News Release - JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER – DECEMBER 2016
The number of job openings was little changed at 5.5 million on the last business day of December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and separations were also little changed at 5.3 million and 5.0 million, respectively.
Within separations, the quits rate was little changed at 2.0 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 December, there were 5.5 million job openings, little changed from November. The job openings rate was 3.6 percent in December. The number of job openings was little changed for total private and decreased for government (-75,000). Job openings increased in other services (+50,000) and federal government (+13,000) but decreased in state and local government, excluding education (-85,000). The number of job openings was little changed in all four regions. (See table 1.)
Hires
The number of hires was essentially unchanged at 5.3 million in December. The hires rate was 3.6 percent. The number of hires was little changed for total private and decreased for government (-38,000). Hires decreased in state and local government, excluding education (-33,000), and in mining and logging (-7,000). 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. 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. There were 5.0 million total separations in December, little changed from November. The total separations rate in December was 3.4 percent. The number of total separations was little changed for total private and decreased for government (-37,000). Total separations decreased in state and local government education (-28,000). The number of total separations was little changed in all four regions. (See table 3.)
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