Business Employment Dynamics in Louisiana – Third Quarter 2023

From June 2023 to September 2023, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Louisiana were 97,306, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 96,084, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 1,222 jobs in the private sector during the third quarter of 2023. During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 6,667. (See chart 1.)

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Louisiana, September 2018–September 2023, seasonally adjusted

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Louisiana, September 2018–September 2023, seasonally adjusted
Period	Gross job gains	Gross job losses
Sep. 2018	101,105	100,074
Dec. 2018	98,567	93,803
Mar. 2019	97,308	99,322
Jun. 2019	101,420	104,802
Sep. 2019	95,404	97,471
Dec. 2019	94,049	92,726
Mar. 2020	86,800	103,479
Jun. 2020	66,053	252,482
Sep. 2020	129,993	99,180
Dec. 2020	127,004	81,831
Mar. 2021	101,509	87,593
Jun. 2021	104,223	92,517
Sep. 2021	103,018	127,266
Dec. 2021	147,209	87,297
Mar. 2022	103,705	97,386
Jun. 2022	104,268	99,312
Sep. 2022	109,117	89,239
Dec. 2022	96,340	98,066
Mar. 2023	100,274	89,594
Jun. 2023	95,762	102,429
Sep. 2023	97,306	96,084

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.)

Gross job gains

In the third quarter of 2023, gross job gains represented 6.2 percent of private-sector employment in Louisiana; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.8 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 Louisiana, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 80,616 in the third quarter of 2023, an increase of 1,892 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 16,690 jobs gained in the third quarter of 2023, a decrease of 348 jobs from the previous quarter.

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Chart 2. Private-sector gross job gains as a percent of employment, United States and Louisiana, September 2018–September 2023, seasonally adjusted
Period	Louisiana	United States
Sep. 2018	6.3	6.0
Dec. 2018	6.2	6.2
Mar. 2019	6.1	6.0
Jun. 2019	6.3	6.1
Sep. 2019	5.9	5.9
Dec. 2019	5.8	6.2
Mar. 2020	5.4	5.5
Jun. 2020	4.4	4.8
Sep. 2020	9.1	9.4
Dec. 2020	8.7	7.4
Mar. 2021	6.8	7.0
Jun. 2021	6.9	6.8
Sep. 2021	6.9	7.3
Dec. 2021	9.6	7.7
Mar. 2022	6.7	6.7
Jun. 2022	6.7	6.6
Sep. 2022	6.9	6.9
Dec. 2022	6.1	6.3
Mar. 2023	6.3	6.2
Jun. 2023	6.1	6.2
Sep. 2023	6.2	5.8

Gross job losses

In the third quarter of 2023, gross job losses represented 6.0 percent of private-sector employment in Louisiana; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.9 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 Louisiana, contracting establishments lost 75,181 jobs in the third quarter of 2023, a decrease of 10,555 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 20,903 jobs, an increase of 4,210 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 3. Private-sector gross job losses as a percent of employment, United States and Louisiana, September 2018–September 2023, seasonally adjusted
Period	Louisiana	United States
Sep. 2018	6.2	6.0
Dec. 2018	5.8	5.6
Mar. 2019	6.2	5.5
Jun. 2019	6.5	5.9
Sep. 2019	6.1	5.8
Dec. 2019	5.8	5.6
Mar. 2020	6.5	6.2
Jun. 2020	16.8	16.9
Sep. 2020	6.9	6.0
Dec. 2020	5.6	5.7
Mar. 2021	5.9	5.5
Jun. 2021	6.1	5.9
Sep. 2021	8.5	6.1
Dec. 2021	5.8	5.4
Mar. 2022	6.3	5.5
Jun. 2022	6.4	6.2
Sep. 2022	5.7	5.9
Dec. 2022	6.2	5.9
Mar. 2023	5.6	5.4
Jun. 2023	6.4	5.9
Sep. 2023	6.0	5.9

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 5 of the 11 industry sectors in Louisiana in the third quarter of 2023. Construction had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 1,733 jobs. This was the result of 11,898 gross job gains and 10,165 gross job losses. The professional and business services industry had a net gain of 1,614 jobs. Manufacturing showed a net loss of 1,037 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state.

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 www.bls.gov/bdm/.

The Business Employment Dynamics for Fourth Quarter 2023 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.

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, Louisiana, seasonally adjusted
Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
Category	Sept. 2022	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Sept. 2022	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	109,117	96,340	100,274	95,762	97,306	6.9	6.1	6.3	6.1	6.2
At expanding establishments	91,619	78,145	79,322	78,724	80,616	5.8	4.9	5.0	5.0	5.1
At opening establishments	17,498	18,195	20,952	17,038	16,690	1.1	1.2	1.3	1.1	1.1
Gross job losses	89,239	98,066	89,594	102,429	96,084	5.7	6.2	5.6	6.4	6.0
At contracting establishments	75,749	80,435	71,515	85,736	75,181	4.8	5.1	4.5	5.4	4.7
At closing establishments	13,490	17,631	18,079	16,693	20,903	0.9	1.1	1.1	1.0	1.3
Net employment change (2)	19,878	-1,726	10,680	-6,667	1,222	1.2	-0.1	0.7	-0.3	0.2
Construction
Gross job gains	11,640	8,916	13,267	11,021	11,898	9.0	6.9	10.3	8.4	9.1
At expanding establishments	9,697	7,359	11,187	10,021	10,480	7.5	5.7	8.7	7.6	8.0
At opening establishments	1,943	1,557	2,080	1,000	1,418	1.5	1.2	1.6	0.8	1.1
Gross job losses	10,528	12,650	8,272	12,620	10,165	8.1	9.9	6.5	9.6	7.8
At contracting establishments	9,319	11,231	6,629	10,910	8,124	7.2	8.8	5.2	8.3	6.2
At closing establishments	1,209	1,419	1,643	1,710	2,041	0.9	1.1	1.3	1.3	1.6
Net employment change (2)	1,112	-3,734	4,995	-1,599	1,733	0.9	-3.0	3.8	-1.2	1.3
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	6,069	5,484	5,601	4,813	4,302	4.5	4.0	4.1	3.5	3.1
At expanding establishments	5,496	5,007	4,956	4,432	3,970	4.1	3.7	3.6	3.2	2.9
At opening establishments	573	477	645	381	332	0.4	0.3	0.5	0.3	0.2
Gross job losses	4,300	3,864	4,483	4,377	5,339	3.2	2.9	3.2	3.1	3.9
At contracting establishments	3,844	3,361	3,885	3,943	4,566	2.9	2.5	2.8	2.8	3.3
At closing establishments	456	503	598	434	773	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.6
Net employment change (2)	1,769	1,620	1,118	436	-1,037	1.3	1.1	0.9	0.4	-0.8
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	3,620	3,502	3,144	3,084	2,933	5.4	5.2	4.6	4.5	4.4
At expanding establishments	3,012	2,835	2,500	2,521	2,418	4.5	4.2	3.7	3.7	3.6
At opening establishments	608	667	644	563	515	0.9	1.0	0.9	0.8	0.8
Gross job losses	2,696	2,853	3,061	2,882	3,079	4.0	4.2	4.5	4.2	4.5
At contracting establishments	2,071	2,078	2,232	2,272	2,328	3.1	3.1	3.3	3.3	3.4
At closing establishments	625	775	829	610	751	0.9	1.1	1.2	0.9	1.1
Net employment change (2)	924	649	83	202	-146	1.4	1.0	0.1	0.3	-0.1
Retail trade
Gross job gains	14,108	11,818	11,296	11,161	12,573	6.4	5.4	5.2	5.1	5.8
At expanding establishments	11,916	10,063	9,615	9,782	10,627	5.4	4.6	4.4	4.5	4.9
At opening establishments	2,192	1,755	1,681	1,379	1,946	1.0	0.8	0.8	0.6	0.9
Gross job losses	12,598	14,116	11,966	12,746	12,650	5.6	6.4	5.4	5.8	5.7
At contracting establishments	11,605	12,373	10,335	11,019	10,401	5.2	5.6	4.7	5.0	4.7
At closing establishments	993	1,743	1,631	1,727	2,249	0.4	0.8	0.7	0.8	1.0
Net employment change (2)	1,510	-2,298	-670	-1,585	-77	0.8	-1.0	-0.2	-0.7	0.1
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	4,968	5,243	3,322	3,847	3,750	6.6	6.8	4.3	5.1	5.0
At expanding establishments	4,377	4,633	2,533	3,140	3,245	5.8	6.0	3.3	4.2	4.3
At opening establishments	591	610	789	707	505	0.8	0.8	1.0	0.9	0.7
Gross job losses	3,415	3,636	5,122	4,934	4,231	4.5	4.7	6.7	6.6	5.7
At contracting establishments	2,581	3,032	4,415	4,284	3,355	3.4	3.9	5.8	5.7	4.5
At closing establishments	834	604	707	650	876	1.1	0.8	0.9	0.9	1.2
Net employment change (2)	1,553	1,607	-1,800	-1,087	-481	2.1	2.1	-2.4	-1.5	-0.7
Information
Gross job gains	1,926	2,152	991	1,731	1,533	8.3	9.7	4.8	9.0	7.9
At expanding establishments	1,618	1,857	724	1,130	1,243	7.0	8.4	3.5	5.9	6.4
At opening establishments	308	295	267	601	290	1.3	1.3	1.3	3.1	1.5
Gross job losses	2,729	3,115	3,191	2,208	1,915	11.9	14.0	15.4	11.4	9.9
At contracting establishments	2,389	2,832	2,568	1,912	1,262	10.4	12.7	12.4	9.9	6.5
At closing establishments	340	283	623	296	653	1.5	1.3	3.0	1.5	3.4
Net employment change (2)	-803	-963	-2,200	-477	-382	-3.6	-4.3	-10.6	-2.4	-2.0
Financial activities
Gross job gains	5,623	4,903	4,608	4,564	4,180	6.7	5.7	5.3	5.3	4.7
At expanding establishments	4,454	3,758	3,552	3,458	3,360	5.3	4.4	4.1	4.0	3.8
At opening establishments	1,169	1,145	1,056	1,106	820	1.4	1.3	1.2	1.3	0.9
Gross job losses	4,504	4,768	4,563	4,347	4,413	5.4	5.6	5.2	4.9	5.0
At contracting establishments	3,430	3,571	3,077	3,177	3,156	4.1	4.2	3.5	3.6	3.6
At closing establishments	1,074	1,197	1,486	1,170	1,257	1.3	1.4	1.7	1.3	1.4
Net employment change (2)	1,119	135	45	217	-233	1.3	0.1	0.1	0.4	-0.3
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	19,986	16,253	16,907	16,269	17,455	9.0	7.3	7.7	7.5	7.9
At expanding establishments	16,413	12,701	12,560	12,365	13,910	7.4	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.3
At opening establishments	3,573	3,552	4,347	3,904	3,545	1.6	1.6	2.0	1.8	1.6
Gross job losses	15,991	17,515	16,469	17,656	15,841	7.2	7.9	7.4	8.1	7.3
At contracting establishments	13,351	13,501	12,629	14,218	11,554	6.0	6.1	5.7	6.5	5.3
At closing establishments	2,640	4,014	3,840	3,438	4,287	1.2	1.8	1.7	1.6	2.0
Net employment change (2)	3,995	-1,262	438	-1,387	1,614	1.8	-0.6	0.3	-0.6	0.6
Education and health services
Gross job gains	15,131	14,782	15,387	15,982	14,857	4.9	4.7	4.9	5.0	4.7
At expanding establishments	12,991	11,907	12,233	13,436	12,339	4.2	3.8	3.9	4.2	3.9
At opening establishments	2,140	2,875	3,154	2,546	2,518	0.7	0.9	1.0	0.8	0.8
Gross job losses	11,533	13,160	12,260	13,782	14,529	3.7	4.3	3.9	4.3	4.5
At contracting establishments	9,725	10,182	9,700	11,182	11,534	3.1	3.3	3.1	3.5	3.6
At closing establishments	1,808	2,978	2,560	2,600	2,995	0.6	1.0	0.8	0.8	0.9
Net employment change (2)	3,598	1,622	3,127	2,200	328	1.2	0.4	1.0	0.7	0.2
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	19,716	17,182	19,004	17,327	18,471	9.2	7.9	8.7	7.8	8.4
At expanding establishments	16,548	13,128	13,945	13,502	14,688	7.7	6.0	6.4	6.1	6.7
At opening establishments	3,168	4,054	5,059	3,825	3,783	1.5	1.9	2.3	1.7	1.7
Gross job losses	15,389	16,789	15,047	19,463	17,610	7.2	7.7	6.8	8.8	8.0
At contracting establishments	12,629	13,643	12,170	16,428	14,096	5.9	6.3	5.5	7.4	6.4
At closing establishments	2,760	3,146	2,877	3,035	3,514	1.3	1.4	1.3	1.4	1.6
Net employment change (2)	4,327	393	3,957	-2,136	861	2.0	0.2	1.9	-1.0	0.4
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	3,350	3,125	3,524	3,395	3,249	7.7	7.1	7.9	7.5	7.1
At expanding establishments	2,472	2,347	2,620	2,651	2,564	5.7	5.3	5.9	5.9	5.6
At opening establishments	878	778	904	744	685	2.0	1.8	2.0	1.6	1.5
Gross job losses	2,912	2,939	2,941	3,130	3,168	6.6	6.7	6.6	6.9	7.0
At contracting establishments	2,508	2,300	2,054	2,456	2,390	5.7	5.2	4.6	5.4	5.3
At closing establishments	404	639	887	674	778	0.9	1.5	2.0	1.5	1.7
Net employment change (2)	438	186	583	265	81	1.1	0.4	1.3	0.6	0.1
(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)
Category	Sept. 2022	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Sept. 2022	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023
United States(1)	6.9	6.3	6.2	6.2	5.8	5.9	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.9
Alabama	6.9	6.6	6.4	5.9	5.9	5.9	6.1	5.5	5.7	6.0
Alaska	8.5	10.9	10.4	11.0	8.5	10.4	9.2	8.0	8.9	10.5
Arizona	7.1	6.6	5.9	7.0	6.7	5.5	6.0	5.4	6.5	5.9
Arkansas	6.5	6.2	5.8	5.8	5.6	5.2	5.2	5.0	6.0	5.7
California	6.8	6.6	6.1	6.7	6.2	6.2	6.6	6.4	6.4	6.5
Colorado	7.0	7.6	7.2	7.3	5.5	7.1	6.9	6.5	6.6	6.2
Connecticut	6.3	5.9	6.1	6.4	5.8	6.2	5.9	5.3	5.7	6.2
Delaware	8.6	7.0	6.7	6.0	6.0	6.2	7.5	5.2	5.7	6.5
District of Columbia	7.2	5.6	5.9	5.4	5.5	5.0	5.5	4.8	5.3	5.4
Florida	7.8	6.2	6.3	6.8	6.5	5.6	6.0	5.6	5.8	5.8
Georgia	7.1	6.7	6.2	6.4	6.1	5.9	5.9	5.8	6.5	6.1
Hawaii	6.4	6.0	5.5	5.7	5.3	4.9	4.9	5.0	5.2	6.9
Idaho	7.8	8.4	7.9	7.9	7.3	7.5	6.9	7.5	7.5	8.2
Illinois	5.8	5.4	5.8	5.4	4.8	5.3	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.5
Indiana	6.4	5.7	5.5	5.5	5.8	5.5	5.2	5.0	6.1	5.8
Iowa	5.9	6.4	6.0	6.0	5.5	5.9	6.2	5.4	5.9	5.8
Kansas	7.4	6.3	6.1	6.1	5.7	5.5	5.6	5.4	6.0	6.0
Kentucky	6.6	6.0	6.1	5.6	5.7	5.4	5.3	4.9	5.9	5.5
Louisiana	6.9	6.1	6.3	6.1	6.2	5.7	6.2	5.6	6.4	6.0
Maine	7.6	7.4	7.7	7.6	6.8	7.3	6.8	6.2	7.6	7.8
Maryland	7.4	6.6	6.8	6.7	6.4	6.0	6.9	5.6	6.3	6.5
Massachusetts	6.2	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.4	6.1	5.8	4.7	5.7	6.1
Michigan	5.7	5.9	5.7	5.9	5.2	5.8	5.2	4.9	5.3	5.9
Minnesota	6.5	5.9	5.7	6.0	3.1	5.9	5.8	4.9	5.6	4.2
Mississippi	7.2	6.8	6.1	6.3	6.2	6.3	6.2	5.7	6.6	6.2
Missouri	6.8	6.1	6.5	5.9	5.6	6.3	5.8	5.1	5.9	5.8
Montana	8.7	9.2	8.7	7.8	7.7	7.8	7.8	7.1	8.4	8.5
Nebraska	7.1	6.0	6.3	6.0	6.0	6.1	5.7	5.1	5.6	5.9
Nevada	7.4	6.4	6.2	6.6	6.5	5.8	6.1	5.7	6.0	5.5
New Hampshire	6.9	6.7	7.0	6.7	5.9	6.7	6.0	5.9	6.3	6.7
New Jersey	6.8	6.8	6.1	6.8	5.9	6.4	5.9	5.7	5.9	5.9
New Mexico	8.0	6.7	6.8	6.4	6.1	5.9	6.2	5.9	6.2	6.7
New York	6.6	5.9	6.5	6.3	5.8	5.9	6.0	5.1	5.7	6.1
North Carolina	6.7	6.6	6.4	6.1	5.6	5.8	5.7	5.3	5.7	6.2
North Dakota	7.6	6.4	7.6	6.9	6.6	6.3	6.7	5.6	6.7	6.6
Ohio	5.8	5.9	5.8	5.6	5.2	5.5	5.7	4.9	5.7	5.7
Oklahoma	7.4	6.6	6.3	6.2	6.2	5.6	5.9	5.3	6.0	6.0
Oregon	6.7	6.5	7.3	6.4	6.1	6.0	6.2	6.1	6.9	6.9
Pennsylvania	6.1	5.5	5.5	5.2	5.2	5.1	5.2	4.6	5.5	5.2
Rhode Island	6.7	6.9	7.5	6.7	6.5	7.3	6.4	5.9	7.0	6.8
South Carolina	7.3	6.9	6.8	6.4	6.8	5.6	6.2	5.8	6.8	5.7
South Dakota	7.3	6.5	7.2	6.8	6.3	6.4	6.5	5.9	6.2	6.3
Tennessee	7.0	5.8	5.9	5.9	2.7	5.5	5.6	5.0	5.5	4.2
Texas	7.2	6.2	5.9	5.8	5.7	5.3	5.3	5.0	5.4	5.5
Utah	7.5	6.9	7.0	6.8	6.8	6.8	6.6	6.2	6.2	6.5
Vermont	7.2	7.8	8.2	7.4	6.3	7.8	7.0	6.0	7.5	8.0
Virginia	7.5	6.2	6.2	6.0	5.8	6.1	5.8	5.2	5.8	6.0
Washington	7.2	5.9	6.4	6.0	5.4	6.3	5.3	5.5	5.6	6.0
West Virginia	8.1	6.6	7.1	6.1	6.5	6.9	6.4	5.3	6.1	6.5
Wisconsin	6.0	6.0	6.0	5.6	5.2	5.8	5.5	4.9	5.9	5.9
Wyoming	9.2	9.2	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.4	7.9	7.8	8.7	8.2
Puerto Rico	6.2	6.6	5.1	5.8	5.7	5.3	6.1	5.7	4.9	5.4
Virgin Islands	8.5	5.9	7.5	7.4	8.2	5.5	4.7	6.5	6.8	7.1
(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.

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, May 07, 2024

Southwest Information Office

Business Employment Dynamics in Louisiana – Third Quarter 2023