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Impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Job Openings and Labor Turnover data for February 2021

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) national estimates of job openings, hires, and separations have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This page provides further information on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic for the February 2021 JOLTS news release.

More information on the JOLTS methodology can be found in the JOLTS Handbook of Methods chapter.

Collection mode

Data collection for JOLTS was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, JOLTS collected 42 percent of data by phone at the JOLTS data collection center on average. Most phone respondents were asked to report electronically. However, data collection was adversely affected by the inability to reach some respondents that normally respond by phone.

Table 1. Percent of establishments responding to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey by collection mode
Collection mode 12-month average through February 2020 March 2020 April 2020 May 2020 June 2020 July 2020 August 2020 September 2020 October 2020 November 2020 December 2020 January 2021 February 2021

Phone

42% 19% 27% 28% 32% 31% 32% 33% 29% 30% 31% 31% 34%

Web

52% 75% 68% 67% 62% 65% 63% 62% 66% 65% 64% 64% 61%

Other

6% 6% 5% 5% 6% 4% 5% 6% 6% 5% 6% 5% 5%

Response rates

The preliminary JOLTS response rate for February was 45 percent. In January, the final response rate was 48 percent. In the year prior to the pandemic, the preliminary response rate averaged 54 percent and the final response rate averaged 58 percent.

In February 2021, JOLTS response rates declined in all size classes.  The response rates declined in all industries except finance and insurance. The industries with the largest declines in response rates were professional and business services and arts, entertainment, and recreation.

Table 2. Response rates for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey
Time period Preliminary rate Final rate

12-month average through February 2020

54% 58%

March 2020

46% 51%

April 2020

44% 49%

May 2020

45% 51%

June 2020

47% 50%

July 2020

46% 50%

August 2020

47% 50%

September 2020

47% 50%

October 2020

45% 49%

November 2020

43% 47%

December 2020

42% 48%

January 2021

43% 48%

February 2021

45% Not available

Imputation

JOLTS imputation for February resulted in very few cells with more imputation relative to the previous year. The industries that generally experienced more imputation were real estate and rental and leasing as well as professional and business services.

Changes to methods

At the onset of the pandemic, the JOLTS program reviewed all estimation and methodological procedures. Changes to the JOLTS estimation and seasonal adjustment methods are described below.

Estimation

For the February preliminary and the January final JOLTS estimates, there was no suppression of the alignment process. The JOLTS hires minus separations and CES over-the-month employment changes are no longer significantly different. Please see below for further explanation.

BLS modified the JOLTS estimates for the March 2020 preliminary through the November 2020 preliminary estimates to better reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and produce the highest quality JOLTS estimates possible in this unique situation. The estimation process usually includes an alignment of monthly hires minus separations to the over-the-month change in the Current Employment Statistics (CES) employment estimates. BLS suspended the alignment process during this time frame because the differing reference periods for the CES employment estimates (pay period including the 12th of the month) and the JOLTS hires and separations estimates (the entire reference month) led to different measurement outcomes. For example, hires and separations during the latter half of April 2020 were not included in the CES employment change for April 2020, but were included in the JOLTS data for the month.

The alignment portion of the JOLTS estimation process was designed to correct a long-term divergence between the JOLTS implied employment change and the CES employment change. JOLTS hires minus separations and CES employment change generally approximate one another. Alignment was developed to correct small monthly discrepancies between the two series that build up over time; it was not designed to address a substantial short-term divergence between the two series.

Seasonal Adjustment

Seasonal adjustment factors can be either multiplicative or additive. A multiplicative seasonal effect is assumed to be proportional to the level of the series. A sudden large increase in the level of the series will be accompanied by a proportionally large seasonal effect. In contrast, an additive seasonal effect is assumed to be unaffected by the level of the series. In times of relative economic stability, the multiplicative option is generally preferred over the additive option. However, in the presence of a large level shift in a time series, multiplicative seasonal adjustment factors can result in systematic over- or under-adjustment of the series; in such cases, additive seasonal adjustment factors are preferred since they tend to more accurately track seasonal fluctuations in the series and have smaller revisions.

In accordance with the survey’s usual practice, the seasonal adjustment factors were reviewed through the calendar year ending in December 2020, and 5 years of seasonally adjusted estimates were revised. The majority of the JOLTS series retained the additive designation.

Comparison of current month estimates with past monthly JOLTS estimates

Please see the following tables for a comparison of February 2021 estimates to historical levels.

Table 3a. Job openings by sector and region (numbers in thousands)
Sector and region February 2021 level Monthly change Monthly percent change Last time level was smaller or equal or next closest Last time level was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was larger or equal or next closest

Total nonfarm

7,367 268 3.8 Jan 2021 7,099 Jan 2019 7,478 Dec 2020 -14 Jan 2021 347 Dec 2020 -0.2 Jan 2021 5.1

Total private

6,732 352 5.5 Jan 2021 6,380 Jan 2019 6,780 Jan 2021 286 Jul 2020 479 Jan 2021 4.7 Jul 2020 8.8

Government

635 -84 -11.7 May 2020 634 Jan 2021 719 Aug 2020 -103 Jan 2021 60 Aug 2020 -12.8 Jan 2021 9.1

Region

Northeast

1,277 112 9.6 Jan 2021 1,165 Nov 2018 1,270 Jan 2021 23 Jun 2020 156 Jan 2021 2.0 Jun 2020 16.4

South

2,924 93 3.3 Jan 2021 2,831 Oct 2019 2,832 Dec 2020 22 Jan 2021 186 Dec 2020 0.8 Jan 2021 7.0

Midwest

1,554 34 2.2 Jan 2021 1,520 Jul 2020 1,562 Dec 2020 10 Jan 2021 55 Dec 2020 0.7 Jan 2021 3.8

West

1,611 28 1.8 Jan 2021 1,583 Feb 2020 1,656 Dec 2020 -21 Jan 2021 82 Dec 2020 -1.4 Jan 2021 5.5
Table 3b. Hires by sector and region (numbers in thousands)
Sector and region February 2021 level Monthly change Monthly percent change Last time level was smaller or equal or next closest Last time level was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was larger or equal or next closest

Total nonfarm

5,738 273 5.0 Jan 2021 5,465 Nov 2020 6,019 Jan 2021 54 May 2020 4,330 Jan 2021 1.0 May 2020 109.8

Total private

5,446 344 6.7 Jan 2021 5,102 Nov 2020 5,649 Jan 2021 30 May 2020 4,297 Jan 2021 0.6 May 2020 115.6

Government

292 -71 -19.6 Jun 2020 262 Jan 2021 363 Sep 2020 -259 Jan 2021 24 Sep 2020 -44.3 Jan 2021 7.1

Region

Northeast

950 83 9.6 Jan 2021 867 Oct 2020 985 Jan 2021 0 May 2020 775 Jan 2021 0.0 May 2020 138.9

South

2,218 164 8.0 Jan 2021 2,054 Nov 2020 2,458 Jan 2021 -102 May 2020 1,380 Jan 2021 -4.7 May 2020 92.8

Midwest

1,290 49 3.9 Jan 2021 1,241 Nov 2020 1,316 Jan 2021 38 Nov 2020 86 Jan 2021 3.2 Nov 2020 7.0

West

1,279 -24 -1.8 Dec 2020 1,184 Jan 2021 1,303 Dec 2020 -125 Jan 2021 119 Dec 2020 -9.5 Jan 2021 10.1
Table 3c. Total separations by sector and region (numbers in thousands)
Sector and region February 2021 level Monthly change Monthly percent change Last time level was smaller or equal or next closest Last time level was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was larger or equal or next closest

Total nonfarm

5,456 133 2.5 Jan 2021 5,323 Dec 2020 5,582 Jan 2021 -259 Nov 2020 317 Jan 2021 -4.6 Nov 2020 5.8

Total private

5,107 100 2.0 Jan 2021 5,007 Dec 2020 5,236 Jan 2021 -229 Nov 2020 427 Jan 2021 -4.4 Nov 2020 8.8

Government

349 33 10.4 Jan 2021 316 Nov 2020 439 Jan 2021 -30 Oct 2020 119 Jan 2021 -8.7 Oct 2020 27.7

Region

Northeast

881 87 11.0 Jan 2021 794 Nov 2020 904 Jan 2021 -64 Oct 2020 139 Jan 2021 -7.5 Oct 2020 18.5

South

2,150 22 1.0 Jan 2021 2,128 Dec 2020 2,186 Jan 2021 -58 Oct 2020 87 Jan 2021 -2.7 Oct 2020 4.2

Midwest

1,194 83 7.5 Jan 2021 1,111 Nov 2020 1,308 Jan 2021 -55 Nov 2020 106 Jan 2021 -4.7 Nov 2020 8.8

West

1,231 -59 -4.6 Oct 2020 1,157 Jan 2021 1,290 Jan 2021 -82 Dec 2020 17 Jan 2021 -6.0 Dec 2020 1.3
Table 3d. Layoffs and discharges by sector and region (numbers in thousands)
Sector and region February 2021 level Monthly change Monthly percent change Last time level was smaller or equal or next closest Last time level was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was larger or equal or next closest

Total nonfarm

1,775 51 3.0 Jan 2021 1,724 Dec 2020 1,823 Jan 2021 -99 Nov 2020 395 Jan 2021 -5.4 Nov 2020 22.9

Total private

1,688 54 3.3 Jan 2021 1,634 Dec 2020 1,734 Jan 2021 -100 Nov 2020 447 Jan 2021 -5.8 Nov 2020 30.1

Government

87 -2 -2.2 Aug 2020 87 Jan 2021 89 Dec 2020 -105 Jan 2021 0 Dec 2020 -54.1 Jan 2021 0.0

Region

Northeast

382 73 23.6 Jan 2021 309 Nov 2020 382 Jan 2021 -47 Oct 2020 121 Jan 2021 -13.2 Oct 2020 47.1

South

629 31 5.2 Jan 2021 598 Nov 2020 636 Jan 2021 22 Nov 2020 83 Jan 2021 3.8 Nov 2020 15.0

Midwest

370 42 12.8 Jan 2013 299 Nov 2020 527 Jan 2021 -10 Nov 2020 126 Jan 2021 -3.0 Nov 2020 31.4

West

394 -94 -19.3 Aug 2020 388 Jan 2021 488 Aug 2020 -115 Jan 2021 -66 Aug 2020 -22.9 Jan 2021 -11.9
Table 3e. Quits by sector and region (numbers in thousands)
Sector and region February 2021 level Monthly change Monthly percent change Last time level was smaller or equal or next closest Last time level was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was larger or equal or next closest

Total nonfarm

3,357 51 1.5 Jan 2021 3,306 Dec 2020 3,407 Jan 2021 -101 Dec 2020 111 Jan 2021 -3.0 Dec 2020 3.4

Total private

3,164 24 0.8 Jan 2021 3,140 Dec 2020 3,224 Jan 2021 -84 Dec 2020 111 Jan 2021 -2.6 Dec 2020 3.6

Government

194 28 16.9 Jan 2021 166 Oct 2020 228 Jan 2021 -17 Jul 2020 51 Jan 2021 -9.3 Jul 2020 26.2

Region

Northeast

445 13 3.0 Jan 2021 432 Nov 2020 466 Jan 2021 -4 Oct 2020 19 Jan 2021 -0.9 Oct 2020 4.3

South

1,396 -31 -2.2 Aug 2020 1,308 Jan 2021 1,427 Jan 2021 -38 Dec 2020 20 Jan 2021 -2.6 Dec 2020 1.4

Midwest

751 24 3.3 Jan 2021 727 Dec 2020 761 Jan 2021 -34 Dec 2020 52 Jan 2021 -4.5 Dec 2020 7.3

West

766 47 6.5 Jan 2021 719 Feb 2020 818 Jan 2021 -27 Dec 2020 70 Jan 2021 -3.6 Dec 2020 10.4

Last Modified Date: April 6, 2021