Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey - Field Definitions
Indicates the major industry division based on the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC). These divisions include: Mining; Construction; Durable Goods Manufacturing; Nondurable Goods Manufacturing; Transportation and Public Utilities; Wholesale Trade; Retail Trade; Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate; Services; Federal Government; and State and Local Government.
The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the census regions are:
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Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont
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South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia
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Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin
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West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming
Job Openings - are all positions that are open (not filled) on the last business day of the month. A job is "open" only if it meets all three of the following conditions: A specific position exists and there is work available for that position. The position can be full-time or part-time, and it can be permanent, short-term, or seasonal, and The job could start within 30 days, whether or not the establishment finds a suitable candidate during that time, and There is active recruiting for workers from outside the establishment location that has the opening.
Hires - are all additions to the payroll during the month.
Total Separations - are all employees separated from the payroll during the calendar month.
Total separations are further broken down into:
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Quits - Employees who left voluntarily. Exception: retirements or transfers to other locations are reported with Other Separations.
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Layoffs and Discharges - Involuntary separations initiated by the employer.
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Other Separations - retirements; transfers to other locations; deaths; or separations due to employee disability
Rate - The job openings rate is computed by dividing the number of job openings by the sum of employment and job openings and multiplying that quotient by 100. All other data element rates (hires, total separations, quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations) are computed by dividing the data element level by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100.
Level - The total number of job openings, hires, total separations, quits, layoffs and discharges and/or other separations.
Last Modified Date: November 01, 2002
United States Department of Labor
