Job Openings and Labor Turnover: November 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 5.9 million on the last business day of November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and separations were little changed at 5.5 million and 5.2 million, respectively. Within separations, the quits rate was unchanged at 2.2 percent and the layoffs and discharges rate was little changed 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

On the last business day of November, there were 5.9 million job openings, little changed from October. The job openings rate was 3.8 percent in November. The number of job openings was little changed for total private and for government. Job openings increased in retail trade (+88,000) but decreased in other services (-64,000), transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-60,000), and real estate and rental and leasing (-39,000). The number of job openings was little changed in all four regions. (See table 1.)

Hires

The number of hires was little changed at 5.5 million in November. The hires rate was 3.7 percent. The number of hires was little changed for total private and increased for government (+43,000). Hires increased in state and local government, excluding education (+29,000) and state and local government education (+18,000). The number of hires decreased in the Northeast 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, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.

The number of total separations was little changed at 5.2 million in November. The total separations rate was 3.5 percent. The number of total separations was little changed for total private and for government. Total separations increased in state and local government, excluding education (+21,000) but decreased in other services (-69,000) and real estate and rental and leasing (-27,000). 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 November. The quits rate was 2.2 percent. The number of quits was little changed for total private and increased for government (+25,000). Quits increased in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+25,000) and state and local government, excluding education (+15,000). Quits decreased in other services (-49,000), real estate and rental and leasing (-21,000), and mining and logging (-6,000). The number of quits was little changed in all four regions. (See table 4.)

There were 1.7 million layoffs and discharges in November, little changed from October. The layoffs and discharges rate was 1.1 percent in November. The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed for total private, for government, and in all industries. The number of layoffs and discharges decreased in the Midwest region. (See table 5.)

The number of other separations was little changed in November at 341,000. The number of other separations was little changed for total private and for government. Other separations increased in state and local government, excluding education (+8,000) and arts, entertainment, and recreation (+4,000). Other separations decreased in accommodation and food services (-15,000) and federal government (-6,000). The number of other separations was little changed 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 November, hires totaled 64.6 million and separations totaled 62.4 million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.1 million. These totals include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.