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The job openings, hires, and total separations rates showed little or no change in October, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Depart- ment of Labor reported today. This release includes estimates of the num- ber 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 2006, there were 4.2 million job openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 3.0 percent. The job openings rate was unchanged over the month and has been little changed since November 2005. In October, the job openings rate rose in manufacturing and in education and health services, but fell in trade, transportation, and utilities. None of the regions experienced a signi- ficant change in the job openings rate over the month. The industries with the highest seasonally adjusted job openings rate in October 2006 were leisure and hospitality and professional and business services (4.1 percent each), and education and health services (4.0 percent). (See table 1.)
Over the year, the job openings rate rose in durable manufacturing, non- durable manufacturing, information, health care and social assistance, and state and local government. The rate also rose over the year in the North- east and West regions. The job openings rate did not decline significantly over the year in any industry or region. (See table 5.)
Hires
The hires rate was little changed at 3.6 percent in October. Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. In October, the hires rate did not rise significantly in any private sector industry but fell in go- vernment. Geographically, the hires rate did not change significantly in any region over the month. The seasonally adjusted hires rate was highest in October in the leisure and hospitality industry (6.6 percent). (See table 2.) From October 2005 to October 2006, the hires rate rose in fi- nance and insurance but fell in construction and durable manufacturing. (See table 6.)
Separations
The total separations, or turnover, rate was unchanged at 3.2 percent in October. Separations are terminations of employment that occur at any time during the month. In October, the total separations rate increased in professional and business services but decreased in government. Geo- graphically, the separations rate did not change significantly in any re- gion over the month. From October 2005 to October 2006, the total sepa- rations rate increased in finance and insurance and in real estate and rental and leasing. The total separations rate decreased over the year in accommodations and food services. (See tables 3 and 7.)
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, was little changed at 1.9 percent in October. Over the month, the quits rate did not rise significantly in any indus- try or region but declined in government. In October, the seasonally ad- justed quits rate was highest in the leisure and hospitality industry (4.0 percent), which also had the highest hires rate. (See table 4.)
Over the year, the quits rate rose in finance and insurance; real estate and rental and leasing; and professional and business services. Over the same time period, the quits rate fell in construction; accommodations and food services; and other services. (See table 8.)
The other two components of total separations--layoffs and discharges, and other separations--are not seasonally adjusted. The layoffs and dis- charges rate, at 1.2 percent, was essentially unchanged from the prior year. For October 2006, the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry had the highest layoffs and discharges rate (4.0 percent). From October 2005 to October 2006, the other separations rate was unchanged at 0.2 per- cent. (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 October 2006, hires have averaged 4.9 million per month and separations have averaged 4.5 million per month (not season- ally adjusted). The comparable figures for the prior 12-month period were 4.8 million hires and 4.6 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 2006 is sched- uled to be issued on Wednesday, January 10, 2007.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Original release Dec 12, 2006.
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