U.S. Job Openings (6.1 Million), Hires, and Separations Little Changed in August

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Job openings were little changed at 6.1 million on the last business day of August. Over the month, hires and separations were little changed at 5.4 million and 5.2 million, respectively.

JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER – AUGUST 2017

The number of job openings was little changed at 6.1 million on the last business day of August, the 
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and separations were also little 
changed at 5.4 million and 5.2 million, respectively. Within separations, the quits rate and the layoffs 
and discharges rate were little changed at 2.1 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively. 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 August, there were 6.1 million job openings, little changed from July. The 
job openings rate was 4.0 percent in August. The number of job openings was little changed for total 
private and for government. Job openings increased in health care and social assistance (+71,000) and in 
durable goods manufacturing (+31,000). Job openings decreased in other services (-95,000), educational 
services (-51,000), and nondurable goods manufacturing (-48,000). The number of job openings 
increased in the Midwest region. (See table 1.)

Hires

The number of hires was little changed at 5.4 million in August. The hires rate was 3.7 percent. The 
number of hires was little changed for total private and for government. The number of hires was little 
changed in all industries. Hires decreased in the Northeast region. (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.

The number of total separations was little changed at 5.2 million in August. The total separations rate 
was 3.6 percent. The number of total separations was little changed for total private and for government. 
Total separations was little changed in all industries. The number of total separations decreased in the 
South region. (See table 3.)

The number of quits was little changed at 3.1 million in August. The quits rate was 2.1 percent. The 
number of quits was little changed for total private and for government. Quits decreased in information 
(-14,000) and mining and logging (-6,000). In the regions, the number of quits increased in the West but 
decreased in the South. (See table 4.)

There were 1.7 million layoffs and discharges in August, little changed from July. The layoffs and 
discharges rate was 1.2 percent in August. The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed for 
total private and for government. The layoffs and discharges level decreased in state and local 
government education (-11,000) and federal government (-4,000). The number of layoffs and discharges 
was little changed in all four regions. (See table 5.)

The number of other separations was little changed in August. Other separations was little changed for 
total private and for government. Other separations was also little changed in all industries and 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 August, hires totaled 63.8 million and 
separations totaled 61.7 million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.1 million. These totals include 
workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.