Job openings increase to series high in April; hires decrease, separations edge down

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Economic News Release USDL-17-0768

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Technical information: (202) 691-5870 • JoltsInfo@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/jlt
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov

JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER – APRIL 2017

The number of job openings increased to a series high of 6.0 million on the last business day of April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires decreased to 5.1 million and separations edged down to 5.0 million. Within separations, the quits rate and the layoffs and discharges rate were little changed at 2.1 percent and 1.1 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 April, the job openings level increased to a series high of 6.0 million (+259,000). The job openings rate was 4.0 percent. The number of job openings edged up for total private (+220,000) and increased for government (+39,000). Job openings increased in a number of industries with the largest increase occurring in accommodation and food services (+118,000). Job openings decreased in durable goods manufacturing (-30,000). The number of job openings increased in the Midwest and Northeast regions. (See table 1.)

Hires

The number of hires fell to 5.1 million (-253,000) in April. The hires rate was 3.5 percent. The number of hires decreased for total private (-257,000) and was little changed for government. Hires decreased in health care and social assistance (-68,000) and real estate and rental and leasing (-23,000). The number of hires decreased in the West 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 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey results for May 2017 are scheduled to be released on Tuesday, July 11, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

Read more: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm

---

[center]Facilities for Sensory Impaired[/center]

Information from this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200, Federal Relay Services: 1-800-877-8339.

* * * * *

This is JOLTS, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary. It always comes out a few days after the Employment Report.