BLS Report: March job openings reach a series high; hires and total separations little changed
Related:
Wed Jan 27, 2021: BLS Report: Gross job losses 20.4 million and gross job gains 5.7 million in the 2nd quarter of 2020
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 Apr 6, 2021: BLS Report: Job openings and hires edge up in February; total separations little changed
Fri Mar 12, 2021: BLS Report: Total separations decrease in January; job openings and hires change little
Tue Feb 9, 2021: BLS Report: Job openings and total separations little changed in December; hires decrease
Tue Jan 12, 2021: BLS Report: Job openings and hires little changed in November; total separations increase
Wed Dec 9, 2020: BLS Report: Job openings (6.7 million) and hires little changed; separations increase in October
Thu Nov 12, 2020: BLS Report: Job openings (6.4 million), hires, and separations little changed in September
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
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March job openings reach a series high; hires and total separations little changed
Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary
For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, May 11, 2021
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 – MARCH 2021
The number of job openings reached a series high of 8.1 million on the last business day of March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Hires were little changed at 6.0 million. Total separations were little changed at 5.3 million. Within separations, the quits rate was unchanged at 2.4 percent while the layoffs and discharges rate decreased to a series low of 1.0 percent. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector, by industry, by four geographic regions, and by establishment size class.
Job Openings
On the last business day of March, the job openings level reached a series high of 8.1 million (+597,000). The job openings series began in December 2000. The job openings rate increased to 5.3 percent. Job openings increased in a number of industries with the largest increases in accommodation and food services (+185,000); state and local government education (+155,000); and arts, entertainment, and recreation (+81,000). The number of job openings decreased in health care and social assistance (-218,000). The number of job openings increased in the Northeast and Midwest regions. (See table 1.)
Hires
In March, the number and rate of hires changed little at 6.0 million and 4.2 percent, respectively. Hires increased in state and local government education (+62,000); educational services (+31,000); and mining and logging (+17,000). The number of hires was little changed in all four regions. (See table 2.)
Separations
Total separations includes 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 includes separations due to retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.
In March, the number and rate of total separations were little changed at 5.3 million and 3.7 percent, respectively. The total separations level decreased in construction (-82,000) and in state and local government education (-25,000). Total separations were little changed in all four regions. (See table 3.)
In March, the quits level and rate were little changed at 3.5 million and 2.4 percent, respectively. The number of quits increased in accommodation and food services (+63,000) and in information (+16,000). Quits decreased in state and local government education (-19,000). The number of quits was little changed in all four regions. (See table 4.)
In March, the number of layoffs and discharges decreased to a series low of 1.5 million. The layoffs and discharges rate decreased to 1.0 percent. The number of layoffs and discharges decreased in construction (-93,000). Layoffs and discharges were little changed in all four regions. (See table 5.)
The number of other separations was little changed in March at 334,000. Other separations increased in professional and business services (+29,000). Other separations decreased in information (-7,000); state and local government education (-6,000); and nondurable goods manufacturing (-5,000). The other separations level was little changed in all four regions. (See table 6.)
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 March, hires totaled 73.2 million and separations totaled 69.9 million, yielding a net employment gain of 3.3 million. These totals include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.
Establishment Size Class
JOLTS produces estimates for job openings, hires, and separations by establishment size. These estimates can provide additional insight into the internal dynamics of the labor market. There are six employment size classes: 1-9; 10-49; 50-249; 250-999; 1,000-4,999; and 5,000 or more employees. Utilizing these size classes, establishments can also be described as small (1-49 employees), medium (50-249), and large (250+). For a more in-depth description of the JOLTS establishment size class estimates, please visit www.bls.gov/jlt/sizeclassmethodology.htm.
In March, the job openings rate increased in medium establishments with 50-249 employees and large establishments with 5,000 or more employees. In small establishments with 1-9 employees, the layoffs and discharges rate decreased. The layoffs and discharges rate increased in large establishments with 250-999 employees.
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The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for April 2021 are scheduled to be released on Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
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