JOB OPENINGS AND
LABOR TURNOVER – FEBRUARY 2016
The number of job openings was little changed at 5.4
million on the last business day of February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported today. Hires increased to 5.4 million while separations
were little changed at 5.1 million. Within separations, the quits rate was 2.1
percent, and the layoffs and discharges rate was 1.2 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
Job openings were little changed at 5.4 million in
February. The job openings rate was 3.7 percent. The number of job openings was
little changed in February for total private and for government. Job openings
increased in educational services (+48,000) and federal government (+19,000)
but decreased in health care and social assistance (-147,000), finance and
insurance (-54,000), and mining and logging (-8,000). Job openings edged up in
construction (+36,000) and edged down in durable goods manufacturing
(-19,000). The number of job openings edged down in the Midwest region. (See
table 1.)
Hires
The number of hires increased to 5.4 million
(+297,000) in February, the highest level since November 2006. The
hires rate in February was 3.8 percent. The number of hires increased for total
private (+278,000) and was little changed for government. Hires increased in
retail trade (+102,000), accommodation and food services (+78,000), educational
services (+44,000), and state and local government, excluding education
(+25,000). Hires declined in mining and logging (-9,000). In the regions, hires
increased in the South. (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, and
disability, as well as transfers to other locations of the same firm.
There were 5.1 million total separations in
February, little changed from January. The total separations rate in
February was 3.5 percent. The number of total separations was little changed
for total private and for government. Total separations rose in accommodation
and food services (+98,000). In arts, entertainment, and recreation, total
separations edged down (-31,000). The number of total separations was little
changed over the month in all regions. (See table 3.)
The number of quits was little changed in
February at 3.0 million. The quits rate was 2.1 percent. Over the
month, the number of quits edged up for total private (+107,000) and was little
changed for government. Quits increased in health care and social assistance
(+32,000) and decreased in mining and logging (-8,000). The number of quits
edged up in arts, entertainment, and recreation (+10,000) and edged down in
other services (-29,000) and state and local education (-7,000). In the
regions, quits increased in the Midwest. (See table 4.)
There were 1.7 million layoffs and discharges in
February, little changed from January. The layoffs and discharges rate was 1.2
percent. The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed over the month
for total private and for government. In February, layoffs and discharges
decreased in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-41,000) and federal
government (-6,000). Layoffs and discharges edged up in accommodation and food
services (+58,000). The number of layoffs and discharges edged down in the
Midwest. (See table 5.)
In February, other separations was little changed for
total nonfarm, edged down for total private
(-44,000), and edged up for government (+8,000). The
number of other separations increased in retail trade (+31,000), nondurable
goods manufacturing (+5,000), mining and logging (+3,000), and federal government
(+3,000). Other separations decreased in health care and social assistance
(-29,000), finance and insurance (-14,000), transportation, warehousing, and
utilities (-10,000), real estate and rental and leasing (-8,000), and
information (-6,000). In the regions, the number of other separations declined
in the Northeast. (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 February, hires totaled 62.1 million and separations totaled 59.4
million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.7 million. These totals include
workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.
- Table A. Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally adjusted
- Job Openings and Labor Turnover Technical Note
- Table 1. Job openings levels and rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
- Table 2. Hires levels and rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
- Table 3. Total separations levels and rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
- Table 4. Quits levels and rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
- Table 5. Layoffs and discharges levels and rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
- Table 6. Other separations levels and rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted
- Table 7. Job openings levels and rates by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
- Table 8. Hires levels and rates by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
- Table 9. Total separations levels and rates by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
- Table 10. Quits levels and rates by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
- Table 11. Layoffs and discharges levels and rates by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
- Table 12. Other separations levels and rates by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted
- HTML version of the entire news release
Source: BLS
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