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The job openings, hires, and total separations rates showed little or no change in November, 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 November 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 shown little change since November 2005. In November 2006, the job openings rate fell in construction, manufacturing, and education and health services; the rate did not rise significantly in any industry. Geographically, the job open- ings rate increased in the West region and fell in the South region over the month. The seasonally adjusted job openings rate was highest in Novem- ber for the following industries: leisure and hospitality (4.5 percent), professional and business services (4.3 percent), and education and health services (3.8 percent). (See table 1.)
Over the year, the job openings rate rose in information; health care and social assistance; arts, entertainment, and recreation; and accommodations and food services. The rate declined over the year in construction; retail trade; and finance and insurance. The job openings rate rose over the year in the Northeast and West regions. (See table 5.)
Hires
The hires rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent in November. Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. In November, the hires rate did not rise significantly in any industry or region but declined in education and health services. The seasonally adjusted hires rate was highest in November in the leisure and hospitality industry (6.6 percent). (See table 2.)
From November 2005 to November 2006, the hires rate rose in retail trade and in professional and business services but fell in transportation, ware- housing, and utilities and in other services. The hires rate did not rise or decline significantly in any region over the year. (See table 6.)
Separations
The total separations, or turnover, rate was little changed at 3.4 per- cent in November. Separations are terminations of employment that occur at any time during the month. In November, the total separations rate did not increase or decrease significantly in any industry. Geographically, the separations rate rose in the South region over the month. From Novem- ber 2005 to November 2006, the total separations rate increased in real estate and rental and leasing; and in professional and business services. The total separations rate also increased in the South region. The total separations rate did not decline significantly in any industry or region over the year. (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, rose to 2.1 percent in November. Over the month, the quits rate rose in trade, transportation, and utilities and in pro- fessional and business services. The quits rate also rose in the South region. In November, the seasonally adjusted quits rate was highest in the leisure and hospitality industry (4.2 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. The quits rate also rose in the Northeast region. Over the same time period, the quits rate fell in the other services industry. (See table 8.)
The other two components of total separations--layoffs and discharges, and other separations--are not seasonally adjusted. The layoffs and discharges rate, at 1.2 percent, was unchanged from the prior year. For November 2006, the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry had the highest layoffs and discharges rate (5.0 percent). From November 2005 to November 2006, the other separations rate was unchanged at 0.2 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 November 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 December 2006 is scheduled to be issued on Tuesday, February 6. The remaining release dates for 2007 are as follows:
March 13 July 10 November 6 April 10 August 8 December 11 May 8 September 11 June 12 October 10
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Original release Jan 10, 2007.
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