From December 2023 to March 2024, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Rhode Island were 29,862, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 24,846, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner William J. Sibley noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 5,016 jobs in the private sector during the first quarter of 2024. During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 1,570. (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 gains

In the first quarter of 2024, gross job gains represented 6.9 percent of private-sector employment in Rhode Island; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.7 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) 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 Rhode Island, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 23,381 in the first quarter of 2024, an increase of 1,702 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 6,481 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2024, a decrease of 675 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job losses

In the first quarter of 2024, gross job losses represented 5.7 percent of private-sector employment in Rhode Island; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.4 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In Rhode Island, contracting establishments lost 19,183 jobs in the first quarter of 2024, a decrease of 2,346 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 5,663 jobs, a decrease of 73 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 5 of the 8 industry sectors in Rhode Island in the first quarter of 2024. Education and health services had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 2,177 jobs. This was the result of 5,498 gross job gains and 3,321 gross job losses. The leisure and hospitality industry had a net gain of 1,635 jobs, and construction had a net gain of 1,424. Professional and business services showed a net loss of 372 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state. Rhode Island’s financial activities sector had a net loss of 136 jobs.

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 Home.

The Business Employment Dynamics for second quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.

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.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Rhode Island, 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. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	31,697	29,039	27,420	28,835	29,862	7.4	6.7	6.4	6.8	6.9
At expanding establishments	24,813	22,940	21,230	21,679	23,381	5.8	5.3	5.0	5.1	5.4
At opening establishments	6,884	6,099	6,190	7,156	6,481	1.6	1.4	1.4	1.7	1.5
Gross job losses	25,230	29,333	28,999	27,265	24,846	5.9	6.8	6.7	6.3	5.7
At contracting establishments	19,648	23,244	22,414	21,529	19,183	4.6	5.4	5.2	5.0	4.4
At closing establishments	5,582	6,089	6,585	5,736	5,663	1.3	1.4	1.5	1.3	1.3
Net employment change (2)	6,467	-294	-1,579	1,570	5,016	1.5	-0.1	-0.3	0.5	1.2
Construction
Gross job gains	2,749	2,047	2,022	2,383	3,170	12.5	9.3	9.5	11.3	14.2
At expanding establishments	1,996	1,465	1,320	1,485	2,142	9.1	6.7	6.2	7.0	9.6
At opening establishments	753	582	702	898	1,028	3.4	2.6	3.3	4.3	4.6
Gross job losses	1,981	2,458	2,417	2,222	1,746	9.0	11.2	11.4	10.6	7.9
At contracting establishments	1,458	1,654	1,796	1,577	1,199	6.6	7.5	8.5	7.5	5.4
At closing establishments	523	804	621	645	547	2.4	3.7	2.9	3.1	2.5
Net employment change (2)	768	-411	-395	161	1,424	3.5	-1.9	-1.9	0.7	6.3
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	947	937	959	802	750	5.8	5.7	5.9	4.9	4.6
At expanding establishments	732	619	637	556	518	4.5	3.8	3.9	3.4	3.2
At opening establishments	215	318	322	246	232	1.3	1.9	2.0	1.5	1.4
Gross job losses	842	945	860	904	769	5.2	5.8	5.3	5.5	4.7
At contracting establishments	597	662	556	652	527	3.7	4.1	3.4	4.0	3.2
At closing establishments	245	283	304	252	242	1.5	1.7	1.9	1.5	1.5
Net employment change (2)	105	-8	99	-102	-19	0.6	-0.1	0.6	-0.6	-0.1
Retail trade
Gross job gains	2,882	2,463	2,647	2,526	2,606	6.0	5.1	5.6	5.4	5.5
At expanding establishments	2,479	2,113	2,196	2,062	2,202	5.2	4.4	4.6	4.4	4.6
At opening establishments	403	350	451	464	404	0.8	0.7	1.0	1.0	0.9
Gross job losses	2,335	2,964	3,157	2,567	2,379	4.9	6.1	6.7	5.5	5.0
At contracting establishments	1,900	2,611	2,510	2,140	1,978	4.0	5.4	5.3	4.6	4.2
At closing establishments	435	353	647	427	401	0.9	0.7	1.4	0.9	0.8
Net employment change (2)	547	-501	-510	-41	227	1.1	-1.0	-1.1	-0.1	0.5
Financial activities
Gross job gains	1,764	1,627	1,342	1,749	1,265	5.5	5.1	4.2	5.5	4.0
At expanding establishments	1,354	1,304	1,054	1,366	990	4.2	4.1	3.3	4.3	3.1
At opening establishments	410	323	288	383	275	1.3	1.0	0.9	1.2	0.9
Gross job losses	1,441	1,829	1,452	1,702	1,401	4.5	5.7	4.6	5.4	4.4
At contracting establishments	1,035	1,530	1,075	1,326	993	3.2	4.8	3.4	4.2	3.1
At closing establishments	406	299	377	376	408	1.3	0.9	1.2	1.2	1.3
Net employment change (2)	323	-202	-110	47	-136	1.0	-0.6	-0.4	0.1	-0.4
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	6,060	5,460	4,895	5,471	4,688	8.7	7.8	7.0	7.9	6.8
At expanding establishments	4,402	3,845	3,284	3,606	3,260	6.3	5.5	4.7	5.2	4.7
At opening establishments	1,658	1,615	1,611	1,865	1,428	2.4	2.3	2.3	2.7	2.1
Gross job losses	5,128	6,021	6,328	5,566	5,060	7.3	8.6	9.1	8.0	7.3
At contracting establishments	3,805	4,349	4,440	3,969	3,546	5.4	6.2	6.4	5.7	5.1
At closing establishments	1,323	1,672	1,888	1,597	1,514	1.9	2.4	2.7	2.3	2.2
Net employment change (2)	932	-561	-1,433	-95	-372	1.4	-0.8	-2.1	-0.1	-0.5
Education and health services
Gross job gains	4,930	5,015	4,568	4,519	5,498	4.9	4.9	4.4	4.3	5.2
At expanding establishments	4,167	4,217	4,007	3,808	4,911	4.1	4.1	3.9	3.6	4.6
At opening establishments	763	798	561	711	587	0.8	0.8	0.5	0.7	0.6
Gross job losses	3,929	3,599	3,212	4,087	3,321	3.8	3.5	3.1	3.9	3.1
At contracting establishments	3,275	2,962	2,579	3,475	2,748	3.2	2.9	2.5	3.3	2.6
At closing establishments	654	637	633	612	573	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5
Net employment change (2)	1,001	1,416	1,356	432	2,177	1.1	1.4	1.3	0.4	2.1
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	7,524	6,856	7,279	6,799	7,698	12.8	11.5	12.1	11.4	12.6
At expanding establishments	5,821	5,553	5,886	5,202	5,823	9.9	9.3	9.8	8.7	9.5
At opening establishments	1,703	1,303	1,393	1,597	1,875	2.9	2.2	2.3	2.7	3.1
Gross job losses	5,564	6,808	6,984	6,381	6,063	9.5	11.4	11.6	10.6	9.9
At contracting establishments	4,418	5,714	5,823	5,333	4,892	7.5	9.6	9.7	8.9	8.0
At closing establishments	1,146	1,094	1,161	1,048	1,171	2.0	1.8	1.9	1.7	1.9
Net employment change (2)	1,960	48	295	418	1,635	3.3	0.1	0.5	0.8	2.7
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	1,604	1,512	1,333	1,518	1,346	9.5	8.9	7.8	8.8	7.9
At expanding establishments	1,161	1,195	988	1,123	1,075	6.9	7.0	5.8	6.5	6.3
At opening establishments	443	317	345	395	271	2.6	1.9	2.0	2.3	1.6
Gross job losses	1,406	1,403	1,322	1,263	1,304	8.3	8.3	7.8	7.3	7.6
At contracting establishments	1,028	1,033	1,001	967	984	6.1	6.1	5.9	5.6	5.7
At closing establishments	378	370	321	296	320	2.2	2.2	1.9	1.7	1.9
Net employment change (2)	198	109	11	255	42	1.2	0.6	0.0	1.5	0.3
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. See the Technical Note for further information. (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. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024
United States(1)	6.3	6.2	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.5	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.4
Alabama	6.5	6.0	6.0	6.2	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0	5.7	5.5
Alaska	10.5	11.0	8.5	10.2	10.5	8.6	8.9	10.5	9.9	8.6
Arizona	6.0	7.0	6.8	6.5	8.4	5.6	6.3	5.7	6.6	6.4
Arkansas	5.8	5.9	5.6	6.2	5.6	5.1	6.0	5.8	5.0	5.2
California	6.3	6.8	6.4	6.4	5.8	6.6	6.4	6.5	6.4	5.6
Colorado	7.2	7.3	5.4	8.2	6.4	6.5	6.5	6.1	7.6	7.7
Connecticut	6.2	6.4	5.8	5.6	5.6	5.1	5.7	6.2	5.7	5.2
Delaware	6.7	6.4	6.0	6.1	6.0	5.2	5.8	6.5	5.8	5.1
District of Columbia	6.0	5.4	5.4	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.3	5.4	5.6	4.9
Florida	6.3	6.8	6.5	6.1	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.9	5.4
Georgia	6.5	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.0	6.0	6.4	6.1	5.7	5.7
Hawaii	5.6	5.7	5.3	6.1	5.4	5.1	5.3	6.8	5.0	5.1
Idaho	7.9	7.8	7.2	8.5	7.9	7.3	7.4	7.9	5.8	8.3
Illinois	5.8	5.4	4.8	5.0	5.1	4.8	5.2	5.3	5.1	4.8
Indiana	5.6	5.6	5.7	5.5	5.3	5.1	5.8	5.7	5.1	5.0
Iowa	6.1	6.0	5.6	6.1	6.1	5.4	5.9	5.8	5.7	5.6
Kansas	6.1	6.1	5.7	5.8	5.7	5.4	6.0	6.0	5.3	5.6
Kentucky	6.1	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.7	4.9	5.9	5.6	5.2	5.0
Louisiana	6.5	6.0	6.2	6.3	6.2	5.5	6.5	6.0	5.8	5.7
Maine	7.8	7.6	7.0	7.4	7.2	6.3	7.6	7.8	7.0	6.1
Maryland	7.2	6.7	6.3	6.2	5.8	6.0	6.6	6.4	5.8	5.7
Massachusetts	5.8	5.9	5.4	5.5	5.2	4.9	5.6	5.9	5.5	5.1
Michigan	5.8	5.9	5.2	5.5	5.4	5.0	5.3	5.9	5.5	5.2
Minnesota	5.8	6.0	3.3	6.9	5.8	4.8	5.5	4.3	6.9	5.7
Mississippi	6.5	6.4	6.2	6.1	5.7	6.1	6.5	6.2	5.7	6.1
Missouri	6.5	5.8	5.6	6.0	5.7	5.1	5.9	5.8	5.6	5.3
Montana	8.7	7.8	7.7	8.8	8.1	7.2	8.4	8.4	7.2	7.5
Nebraska	6.5	6.2	6.0	5.9	5.8	5.2	5.7	5.9	5.7	5.1
Nevada	6.2	6.5	6.5	6.7	5.9	5.8	5.9	5.6	5.4	6.2
New Hampshire	7.0	6.7	5.8	6.2	6.5	5.9	6.3	6.7	5.9	5.8
New Jersey	6.3	6.4	6.0	5.9	5.5	5.8	6.0	6.0	5.8	5.4
New Mexico	7.0	6.6	6.4	6.9	6.0	5.8	6.3	6.8	5.8	6.0
New York	6.5	6.2	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.2	5.8	6.0	5.6	5.0
North Carolina	6.6	6.1	5.7	6.3	5.4	5.3	5.7	6.1	4.9	5.5
North Dakota	7.6	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.9	5.7	6.7	6.6	6.3	6.1
Ohio	6.0	5.6	5.2	5.4	5.5	4.8	5.6	5.6	5.2	4.8
Oklahoma	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.1	5.6	5.4	6.1	6.0	5.8	5.2
Oregon	7.6	6.4	6.1	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.6	6.7	6.2	6.1
Pennsylvania	5.5	5.2	5.2	5.2	5.1	4.7	5.5	5.1	4.8	4.6
Rhode Island	7.4	6.7	6.4	6.8	6.9	5.9	6.8	6.7	6.3	5.7
South Carolina	6.8	6.4	6.6	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.6	5.7	5.3	6.3
South Dakota	7.3	6.7	6.3	6.6	6.3	5.9	6.0	6.3	5.8	5.8
Tennessee	5.9	5.8	5.6	6.2	5.5	5.0	5.5	5.7	5.5	4.9
Texas	6.0	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.4	5.1	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.1
Utah	7.0	6.9	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.3	6.4	6.6	6.5	6.0
Vermont	8.4	7.4	6.4	7.3	7.2	6.0	7.5	7.9	6.6	6.3
Virginia	6.2	6.1	5.9	5.9	5.7	5.2	5.9	6.0	5.5	5.2
Washington	6.6	6.1	5.8	6.0	5.7	6.3	5.7	6.0	5.4	5.3
West Virginia	7.3	6.1	6.5	6.5	6.9	5.5	6.4	6.6	5.8	5.7
Wisconsin	6.1	5.6	5.2	5.5	5.5	4.8	5.8	5.8	5.2	4.8
Wyoming	9.0	8.4	8.3	8.9	8.4	7.8	8.7	8.2	8.4	8.3
Puerto Rico	5.1	5.9	5.7	4.9	5.4	5.8	5.0	5.3	4.8	4.6
Virgin Islands	7.9	7.5	8.2	6.0	5.6	7.4	6.5	6.8	5.9	4.5
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.