BLS Report: Job openings (6.4 million), hires, and separations little changed in September

[mahatmakanejeeves]

People come; people go.

This is JOLTS, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. It comes out a few days after the monthly payroll employment report.

The number of quits indicates how confident people are of finding another job if they leave the one they have.

Previous reports:

Tue Oct 6, 2020: BLS Report: Job openings and hires little changed in August; total separations decrease

Thu Sep 10, 2020: BLS Report: Job openings rise in July, hires decrease, and total separations little changed

Wed Aug 12, 2020: BLS Report: Hires decrease in June; job openings, quits, and total separations rise

Tue Jul 7, 2020: BLS Report: Hires increase 2.4 million in May; job openings rise while layoffs and discharges fall

Wed Jun 10, 2020: BLS Report: Total separations fall in April to 9.9 million; job openings and hires also fall

Tue May 19, 2020: BLS Report: Total separations increase to a series high; job openings and hires decrease in March

Tue Apr 7, 2020: BLS Report: Job openings at 6.9 million, hires, and separations little changed in February

Tue Mar 17, 2020: BLS Report: Job openings rise to 7.0 million in January; hires and separations little changed

Wed Feb 12, 2020: BLS Report: Job openings fall to 6.4 million in December; hires and separations little changed

Tuesday, January 21, 2020 (a late release): BLS Report: Job openings fall to 6.8 million in November; hires and separations little changed

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Job openings (6.4 million), hires, and separations little changed in September

Economic News Release USDL-20-2088

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Technical information: [phone] • [e-mail] • www.bls.gov/jlt
Media contact: [phone] • [e-mail]

JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER – SEPTEMBER 2020

The number of job openings was little changed at 6.4 million on the last business day of September, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Hires and total separations were little changed at 5.9 million and 4.7 million, respectively. Within separations, the quits rate was little changed at 2.1 percent while the layoffs and discharges rate decreased to a series low of 0.9 percent. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector, by industry, and by four geographic regions.

Job Openings

On the last business day of September, the number of job openings was little changed at 6.4 million. The job openings rate was unchanged at 4.3 percent. Job openings decreased in federal government (-20,000). The number of job openings was little changed in all four regions. (See table 1.) The number of job openings in September (not seasonally adjusted) decreased over the year to 6.6 million (-566,000) reflecting the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the labor market. Job openings decreased in a number of industries with the largest in accommodation and food services, retail trade, and construction. The number of job openings decreased in the Midwest and West regions. (See table 7.)
_________________________________________________________________________________
| Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on September 2020 JOLTS Data
|
|Data collection for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey was affected by the coronavirus
|(COVID-19) pandemic. More information is available at the end of this news release and at
|www.bls.gov/covid19/job-openings-and-labor-turnover-covid19-september-2020.htm. |________________________________________________________________________________

Hires

In September, the number and rate of hires were little changed at 5.9 million and 4.1 percent, respectively. Hires decreased in federal government (-256,000), largely due to a drop in demand for temporary 2020 Census workers. Hires also decreased in retail trade (-105,000) and educational services (-23,000). The number of hires increased in accommodation and food services (+137,000), wholesale trade (+73,000), and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+46,000). The number of hires was little changed in all four regions. (See table 2.)

{snip}

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.

{snip, including explanatory notes}

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The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for October 2020 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

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