Job Openings and Labor Turnover: November 2024

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 8.1 million on the last business day of November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and total separations were little changed at 5.3 million and 5.1 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (3.1 million) decreased, but layoffs and discharges (1.8 million) changed little. 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

The number of job openings was little changed at 8.1 million on the last business day of November but was down by 833,000 over the year. The job openings rate, at 4.8 percent, changed little over the month. The number of job openings increased in professional and business services (+273,000), finance and insurance (+105,000), and private educational services (+38,000) but decreased in information (-89,000). (See table 1.)

Hires

In November, the number of hires changed little at 5.3 million but was down by 300,000 over the year. The hires rate was little changed at 3.3 percent. (See table 2.)

Separations

Total separations include 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 include separations due to retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.

The number of total separations in November was little changed at 5.1 million but was down by 287,000 over the year. The total separations rate changed little at 3.2 percent. (See table 3.)

In November, the number of quits decreased to 3.1 million (-218,000) and declined by 451,000 over the year. Over the month, the quits rate decreased to 1.9 percent. Quits decreased in accommodation and food services (-85,000) and in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-22,000). (See table 4.)

In November, the number of layoffs and discharges changed little at 1.8 million but was up by 219,000 over the year. The rate remained unchanged at 1.1 percent. Layoffs and discharges increased in accommodation and food services (+102,000). (See table 5.)

The number of other separations changed little at 296,000 in November. (See table 6.)

Establishment Size Class

The layoffs and discharges rate for establishments with 1 to 9 employees decreased in November, while the job openings, hires, total separations, and quits rates showed little change. For establishments with 5,000 or more employees, the job openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges, and total separations rates showed little or no change. (See table 7.)

October 2024 Revisions

The number of job openings for October was revised up by 95,000 to 7.8 million, the number of hires was revised up by 81,000 to 5.4 million, and the number of total separations was revised up by 45,000 to 5.3 million. Within separations, the number of quits was revised down by 43,000 to 3.3 million, and the number of layoffs and discharges was revised up by 115,000 to 1.7 million. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.)