BLS report: Job openings decrease in May; hires and separations both increase

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Job openings decrease in May; hires and separations both increase
recreation (-15,000). The number of quits increased in the South region. (See table 4.)

Economic News Release USDL-17-0959

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary


For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Technical information: [phone] • [e-mail] • www.bls.gov/jlt
Media contact: [phone] • [e-mail]

JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER – MAY 2017

The number of job openings decreased to 5.7 million on the last business day of May, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires increased to 5.5 million and separations increased to 5.3 million. Within separations, the quits rate was little changed at 2.2 percent and the layoffs and discharges rate was unchanged at 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 May, the job openings level decreased to 5.7 million (-301,000). The job openings rate was 3.7 percent. The number of job openings decreased for total private (-283,000) and was little changed for government. Job openings increased in retail trade (+72,000) and educational services (+17,000). Job openings decreased in a number of industries with the largest decreases occurring in construction (-46,000) and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-45,000). The number of job openings decreased in the Midwest region. (See table 1.)

Hires

The number of hires rose to 5.5 million (+429,000) in May. The hires rate was 3.7 percent. The number of hires increased for total private (+423,000) and was little changed for government. Hires increased in professional and business services (+121,000), other services (+78,000), and educational services (+25,000). The number of hires increased in the South region. (See table 2.)
....

____________
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey results for June 2017 are scheduled to be released on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

* * * * *

[center]Facilities for Sensory Impaired[/center]

Information from these releases will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: [phone], Federal Relay Services: 1-800-877-8339.