Business Employment Dynamics in California — Second Quarter 2024

From March 2024 to June 2024, gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments in California were 1,058,196, while gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments were 947,453, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment loss of 110,743 jobs in the private sector during the second quarter of 2024. During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 42,030. (See chart 1.)

Line chart of private-sector gross job gains and losses in California, June 2019–June 2024, seasonally adjusted.

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in California, June 2019–June 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	Gross job losses	Gross job gains
Jun 2019	963,912	993,381
Sep 2019	906,276	955,387
Dec 2019	907,122	1,026,231
Mar 2020	1,038,786	934,814
Jun 2020	2,646,680	753,535
Sep 2020	962,039	1,199,180
Dec 2020	850,182	1,164,743
Mar 2021	843,504	1,094,253
Jun 2021	919,392	1,123,920
Sep 2021	896,693	1,138,511
Dec 2021	818,560	1,259,869
Mar 2022	870,930	1,116,061
Jun 2022	1,027,733	1,048,125
Sep 2022	954,554	1,048,147
Dec 2022	1,013,675	1,023,406
Mar 2023	1,016,612	979,136
Jun 2023	1,003,771	1,039,377
Sep 2023	1,001,105	980,219
Dec 2023	992,517	989,074
Mar 2024	859,064	901,094
Jun 2024	1,058,196	947,453

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 second quarter of 2024, gross job gains represented 6.1 percent of private-sector employment in California; 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 California, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 735,482 in the second quarter of 2024, an increase of 9,756 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 211,971 jobs gained in the second quarter of 2024, an increase of 36,603 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 2. Private-sector gross job gains as a percent of employment, United States and California, June 2019–June 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	California	United States
Jun 2019	6.6	6.1
Sep 2019	6.3	5.9
Dec 2019	6.8	6.2
Mar 2020	6.1	5.5
Jun 2020	5.3	4.8
Sep 2020	8.9	9.5
Dec 2020	8.4	7.4
Mar 2021	7.8	6.9
Jun 2021	7.8	6.8
Sep 2021	7.8	7.3
Dec 2021	8.5	7.7
Mar 2022	7.3	6.7
Jun 2022	6.8	6.5
Sep 2022	6.8	6.9
Dec 2022	6.6	6.3
Mar 2023	6.3	6.3
Jun 2023	6.8	6.2
Sep 2023	6.4	5.9
Dec 2023	6.4	6.0
Mar 2024	5.8	5.7
Jun 2024	6.1	5.8

Gross job losses

In the second quarter of 2024, gross job losses represented 6.8 percent of private-sector employment in California; 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 California, contracting establishments lost 775,585 jobs in the second quarter of 2024, an increase of 48,763 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 282,611 jobs, an increase of 150,369 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 3. Private-sector gross job losses as a percent of employment, United States and California, June 2019–June 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	California	United States
Jun 2019	6.4	5.9
Sep 2019	6.0	5.8
Dec 2019	6.0	5.5
Mar 2020	6.9	6.3
Jun 2020	18.5	16.8
Sep 2020	7.1	5.9
Dec 2020	6.1	5.7
Mar 2021	5.9	5.5
Jun 2021	6.4	5.9
Sep 2021	6.1	6.1
Dec 2021	5.4	5.4
Mar 2022	5.7	5.5
Jun 2022	6.7	6.2
Sep 2022	6.1	5.9
Dec 2022	6.6	5.9
Mar 2023	6.6	5.5
Jun 2023	6.4	5.9
Sep 2023	6.5	6.0
Dec 2023	6.4	5.7
Mar 2024	5.6	5.4
Jun 2024	6.8	5.9

Industries

Gross job losses exceeded gross job gains in all 11 published industry sectors in California in the second quarter of 2024. Professional and business services had the largest over-the-quarter net job decrease, with a loss of 27,735 jobs. This was the result of 190,594 gross job losses and 162,859 gross job gains. Education and health services showed a net loss of 2,882 jobs, the smallest 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 the Business Employment Dynamics Home.

The Business Employment Dynamics for Third Quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 7, 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, California, 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	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	1,039,377	980,219	989,074	901,094	947,453	6.8	6.4	6.4	5.8	6.1
At expanding establishments	828,719	766,978	763,876	725,726	735,482	5.4	5.0	4.9	4.7	4.7
At opening establishments	210,658	213,241	225,198	175,368	211,971	1.4	1.4	1.5	1.1	1.4
Gross job losses	1,003,771	1,001,105	992,517	859,064	1,058,196	6.4	6.5	6.4	5.6	6.8
At contracting establishments	781,479	801,588	746,954	726,822	775,585	5.0	5.2	4.8	4.7	5.0
At closing establishments	222,292	199,517	245,563	132,242	282,611	1.4	1.3	1.6	0.9	1.8
Net employment change (2)	35,606	-20,886	-3,443	42,030	-110,743	0.4	-0.1	0.0	0.2	-0.7
Construction
Gross job gains	89,088	74,492	75,504	65,831	79,158	9.8	8.1	8.2	7.1	8.6
At expanding establishments	72,738	59,417	60,456	55,631	62,520	8.0	6.5	6.6	6.0	6.8
At opening establishments	16,350	15,075	15,048	10,200	16,638	1.8	1.6	1.6	1.1	1.8
Gross job losses	73,594	77,579	73,800	71,119	82,385	8.1	8.5	8.1	7.7	9.0
At contracting establishments	57,563	62,054	57,378	58,939	63,977	6.3	6.8	6.3	6.4	7.0
At closing establishments	16,031	15,525	16,422	12,180	18,408	1.8	1.7	1.8	1.3	2.0
Net employment change (2)	15,494	-3,087	1,704	-5,288	-3,227	1.7	-0.4	0.1	-0.6	-0.4
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	48,658	48,193	42,726	46,259	42,551	3.7	3.6	3.3	3.7	3.3
At expanding establishments	42,616	41,408	36,532	41,541	36,923	3.2	3.1	2.8	3.3	2.9
At opening establishments	6,042	6,785	6,194	4,718	5,628	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4
Gross job losses	57,966	65,394	54,955	47,702	55,278	4.3	5.0	4.1	3.8	4.5
At contracting establishments	48,731	57,767	46,479	42,339	45,867	3.6	4.4	3.5	3.4	3.7
At closing establishments	9,235	7,627	8,476	5,363	9,411	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.4	0.8
Net employment change (2)	-9,308	-17,201	-12,229	-1,443	-12,727	-0.6	-1.4	-0.8	-0.1	-1.2
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	30,822	29,575	29,596	26,433	28,347	4.6	4.4	4.4	4.0	4.3
At expanding establishments	25,030	23,264	22,839	21,926	22,950	3.7	3.5	3.4	3.3	3.5
At opening establishments	5,792	6,311	6,757	4,507	5,397	0.9	0.9	1.0	0.7	0.8
Gross job losses	33,001	31,095	30,175	30,637	32,536	4.9	4.7	4.5	4.7	4.9
At contracting establishments	24,851	23,812	22,563	24,950	23,980	3.7	3.6	3.4	3.8	3.6
At closing establishments	8,150	7,283	7,612	5,687	8,556	1.2	1.1	1.1	0.9	1.3
Net employment change (2)	-2,179	-1,520	-579	-4,204	-4,189	-0.3	-0.3	-0.1	-0.7	-0.6
Retail trade
Gross job gains	92,635	86,000	76,920	79,421	85,573	5.6	5.3	4.8	5.0	5.3
At expanding establishments	78,847	73,328	64,062	69,556	72,017	4.8	4.5	4.0	4.4	4.5
At opening establishments	13,788	12,672	12,858	9,865	13,556	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.6	0.8
Gross job losses	94,949	97,081	94,102	76,689	101,165	5.9	6.0	6.0	4.8	6.4
At contracting establishments	78,919	82,174	77,347	65,795	75,990	4.9	5.1	4.9	4.1	4.8
At closing establishments	16,030	14,907	16,755	10,894	25,175	1.0	0.9	1.1	0.7	1.6
Net employment change (2)	-2,314	-11,081	-17,182	2,732	-15,592	-0.3	-0.7	-1.2	0.2	-1.1
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	36,368	37,990	61,900	31,621	32,005	4.9	5.1	8.1	4.2	4.3
At expanding establishments	29,071	31,970	55,793	27,298	26,065	3.9	4.3	7.3	3.6	3.5
At opening establishments	7,297	6,020	6,107	4,323	5,940	1.0	0.8	0.8	0.6	0.8
Gross job losses	45,153	45,125	33,908	58,177	42,678	6.0	6.1	4.5	7.6	5.7
At contracting establishments	36,975	37,065	26,390	52,742	34,403	4.9	5.0	3.5	6.9	4.6
At closing establishments	8,178	8,060	7,518	5,435	8,275	1.1	1.1	1.0	0.7	1.1
Net employment change (2)	-8,785	-7,135	27,992	-26,556	-10,673	-1.1	-1.0	3.6	-3.4	-1.4
Information
Gross job gains	23,969	26,054	39,801	25,860	21,817	4.3	4.8	7.4	4.7	4.0
At expanding establishments	20,563	17,211	33,729	23,174	17,577	3.7	3.2	6.3	4.2	3.2
At opening establishments	3,406	8,843	6,072	2,686	4,240	0.6	1.6	1.1	0.5	0.8
Gross job losses	50,944	47,826	29,017	22,934	34,841	9.1	8.7	5.4	4.2	6.5
At contracting establishments	44,302	41,618	23,807	20,324	25,879	7.9	7.6	4.4	3.7	4.8
At closing establishments	6,642	6,208	5,210	2,610	8,962	1.2	1.1	1.0	0.5	1.7
Net employment change (2)	-26,975	-21,772	10,784	2,926	-13,024	-4.8	-3.9	2.0	0.5	-2.5
Financial activities
Gross job gains	48,877	40,638	43,532	36,050	40,271	6.0	5.0	5.4	4.5	5.0
At expanding establishments	37,448	29,428	29,143	28,307	29,145	4.6	3.6	3.6	3.5	3.6
At opening establishments	11,429	11,210	14,389	7,743	11,126	1.4	1.4	1.8	1.0	1.4
Gross job losses	49,387	47,642	48,075	37,862	48,207	6.0	5.9	5.9	4.7	6.0
At contracting establishments	36,010	34,798	35,130	29,701	29,249	4.4	4.3	4.3	3.7	3.6
At closing establishments	13,377	12,844	12,945	8,161	18,958	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.0	2.4
Net employment change (2)	-510	-7,004	-4,543	-1,812	-7,936	0.0	-0.9	-0.5	-0.2	-1.0
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	170,389	167,762	160,560	149,285	162,859	6.1	6.1	5.9	5.3	5.9
At expanding establishments	135,223	133,020	123,283	124,056	127,224	4.8	4.8	4.5	4.4	4.6
At opening establishments	35,166	34,742	37,277	25,229	35,635	1.3	1.3	1.4	0.9	1.3
Gross job losses	195,236	180,479	176,052	148,596	190,594	7.0	6.5	6.3	5.3	6.9
At contracting establishments	152,629	143,770	136,247	125,948	140,985	5.5	5.2	4.9	4.5	5.1
At closing establishments	42,607	36,709	39,805	22,648	49,609	1.5	1.3	1.4	0.8	1.8
Net employment change (2)	-24,847	-12,717	-15,492	689	-27,735	-0.9	-0.4	-0.4	0.0	-1.0
Education and health services
Gross job gains	194,672	196,439	179,212	191,730	187,725	6.6	6.5	5.9	6.2	6.0
At expanding establishments	142,112	142,250	124,117	126,339	128,892	4.8	4.7	4.1	4.1	4.1
At opening establishments	52,560	54,189	55,095	65,391	58,833	1.8	1.8	1.8	2.1	1.9
Gross job losses	144,686	140,687	178,395	112,575	190,607	4.9	4.7	5.9	3.7	6.0
At contracting establishments	101,232	95,927	100,172	88,554	117,002	3.4	3.2	3.3	2.9	3.7
At closing establishments	43,454	44,760	78,223	24,021	73,605	1.5	1.5	2.6	0.8	2.3
Net employment change (2)	49,986	55,752	817	79,155	-2,882	1.7	1.8	0.0	2.5	0.0
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	147,053	147,688	144,103	126,169	142,680	7.3	7.4	7.1	6.2	7.1
At expanding establishments	114,979	109,956	107,232	99,976	106,036	5.7	5.5	5.3	4.9	5.3
At opening establishments	32,074	37,732	36,871	26,193	36,644	1.6	1.9	1.8	1.3	1.8
Gross job losses	144,729	146,106	140,128	132,871	157,226	7.2	7.3	6.9	6.5	7.8
At contracting establishments	110,241	115,998	107,628	110,030	115,075	5.5	5.8	5.3	5.4	5.7
At closing establishments	34,488	30,108	32,500	22,841	42,151	1.7	1.5	1.6	1.1	2.1
Net employment change (2)	2,324	1,582	3,975	-6,702	-14,546	0.1	0.1	0.2	-0.3	-0.7
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	43,261	41,434	37,351	35,879	39,313	8.2	7.8	7.0	6.7	7.4
At expanding establishments	33,826	31,547	27,096	28,278	30,278	6.4	5.9	5.1	5.3	5.7
At opening establishments	9,435	9,887	10,255	7,601	9,035	1.8	1.9	1.9	1.4	1.7
Gross job losses	39,032	35,296	35,468	34,720	42,858	7.4	6.7	6.6	6.5	8.0
At contracting establishments	29,066	26,825	24,768	27,308	31,983	5.5	5.1	4.6	5.1	6.0
At closing establishments	9,966	8,471	10,700	7,412	10,875	1.9	1.6	2.0	1.4	2.0
Net employment change (2)	4,229	6,138	1,883	1,159	-3,545	0.8	1.1	0.4	0.2	-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. 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	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024
United States(1)	6.2	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.8	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.4	5.9
Alabama	6.0	6.0	6.2	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0	5.7	5.5	5.6
Alaska	11.0	8.5	10.2	10.5	10.2	8.9	10.5	9.9	8.6	9.6
Arizona	7.0	6.8	6.5	8.4	5.6	6.3	5.7	6.6	6.4	6.8
Arkansas	5.9	5.6	6.2	5.6	5.2	6.0	5.8	5.0	5.2	5.8
California	6.8	6.4	6.4	5.8	6.1	6.4	6.5	6.4	5.6	6.8
Colorado	7.3	5.4	8.2	6.4	6.5	6.5	6.1	7.6	7.7	6.2
Connecticut	6.4	5.8	5.6	5.6	5.8	5.7	6.2	5.7	5.2	5.6
Delaware	6.4	6.0	6.1	6.0	5.9	5.8	6.5	5.8	5.1	6.5
District of Columbia	5.4	5.4	5.2	5.1	5.1	5.3	5.4	5.6	4.9	6.0
Florida	6.8	6.5	6.1	5.8	6.0	5.9	5.9	5.9	5.4	5.9
Georgia	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.0	5.7	6.4	6.1	5.7	5.7	5.7
Hawaii	5.7	5.3	6.1	5.4	5.1	5.3	6.8	5.0	5.1	5.4
Idaho	7.8	7.2	8.5	7.9	7.5	7.4	7.9	5.8	8.3	7.4
Illinois	5.4	4.8	5.0	5.1	5.2	5.2	5.3	5.1	4.8	5.3
Indiana	5.6	5.7	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.8	5.7	5.1	5.0	5.5
Iowa	6.0	5.6	6.1	6.1	5.5	5.9	5.8	5.7	5.6	5.7
Kansas	6.1	5.7	5.8	5.7	5.8	6.0	6.0	5.3	5.6	5.7
Kentucky	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.2	5.9	5.6	5.2	5.0	5.9
Louisiana	6.0	6.2	6.3	6.2	5.7	6.5	6.0	5.8	5.7	6.3
Maine	7.6	7.0	7.4	7.2	7.3	7.6	7.8	7.0	6.1	7.0
Maryland	6.7	6.3	6.2	5.8	7.2	6.6	6.4	5.8	5.7	6.5
Massachusetts	5.9	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.7	5.6	5.9	5.5	5.1	5.6
Michigan	5.9	5.2	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.3	5.9	5.5	5.2	5.6
Minnesota	6.0	3.3	6.9	5.8	5.7	5.5	4.3	6.9	5.7	5.4
Mississippi	6.4	6.2	6.1	5.7	5.8	6.5	6.2	5.7	6.1	6.3
Missouri	5.8	5.6	6.0	5.7	5.6	5.9	5.8	5.6	5.3	5.8
Montana	7.8	7.7	8.8	8.1	7.9	8.4	8.4	7.2	7.5	7.6
Nebraska	6.2	6.0	5.9	5.8	5.4	5.7	5.9	5.7	5.1	5.6
Nevada	6.5	6.5	6.7	5.9	5.8	5.9	5.6	5.4	6.2	5.7
New Hampshire	6.7	5.8	6.2	6.5	6.1	6.3	6.7	5.9	5.8	6.0
New Jersey	6.4	6.0	5.9	5.5	5.9	6.0	6.0	5.8	5.4	5.4
New Mexico	6.6	6.4	6.9	6.0	6.0	6.3	6.8	5.8	6.0	6.3
New York	6.2	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.8	6.0	5.6	5.0	5.5
North Carolina	6.1	5.7	6.3	5.4	5.6	5.7	6.1	4.9	5.5	5.7
North Dakota	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.6	6.3	6.1	6.6
Ohio	5.6	5.2	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.6	5.2	4.8	5.4
Oklahoma	6.3	6.3	6.1	5.6	5.6	6.1	6.0	5.8	5.2	6.4
Oregon	6.4	6.1	6.2	6.4	6.0	6.6	6.7	6.2	6.1	6.4
Pennsylvania	5.2	5.2	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.5	5.1	4.8	4.6	5.1
Rhode Island	6.7	6.4	6.8	6.9	6.6	6.8	6.7	6.3	5.7	6.7
South Carolina	6.4	6.6	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.6	5.7	5.3	6.3	6.4
South Dakota	6.7	6.3	6.6	6.3	6.0	6.0	6.3	5.8	5.8	6.3
Tennessee	5.8	5.6	6.2	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.7	5.5	4.9	5.7
Texas	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.4	5.4	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.1	5.3
Utah	6.9	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.4	6.4	6.6	6.5	6.0	6.6
Vermont	7.4	6.4	7.3	7.2	6.6	7.5	7.9	6.6	6.3	7.5
Virginia	6.1	5.9	5.9	5.7	5.7	5.9	6.0	5.5	5.2	5.6
Washington	6.1	5.8	6.0	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.4	5.3	5.3
West Virginia	6.1	6.5	6.5	6.9	6.6	6.4	6.6	5.8	5.7	6.8
Wisconsin	5.6	5.2	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.8	5.8	5.2	4.8	5.5
Wyoming	8.4	8.3	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.7	8.2	8.4	8.3	9.0
Puerto Rico	5.9	5.7	4.9	5.4	5.6	5.0	5.3	4.8	4.6	4.9
Virgin Islands	7.5	8.2	6.0	5.6	4.3	6.5	6.8	5.9	4.5	5.1
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.

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025

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