Job Openings and Labor Turnover: April 2022

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 decreased to 11.4 million on the last business day of April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Hires and total separations were little changed at 6.6 million and 6.0 million, respectively. Within separations, quits were little changed at 4.4 million, while layoffs and discharges edged down to a series low of 1.2 million. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector, by industry, and by establishment size class.

Job Openings

On the last business day of April, the number and rate of job openings decreased to 11.4 million (-455,000) and 7.0 percent, respectively. The largest decreases in job openings were in health care and social assistance (-266,000), retail trade (-162,000), and accommodation and food services (-113,000). The largest increases were in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+97,000); nondurable goods manufacturing (+67,000); and durable goods manufacturing (+53,000). (See table 1.)

Hires

In April, the number of hires was little changed at 6.6 million. The hires rate was unchanged at 4.4 percent. Hires increased in real estate and rental and leasing (+21,000). (See table 2.)

Separations

Total separations includes quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. 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.

In April, the number of total separations was little changed at 6.0 million. The rate was little changed at 4.0 percent. Total separations increased in real estate and rental and leasing (+37,000). (See table 3.)

In April, the number of quits was little changed at 4.4 million. The rate was unchanged at 2.9 percent. Quits increased in real estate and rental and leasing (+37,000) but decreased in state and local government education (-19,000). (See table 4.)

In April, the number of layoffs and discharges edged down to a series low of 1.2 million (-170,000). The rate was little changed at 0.8 percent. Layoffs and discharges decreased in professional and business services (-133,000). (See table 5.)

The number of other separations was little changed in April at 363,000. Other separations decreased in educational services (-6,000) but increased in real estate and rental and leasing (+5,000). (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 78.0 million and separations totaled 71.6 million, yielding a net employment gain of 6.4 million. These totals include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.

Establishment Size Class

In April, the job openings rate decreased in establishments with 250 to 999 employees but increased in establishments with 1,000 to 4,999 employees. The hires rate increased in establishments with 1 to 9 employees and in establishments with 5,000 or more employees but decreased in establishments with 50 to 249 employees. The quits rate increased in establishments with 250 to 999 employees and in establishments with 1,000 to 4,999 employees but decreased in establishments with 10 to 49 employees. The layoffs and discharges rate decreased in establishments with 50 to 249 employees. The total separations rate decreased in establishments with 10 to 49 employees and in establishments with 50 to 249 employees. For a more in-depth description of the JOLTS establishment size class estimates, please visit www.bls.gov/jlt/sizeclassmethodology.htm.