Job Openings and Labor Turnover: April 2016

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.

The number of job openings was little changed at 5.8 million on the last business day of April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Hires edged down to 5.1 million while separations were little changed at 5.0 million. Within separations, the quits rate was 2.0 percent, and the layoffs and discharges rate was 1.1 percent. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the nonfarm sector by industry and by four geographic regions.

Job Openings

Job openings were little changed at 5.8 million in April. The job openings rate was 3.9 percent. The number of job openings was little changed in April for total private and for government. Job openings increased in a number of industries, with the largest changes occurring in wholesale trade (+65,000), transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+58,000), durable goods manufacturing (+46,000), and real estate and rental and leasing (+41,000). Job openings decreased in professional and business services (-274,000). The number of job openings was little changed in all four regions. (See table 1.)

Hires

The number of hires edged down to 5.1 million in April. The hires rate was 3.5 percent. The number of hires was little changed in April for total private and edged down for government (-31,000). Hires were little changed in all industries in April and decreased in the Midwest region. (See table 2.)

Separations

Total separations includes quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Total separations 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 includes separations due to retirement, death, and disability, as well as transfers to other locations of the same firm.

There were 5.0 million total separations in April, little changed from March. The total separations rate in April was 3.5 percent. The number of total separations was little changed over the month for total private and for government. All industries experienced little change in total separations over the month. In the regions, the number of total separations declined in the Midwest. (See table 3.)

The number of quits was little changed in April at 2.9 million. The quits rate was 2.0 percent. Over the month, the number of quits was little changed for total private and for government. Quits increased in arts, entertainment, and recreation (+15,000) but decreased in construction (-45,000) and mining and logging (-5,000). The number of quits decreased in the Northeast region. (See table 4.)

There were 1.6 million layoffs and discharges in April, little changed from March. The layoffs and discharges rate was 1.1 percent. The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed over the month for total private and for government. In April, layoffs and discharges declined in professional and business services (-81,000). In the regions, layoffs and discharges decreased in the Midwest. (See table 5.)

In April, other separations edged up for total nonfarm and for total private, and was little changed for government. The number of other separations rose in health care and social assistance (+20,000), accommodation and food services (+13,000), and information (+7,000). The number of other separations was little changed over the month in all four regions. (See table 6.)

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 April, hires totaled 62.4 million and separations totaled 59.7 million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.7 million. These totals include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.