Job Openings and Labor Turnover: May 2013

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 3.8 million job openings on the last business day of May, little changed from April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The hires rate (3.3 percent) and separations rate (3.2 percent) also were little changed in May. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the nonfarm sector by industry and by geographic region.

Job Openings

The number of job openings in May was 3.8 million, little changed from April. (See table 1.) The number of job openings was little changed over the month in most industries but rose in retail trade and fell in professional and business services. The number of job openings rose in the Midwest but was essentially unchanged in the other three regions.

The number of job openings in May (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed over the year for total nonfarm, total private, and government. Several industries experienced an increase in job openings over the year, including retail trade; transportation, warehousing, and utilities; and finance and insurance. Industries experiencing a decrease in openings over the year were durable goods manufacturing and professional and business services. In the Midwest region, the number of job openings rose over the year. (See table 7.)

Hires

In May, there were 4.4 million hires; the hires rate was 3.3 percent. The hires rate was little changed in all industries and regions over the month. (See table 2.)

Over the 12 months ending in May, the number of hires (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed for total nonfarm, total private, government, and in all four regions. The number of hires was little changed over the year for most industries. The number of hires fell in mining and logging but rose in accommodation and food services. (See table 8.)

Separations

There were 4.3 million total separations in the month of May; essentially the same number as in April. The separations rate was 3.2 percent.

Total separations includes quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Total separations also is referred to as turnover. Quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee. Therefore, the quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs. Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer. Other separations include separations due to retirement, death, and disability, as well as transfers to other locations of the same firm.

In May, the quits rate remained at 1.6 percent for total nonfarm and at 1.8 percent for total private. The rate for government was little changed at 0.6 percent. The quits rate also was little changed over the month for all industries and regions. (See table 4.)

The number of quits (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed over the 12 months ending in May for total nonfarm, total private, government, and in all four regions. Quits increased over the year for the educational services industry. (See table 10.)

The layoffs and discharges component of total separations is seasonally adjusted at the total nonfarm, total private, and government levels, and by region. The layoffs and discharges rate was unchanged in May at 1.3 percent. The rate also was unchanged for total private (1.4 percent) and government (0.4 percent). The rate was little changed over the month in all four regions. (See table 5.)

The layoffs and discharges level (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed over the 12 months ending in May for total nonfarm and total private but fell for government. Over the year, the number of layoffs and discharges fell in professional and business services, educational services, and state and local government. In the South region, the number of layoffs and discharges decreased. (See table 11.)

In May, there were 382,000 other separations for total nonfarm, essentially unchanged from the previous month. The number of other separations also was essentially unchanged over the month for total private and government. (See table 6.) Over the 12 months ending in May, the number of other separations also was little changed for total nonfarm, total private, and government. (See table 12.)

Net Change in Employment

Large numbers of hires and separations occur every month throughout the business cycle. Net employment change results from the relationship between hires and separations. When the number of hires exceeds the number of separations, employment rises, even if the hires level is steady or declining. Conversely, when the number of hires is less than the number of separations, employment declines, even if the hires level is steady or rising. Over the 12 months ending in May 2013, hires totaled 51.9 million and separations totaled 50.1 million, yielding a net employment gain of 1.8 million. These figures include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.