
cycle. Changes in establishment classification codes resulting from the verification process are 
introduced with the data reported for the first quarter of the year. Changes resulting from improved 
employer reporting also are introduced in the first quarter.

Sizing methodology

The method of dynamic sizing is used in calculations for the BED size class data series. Dynamic 
sizing allocates each firm’s employment gain or loss during a quarter to each respective size class 
in which the change occurred. For example, if a firm grew from 2 employees in quarter 1 to 38 
employees in quarter 2, then, of the 36-employee increase, 2 would be allocated to the first size 
class, 5 to the size class 5 to 9, 10 to size class 10 to 19, and 19 to size class 20 to 49.

Dynamic sizing provides symmetrical firm-size estimates and eliminates any systematic effects 
which may be caused by the transitory and reverting changes in firms’ sizes over time. 
Additionally, it allocates each job gain or loss to the actual size class where it occurred.

Annual Data

The annual gross job gains and gross job losses measure the net change in employment at the 
establishment level from the third month of a quarter in the previous year to the third month of the 
same quarter in the current year. The BLS publishes annual BED data based on March-to-March 
changes once a year with the release of the first quarter BED data. The annual data based on over-
the-year changes for other quarters of the year are available upon request. The definitions and 
methodology in measuring annual gross job gains and gross job losses are similar to the quarterly 
measures. The linkage method considers all predecessor and successor relations that may come 
about due to changes in ownership and corporate restructuring over the entire year. At the 
establishment level, some of the quarterly job gains and job losses are offset during the estimation 
over the year. Therefore, the sum of four quarters of gross job gains and gross job losses are not 
equal to annual gross job gains and gross job losses. The net change in employment over the year, 
however, is equal to the sum of four quarterly net changes on a not seasonally adjusted basis.

Seasonal adjustment

Over the course of a year, the levels of employment and the associated job flows undergo sharp 
fluctuations due to such seasonal events as changes in the weather, reduced or expanded 
production, harvests, major holidays, and the opening and closing of schools. The effect of such 
seasonal variation can be very large.

Because these seasonal events follow a more or less regular pattern each year, their influence can 
be eliminated by adjusting these statistics from quarter to quarter. These adjustments make 
nonseasonal developments, such as declines in economic activity, easier to recognize. For 
example, the large number of youths taking summer jobs is likely to obscure other changes that 
have taken place in June relative to March, making it difficult to determine if the level of economic 
activity has risen or declined. However, because the effect of students finishing school in previous 
years is known, the statistics for the current year can be adjusted to allow for a comparable change. 
The adjusted figures provide a more useful tool with which to analyze changes in economic 
activity.

The employment data series for opening, expanding, closing, and contracting units are 
independently seasonally adjusted; net changes are calculated based on the difference between 
gross job gains and gross job losses. Similarly, for industry data, the establishment counts data 
series for opening, expanding, closing, and contracting establishments are independently adjusted, 
and the net changes are calculated based on the difference between the number of opening and 
closing establishments. Additionally establishment and employment levels are independently 
seasonally adjusted to calculate the seasonally adjusted rates. Concurrent seasonal adjustment is 
run using X-13 ARIMA-SEATS. Seasonally adjusted data series for total private are the sum of 
seasonally adjusted data of all sectors including the unclassified sector, which is not separately 
published.

The net over-the-quarter change derived by summing the BED component series will differ from 
the net employment change estimated from the seasonally adjusted total private employment series 
from the CES program. The intended use of BED statistics is to show the dynamic labor market 
changes that underlie the net employment change statistic. As such, data users interested 
particularly in the net employment change and not in the gross job flows underlying this change 
should refer to CES data for over-the-quarter net employment changes.

Reliability of the data

Since the data series on Business Employment Dynamics are based on administrative rather than 
sample data, there are no issues related to sampling error. Nonsampling error, however, still exists. 
Nonsampling errors can occur for many reasons, such as the employer submitting corrected 
employment data after the end of the quarter or typographical errors made by businesses when 
providing information. Such errors, however, are likely to be distributed randomly throughout the 
dataset.

Changes in administrative data sometimes create complications for the linkage process. This can 
result in overstating openings and closings while understating expansions and contractions. The 
BLS continues to refine methods for improving the linkage process to alleviate the effects of these 
complications.

The BED data series are subject to periodic minor changes based on corrections in QCEW records, 
updates on predecessors and successors information, and seasonal adjustment revisions.

Annual revisions are published each year with the release of the first quarter data. These revisions 
cover the last four quarters of not seasonally adjusted data and 5 years of seasonally adjusted data.

Additional statistics and other information

Several other programs within BLS produce closely related information. The QCEW program 
provides both quarterly and annual estimates of employment by state, county, and detailed 
industry. News releases on quarterly county employment and wages and the annual bulletin also 
are available upon request from the Division of Administrative Statistics and Labor Turnover 
(Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages), phone number: (202) 691-6567; (www.bls.gov/cew/); 
(e-mail: QCEWInfo@bls.gov).

The Current Employment Statistics program produces monthly estimates of employment, its 
net change, hours, and earnings by detailed industry. These estimates are part of the Employment 
Situation report put out monthly by BLS.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey program provides monthly measures of 
job openings, as well as employee hires and separations.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access
telecommunications relay services.

Table 1. Private sector gross job gains and job losses, seasonally adjusted

Total private

(In thousands)

                                                     Gross job gains                          Gross job losses
Year  3 months ended  Net change(1)     Total     Expanding      Opening         Total     Contracting    Closing
                                               establishments establishments            establishments establishments

2011  March                  334        6,540         5,322        1,218         6,206          5,025       1,181
      June                   582        6,966         5,625        1,341         6,384          5,115       1,269
      September              841        7,205         5,810        1,395         6,364          5,172       1,192
      December               335        6,865         5,503        1,362         6,530          5,273       1,257
 
2012  March                  948        7,080         5,746        1,334         6,132          5,005       1,127
      June                   616        7,051         5,724        1,327         6,435          5,266       1,169
      September              252        6,881         5,571        1,310         6,629          5,430       1,199
      December               695        7,110         5,753        1,357         6,415          5,225       1,190
 
2013  March                  558        6,941         5,705        1,236         6,383          5,201       1,182
      June                   674        7,152         5,830        1,322         6,478          5,271       1,207
      September              507        7,058         5,719        1,339         6,551          5,408       1,143
      December               700        7,255         5,926        1,329         6,555          5,353       1,202
 
2014  March                  419        6,953         5,687        1,266         6,534          5,380       1,154
      June                   895        7,454         6,114        1,340         6,559          5,342       1,217
      September              577        7,247         5,918        1,329         6,670          5,487       1,183
      December             1,038        7,617         6,248        1,369         6,579          5,346       1,233
 
2015  March                  216        7,046         5,733        1,313         6,830          5,626       1,204
      June                   849        7,580         6,235        1,345         6,731          5,540       1,191
      September              475        7,344         5,983        1,361         6,869          5,657       1,212
      December               944        7,817         6,360        1,457         6,873          5,607       1,266
 
2016  March                  249        7,163         5,875        1,288         6,914          5,706       1,208
      June                   318        7,443         6,070        1,373         7,125          5,820       1,305
      September              748        7,710         6,250        1,460         6,962          5,718       1,244
      December               308        7,413         6,007        1,406         7,105          5,806       1,299
 
2017  March                  662        7,441         6,103        1,338         6,779          5,595       1,184
      June                   496        7,625         6,251        1,374         7,129          5,862       1,267
      September              -52        7,318         5,969        1,349         7,370          6,073       1,297
      December               913        7,792         6,360        1,432         6,879          5,583       1,296
 
2018  March                  727        7,506         6,153        1,353         6,779          5,589       1,190
      June                   422        7,657         6,255        1,402         7,235          5,951       1,284
      September               79        7,500         6,125        1,375         7,421          6,099       1,322
      December               763        7,744         6,301        1,443         6,981          5,648       1,333
 
2019  March                  537        7,473         6,112        1,361         6,936          5,689       1,247
      June                   182        7,637         6,249        1,388         7,455          6,095       1,360
      September               48        7,395         6,016        1,379         7,347          6,073       1,274
      December               785        7,848         6,354        1,494         7,063          5,736       1,327
 
2020  March                 -791        7,078         5,719        1,359         7,869          6,365       1,504
      June               -14,692        5,709         4,416        1,293        20,401         17,475       2,926
      September            4,010       10,868         8,817        2,051         6,858          5,483       1,375
      December             2,064        8,821         7,124        1,697         6,757          5,403       1,354
 
2021  March                1,685        8,154         6,644        1,510         6,469          5,340       1,129
      June                   893        8,141         6,597        1,544         7,248          5,982       1,266
      September            1,313        8,795         7,139        1,656         7,482          5,937       1,545
      December             2,879        9,576         7,733        1,843         6,697          5,347       1,350
 
 
(1) Net change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses.

Table 2. Private sector gross job gains and losses, as a percent of employment(1), seasonally adjusted

Total private

(Percent)

                                                     Gross job gains                          Gross job losses
Year  3 months ended  Net change(2)     Total     Expanding      Opening         Total     Contracting    Closing
                                               establishments establishments            establishments establishments

2011  March                  0.3          6.1           5.0          1.1           5.8            4.7         1.1
      June                   0.5          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.9            4.7         1.2
      September              0.8          6.7           5.4          1.3           5.9            4.8         1.1
      December               0.4          6.4           5.1          1.3           6.0            4.8         1.2
 
2012  March                  0.8          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.6            4.6         1.0
      June                   0.5          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.9            4.8         1.1
      September              0.2          6.2           5.0          1.2           6.0            4.9         1.1
      December               0.6          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.8            4.7         1.1
 
2013  March                  0.5          6.2           5.1          1.1           5.7            4.6         1.1
      June                   0.6          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.8            4.7         1.1
      September              0.5          6.3           5.1          1.2           5.8            4.8         1.0
      December               0.6          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.8            4.7         1.1
 
2014  March                  0.4          6.1           5.0          1.1           5.7            4.7         1.0
      June                   0.8          6.5           5.3          1.2           5.7            4.6         1.1
      September              0.5          6.2           5.1          1.1           5.7            4.7         1.0
      December               0.9          6.6           5.4          1.2           5.7            4.6         1.1
 
2015  March                  0.2          6.0           4.9          1.1           5.8            4.8         1.0
      June                   0.7          6.4           5.3          1.1           5.7            4.7         1.0
      September              0.5          6.3           5.1          1.2           5.8            4.8         1.0
      December               0.7          6.5           5.3          1.2           5.8            4.7         1.1
 
2016  March                  0.2          6.0           4.9          1.1           5.8            4.8         1.0
      June                   0.2          6.2           5.1          1.1           6.0            4.9         1.1
      September              0.6          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.8            4.8         1.0
      December               0.3          6.2           5.0          1.2           5.9            4.8         1.1
 
2017  March                  0.5          6.1           5.0          1.1           5.6            4.6         1.0
      June                   0.4          6.2           5.1          1.1           5.8            4.8         1.0
      September             -0.1          6.0           4.9          1.1           6.1            5.0         1.1
      December               0.8          6.4           5.2          1.2           5.6            4.5         1.1
 
2018  March                  0.6          6.1           5.0          1.1           5.5            4.5         1.0
      June                   0.3          6.1           5.0          1.1           5.8            4.8         1.0
      September              0.0          6.0           4.9          1.1           6.0            4.9         1.1
      December               0.6          6.2           5.0          1.2           5.6            4.5         1.1
 
2019  March                  0.5          6.0           4.9          1.1           5.5            4.5         1.0
      June                   0.2          6.1           5.0          1.1           5.9            4.8         1.1
      September              0.1          5.9           4.8          1.1           5.8            4.8         1.0
      December               0.7          6.2           5.0          1.2           5.5            4.5         1.0
 
2020  March                 -0.6          5.6           4.5          1.1           6.2            5.0         1.2
      June                 -12.2          4.8           3.7          1.1          17.0           14.6         2.4
      September              3.5          9.5           7.7          1.8           6.0            4.8         1.2
      December               1.7          7.4           6.0          1.4           5.7            4.6         1.1
 
2021  March                  1.4          6.8           5.5          1.3           5.4            4.5         0.9
      June                   0.8          6.7           5.4          1.3           5.9            4.9         1.0
      September              1.0          7.2           5.8          1.4           6.2            4.9         1.3
      December               2.3          7.7           6.2          1.5           5.4            4.3         1.1
 
 
(1) The rates measure gross job gains and job losses as a percentage of the average of the previous and current quarter
    employment levels.

(2) Net change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses.

Table 3. Private sector gross job gains and losses by industry, seasonally adjusted

                                   Gross job gains and job losses              Gross job gains and job losses
                                          (in thousands)                         as a percent of employment

    Category                              3 months ended                               3 months ended

                                   Dec.     Mar.     June     Sept.    Dec.    Dec.    Mar.    June    Sept.   Dec.
                                   2020     2021     2021     2021     2021    2020    2021    2021    2021    2021
Total private(1)

Gross job gains                   8,821    8,154    8,141    8,795    9,576     7.4     6.8     6.7     7.2     7.7
 At expanding establishments      7,124    6,644    6,597    7,139    7,733     6.0     5.5     5.4     5.8     6.2
 At opening establishments        1,697    1,510    1,544    1,656    1,843     1.4     1.3     1.3     1.4     1.5
Gross job losses                  6,757    6,469    7,248    7,482    6,697     5.7     5.4     5.9     6.2     5.4
 At contracting establishments    5,403    5,340    5,982    5,937    5,347     4.6     4.5     4.9     4.9     4.3
 At closing establishments        1,354    1,129    1,266    1,545    1,350     1.1     0.9     1.0     1.3     1.1
Net employment change             2,064    1,685      893    1,313    2,879     1.7     1.4     0.8     1.0     2.3
 
Goods-producing

Gross job gains                   1,469    1,368    1,273    1,335    1,517     6.9     6.4     6.0     6.3     7.0
 At expanding establishments      1,251    1,160    1,085    1,122    1,290     5.9     5.4     5.1     5.3     6.0
 At opening establishments          218      208      188      213      227     1.0     1.0     0.9     1.0     1.0
Gross job losses                  1,172    1,181    1,328    1,266    1,133     5.6     5.5     6.2     5.9     5.2
 At contracting establishments      982    1,004    1,131    1,045      940     4.7     4.7     5.3     4.9     4.3
 At closing establishments          190      177      197      221      193     0.9     0.8     0.9     1.0     0.9
Net employment change               297      187      -55       69      384     1.3     0.9    -0.2     0.4     1.8
 
Natural resources and mining

Gross job gains                     231      238      220      218      228    13.3    13.4    12.6    12.7    12.9
 At expanding establishments        200      209      194      191      200    11.5    11.8    11.1    11.1    11.3
 At opening establishments           31       29       26       27       28     1.8     1.6     1.5     1.6     1.6
Gross job losses                    229      233      217      201      217    13.2    13.2    12.4    11.7    12.3
 At contracting establishments      202      203      192      174      191    11.6    11.5    11.0    10.1    10.8
 At closing establishments           27       30       25       27       26     1.6     1.7     1.4     1.6     1.5
Net employment change                 2        5        3       17       11     0.1     0.2     0.2     1.0     0.6
 
Construction

Gross job gains                     716      679      627      637      715     9.9     9.2     8.4     8.7     9.6
 At expanding establishments        577      545      507      500      571     8.0     7.4     6.8     6.8     7.7
 At opening establishments          139      134      120      137      144     1.9     1.8     1.6     1.9     1.9
Gross job losses                    565      581      656      641      572     7.8     7.8     8.9     8.8     7.7
 At contracting establishments      449      475      531      505      452     6.2     6.4     7.2     6.9     6.1
 At closing establishments          116      106      125      136      120     1.6     1.4     1.7     1.9     1.6
Net employment change               151       98      -29       -4      143     2.1     1.4    -0.5    -0.1     1.9
 
Manufacturing

Gross job gains                     522      451      426      480      574     4.3     3.7     3.4     3.9     4.6
 At expanding establishments        474      406      384      431      519     3.9     3.3     3.1     3.5     4.2
 At opening establishments           48       45       42       49       55     0.4     0.4     0.3     0.4     0.4
Gross job losses                    378      367      455      424      344     3.1     3.0     3.7     3.5     2.8
 At contracting establishments      331      326      408      366      297     2.7     2.7     3.3     3.0     2.4
 At closing establishments           47       41       47       58       47     0.4     0.3     0.4     0.5     0.4
Net employment change               144       84      -29       56      230     1.2     0.7    -0.3     0.4     1.8
 
Service-providing(1)

Gross job gains                   7,352    6,786    6,868    7,460    8,059     7.6     6.9     6.9     7.4     7.9
 At expanding establishments      5,873    5,484    5,512    6,017    6,443     6.1     5.6     5.5     6.0     6.3
 At opening establishments        1,479    1,302    1,356    1,443    1,616     1.5     1.3     1.4     1.4     1.6
Gross job losses                  5,585    5,288    5,920    6,216    5,564     5.8     5.4     6.0     6.1     5.4
 At contracting establishments    4,421    4,336    4,851    4,892    4,407     4.6     4.4     4.9     4.8     4.3
 At closing establishments        1,164      952    1,069    1,324    1,157     1.2     1.0     1.1     1.3     1.1
Net employment change             1,767    1,498      948    1,244    2,495     1.8     1.5     0.9     1.3     2.5
 
Wholesale trade

Gross job gains                     302      265      280      307      356     5.5     4.7     5.0     5.4     6.2
 At expanding establishments        243      218      232      249      286     4.4     3.9     4.1     4.4     5.0
 At opening establishments           59       47       48       58       70     1.1     0.8     0.9     1.0     1.2
Gross job losses                    223      220      247      276      224     3.9     3.9     4.4     4.9     3.9
 At contracting establishments      170      173      190      202      171     3.0     3.1     3.4     3.6     3.0
 At closing establishments           53       47       57       74       53     0.9     0.8     1.0     1.3     0.9
Net employment change                79       45       33       31      132     1.6     0.8     0.6     0.5     2.3
 
Retail trade

Gross job gains                     936      923      926      961      925     6.2     6.1     6.0     6.2     6.0
 At expanding establishments        814      801      801      836      798     5.4     5.3     5.2     5.4     5.2
 At opening establishments          122      122      125      125      127     0.8     0.8     0.8     0.8     0.8
Gross job losses                    841      765      949    1,003      830     5.6     5.0     6.2     6.5     5.4
 At contracting establishments      711      667      844      875      722     4.7     4.4     5.5     5.7     4.7
 At closing establishments          130       98      105      128      108     0.9     0.6     0.7     0.8     0.7
Net employment change                95      158      -23      -42       95     0.6     1.1    -0.2    -0.3     0.6
 
Transportation and warehousing

Gross job gains                     636      353      323      431      694    11.1     5.9     5.5     7.4    11.2
 At expanding establishments        521      303      271      368      577     9.1     5.1     4.6     6.3     9.3
 At opening establishments          115       50       52       63      117     2.0     0.8     0.9     1.1     1.9
Gross job losses                    276      417      390      309      247     4.8     7.1     6.7     5.2     4.0
 At contracting establishments      236      381      350      260      203     4.1     6.5     6.0     4.4     3.3
 At closing establishments           40       36       40       49       44     0.7     0.6     0.7     0.8     0.7
Net employment change               360      -64      -67      122      447     6.3    -1.2    -1.2     2.2     7.2
 
Utilities

Gross job gains                      13       10       13       16       17     2.4     1.9     2.4     3.0     3.2
 At expanding establishments         11        9       11       14       15     2.0     1.7     2.0     2.6     2.8
 At opening establishments            2        1        2        2        2     0.4     0.2     0.4     0.4     0.4
Gross job losses                     12       10       13       14       14     2.2     1.9     2.4     2.6     2.6
 At contracting establishments       10        9       11       11       12     1.8     1.7     2.0     2.0     2.2
 At closing establishments            2        1        2        3        2     0.4     0.2     0.4     0.6     0.4
Net employment change                 1        0        0        2        3     0.2     0.0     0.0     0.4     0.6
 
Information

Gross job gains                     175      181      193      240      224     6.6     6.6     6.9     8.5     7.6
 At expanding establishments        136      153      148      195      179     5.1     5.6     5.3     6.9     6.1
 At opening establishments           39       28       45       45       45     1.5     1.0     1.6     1.6     1.5
Gross job losses                    143      117      161      146      172     5.4     4.3     5.8     5.1     5.9
 At contracting establishments      109       93      131      109      136     4.1     3.4     4.7     3.8     4.7
 At closing establishments           34       24       30       37       36     1.3     0.9     1.1     1.3     1.2
Net employment change                32       64       32       94       52     1.2     2.3     1.1     3.4     1.7
 
Financial activities

Gross job gains                     432      386      418      483      512     5.3     4.7     5.1     5.8     6.1
 At expanding establishments        321      302      322      374      388     3.9     3.7     3.9     4.5     4.6
 At opening establishments          111       84       96      109      124     1.4     1.0     1.2     1.3     1.5
Gross job losses                    371      339      419      431      391     4.5     4.1     5.1     5.1     4.7
 At contracting establishments      279      255      321      319      294     3.4     3.1     3.9     3.8     3.5
 At closing establishments           92       84       98      112       97     1.1     1.0     1.2     1.3     1.2
Net employment change                61       47       -1       52      121     0.8     0.6     0.0     0.7     1.4
 
Professional and business services

Gross job gains                   1,855    1,467    1,539    1,728    1,966     9.0     7.1     7.3     8.2     9.1
 At expanding establishments      1,500    1,180    1,216    1,369    1,601     7.3     5.7     5.8     6.5     7.4
 At opening establishments          355      287      323      359      365     1.7     1.4     1.5     1.7     1.7
Gross job losses                  1,195    1,245    1,470    1,476    1,303     5.8     6.0     7.0     7.0     6.1
 At contracting establishments      908    1,000    1,197    1,121      988     4.4     4.8     5.7     5.3     4.6
 At closing establishments          287      245      273      355      315     1.4     1.2     1.3     1.7     1.5
Net employment change               660      222       69      252      663     3.2     1.1     0.3     1.2     3.0
 
Education and health services

Gross job gains                   1,172    1,049    1,020    1,058    1,235     5.2     4.7     4.5     4.7     5.4
 At expanding establishments        944      855      820      849      953     4.2     3.8     3.6     3.8     4.2
 At opening establishments          228      194      200      209      282     1.0     0.9     0.9     0.9     1.2
Gross job losses                    892      912    1,002    1,078      994     4.0     4.0     4.5     4.8     4.4
 At contracting establishments      697      744      806      829      776     3.1     3.3     3.6     3.7     3.4
 At closing establishments          195      168      196      249      218     0.9     0.7     0.9     1.1     1.0
Net employment change               280      137       18      -20      241     1.2     0.7     0.0    -0.1     1.0
 
Leisure and hospitality

Gross job gains                   1,447    1,723    1,725    1,788    1,655    11.6    13.3    12.6    12.4    11.0
 At expanding establishments      1,139    1,408    1,420    1,476    1,352     9.1    10.9    10.4    10.2     9.0
 At opening establishments          308      315      305      312      303     2.5     2.4     2.2     2.2     2.0
Gross job losses                  1,329      983      984    1,176    1,098    10.6     7.7     7.2     8.2     7.3
 At contracting establishments    1,087      809      802      961      899     8.7     6.3     5.9     6.7     6.0
 At closing establishments          242      174      182      215      199     1.9     1.4     1.3     1.5     1.3
Net employment change               118      740      741      612      557     1.0     5.6     5.4     4.2     3.7
 
Other services

Gross job gains                     327      322      330      349      363     8.8     8.5     8.5     8.9     9.0
 At expanding establishments        235      239      256      270      275     6.3     6.3     6.6     6.9     6.8
 At opening establishments           92       83       74       79       88     2.5     2.2     1.9     2.0     2.2
Gross job losses                    283      256      260      278      263     7.6     6.8     6.8     7.1     6.5
 At contracting establishments      208      197      191      196      197     5.6     5.2     5.0     5.0     4.9
 At closing establishments           75       59       69       82       66     2.0     1.6     1.8     2.1     1.6
Net employment change                44       66       70       71      100     1.2     1.7     1.7     1.8     2.5
 
(1) Includes unclassified sector, not shown separately.

Table 4. Private sector gross job gains and losses by firm size, seasonally adjusted

(In thousands)

                   Total private by firm(1)          Firm size 1 - 49 employees       Firm size 50 - 249 employees     Firm size 250 or more employees
Year  3 months      Net           Gross job           Net          Gross job           Net          Gross job           Net          Gross job
        ended      change       gains   losses       change      gains   losses       change      gains   losses       change      gains   losses

2011  March          340        5,375    5,035          99       2,983    2,884         122         971      849         119       1,421    1,302
      June           537        5,746    5,209         190       3,073    2,883         169       1,063      894         178       1,610    1,432
      September      852        5,974    5,122         272       3,137    2,865         171       1,066      895         409       1,771    1,362
      December       297        5,585    5,288          45       2,970    2,925          44         981      937         208       1,634    1,426
 
2012  March          972        5,904    4,932         388       3,173    2,785         220       1,054      834         364       1,677    1,313
      June           612        5,828    5,216         174       3,039    2,865         158       1,074      916         280       1,715    1,435
      September      226        5,581    5,355          55       2,963    2,908          54       1,006      952         117       1,612    1,495
      December       637        5,779    5,142         180       3,025    2,845          94       1,014      920         363       1,740    1,377
 
2013  March          582        5,743    5,161         212       3,071    2,859         156       1,029      873         214       1,643    1,429
      June           650        5,906    5,256         226       3,085    2,859         135       1,071      936         289       1,750    1,461
      September      473        5,764    5,291         225       3,063    2,838          69       1,021      952         179       1,680    1,501
      December       631        5,886    5,255         122       3,021    2,899         105       1,034      929         404       1,831    1,427
 
2014  March          442        5,665    5,223         231       3,070    2,839         149       1,035      886          62       1,560    1,498
      June           893        6,134    5,241         302       3,178    2,876         214       1,119      905         377       1,837    1,460
      September      560        5,865    5,305         197       3,064    2,867         117       1,066      949         246       1,735    1,489
      December       951        6,155    5,204         212       3,105    2,893         150       1,085      935         589       1,965    1,376
 
2015  March          226        5,677    5,451         168       3,098    2,930          75       1,025      950         -17       1,554    1,571
      June           846        6,243    5,397         323       3,196    2,873         187       1,128      941         336       1,919    1,583
      September      456        5,914    5,458         148       3,057    2,909          79       1,047      968         229       1,810    1,581
      December       830        6,245    5,415         227       3,172    2,945          90       1,074      984         513       1,999    1,486
 
2016  March          254        5,754    5,500         191       3,114    2,923          59       1,022      963           4       1,618    1,614
      June           331        6,048    5,717          74       3,123    3,049         114       1,101      987         143       1,824    1,681
      September      752        6,266    5,514         192       3,160    2,968         102       1,089      987         458       2,017    1,559
      December       245        5,886    5,641          71       3,065    2,994          37       1,026      989         137       1,795    1,658
 
2017  March          658        6,000    5,342         341       3,232    2,891         190       1,084      894         127       1,684    1,557
      June           543        6,203    5,660         150       3,160    3,010         145       1,123      978         248       1,920    1,672
      September     -100        5,833    5,933        -111       2,999    3,110         -44       1,014    1,058          55       1,820    1,765
      December       831        6,199    5,368         241       3,189    2,948         149       1,086      937         441       1,924    1,483
 
2018  March          731        6,062    5,331         297       3,210    2,913         164       1,071      907         270       1,781    1,511
      June           454        6,188    5,734         136       3,191    3,055         151       1,129      978         167       1,868    1,701
      September       33        5,985    5,952         -90       3,027    3,117         -25       1,030    1,055         148       1,928    1,780
      December       698        6,109    5,411         208       3,177    2,969         141       1,080      939         349       1,852    1,503
 
2019  March          572        6,003    5,431         259       3,190    2,931         153       1,064      911         160       1,749    1,589
      June           204        6,142    5,938          58       3,157    3,099          93       1,118    1,025          53       1,867    1,814
      September       -1        5,874    5,875         -15       3,044    3,059         -27       1,019    1,046          41       1,811    1,770
      December       682        6,214    5,532         214       3,191    2,977          99       1,067      968         369       1,956    1,587
 
2020  March         -610        5,659    6,269        -368       3,026    3,394        -102         967    1,069        -140       1,666    1,806
      June       -15,320        4,494   19,814      -4,700       2,552    7,252      -2,819         579    3,398      -7,801       1,363    9,164
      September    4,040        9,459    5,419       1,505       4,483    2,978         542       1,423      881       1,993       3,553    1,560
      December     1,893        7,092    5,199         521       3,496    2,975         351       1,193      842       1,021       2,403    1,382
 
2021  March        1,755        6,798    5,043         949       3,590    2,641         217       1,094      877         589       2,114    1,525
      June           920        6,614    5,694         698       3,493    2,795         204       1,137      933          18       1,984    1,966
      September    1,280        7,112    5,832         298       3,475    3,177         229       1,189      960         753       2,448    1,695
      December     2,736        7,653    4,917         896       3,748    2,852         474       1,314      840       1,366       2,591    1,225
 
 
(1) Total gross job gains and gross job losses by firm are lower than total gross job gains and gross job losses by establishment, as some
    establishment gains and losses within a firm are offset during the aggregation process.

NOTE: Net change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. Net change totals for the firm-level data differ from
the establishment-level data due to independent seasonal adjustment. The unit of analysis section in the technical note provides additional detail.
See www.bls.gov/bdm/bdmfirmsize.htm for more detailed firm size class data.

Table 5. Components of private sector gross job gains and losses by firm size, seasonally adjusted

                                   Gross job gains and job losses              Gross job gains and job losses
                                          (in thousands)                         as a percent of employment

    Category                              3 months ended                               3 months ended

                                   Dec.     Mar.     June     Sept.    Dec.    Dec.    Mar.    June    Sept.   Dec.
                                   2020     2021     2021     2021     2021    2020    2021    2021    2021    2021
Total private by firm(1)

Gross job gains                   7,092    6,798    6,614    7,112    7,653     6.0     5.7     5.5     5.8     6.1
 At expanding firms               5,982    5,731    5,655    6,087    6,489     5.1     4.8     4.7     5.0     5.2
 At opening firms                 1,110    1,067      959    1,025    1,164     0.9     0.9     0.8     0.8     0.9
 
Gross job losses                  5,199    5,043    5,694    5,832    4,917     4.5     4.2     4.7     4.7     4.0
 At contracting firms             4,307    4,273    4,860    4,809    4,053     3.7     3.6     4.0     3.9     3.3
 At closing firms                   892      770      834    1,023      864     0.8     0.6     0.7     0.8     0.7
 
Net employment change             1,893    1,755      920    1,280    2,736     1.5     1.5     0.8     1.1     2.1
 

Firm size 1 to 49 employees

Gross job gains                   3,496    3,590    3,493    3,475    3,748    10.5    10.7    10.2    10.1    10.7
 At expanding firms               2,424    2,562    2,566    2,485    2,627     7.3     7.6     7.5     7.2     7.5
 At opening firms                 1,072    1,028      927      990    1,121     3.2     3.1     2.7     2.9     3.2
 
Gross job losses                  2,975    2,641    2,795    3,177    2,852     9.0     7.9     8.2     9.3     8.2
 At contracting firms             2,110    1,901    1,988    2,193    2,024     6.4     5.7     5.8     6.4     5.8
 At closing firms                   865      740      807      984      828     2.6     2.2     2.4     2.9     2.4
 
Net employment change               521      949      698      298      896     1.5     2.8     2.0     0.8     2.5
 

Firm size 50 to 249 employees

Gross job gains                   1,193    1,094    1,137    1,189    1,314     5.9     5.2     5.4     5.5     6.1
 At expanding firms               1,161    1,065    1,108    1,159    1,277     5.7     5.1     5.3     5.4     5.9
 At opening firms                    32       29       29       30       37     0.2     0.1     0.1     0.1     0.2
 
Gross job losses                    842      877      933      960      840     4.1     4.2     4.4     4.5     3.8
 At contracting firms               817      852      910      927      813     4.0     4.1     4.3     4.3     3.7
 At closing firms                    25       25       23       33       27     0.1     0.1     0.1     0.2     0.1
 
Net employment change               351      217      204      229      474     1.8     1.0     1.0     1.0     2.3
 

Firm size 250 or more employees

Gross job gains                   2,403    2,114    1,984    2,448    2,591     3.7     3.2     3.0     3.7     3.8
 At expanding firms               2,397    2,104    1,981    2,443    2,585     3.7     3.2     3.0     3.7     3.8
 At opening firms                     6       10        3        5        6     0.0     0.0     0.0     0.0     0.0
 
Gross job losses                  1,382    1,525    1,966    1,695    1,225     2.1     2.3     3.0     2.5     1.8
 At contracting firms             1,380    1,520    1,962    1,689    1,216     2.1     2.3     3.0     2.5     1.8
 At closing firms                     2        5        4        6        9     0.0     0.0     0.0     0.0     0.0
 
Net employment change             1,021      589       18      753    1,366     1.6     0.9     0.0     1.2     2.0
 
 
(1) Total gross job gains and gross job losses by firm are lower than total gross job gains and gross job losses by
    establishment, as some establishment gains and losses within a firm are offset during the aggregation process.

NOTE: Net change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. Net change totals for
the firm-level data differ from the establishment-level data due to independent seasonal adjustment. The unit of
analysis section in the technical note provides additional detail. See www.bls.gov/bdm/bdmfirmsize.htm for more
detailed firm size class data.

Table 6. Private sector gross job gains and losses by state, seasonally adjusted

                                           Gross job gains                                         Gross job losses
State                                      3 months ended                                          3 months ended

                           Dec.       Mar.       June       Sept.      Dec.        Dec.       Mar.       June       Sept.      Dec.
                           2020       2021       2021       2021       2021        2020       2021       2021       2021       2021

United States(1)....  8,821,000  8,154,000  8,141,000  8,795,000  9,576,000   6,757,000  6,469,000  7,248,000  7,482,000  6,697,000
 
Alabama.............    119,294     92,377     98,458    105,158    123,121      84,720     92,107     94,344    106,750     86,692
Alaska..............     30,084     25,286     21,847     23,961     27,986      17,167     21,662     21,303     21,918     20,502
Arizona.............    180,158    157,582    171,297    175,461    176,424     120,914    137,245    149,126    152,372    127,115
Arkansas............     71,401     59,076     56,022     66,061     78,152      51,611     50,250     56,824     59,874     46,913
California..........  1,171,574  1,081,628  1,111,041  1,123,411  1,263,445     848,243    833,574    924,896    914,395    817,715
Colorado............    161,665    190,034    175,095    185,136    177,505     157,038    123,149    145,073    159,851    142,139
Connecticut.........     88,630     85,542     90,384     93,752     96,125      79,517     71,646     80,149     82,471     75,282
Delaware............     24,803     25,344     23,474     26,568     31,132      21,870     22,245     23,794     26,033     23,023
District of Columbia     24,490     25,353     33,099     38,409     36,154      25,795     24,772     25,367     23,534     24,965
Florida.............    586,615    521,589    594,873    714,440    620,547     443,199    435,096    473,304    472,323    485,513
 
Georgia.............    290,819    251,594    260,499    282,737    319,390     191,946    214,348    235,681    238,242    222,404
Hawaii..............     61,190     37,733     49,250     34,438     32,973      18,902     26,185     26,298     31,537     23,158
Idaho...............     55,980     53,979     48,505     50,776     57,988      39,115     37,762     47,768     48,823     42,391
Illinois............    311,130    352,016    298,372    311,542    378,074     292,410    235,866    274,482    293,148    241,186
Indiana.............    174,192    157,471    149,586    164,891    195,758     127,593    131,642    156,760    151,625    125,550
Iowa................     84,795     76,915     75,276     77,596     84,090      62,908     68,172     76,158     75,839     66,943
Kansas..............     76,509     68,181     68,087     73,154     85,507      64,495     61,530     68,174     73,086     59,413
Kentucky............    112,311    112,708     99,257    104,949    117,852      93,275     80,297    102,580    103,046     79,208
Louisiana...........    127,528     96,274    101,433    102,880    146,763      81,705     88,400     93,676    129,960     84,232
Maine...............     41,979     45,104     39,009     39,590     42,215      31,261     32,096     40,073     40,434     35,966
 
Maryland............    147,691    129,076    137,692    157,519    152,777     119,660    114,275    136,921    138,640    120,002
Massachusetts.......    203,528    193,648    207,270    217,283    215,423     160,761    145,185    171,566    178,055    176,669
Michigan............    233,463    297,237    222,680    234,583    273,189     237,554    172,427    202,472    217,395    190,282
Minnesota...........    159,532    215,284    145,938    153,700    175,774     157,602    113,923    133,050    162,284    127,029
Mississippi.........     69,883     48,982     56,390     65,966     72,504      42,799     57,760     57,656     54,905     50,572
Missouri............    162,655    145,842    141,163    155,844    174,451     119,914    120,759    145,379    141,012    130,144
Montana.............     35,500     34,300     32,865     33,259     39,855      25,794     26,870     31,529     32,508     28,711
Nebraska............     53,943     52,031     49,834     50,268     54,692      43,750     49,507     48,886     53,014     44,600
Nevada..............     97,898     83,087    111,229    107,324    102,935      63,782     62,689     67,662     70,153     60,754
New Hampshire.......     40,432     41,089     39,516     39,515     44,497      34,841     30,261     35,760     38,462     38,281
 
New Jersey..........    262,647    231,639    239,708    250,454    304,548     189,844    186,170    192,503    207,816    185,576
New Mexico..........     43,561     51,283     43,694     49,266     51,063      45,015     34,014     40,189     39,930     40,182
New York............    528,197    502,099    518,958    559,006    590,361     452,008    393,029    422,051    443,330    417,053
North Carolina......    288,961    249,484    241,817    256,502    314,572     182,519    200,141    221,426    244,858    201,434
North Dakota........     23,213     25,429     22,525     24,467     25,764      22,713     20,985     21,227     22,197     21,551
Ohio................    291,848    273,126    265,532    275,693    321,925     233,327    223,339    265,035    269,431    234,247
Oklahoma............     97,432     75,490     81,271     88,311     94,365      71,686     75,024     75,108     87,915     80,657
Oregon..............    115,457    134,802    105,790    112,694    125,365     101,713     88,715    106,130    104,372    102,163
Pennsylvania........    298,990    318,356    277,331    309,749    344,695     258,653    227,213    266,006    260,551    244,777
Rhode Island........     29,475     38,212     28,289     30,784     34,713      27,610     21,750     25,839     26,839     26,519
 
South Carolina......    135,839    106,718    108,572    125,492    138,925      88,242    104,928    112,384    115,618     92,872
South Dakota........     25,154     25,621     24,015     23,510     25,968      21,283     21,112     20,932     23,057     21,513
Tennessee...........    188,799    144,611    154,802    176,734    194,757     116,317    128,007    151,018    143,369    130,096
Texas...............    766,575    597,160    697,328    753,292    836,520     489,322    512,772    566,281    572,188    509,280
Utah................    104,801     94,104     92,724     98,710    101,982      71,466     80,546     80,574     92,372     80,008
Vermont.............     17,749     19,463     20,027     18,981     19,628      18,518     14,209     16,320     18,107     16,684
Virginia............    214,569    184,421    195,231    213,826    225,872     162,104    169,083    187,666    192,102    172,065
Washington..........    192,772    215,904    184,755    200,914    221,233     163,861    149,132    161,011    159,079    143,605
West Virginia.......     38,074     37,107     33,867     35,398     41,116      31,713     29,736     33,480     33,627     30,914
Wisconsin...........    149,052    140,399    140,340    134,511    159,842     121,780    112,350    130,321    140,845    132,035
 
Wyoming.............     19,560     18,202     17,488     17,924     20,579      15,116     16,576     16,985     17,152     15,896
Puerto Rico.........     43,022     43,139     51,860     57,802     45,192      31,747     32,409     33,495     35,406     38,820
Virgin Islands......      2,379      1,794      2,590      1,833      1,976       1,394      2,621      1,535      2,079      2,297
 
(1) The sum of the states will not necessarily add to the U.S. total because of the independent seasonal adjustment of each state.

NOTE: Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Table 7. Private sector gross job gains and losses, as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted

                        Gross job gains as a percent of employment    Gross job losses as a percent of employment
State                               3 months ended                                3 months ended

                        Dec.    Mar.    June    Sept.   Dec.          Dec.    Mar.    June    Sept.   Dec.
                        2020    2021    2021    2021    2021          2020    2021    2021    2021    2021

United States.......     7.4     6.8     6.7     7.2     7.7           5.7     5.4     5.9     6.2     5.4
 
Alabama.............     7.6     5.9     6.2     6.6     7.6           5.5     5.9     6.0     6.7     5.3
Alaska..............    13.4    11.0     9.5    10.4    11.9           7.7     9.4     9.2     9.5     8.7
Arizona.............     7.3     6.3     6.8     6.9     6.8           5.0     5.5     6.0     6.0     4.9
Arkansas............     7.2     5.9     5.5     6.6     7.6           5.2     5.1     5.6     5.9     4.5
California..........     8.5     7.7     7.8     7.8     8.5           6.1     5.9     6.4     6.3     5.5
Colorado............     7.5     8.6     7.8     8.1     7.6           7.2     5.6     6.4     7.0     6.1
Connecticut.........     6.6     6.3     6.6     6.8     6.9           5.9     5.3     5.9     6.0     5.4
Delaware............     6.8     6.8     6.4     7.2     8.3           6.0     6.0     6.4     7.0     6.1
District of Columbia     5.3     5.5     7.0     7.9     7.3           5.5     5.3     5.4     4.8     5.0
Florida.............     8.0     6.9     7.8     9.2     7.7           6.0     5.8     6.2     6.0     6.1
 
Georgia.............     7.9     6.7     6.9     7.4     8.1           5.2     5.7     6.2     6.2     5.7
Hawaii..............    14.7     8.5    10.7     7.2     6.8           4.6     5.9     5.6     6.6     4.8
Idaho...............     8.7     8.1     7.2     7.7     8.6           6.1     5.7     7.2     7.3     6.3
Illinois............     6.5     7.2     6.0     6.3     7.5           6.1     4.9     5.6     6.0     4.9
Indiana.............     6.8     6.0     5.7     6.3     7.3           5.0     5.1     6.0     5.8     4.7
Iowa................     6.8     6.1     6.0     6.2     6.6           5.1     5.4     6.0     6.0     5.2
Kansas..............     7.0     6.2     6.2     6.6     7.6           5.9     5.5     6.1     6.6     5.3
Kentucky............     7.3     7.3     6.4     6.6     7.4           6.1     5.1     6.5     6.5     5.0
Louisiana...........     8.7     6.4     6.8     6.9     9.7           5.6     5.9     6.2     8.6     5.6
Maine...............     8.5     9.0     7.7     7.8     8.2           6.3     6.3     7.8     8.0     7.0
 
Maryland............     7.3     6.3     6.6     7.5     7.2           5.8     5.5     6.6     6.7     5.7
Massachusetts.......     7.0     6.6     6.9     7.2     7.0           5.5     5.0     5.7     5.9     5.7
Michigan............     6.7     8.5     6.2     6.6     7.5           6.9     4.9     5.6     6.1     5.3
Minnesota...........     6.9     9.2     6.1     6.4     7.3           6.8     4.9     5.5     6.8     5.2
Mississippi.........     8.0     5.6     6.4     7.5     8.0           4.9     6.6     6.5     6.2     5.7
Missouri............     7.1     6.3     6.0     6.7     7.4           5.2     5.3     6.3     6.1     5.5
Montana.............     9.4     8.8     8.3     8.4    10.0           6.8     6.9     8.1     8.3     7.2
Nebraska............     6.8     6.5     6.2     6.2     6.7           5.5     6.2     6.0     6.6     5.5
Nevada..............     8.8     7.3     9.5     8.9     8.2           5.7     5.5     5.7     5.8     4.9
New Hampshire.......     7.4     7.4     7.0     7.0     7.8           6.4     5.4     6.4     6.8     6.7
 
New Jersey..........     8.1     7.0     7.2     7.4     8.8           5.9     5.6     5.7     6.1     5.3
New Mexico..........     7.3     8.5     7.1     7.9     8.0           7.5     5.7     6.6     6.3     6.3
New York............     7.4     6.9     7.1     7.5     7.7           6.3     5.4     5.7     6.0     5.5
North Carolina......     7.9     6.6     6.4     6.8     8.1           5.0     5.4     5.8     6.4     5.2
North Dakota........     7.2     7.8     6.9     7.5     7.7           7.1     6.5     6.5     6.7     6.5
Ohio................     6.6     6.1     5.9     6.1     7.0           5.2     5.0     5.8     6.0     5.2
Oklahoma............     7.9     6.1     6.5     7.1     7.4           5.8     6.1     6.0     7.0     6.4
Oregon..............     7.4     8.5     6.6     7.0     7.7           6.5     5.6     6.6     6.5     6.2
Pennsylvania........     6.2     6.4     5.6     6.2     6.8           5.3     4.6     5.3     5.3     4.8
Rhode Island........     7.6     9.8     7.0     7.6     8.5           7.1     5.5     6.4     6.6     6.5
 
South Carolina......     8.0     6.2     6.3     7.2     7.9           5.2     6.1     6.5     6.6     5.3
South Dakota........     7.2     7.3     6.8     6.6     7.2           6.2     6.0     5.8     6.5     5.9
Tennessee...........     7.5     5.6     5.9     6.8     7.4           4.6     5.0     5.8     5.5     4.9
Texas...............     7.6     5.7     6.7     7.1     7.7           4.8     5.0     5.4     5.4     4.7
Utah................     8.1     7.1     6.9     7.3     7.5           5.6     6.1     6.0     6.8     5.8
Vermont.............     7.6     8.2     8.4     7.9     8.1           8.0     6.1     6.8     7.5     6.9
Virginia............     7.0     6.0     6.2     6.8     7.1           5.3     5.4     6.0     6.1     5.4
Washington..........     7.2     7.9     6.7     7.2     7.8           6.1     5.4     5.8     5.7     5.1
West Virginia.......     7.4     7.2     6.5     6.7     7.8           6.2     5.8     6.4     6.5     5.9
Wisconsin...........     6.3     5.8     5.8     5.5     6.5           5.1     4.7     5.4     5.8     5.4
 
Wyoming.............    10.0     9.1     8.8     8.9    10.1           7.7     8.3     8.5     8.6     7.8
Puerto Rico.........     6.6     6.6     7.7     8.3     6.4           4.9     5.0     5.0     5.1     5.5
Virgin Islands......     9.9     7.4    10.6     7.4     8.1           5.8    10.8     6.2     8.5     9.4
 
NOTE: Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Table 8. Private sector establishment births and deaths, seasonally adjusted

Total private

(Levels in thousands)

                           Number of Establishments                           Employment
                             Births              Deaths(1)            Births              Deaths
Year  3 months ended     Level     Rate(2)   Level     Rate       Level     Rate      Level     Rate

2011  March                204      2.9        200      2.8         715      0.7        632      0.6
      June                 210      2.9        205      2.9         767      0.7        689      0.6
      September            206      2.9        196      2.7         794      0.7        675      0.6
      December             214      3.0        198      2.8         800      0.7        700      0.6
 
2012  March                236      3.3        188      2.6         787      0.7        614      0.6
      June                 217      3.0        194      2.7         799      0.7        673      0.6
      September            210      2.9        196      2.7         804      0.7        692      0.6
      December             218      3.0        183      2.5         809      0.7        673      0.6
 
2013  March                205      2.8        193      2.6         748      0.7        648      0.6
      June                 222      3.0        215      2.9         789      0.7        695      0.6
      September            219      2.9        195      2.6         818      0.7        678      0.6
      December             215      2.9        187      2.5         803      0.7        670      0.6
 
2014  March                220      2.9        190      2.5         784      0.7        635      0.6
      June                 221      2.9        204      2.7         806      0.7        711      0.6
      September            225      3.0        199      2.6         825      0.7        703      0.6
      December             224      2.9        198      2.6         836      0.7        705      0.6
 
2015  March                233      3.0        207      2.7         818      0.7        696      0.6
      June                 234      3.1        211      2.8         838      0.7        728      0.6
      September            243      3.2        207      2.7         881      0.7        699      0.6
      December             247      3.2        209      2.7         892      0.7        733      0.6
 
2016  March                236      3.0        204      2.6         789      0.7        671      0.6
      June                 241      3.1        213      2.7         838      0.7        719      0.6
      September            238      3.0        214      2.7         872      0.7        745      0.6
      December             238      3.0        217      2.8         865      0.7        729      0.6
 
2017  March                242      3.0        204      2.6         804      0.7        666      0.5
      June                 241      3.0        224      2.8         850      0.7        753      0.6
      September            243      3.0        225      2.8         850      0.7        760      0.6
      December             245      3.1        216      2.7         848      0.7        732      0.6
 
2018  March                248      3.1        214      2.7         812      0.7        665      0.5
      June                 265      3.3        228      2.8         880      0.7        769      0.6
      September            251      3.1        231      2.8         864      0.7        786      0.6
      December             249      3.1        222      2.7         857      0.7        761      0.6
 
2019  March                260      3.2        220      2.7         807      0.6        696      0.6
      June                 258      3.1        241      2.9         850      0.7        807      0.6
      September            250      3.0        233      2.8         848      0.7        768      0.6
      December             268      3.2        235      2.8         905      0.7        792      0.6
 
2020  March                316      3.8        274      3.3         846      0.7        762      0.6
      June                 227      2.8        329      4.0         661      0.6      1,163      1.0
      September            277      3.4        235      2.9         822      0.7        697      0.6
      December             287      3.5        218      2.6         917      0.8        694      0.6
 
2021  March                303      3.6        211      2.5         826      0.7        608      0.5
      June                 351      4.1        N/A      N/A         980      0.8        N/A      N/A
      September            356      4.1        N/A      N/A       1,012      0.8        N/A      N/A
      December             376      4.3        N/A      N/A       1,108      0.9        N/A      N/A
 
 
(1) Values for deaths are not available for the most recent three quarters by definition. See the
    Technical Note for more informations.

(2) The rates measure births and deaths as a percentage of the average of the previous and current
    quarter employment levels or total number of establishments.

Last Modified Date: July 27, 2022