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The hires rate increased, while the job openings and total separations rates were essentially unchanged in May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This release includes esti- mates 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 May 2006, there were 4.0 million job openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.9 percent. The job openings rate was unchanged over the month and has been essen- tially unchanged since November 2005. There were no significant over-the- month changes in the job openings rate in any industry or region. The in- dustries with the highest seasonally adjusted job openings rates in May 2006 were professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality (3.8 per- cent each), and education and health services (3.5 percent). (See table 1.)
Over the year, the job openings rate increased in several industries and in three of the four regions--the Northeast, South, and West. None of the industries or regions experienced a significant decrease in the job openings rate from the prior year. (See table 5.)
Hires
The hires rate increased to 3.7 percent in May, offsetting declines in the previous 2 months. Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. In May, the hires rate increased in manufacturing, professional and business services, and in the Midwest region. There were no significant declines in the hires rate in any industry or region. The seasonally ad- justed hires rate was highest in the leisure and hospitality industry (6.2 percent). (See table 2.)
From May 2005 to May 2006, the hires rate rose in nondurable goods manufacturing, professional and business services, and the federal government and declined in construction. The hires rate did not change significantly over the year in any geographic region. (See table 6.)
Separations
The total separations, or turnover, rate was little changed at 3.4 per- cent in May. Separations are terminations of employment that occur at any time during the month. In May, the total separations rate increased in construction; all other industries and regions were about unchanged. (See table 3.)
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, rose to 2.0 percent in May. The quits rate in- creased in the construction and manufacturing industries and in the South region. In May, the seasonally adjusted quits rate was highest in the leisure and hospitality industry (4.1 percent), which also had the highest hires rate. (See table 4.)
Over the year, the quits rate grew in several industries and in the South region. The quits rate declined in real estate and rental and leasing as well as in other services. (See table 8.)
The other two components of total separations--layoffs and discharges, and other separations--are not seasonally adjusted. From May 2005 to May 2006, the layoffs and discharges rate was little changed at 1.0 percent. For May 2006, the construction industry had the highest layoffs and dis- charges rate (2.3 percent). From May 2005 to May 2006, the other sepa- rations rate increased to 0.3 percent. (See tables 9 and 10.)
Flows in the Labor Market
Hires and separations data help show dynamic flows in the labor market. Over the 12 months ending in May 2006, hires have averaged 4.8 million per month and separations have averaged 4.5 million per month (not seasonally adjusted). The comparable figures for the prior 12-month period were 4.7 million hires and 4.4 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 June 2006 is scheduled to be issued on Wednesday, August 9, 2006.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Original release Jul 11, 2006.
Archived Nov 11, 2026. Source reuse policy. Formatting has been adapted for reading; the source’s conclusions remain attributed to its publisher.