From December 2025 to March 2026, gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments in the District of Columbia were 25,186 while gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments were 24,876, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Lori Keller noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment loss of 310 jobs in the private sector during the first quarter of 2026. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 1,866. (See chart 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 the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)

Gross job losses

In the first quarter of 2026, gross job losses represented 4.9 percent of private-sector employment in the District of Columbia; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.5 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In the District of Columbia, contracting establishments lost 20,482 jobs in the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 22 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 4,704 jobs, a decrease of 881 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job gains

In the first quarter of 2026, gross job gains represented 5.0 percent of private-sector employment in the District of Columbia; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.5 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) 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. In the District of Columbia, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 20,043 in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 1,840 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 4,833 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 1,195 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job losses exceeded gross job gains in 3 of the 5 published industry sectors in the District of Columbia in the first quarter of 2026. Professional and business services had the largest over-the-quarter net job decrease, with a loss of 1,439 jobs. This was the result of 7,680 gross job gains and 9,119 gross job losses. The financial activities industry had a net gain of 1,451 jobs, the largest gain of any sector in the District. This was the result of 2,535 gross job gains and 1,084 gross job losses.

For more information

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. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at the Business Employment Dynamics homepage and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary.

The Business Employment Dynamics for Second Quarter 2026 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, January 27, 2027, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Technical Note

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.

More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.

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Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, District of Columbia, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Mar. 2026	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Mar. 2026
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	25,130	29,117	23,502	27,911	24,876	4.9	5.7	4.6	5.5	5.0
At expanding establishments	19,604	21,863	17,534	21,883	20,043	3.8	4.3	3.4	4.3	4.0
At opening establishments	5,526	7,254	5,968	6,028	4,833	1.1	1.4	1.2	1.2	1.0
Gross job losses	29,951	31,415	30,779	26,045	25,186	5.8	6.1	6.0	5.1	4.9
At contracting establishments	24,163	25,745	24,512	20,460	20,482	4.7	5.0	4.8	4.0	4.0
At closing establishments	5,788	5,670	6,267	5,585	4,704	1.1	1.1	1.2	1.1	0.9
Net employment change (2)	-4,821	-2,298	-7,277	1,866	-310	-0.9	-0.4	-1.4	0.4	0.1
Financial activities
Gross job gains	1,170	1,273	1,034	1,018	2,535	4.7	5.2	4.2	4.2	10.2
At expanding establishments	820	927	758	781	2,108	3.3	3.8	3.1	3.2	8.5
At opening establishments	350	346	276	237	427	1.4	1.4	1.1	1.0	1.7
Gross job losses	1,771	1,027	1,235	1,256	1,084	7.2	4.2	5.1	5.2	4.3
At contracting establishments	1,455	768	925	942	834	5.9	3.1	3.8	3.9	3.3
At closing establishments	316	259	310	314	250	1.3	1.1	1.3	1.3	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-601	246	-201	-238	1,451	-2.5	1.0	-0.9	-1.0	5.9
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	8,288	9,936	8,135	10,504	7,680	4.9	6.0	5.0	6.4	4.7
At expanding establishments	6,214	7,666	5,730	8,007	6,021	3.7	4.6	3.5	4.9	3.7
At opening establishments	2,074	2,270	2,405	2,497	1,659	1.2	1.4	1.5	1.5	1.0
Gross job losses	11,156	11,971	11,167	8,871	9,119	6.6	7.2	6.8	5.4	5.7
At contracting establishments	9,097	9,535	8,847	7,015	7,400	5.4	5.7	5.4	4.3	4.6
At closing establishments	2,059	2,436	2,320	1,856	1,719	1.2	1.5	1.4	1.1	1.1
Net employment change (2)	-2,868	-2,035	-3,032	1,633	-1,439	-1.7	-1.2	-1.8	1.0	-1.0
Education and health services
Gross job gains	4,755	5,305	3,862	4,007	3,994	4.0	4.4	3.3	3.3	3.3
At expanding establishments	4,028	4,301	3,174	3,241	3,359	3.4	3.6	2.7	2.7	2.8
At opening establishments	727	1,004	688	766	635	0.6	0.8	0.6	0.6	0.5
Gross job losses	3,132	4,840	4,374	4,073	3,431	2.7	4.1	3.7	3.5	2.9
At contracting establishments	2,567	4,036	3,274	3,180	2,946	2.2	3.4	2.8	2.7	2.5
At closing establishments	565	804	1,100	893	485	0.5	0.7	0.9	0.8	0.4
Net employment change (2)	1,623	465	-512	-66	563	1.3	0.3	-0.4	-0.2	0.4
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	5,287	5,980	4,576	6,089	4,779	6.8	7.7	6.0	8.1	6.3
At expanding establishments	4,000	3,791	3,414	4,981	3,870	5.1	4.9	4.5	6.6	5.1
At opening establishments	1,287	2,189	1,162	1,108	909	1.7	2.8	1.5	1.5	1.2
Gross job losses	5,694	5,519	7,057	5,615	5,295	7.3	7.1	9.2	7.4	7.0
At contracting establishments	4,470	4,682	5,799	4,426	4,241	5.7	6.0	7.6	5.8	5.6
At closing establishments	1,224	837	1,258	1,189	1,054	1.6	1.1	1.6	1.6	1.4
Net employment change (2)	-407	461	-2,481	474	-516	-0.5	0.6	-3.2	0.7	-0.7
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	2,090	2,724	2,179	2,145	2,205	3.3	4.4	3.5	3.6	3.7
At expanding establishments	1,719	2,164	1,683	1,684	1,789	2.7	3.5	2.7	2.8	3.0
At opening establishments	371	560	496	461	416	0.6	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7
Gross job losses	3,982	4,001	2,828	2,432	2,622	6.3	6.5	4.6	4.0	4.3
At contracting establishments	3,471	3,517	2,343	2,061	2,323	5.5	5.7	3.8	3.4	3.8
At closing establishments	511	484	485	371	299	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.6	0.5
Net employment change (2)	-1,892	-1,277	-649	-287	-417	-3.0	-2.1	-1.1	-0.4	-0.6
Footnotes: (1) Includes unclassified sector not shown separately. (2) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. (3) Except public administration.

Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains as a percent of employment (3 months ended)					Gross job losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Mar. 2026	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Mar. 2026
United States(1)	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.5	5.5	6.0	5.7	5.5	5.5
Alabama	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.9	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.5	5.3	5.2
Alaska	10.4	10.0	7.4	11.9	9.6	8.3	9.9	10.0	9.4	9.4
Arizona	5.8	5.2	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.3	6.2	5.3	5.4	5.6
Arkansas	5.1	5.1	5.4	6.0	5.3	5.1	5.6	5.4	5.3	5.4
California	6.1	6.4	6.3	6.9	6.3	6.4	6.7	6.1	6.1	6.0
Colorado	6.4	6.5	6.5	6.3	6.0	6.6	6.7	6.4	6.2	6.5
Connecticut	5.7	5.8	5.4	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.7	5.7	5.5	5.4
Delaware	6.0	6.0	5.3	5.5	5.5	5.4	6.1	6.0	5.6	5.4
District of Columbia	4.9	5.7	4.6	5.5	5.0	5.8	6.1	6.0	5.1	4.9
Florida	5.8	5.7	6.0	5.9	5.3	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.6	5.5
Georgia	5.6	5.5	5.7	5.9	5.3	5.7	5.6	5.7	5.4	5.5
Hawaii	5.2	4.9	5.2	5.1	5.0	5.2	5.2	4.8	4.7	5.1
Idaho	7.5	7.6	6.7	8.0	7.7	7.3	7.1	7.6	6.3	7.0
Illinois	5.0	5.2	4.7	5.3	5.1	5.0	5.1	5.0	5.3	5.0
Indiana	5.4	5.1	5.1	5.5	4.9	5.1	5.4	5.1	5.1	5.1
Iowa	6.0	5.5	4.8	6.2	6.0	5.6	5.8	5.9	5.4	5.4
Kansas	5.5	5.4	5.8	5.8	5.4	5.4	6.3	5.8	5.4	5.3
Kentucky	5.3	5.0	5.3	5.3	5.2	4.9	5.3	5.6	5.1	5.3
Louisiana	5.8	5.6	6.0	6.0	5.7	5.7	6.2	5.9	5.9	5.4
Maine	7.3	7.1	6.4	6.8	6.4	6.4	7.3	7.0	7.0	6.3
Maryland	5.9	5.7	5.8	6.1	5.6	5.8	6.6	6.3	5.5	6.0
Massachusetts	5.0	5.5	5.3	5.4	5.2	5.1	5.7	5.9	5.5	5.3
Michigan	5.3	5.8	4.9	5.6	5.4	5.3	5.4	5.9	5.3	4.9
Minnesota	5.1	5.8	5.3	5.5	5.2	5.4	5.5	5.6	5.5	5.6
Mississippi	6.0	6.2	6.4	6.4	5.7	6.1	6.2	6.0	5.9	6.3
Missouri	5.4	5.6	5.7	6.2	5.6	5.2	6.1	5.9	5.4	5.3
Montana	8.0	7.7	7.1	8.4	7.8	7.6	8.3	7.9	7.4	7.0
Nebraska	5.3	5.4	5.6	5.7	5.4	5.3	5.5	6.0	5.3	5.4
Nevada	5.4	6.1	6.9	6.4	5.7	5.9	6.3	5.3	5.4	5.7
New Hampshire	6.6	6.3	5.6	6.3	6.1	6.1	6.7	6.8	5.7	6.3
New Jersey	5.4	5.7	5.3	5.8	5.3	5.5	5.6	5.8	5.4	5.5
New Mexico	6.1	6.0	6.1	6.3	6.0	5.8	6.0	6.4	6.0	5.9
New York	7.0	6.1	5.9	5.6	5.4	5.2	7.0	5.7	5.5	5.2
North Carolina	5.6	5.7	5.4	6.0	5.8	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.0	5.3
North Dakota	6.7	6.4	6.2	6.9	6.8	6.5	6.8	6.6	6.4	6.7
Ohio	5.2	5.3	5.2	5.3	5.2	4.9	5.4	5.3	5.0	5.1
Oklahoma	5.5	5.6	6.0	6.2	5.3	5.3	6.2	6.3	5.3	5.3
Oregon	6.1	6.1	5.7	5.9	5.7	6.1	6.4	6.6	6.0	5.9
Pennsylvania	5.0	4.9	5.0	5.1	4.7	4.7	5.1	5.1	4.7	4.8
Rhode Island	6.6	6.3	6.0	6.6	5.8	5.9	6.7	6.6	6.2	6.0
South Carolina	6.1	5.9	6.3	6.6	6.0	5.6	6.1	6.1	5.5	5.7
South Dakota	6.3	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.9	6.4	6.0	5.9	6.1
Tennessee	5.5	5.3	5.8	6.0	5.4	5.3	6.5	5.5	5.3	4.9
Texas	5.1	5.2	5.3	5.8	5.4	5.1	5.3	5.2	4.9	5.4
Utah	6.8	6.9	6.9	6.6	6.4	6.2	6.8	6.5	6.2	6.1
Vermont	7.0	6.9	6.7	7.0	6.6	6.8	7.4	7.7	7.0	6.5
Virginia	5.6	5.9	5.8	5.8	5.5	5.2	5.8	6.1	5.2	5.4
Washington	5.7	6.0	5.2	5.6	5.7	6.0	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.5
West Virginia	6.7	5.6	6.1	6.1	6.4	5.9	6.4	6.2	6.2	5.4
Wisconsin	5.1	5.3	4.9	5.5	5.4	5.0	5.4	5.6	5.1	4.9
Wyoming	8.1	8.3	7.7	9.0	8.8	8.8	8.9	8.4	8.0	8.2
Puerto Rico	6.5	7.0	5.2	4.6	4.6	5.2	6.0	5.4	5.3	4.6
Virgin Islands	6.1	11.9	6.9	8.4	7.3	8.8	9.2	7.5	5.7	7.1
Footnotes (1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. The sum of the states will not necessarily add to the U.S. total because of the independent seasonal adjustment of each state.