The job openings rate was little changed in November at 1.8 percent. After falling steeply from mid-2007 through February 2009, the job openings rate has been steady at 1.8 percent or 1.9 percent since March 2009. The number of job openings fell by 2.3 million from the most recent peak in June 2007 to April 2009 but has declined by only 98,000 since. The job openings rate was essentially unchanged in all industries and all four regions in November.
Over the 12 months ending in November, the job openings rate (not seasonally adjusted) decreased for total nonfarm and total private. Although the rate was essentially unchanged for government, it increased in federal government and decreased in state and local government. The job openings rate decreased in many industries: mining and logging; retail trade; transportation, warehousing, and utilities; real estate and rental and leasing; educational services; health care and social assistance; and other services. The job openings rate decreased in the South.
Hires
The hires rate was essentially unchanged in November at 3.2 percent. The rate has remained between 3.0 percent and 3.2 percent since February 2009. The hires level fell by 1.7 million from the most recent peak in July 2006 to June 2009 but has since increased by 257,000. The hires rate was essentially unchanged in every industry but increased in the South in November.
Over the 12 months ending in November, the hires rate (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed for total nonfarm and government. The rate increased for total private. The hires rate was essentially unchanged for all industries and all four regions over the 12 months ending in November.
Separations
The total separations, or turnover, rate was little changed in November and remained low at 3.3 percent. The total separations rate (not seasonally adjusted) was essentially unchanged over the 12 months ending in November for total nonfarm, total private, and government. Total separations includes quits (voluntary separations), layoffs and discharges (involuntary separations), and other separations (including retirements).
The quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to change jobs. The quits rate was little changed for total nonfarm and government and increased for total private in November. The quits rate increased in construction and in the South and West regions. After falling by 1.4 million from the most recent peak in December 2006, the number of quits held steady from April 2009 to October 2009. Quits increased to 2.0 million in November 2009.
Over the 12 months ending in November, the quits rate (not seasonally adjusted) was essentially unchanged for total nonfarm, total private, and government. The quits rate decreased in finance and insurance and in the Midwest.
The layoffs and discharges component of total separations is seasonally adjusted at the total nonfarm, total private, and government levels. The layoffs and discharges levels for total nonfarm, total private, and government were little changed in November at 2.1 million, 1.9 million, and 111,000 respectively. The corresponding layoffs and discharges rates were 1.6 percent, 1.8 percent, and 0.5 percent. The number of layoffs and discharges at the total nonfarm level peaked at 2.6 million in January 2009; the most recent trough was 1.6 million in January 2006.
The layoffs and discharges rate (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed over the 12 months ending in November for total nonfarm, total private, and government. The layoffs and discharges rate fell in construction; the rate rose in federal government. The layoffs and discharges rate increased in the Northeast and decreased in the Midwest.
The other separations series is not seasonally adjusted. In November, there were 245,000 other separations for total nonfarm, 209,000 for total private, and 36,000 for government. Compared to November 2008, the number of other separations was little changed for total nonfarm, total private, and government.
The total separations level is influenced by the relative contribution of its three components—quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. The percentage of total separations at the total nonfarm level attributable to the individual components has varied over time. The proportion of quits had exceeded the proportion of layoffs and discharges every month from the beginning of the series from December 2000 until November 2008 when layoffs and discharges became the larger contributor to total separations. The proportion of separations due to quits fell to a series low of 38 percent in April 2009 but has since risen to 45 percent in November 2009. The proportion of separations due to layoffs and discharges rose to a series high of 55 percent in July 2009 but has since dropped to 47 percent in November 2009.
Net Change in Employment
Over the 12 months ending in November, hires totaled 49.9 million and separations totaled 54.4 million, yielding a net employment loss of 4.5 million.
