There were 3.8 million job openings on the last business day of May, little changed from April. The hires rate (3.3 percent) and the separations rate (3.2 percent) also were little changed in May.
There were 3.8 million job openings on the last business day of May, little changed from April, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The hires rate (3.3 percent) and separations rate (3.2 percent)
also were little changed in May. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings,
hires, and separations for the nonfarm sector by industry and by geographic region.
Job Openings
The number of job openings in May was 3.8 million, little changed from April. (See table 1.) The number
of job openings was little changed over the month in most industries but rose in retail trade and fell in
professional and business services. The number of job openings rose in the Midwest but was essentially
unchanged in the other three regions.
The number of job openings in May (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed over the year for total
nonfarm, total private, and government. Several industries experienced an increase in job openings over
the year, including retail trade; transportation, warehousing, and utilities; and finance and insurance.
Industries experiencing a decrease in openings over the year were durable goods manufacturing and
professional and business services. In the Midwest region, the number of job openings rose over the year.
(See table 7.)
Hires
In May, there were 4.4 million hires; the hires rate was 3.3 percent. The hires rate was little changed in all
industries and regions over the month. (See table 2.)
Over the 12 months ending in May, the number of hires (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed for
total nonfarm, total private, government, and in all four regions. The number of hires was little changed
over the year for most industries. The number of hires fell in mining and logging but rose in
accommodation and food services. (See table 8.)
Separations
There were 4.3 million total separations in the month of May; essentially the same number as in April.
The separations rate was 3.2 percent.
Total separations includes quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Total separations also 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 include separations
due to retirement, death, and disability, as well as transfers to other locations of the same firm.
In May, the quits rate remained at 1.6 percent for total nonfarm and at 1.8 percent for total private. The
rate for government was little changed at 0.6 percent. The quits rate also was little changed over the
month for all industries and regions. (See table 4.)
The number of quits (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed over the 12 months ending in May for
total nonfarm, total private, government, and in all four regions. Quits increased over the year for the
educational services industry. (See table 10.)
The layoffs and discharges component of total separations is seasonally adjusted at the total nonfarm,
total private, and government levels, and by region. The layoffs and discharges rate was unchanged in
May at 1.3 percent. The rate also was unchanged for total private (1.4 percent) and government (0.4
percent). The rate was little changed over the month in all four regions. (See table 5.)
The layoffs and discharges level (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed over the 12 months ending
in May for total nonfarm and total private but fell for government. Over the year, the number of layoffs
and discharges fell in professional and business services, educational services, and state and local
government. In the South region, the number of layoffs and discharges decreased. (See table 11.)
In May, there were 382,000 other separations for total nonfarm, essentially unchanged from the previous
month. The number of other separations also was essentially unchanged over the month for total private
and government. (See table 6.) Over the 12 months ending in May, the number of other separations also
was little changed for total nonfarm, total private, and government. (See table 12.)
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 May 2013, hires totaled 51.9 million
and separations totaled 50.1 million, yielding a net employment gain of 1.8 million. These figures include
workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.
____________
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey results for June 2013 are scheduled to be released
on Tuesday, August 6, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
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