Job Openings and Labor Turnover: October 2005

Historical release narrative reproduced from the official public-domain source. Statistical tables, standard technical appendices, administrative material and attendance rosters are omitted; formatting is adapted for reading. Figures retain the release's historical context and may have been revised. Consult the linked source for the complete document.

The job openings rate increased to 2.9 percent in October, while the total separations rate decreased to 3.1 percent and the hires rate was unchanged at 3.5 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector by industry and geographic region.

Job Openings

On the last business day of October 2005, there were 4.0 million job openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.9 percent. (See table 1.) The job openings rate rose over the month, continuing the generally upward trend that began in September 2003. In October, the job openings rate increased for private industries overall and for government. The job openings rate also rose in the professional and business services industry and in the Northeast region.

Hires and Separations

The hires rate was unchanged at 3.5 percent in October. (See table 2.) Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. Over the month, the hires rate increased in the manufacturing industry but decreased in the professional and business services industry.

The total separations, or turnover, rate decreased to 3.1 percent in October. (See table 3.) Separations are terminations of employment that occur at any time during the month. In October, the total separations rate decreased for government and for private industries overall, and in the manufacturing; trade, transportation, and utilities; and professional and business services industries. The total separations rate also decreased in the South and Midwest regions.

Total separations include quits (voluntary separations), layoffs and discharges (involuntary separations), and other separations (including retirements). The quits rate, which can serve as a barometer of workers' ability to change jobs, decreased to 1.9 percent in October. (See table 4.) The quits rate decreased for private industries overall and for pro- fessional and business services. Geographically, the rate was down in the South and Midwest regions.

The other two components of total separations--layoffs and discharges, and other separations--are not seasonally adjusted. From October 2004 to October 2005, the layoffs and discharges rate decreased to 1.1 percent, but the other separations rate was unchanged at 0.2 percent. (See tables 9 and 10.)

Hires and separations data help show dynamic flows in the labor market. Over the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.7 million per month and separations have averaged 4.4 million per month (not seasonally adjusted). The comparable figures a year earlier were 4.4 million hires and 4.2 million separations. (See the Technical Note for additional information on these measures.)

For additional information, please read the Technical Note or visit the JOLTS Web site at http://www.bls.gov/jlt/. Additional information about JOLTS also may be obtained by e-mailing Joltsinfo@bls.gov or by calling (202) 691-5870.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover release for November 2005 is scheduled to be issued on Tuesday, January 10, 2006.