Job Openings and Labor Turnover: September 2017

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 6.1 million on the last business day of September, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and separations were also little changed at 5.3 million and 5.2 million, respectively. Within separations, the quits rate and the layoffs and discharges rate were little changed at 2.2 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively. 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

On the last business day of September, there were 6.1 million job openings, little changed from August. Job openings have been at or near record high levels since June. The job openings rate was 4.0 percent in September. The number of job openings was little changed for total private and for government. Job openings increased in professional and business services (+156,000), other services (+52,000), state and local government education (+36,000), and federal government (+15,000). Job openings decreased in accommodation and food services (-111,000) and information (-28,000). The number of job openings was little changed in all four regions. (See table 1.)

Hires

The number of hires was little changed at 5.3 million in September. The hires rate was 3.6 percent. The number of hires was little changed for total private and for government. The number of hires was little changed in all industries and regions. (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, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.

The number of total separations was little changed at 5.2 million in September. The total separations rate was 3.6 percent. The number of total separations was little changed for total private and for government. Total separations decreased in other services (-73,000) and wholesale trade (-37,000). The number of total separations was little changed in all four regions. (See table 3.)

The number of quits was little changed at 3.2 million in September. The quits rate was 2.2 percent. The number of quits was little changed for total private and for government. Quits rose in professional and business services (+82,000) and state and local government, excluding education (+10,000). Quits fell in other services (-45,000) and real estate and rental and leasing (-16,000). In the regions, the number of quits increased in the Midwest. (See table 4.)

There were 1.7 million layoffs and discharges in September, little changed from August. The layoffs and discharges rate was 1.2 percent in September. The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed for total private and for government. The layoffs and discharges level decreased in wholesale trade (-30,000) and mining and logging (-7,000). The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed in all four regions. (See table 5.)

The number of other separations edged down in September to 355,000. Other separations edged down for total private and was little changed for government. Other separations increased in state and local government education (+6,000). Other separations decreased in other services (-18,000), accommodation and food services (-13,000), and educational services (-5,000). The number of other separations decreased in the South region. (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 September, hires totaled 63.9 million and separations totaled 62.1 million, yielding a net employment gain of 1.8 million. These totals include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.