Job openings fall to 6.9 million; hires and quits edge down in November
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Job openings fall to 6.9 million; hires and quits edge down in November
Economic News Release USDL-19-0017
Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary
For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Technical information: (202) 691-5870 JoltsInfo@bls.gov www.bls.gov/jlt
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 PressOffice@bls.gov
JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER - NOVEMBER 2018
The number of job openings fell to 6.9 million on the last business day of November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires edged down to 5.7 million, quits edged down to 3.4 million, and total separations were little changed at 5.5 million. Within separations, the quits rate and the layoffs and discharges rate were unchanged at 2.3 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the nonfarm sector by industry and by four geographic regions.
Job Openings
On the last business day of November, the job openings level fell to 6.9 million (-243,000). The job openings rate was 4.4 percent. The number of job openings decreased for total private (-237,000) and was little changed for government. Job openings increased in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+40,000). The job openings level decreased in a number of industries, with the largest decreases in other services (-66,000) and construction (-45,000). Job openings fell in the West region. (See table 1.)
Hires
The number of hires edged down to 5.7 million (-218,000) in November. The hires rate was 3.8 percent. The hires level fell for total private (-236,000) and was little changed for government. Hires increased in federal government (+8,000) but decreased in professional and business services (-167,000). The number of hires decreased in the South region. (See table 2.)
Separations
Total separations includes quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Total separations is referred to as turnover. Quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee. Therefore, the quits rate can serve as a measure of workers' willingness or ability to leave jobs. Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer. Other separations includes separations due to retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.
The number of total separations was little changed at 5.5 million in November. The total separations rate was 3.7 percent. The number of total separations was little changed for total private and for government. Total separations decreased in professional and business services (-122,000) and in accommodation and food services (-88,000). The number of total separations was little changed in all four regions. (See table 3.)
The number of quits edged down in November to 3.4 million (-112,000). The quits rate was 2.3 percent. The quits level edged down for total private (-122,000) and was little changed for government. Quits fell in professional and business services (-84,000) and in accommodation and food services (-62,000). The number of quits was little changed in all four regions. (See table 4.)
The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed in November at 1.8 million. The layoffs and discharges rate was 1.2 percent. The layoffs and discharges level was little changed for total private and for government. Layoffs and discharges increased in educational services (+17,000). The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed in all four regions. (See table 5.)
The number of other separations was little changed at 332,000 in November. The other separations level was little changed for total private and for government. Other separations increased in arts, entertainment, and recreation (+5,000) and in federal government (+4,000), but decreased in professional and business services (-22,000). The number of other separations increased in the Northeast region, but decreased in the Midwest and West regions. (See table 6.)
Net Change in Employment
Large numbers of hires and separations occur every month throughout the business cycle. Net employment change results from the relationship between hires and separations. When the number of hires exceeds the number of separations, employment rises, even if the hires level is steady or declining. Conversely, when the number of hires is less than the number of separations, employment declines, even if the hires level is steady or rising. Over the 12 months ending in November, hires totaled 68.0 million and separations totaled 65.6 million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.4 million. These totals include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.
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The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey results for December 2018 are scheduled to be released on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. (EST).
Read more: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm
People come; people go.
JOLTS -- the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. It comes out a few days after the monthly payroll employment report.
I usually put the JOLTS report in the Economy Forum, but the topic of job openings has been newsworthy for the few days.
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Job openings fall to 6.9 million; hires and quits edge down in November http://go.usa.gov/vf7 #JOLTS #BLSdata
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See our interactive graphics on today's new job openings and labor turnover numbers http://go.usa.gov/xkJ39 #JOLTS #BLSdata #DataViz
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JOLTS for October 2018:
[link:https://www.democraticunderground.com/111684216BLS Report: Job openings little changed at 7.1 million; hires edge up in October]
JOLTS for September 2018:
[link:https://www.democraticunderground.com/111683925BLS Report: Job openings decrease to 7.0 million; hires and separations little changed in September]
JOLTS for August 2018:
[link:https://www.democraticunderground.com/111683770BLS Report: Job openings reach a high of 7.1 million; hires and separations little changed in August]
JOLTS for July 2018:
[link:https://www.democraticunderground.com/111683524BLS report: Job openings hit a new high of 6.9 million; hires and separations little changed in July]
JOLTS for June 2018:
[link:https://www.democraticunderground.com/111683316BLS report: Job openings (6.7 million), hires, and separations little changed in June]
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