From September 2021 to December 2021, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Alaska were 27,986, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 20,502, 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 gain of 7,484 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2021. During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 2,043. (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 Technical Note.)

Gross job gains

In the fourth quarter of 2021, gross job gains represented 11.9 percent of private-sector employment in Alaska; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 7.7 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 Alaska, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 23,664 in the fourth quarter of 2021, an increase of 3,701 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 4,322 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2021, an increase of 324 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job losses

In the fourth quarter of 2021, gross job losses represented 8.7 percent of private-sector employment in Alaska; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.4 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 Alaska, contracting establishments lost 17,099 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2021, a decrease of 1,079 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 3,403 jobs, a decrease of 337 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in all seven published industry sectors in Alaska in the fourth quarter of 2021. Leisure and hospitality had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 1,697 jobs. This was the result of 5,685 gross job gains and 3,988 gross job losses. The transportation and warehousing industry had a net gain of 1,320 jobs. Retail trade had a net increase of 951 jobs, and professional and business services showed a net job gain of 767.

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 First Quarter 2022 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 26, 2022.

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. 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.

In the BED program, the 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.

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all businesses in the economy. BED statistics track these changes in employment at private business establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment from expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. The difference between the number of gross jobs gained and the number of gross jobs lost is the net change in employment.

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. 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.

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.

The full Technical Note for the Business Employment Dynamics program, which includes information on coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the current quarterly news release online at www.bls.gov/news.release/cewbd.htm.

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, Alaska, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Dec. 2020	Mar. 2021	June 2021	Sept. 2021	Dec. 2021	Dec. 2020	Mar. 2021	June 2021	Sept. 2021	Dec. 2021
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	30,084	25,286	21,847	23,961	27,986	13.4	11.0	9.5	10.4	11.9
At expanding establishments	25,580	20,284	18,169	19,963	23,664	11.4	8.8	7.9	8.7	10.1
At opening establishments	4,504	5,002	3,678	3,998	4,322	2.0	2.2	1.6	1.7	1.8
Gross job losses	17,167	21,662	21,303	21,918	20,502	7.7	9.4	9.2	9.5	8.7
At contracting establishments	14,223	18,758	18,235	18,178	17,099	6.4	8.1	7.9	7.9	7.3
At closing establishments	2,944	2,904	3,068	3,740	3,403	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.6	1.4
Net employment change (2)	12,917	3,624	544	2,043	7,484	5.7	1.6	0.3	0.9	3.2
Construction
Gross job gains	2,927	2,477	2,828	1,889	2,757	18.5	15.0	17.4	12.2	17.5
At expanding establishments	2,342	1,916	2,374	1,507	2,320	14.8	11.6	14.6	9.7	14.7
At opening establishments	585	561	454	382	437	3.7	3.4	2.8	2.5	2.8
Gross job losses	2,617	2,634	2,250	2,806	2,501	16.5	15.9	13.8	18.0	15.9
At contracting establishments	2,222	2,221	1,742	2,281	2,034	14.0	13.4	10.7	14.6	12.9
At closing establishments	395	413	508	525	467	2.5	2.5	3.1	3.4	3.0
Net employment change (2)	310	-157	578	-917	256	2.0	-0.9	3.6	-5.8	1.6
Retail trade
Gross job gains	2,735	2,078	1,489	2,285	2,424	8.1	6.0	4.3	6.8	7.1
At expanding establishments	2,390	1,814	1,275	1,734	2,154	7.1	5.2	3.7	5.2	6.3
At opening establishments	345	264	214	551	270	1.0	0.8	0.6	1.6	0.8
Gross job losses	1,263	1,916	2,593	2,256	1,473	3.7	5.5	7.5	6.8	4.3
At contracting establishments	1,132	1,664	2,444	1,929	1,273	3.3	4.8	7.1	5.8	3.7
At closing establishments	131	252	149	327	200	0.4	0.7	0.4	1.0	0.6
Net employment change (2)	1,472	162	-1,104	29	951	4.4	0.5	-3.2	0.0	2.8
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	3,334	1,931	1,386	2,646	2,939	19.4	10.5	7.8	15.1	15.7
At expanding establishments	3,040	1,531	1,066	2,137	2,659	17.7	8.3	6.0	12.2	14.2
At opening establishments	294	400	320	509	280	1.7	2.2	1.8	2.9	1.5
Gross job losses	996	1,897	1,913	1,341	1,619	5.8	10.3	10.8	7.7	8.6
At contracting establishments	704	1,570	1,726	1,083	1,260	4.1	8.5	9.7	6.2	6.7
At closing establishments	292	327	187	258	359	1.7	1.8	1.1	1.5	1.9
Net employment change (2)	2,338	34	-527	1,305	1,320	13.6	0.2	-3.0	7.4	7.1
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	2,682	2,590	2,324	2,599	3,063	10.4	9.8	8.8	9.9	11.4
At expanding establishments	2,083	1,974	1,759	2,138	2,171	8.1	7.5	6.7	8.1	8.1
At opening establishments	599	616	565	461	892	2.3	2.3	2.1	1.8	3.3
Gross job losses	2,065	2,098	2,521	2,558	2,296	8.0	8.0	9.6	9.7	8.6
At contracting establishments	1,594	1,625	2,187	1,941	1,867	6.2	6.2	8.3	7.4	7.0
At closing establishments	471	473	334	617	429	1.8	1.8	1.3	2.3	1.6
Net employment change (2)	617	492	-197	41	767	2.4	1.8	-0.8	0.2	2.8
Education and health services
Gross job gains	2,590	2,343	1,949	2,048	2,345	5.3	4.7	3.9	4.1	4.7
At expanding establishments	2,213	2,021	1,706	1,837	2,028	4.5	4.1	3.4	3.7	4.1
At opening establishments	377	322	243	211	317	0.8	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.6
Gross job losses	1,566	1,853	2,289	2,278	2,210	3.2	3.7	4.6	4.6	4.5
At contracting establishments	1,273	1,684	1,940	1,989	1,923	2.6	3.4	3.9	4.0	3.9
At closing establishments	293	169	349	289	287	0.6	0.3	0.7	0.6	0.6
Net employment change (2)	1,024	490	-340	-230	135	2.1	1.0	-0.7	-0.5	0.2
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	5,192	7,870	4,224	5,901	5,685	20.0	27.4	14.1	19.3	17.7
At expanding establishments	4,044	5,805	3,112	4,821	4,711	15.6	20.2	10.4	15.8	14.7
At opening establishments	1,148	2,065	1,112	1,080	974	4.4	7.2	3.7	3.5	3.0
Gross job losses	2,851	3,013	4,049	3,923	3,988	11.0	10.5	13.5	12.8	12.4
At contracting establishments	2,130	2,412	3,149	2,812	2,989	8.2	8.4	10.5	9.2	9.3
At closing establishments	721	601	900	1,111	999	2.8	2.1	3.0	3.6	3.1
Net employment change (2)	2,341	4,857	175	1,978	1,697	9.0	16.9	0.6	6.5	5.3
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	825	830	1,115	974	876	9.4	9.4	12.3	10.6	9.5
At expanding establishments	658	681	960	799	748	7.5	7.7	10.6	8.7	8.1
At opening establishments	167	149	155	175	128	1.9	1.7	1.7	1.9	1.4
Gross job losses	784	799	812	1,049	827	8.9	9.0	9.0	11.4	9.0
At contracting establishments	608	659	704	905	656	6.9	7.4	7.8	9.8	7.1
At closing establishments	176	140	108	144	171	2.0	1.6	1.2	1.6	1.9
Net employment change (2)	41	31	303	-75	49	0.5	0.4	3.3	-0.8	0.5
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)
	Dec. 2020	Mar. 2021	June 2021	Sept. 2021	Dec. 2021	Dec. 2020	Mar. 2021	June 2021	Sept. 2021	Dec. 2021
United States(1)	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
Footnotes (1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.