Job openings rate little changed in latest BLS report

On the last business day of September, the number of job openings in the U.S. was little changed at 2.5 million, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported on November 10. The hires rate (3.1 percent) and the separations rate (3.3 percent) were unchanged and remained low in September. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires and separations for the total non-farm sector by industry and geographic region.

Job Openings

The job openings rate was little changed in September at a rate of 1.9 percent. The number of job openings has fallen by 2.3 million, or 48 percent, since the most recent peak in June 2007. The job openings rate decreased in state and local government in September and was little changed in the remaining industries. The job openings rate increased in the Midwest.

Over the 12 months ending in September, the job openings rate (not seasonally adjusted) decreased for total non-farm, total private and government. The job openings rate also decreased in the following industries: construction; durable goods manufacturing; non-durable goods manufacturing; transportation, warehousing and utilities; health care and social assistance; accommodation and food services; federal government; and state and local government. The job openings rate decreased in three of the four regions – Midwest, South, and West.

Hires

The hires level was little changed at 4.0 million in September but has declined by 1.6 million, or 29 percent, since its most recent peak in July 2006. The hires rate was unchanged in September at 3.1 percent. The hires rate increased in construction and was little changed in the remaining industries and all four regions.

Over the 12 months ending in September, the hires rate (not seasonally adjusted) declined for total non-farm, total private and government. The hires rate decreased over the 12 months for retail trade; finance and insurance; accommodation and food services; and state and local government. The rate increased for educational services. The hires rate fell over the past 12 months in the Midwest and West.

Separations

The total separations, or turnover, rate was unchanged in September and remained low at 3.3 percent. The total separations rate (not seasonally adjusted) decreased over the 12 months ending in September for total non-farm and total private. Total separations includes quits (voluntary separations), layoffs and discharges (involuntary separations), and other separations (including retirements).

The quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to change jobs. The quits rate remained unchanged in September at 1.4 percent. The quits level was 1.8 million in September, which is 43 percent lower than its most recent peak in December 2006.

Over the 12 months ending in September, the quits rate (not seasonally adjusted) was lower for total non-farm, total private, government, the majority of industries, and the South, Midwest and West regions. The industries for which the quits rate was little changed over the year include construction; non-durable goods manufacturing; information; professional and business services; health care and social assistance; other services; and federal government.

The layoffs and discharges component of total separations is seasonally adjusted at the total non-farm, total private and government levels. The layoffs and discharges levels for total non-farm, total private and government were little changed in September at 2.1 million, 2.0 million and 118,000, respectively. The corresponding layoffs and discharges rates were 1.6 percent, 1.9 percent and 0.5 percent. The number of layoffs and discharges at the total non-farm level in September was 35 percent higher than the most recent trough in January 2006.

The layoffs and discharges rate (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed over the 12 months ending in September for total non-farm and total private, while the rate increased for government. The layoffs and discharges rate rose in mining and logging; construction; transportation, warehousing and utilities; other services; federal government; and state and local government. The rate decreased in retail trade. The layoffs and discharges rate increased in the Northeast.

Read the full report and view all of the data tables by clicking on the link below:

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm