Job Openings and Labor Turnover: November 2010

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.

There were 3.2 million job openings on the last business day of November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The job openings rate was essentially unchanged over the month at 2.4 percent. Both the hires rate and the separations rate were little changed at 3.2 percent each in November. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector by industry and by geographic region.

Job Openings The number of job openings in November was 3.2 million, which was little changed from 3.3 million in October. (See table 1.) Since the most recent series trough in July 2009, the number of job openings has risen by 0.9 million, or 39 percent. This trough immediately followed the end of the recession in June 2009 (as designated by the National Bureau of Economic Research). Even with the gains since July 2009, the number of job openings in November remained 1.1 million below the 4.4 million openings when the recession began in December 2007.

The number of job openings in November (not seasonally adjusted) increased from 12 months earlier for total nonfarm and total private. The level was little changed over the year for government. Over the year, the job openings level increased in seven industries and was essentially unchanged in the remaining industries. The job openings level was up over the year in all four regions. (See table 5.)

Hires In November, the hires rate was little changed at 3.2 percent for total nonfarm and was essentially unchanged for all industries and regions. (See table 2.) There were 4.2 million hires during the month, 9 percent higher than the most recent series trough in June 2009. This trough coincided with the official end of the recession. Despite the gains since June 2009, the number of hires in November remained below the 5.0 million hires when the recession began in December 2007. Since their respective troughs, the hires level has risen at a slower pace than the job openings level.

Over the 12 months ending in November, the hires rate (not seasonally adjusted) was unchanged for total nonfarm, total private, and government. The hires rate increased over the past 12 months in finance and insurance and was essentially unchanged in the remaining industries. (See table 6.)

Separations Total separations includes quits (voluntary separations), layoffs and discharges (involuntary separations), and other separations (including retirements). The total separations, or turnover, rate in November was essentially unchanged for total nonfarm, total private, and government. The total separations rate increased for state and local government. Over the 12 months ending in November, the total separations rate (not seasonally adjusted) was unchanged for total nonfarm, total private, and government. (See tables 3 and 7.)

The quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to change jobs. In November, the quits rate was unchanged for total nonfarm (1.5 percent), total private (1.7 percent), and government (0.5 percent) and there was little or no change in every industry and region. (See table 4.) The number of quits in November (2.0 million) is higher than the series trough in September 2009 (1.7 million), but it is still well below the series peak in November 2006 (3.2 million).

Over the 12 months ending in November, the quits rate (not seasonally adjusted) was essentially unchanged for all industries and regions. Quits levels increased over the year in mining and logging and in the Midwest region. (See table 8.)

The layoffs and discharges component of total separations is seasonally adjusted at the total nonfarm, total private, and government levels. The layoffs and discharges level was essentially unchanged in November for total nonfarm and total private but increased for government. The number of layoffs and discharges for total nonfarm peaked at 2.6 million in January 2009, then fell to 1.8 million in November 2010. In government, the number of layoffs and discharges in November (133,000) was higher than when the recession began in December 2007 (117,000). (See table B below.)

The layoffs and discharges level (not seasonally adjusted) was essentially unchanged over the 12 months ending in November for total nonfarm, total private, and government. The layoffs and discharges level declined over the year in transportation, warehousing, and utilities; professional and business services; federal government; and in the South region. (See table 9.)

The other separations series is not seasonally adjusted. In November, there were 280,000 other separations for total nonfarm, 244,000 for total private, and 36,000 for government. Compared to November 2009, the number of other separations was little changed for total nonfarm, total private, and government. (See table 10.)

Relative Contributions to Separations The total separations level is influenced by the relative contribution of its three components—quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. The percentage of total separations at the total nonfarm level attributable to the individual components has varied over time, but for the majority of the months since the series began in December 2000, the proportion of quits has exceeded the proportion of layoffs and discharges. Other separations is historically a very small portion of total separations; it has rarely been above 10 percent of the total.

Since February 2010, the proportions of quits and of layoffs and discharges at the total nonfarm level have been close. In November 2010, the proportion of quits for total nonfarm was 47 percent and the proportion of layoffs and discharges was 43 percent. For total private, the proportions were 48 percent quits and 43 percent layoffs and discharges. For government, the proportions were 34 percent quits and 44 percent layoffs and discharges. (See table C below.)

Net Change in Employment Over the 12 months ending in November, hires (not seasonally adjusted) totaled 50.8 million and separations (not seasonally adjusted) totaled 50.0 million, yielding a net employment gain of 0.8 million. These figures include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year. Nearly half of the hires and nearly half of the separations occurred in three industries: retail trade; professional and business services; and accommodation and food services. The large share of total hires and separations accounted for by these three industries reflects the size of the industries as well as their relatively high hires and separations rates.

Dec. — Feb. 8 June — Aug. 10 Jan. — March 11 July — Sept. 7 Feb. — April 13 Aug. — Oct. 12 March — May 11 Sept. — Nov. 8 April — June 7 Oct. — Dec. 13 May — July 12