For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Friday, March 15, 2019 USDL-19-0404
Technical information: (202) 691-5870 • JoltsInfo@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/jlt
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov
JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER – JANUARY 2019
The number of job openings was little changed at 7.6 million on the last business day of January, the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and separations were little
changed at 5.8 million and 5.6 million, respectively. Within separations, the quits rate was unchanged at
2.3 percent and the layoffs and discharges rate was little changed at 1.1 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. The release also includes 2018 annual estimates for hires and
separations. The annual number of hires at 68.9 million and the annual number of quits at 40.1 million
increased in 2018. The annual number of layoffs and discharges at 21.9 million edged up in 2018.
Job Openings
On the last business day of January, the job openings level was little changed at 7.6 million. The job
openings rate was 4.8 percent. The number of job openings was little changed for total private and
increased for government (+59,000). Job openings increased in a number of industries, with the largest
increases in wholesale trade (+91,000), real estate and rental and leasing (+60,000), and information
(+42,000). The job openings level decreased in other services (-98,000), retail trade (-97,000), and arts,
entertainment, and recreation (-40,000). The number of job openings was little changed in all four
regions. (See table 1.)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
| Revisions and Methodology Change |
|Job openings, hires, and separations have been revised to incorporate the annual updates to the Current|
|Employment Statistics employment estimates and the JOLTS seasonal adjustment factors. Additionally, |
|a new methodology for item imputation has been implemented. See the revision section at the end of |
|this release for more information. |
|_______________________________________________________________________________________________________|
Hires
The number of hires was little changed at 5.8 million in January. The hires rate was 3.9 percent. The
hires level was little changed for total private and for government. The number of hires was little
changed in all industries and all four regions. (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 5.6 million in January. The total separations rate
was 3.7 percent. The number of total separations was little changed for total private and for government.
Total separations increased in real estate and rental and leasing (+20,000) but decreased in federal
government (-11,000). The number of total separations was little changed in all four regions. (See table
3.)
The number of quits was little changed in January at 3.5 million. The quits rate was 2.3 percent. The
quits level was little changed for total private but increased for government (+20,000). Quits increased
in arts, entertainment, and recreation (+19,000) and in state and local government education (+17,000).
Quits decreased in federal government (-6,000). The number of quits was little changed in all four
regions. (See table 4.)
The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed in January at 1.7 million. The layoffs and
discharges rate was 1.1 percent. The layoffs and discharges level was little changed for total private and
for government. The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed in all industries and in all four
regions. (See table 5.)
The number of other separations was little changed in January. The other separations level was little
changed for total private and decreased for government (-10,000). Other separations increased in
transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+8,000) but decreased in federal government (-6,000). The
number of other separations was little changed in all four 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 January, hires totaled 69.2 million and
separations totaled 66.3 million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.8 million. These totals include
workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.
Annual Levels and Rates
Calculating annual levels and rates allows additional comparisons across years. Annual levels for hires,
quits, layoffs and discharges, other separations, and total separations are the sum of the 12 published
monthly levels. Annual rates are computed by dividing the annual level by the Current Employment
Statistics (CES) annual average employment level, and multiplying that quotient by 100. Consistent with
BLS practice, annual estimates are published only for not seasonally adjusted data and are released with
the January news release each year. Note that annual estimates are not calculated for job openings
because job openings are a stock, or point-in-time, measurement for the last business day of each month.
In 2018, there were 68.9 million hires, an increase of 3.3 million from 2017. Total separations (the sum
of quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations) rose by 2.6 million in 2018 to 66.1 million. Quits
rose for the ninth consecutive year reaching 40.1 million in 2018, up by 2.4 million. Quits comprised 61
percent of total separations. Layoffs and discharges edged up by 307,000 in 2018 to 21.9 million and
comprised 33 percent of total separations. Other separations edged down by 44,000 in 2018 to 4.1
million and comprised 6 percent of total separations. (See tables 13 through 22.)
The annual hires for 2018 was 46.3 percent of the annual average CES employment level. This rate has
been trending upwards since 2009. The annual total separations rate for 2018 was 44.3 percent. The
annual rates for the components of total separations were 26.9 percent for quits, 14.7 percent for layoffs
and discharges, and 2.8 percent for other separations.
____________
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey results for February 2019 are scheduled to be
released on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
Table A. Job openings, hires, and total separations by industry, seasonally adjusted
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Job openings | Hires | Total separations
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Category | Jan. | Dec. | Jan. | Jan. | Dec. | Jan. | Jan. | Dec. | Jan.
| 2018 | 2018 | 2019p| 2018 | 2018 | 2019p| 2018 | 2018 | 2019p
---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | |
LEVELS BY INDUSTRY | | | | | | | | |
(in thousands) | | | | | | | | |
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total............................|6,591 |7,479 |7,581 |5,525 |5,717 |5,801 |5,317 |5,469 |5,550
| | | | | | | | |
Total private...................|6,025 |6,860 |6,902 |5,194 |5,353 |5,430 |4,983 |5,122 |5,190
Mining and logging(1)..........| 26 | 29 | 40 | 34 | 39 | 38 | 30 | 34 | 33
Construction(1)................| 245 | 299 | 302 | 354 | 399 | 428 | 329 | 369 | 391
Manufacturing..................| 436 | 435 | 452 | 365 | 351 | 356 | 347 | 342 | 342
Durable goods(1)..............| 261 | 298 | 305 | 217 | 186 | 186 | 201 | 175 | 170
Nondurable goods(1)...........| 175 | 137 | 146 | 148 | 165 | 170 | 146 | 167 | 172
Trade, transportation, | | | | | | | | |
and utilities.................|1,367 |1,482 |1,471 |1,132 |1,176 |1,126 |1,103 |1,134 |1,097
Wholesale trade...............| 203 | 178 | 269 | 143 | 151 | 128 | 160 | 143 | 137
Retail trade..................| 873 | 986 | 889 | 763 | 802 | 756 | 736 | 765 | 729
Transportation, warehousing, | | | | | | | | |
and utilities(1).............| 290 | 318 | 312 | 227 | 224 | 243 | 207 | 226 | 232
Information(1).................| 123 | 123 | 165 | 89 | 80 | 81 | 97 | 87 | 87
Financial activities...........| 398 | 380 | 459 | 221 | 201 | 191 | 208 | 180 | 180
Finance and insurance.........| 314 | 317 | 336 | 155 | 133 | 112 | 146 | 131 | 111
Real estate and | | | | | | | | |
rental and leasing(1)........| 85 | 63 | 123 | 66 | 67 | 78 | 63 | 49 | 69
Professional and business | | | | | | | | |
services......................|1,124 |1,391 |1,343 |1,092 |1,144 |1,128 |1,028 |1,116 |1,089
Education and health | | | | | | | | |
services......................|1,175 |1,348 |1,393 | 693 | 717 | 730 | 626 | 652 | 674
Educational services(1).......| 123 | 91 | 120 | 112 | 124 | 108 | 92 | 101 | 98
Health care and social | | | | | | | | |
assistance...................|1,052 |1,258 |1,273 | 581 | 593 | 622 | 534 | 551 | 577
Leisure and hospitality........| 926 |1,102 |1,105 |1,014 |1,037 |1,110 |1,019 |1,007 |1,065
Arts, entertainment, and | | | | | | | | |
recreation...................| 93 | 154 | 114 | 173 | 154 | 183 | 170 | 153 | 155
Accommodation and food | | | | | | | | |
services.....................| 832 | 948 | 991 | 840 | 883 | 927 | 850 | 853 | 910
Other services.................| 205 | 271 | 173 | 201 | 209 | 241 | 196 | 201 | 233
Government......................| 566 | 619 | 678 | 330 | 364 | 372 | 334 | 347 | 359
Federal(1).....................| 115 | 87 | 122 | 32 | 36 | 36 | 30 | 44 | 33
State and local................| 452 | 532 | 556 | 298 | 328 | 335 | 304 | 304 | 326
State and local education.....| 173 | 229 | 223 | 149 | 176 | 166 | 155 | 163 | 166
State and local, excluding | | | | | | | | |
education(1).................| 279 | 304 | 333 | 150 | 152 | 170 | 149 | 141 | 161
|--------------------------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | |
RATES BY INDUSTRY | | | | | | | | |
(percent) | | | | | | | | |
|--------------------------------------------------------------
Total............................| 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7
| | | | | | | | |
Total private...................| 4.6 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1
Mining and logging(1)..........| 3.6 | 3.8 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.3
Construction(1)................| 3.3 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 5.2
Manufacturing..................| 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.7
Durable goods(1)..............| 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 2.1
Nondurable goods(1)...........| 3.6 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.6
Trade, transportation, | | | | | | | | |
and utilities.................| 4.7 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.9
Wholesale trade...............| 3.4 | 2.9 | 4.4 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.3
Retail trade..................| 5.2 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.6
Transportation, warehousing, | | | | | | | | |
and utilities(1).............| 4.7 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.8
Information(1).................| 4.2 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.1
Financial activities...........| 4.5 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 2.1
Finance and insurance.........| 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 1.8
Real estate and rental | | | | | | | | |
and leasing(1)...............| 3.7 | 2.7 | 5.1 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 3.0
Professional and business | | | | | | | | |
services......................| 5.1 | 6.1 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 5.1
Education and health | | | | | | | | |
services......................| 4.8 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.8
Educational services(1).......| 3.2 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.6
Health care and social | | | | | | | | |
assistance...................| 5.1 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.9
Leisure and hospitality.......| 5.4 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.7 | 6.3 | 6.1 | 6.4
Arts, entertainment, and | | | | | | | | |
recreation..................| 3.8 | 5.9 | 4.4 | 7.3 | 6.3 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 6.3 | 6.3
Accommodation and food | | | | | | | | |
services....................| 5.7 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.4
Other services................| 3.4 | 4.4 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 4.0
Government......................| 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.6
Federal(1).....................| 3.9 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.2
State and local................| 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.7
State and local education.....| 1.6 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.6
State and local, excluding | | | | | | | | |
education(1).................| 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.7
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) No regular seasonal movements could be identified in the job openings series, therefore,
the seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted data are identical.
(p) Preliminary
NOTE: Data have been revised to incorporate the annual updates to the Current Employment
Statistics employment estimates, the JOLTS seasonal adjustment factors, and to implement a new
imputation methodology.
Revisions to Job Openings and Labor Turnover Data
In accordance with annual practice, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data have
been revised to reflect annual updates to the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey employment
estimates. The JOLTS employment levels (not published) are ratio adjusted to the CES employment
levels, and the resulting ratios are applied to all JOLTS data elements. The result is the revision of 21
months of not seasonally adjusted data. Additionally, new seasonal factors have been developed based
on the full revised JOLTS series and have been applied to the data from January 2014 forward. Also
effective with this release, JOLTS has implemented a new methodology for item imputation.
Tables B through G below present revised total nonfarm data for January through December 2018. The
December 2018 revisions also reflect the routine incorporation of additional sample receipts into the
final December estimates. Tables presenting revisions to total nonfarm data for December 2000 through
December 2017 will be available later today on the JOLTS website. The website also contains all
revised seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted data. The revision tables and data can be
accessed through the JOLTS homepage at www.bls.gov/jlt/.
Table B. Revisions in job openings data January 2018 - December 2018,
seasonally adjusted
_________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Levels (in thousands) | Rates (percent)
Year |---------------------------------- |----------------------------------
and | As | As | | As | As |
month | previously | revised | Difference | previously | revised | Difference
| published | | | published | |
_________________________________________________________________________________
2018 | | | | | |
January...| 6,230 | 6,591 | 361 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 0.3
February..| 6,074 | 6,530 | 456 | 3.9 | 4.2 | .3
March.....| 6,638 | 6,894 | 256 | 4.3 | 4.4 | .1
April.....| 6,840 | 7,106 | 266 | 4.4 | 4.6 | .2
May.......| 6,659 | 7,126 | 467 | 4.3 | 4.6 | .3
June......| 6,822 | 7,393 | 571 | 4.4 | 4.7 | .3
July......| 7,077 | 7,442 | 365 | 4.5 | 4.8 | .3
August....| 7,293 | 7,342 | 49 | 4.7 | 4.7 | .0
September.| 6,960 | 7,392 | 432 | 4.4 | 4.7 | .3
October...| 7,131 | 7,593 | 462 | 4.5 | 4.8 | .3
November..| 7,166 | 7,626 | 460 | 4.6 | 4.8 | .2
December..| 7,335 | 7,479 | 144 | 4.7 | 4.7 | .0
__________|____________|_________|____________|____________|_________|___________
Table C. Revisions in hires data January 2018 - December 2018,
seasonally adjusted
_________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Levels (in thousands) | Rates (percent)
Year |---------------------------------- |----------------------------------
and | As | As | | As | As |
month | previously | revised | Difference | previously | revised | Difference
| published | | | published | |
_________________________________________________________________________________
2018 | | | | | |
January...| 5,568 | 5,525 | -43 | 3.8 | 3.7 | -0.1
February..| 5,503 | 5,594 | 91 | 3.7 | 3.8 | .1
March.....| 5,476 | 5,625 | 149 | 3.7 | 3.8 | .1
April.....| 5,581 | 5,694 | 113 | 3.8 | 3.8 | .0
May.......| 5,747 | 5,862 | 115 | 3.9 | 3.9 | .0
June......| 5,677 | 5,833 | 156 | 3.8 | 3.9 | .1
July......| 5,713 | 5,833 | 120 | 3.8 | 3.9 | .1
August....| 5,906 | 5,826 | -80 | 4.0 | 3.9 | -.1
September.| 5,696 | 5,670 | -26 | 3.8 | 3.8 | .0
October...| 5,928 | 5,877 | -51 | 4.0 | 3.9 | -.1
November..| 5,812 | 5,821 | 9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | .0
December..| 5,907 | 5,717 | -190 | 3.9 | 3.8 | -.1
__________|____________|_________|____________|____________|_________|___________
Table D. Revisions in total separations data January 2018 - December 2018,
seasonally adjusted
_________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Levels (in thousands) | Rates (percent)
Year |---------------------------------- |----------------------------------
and | As | As | | As | As |
month | previously | revised | Difference | previously | revised | Difference
| published | | | published | |
_________________________________________________________________________________
2018 | | | | | |
January...| 5,319 | 5,317 | -2 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 0.0
February..| 5,172 | 5,270 | 98 | 3.5 | 3.6 | .1
March.....| 5,321 | 5,446 | 125 | 3.6 | 3.7 | .1
April.....| 5,424 | 5,467 | 43 | 3.7 | 3.7 | .0
May.......| 5,419 | 5,502 | 83 | 3.6 | 3.7 | .1
June......| 5,514 | 5,565 | 51 | 3.7 | 3.7 | .0
July......| 5,596 | 5,675 | 79 | 3.8 | 3.8 | .0
August....| 5,779 | 5,600 | -179 | 3.9 | 3.7 | -.2
September.| 5,641 | 5,558 | -83 | 3.8 | 3.7 | -.1
October...| 5,621 | 5,642 | 21 | 3.8 | 3.8 | .0
November..| 5,563 | 5,597 | 34 | 3.7 | 3.7 | .0
December..| 5,545 | 5,469 | -76 | 3.7 | 3.6 | -.1
__________|____________|_________|____________|____________|_________|___________
Table E. Revisions in quits data January 2018 - December 2018,
seasonally adjusted
_________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Levels (in thousands) | Rates (percent)
Year |---------------------------------- |----------------------------------
and | As | As | | As | As |
month | previously | revised | Difference | previously | revised | Difference
| published | | | published | |
_________________________________________________________________________________
2018 | | | | | |
January...| 3,191 | 3,022 | -169 | 2.2 | 2.0 | -0.2
February..| 3,208 | 3,176 | -32 | 2.2 | 2.1 | -.1
March.....| 3,387 | 3,300 | -87 | 2.3 | 2.2 | -.1
April.....| 3,349 | 3,339 | -10 | 2.3 | 2.2 | -.1
May.......| 3,480 | 3,342 | -138 | 2.3 | 2.2 | -.1
June......| 3,477 | 3,354 | -123 | 2.3 | 2.3 | .0
July......| 3,608 | 3,443 | -165 | 2.4 | 2.3 | -.1
August....| 3,648 | 3,473 | -175 | 2.4 | 2.3 | -.1
September.| 3,564 | 3,393 | -171 | 2.4 | 2.3 | -.1
October...| 3,519 | 3,469 | -50 | 2.3 | 2.3 | .0
November..| 3,494 | 3,379 | -115 | 2.3 | 2.3 | .0
December..| 3,482 | 3,391 | -91 | 2.3 | 2.3 | .0
__________|____________|_________|____________|____________|_________|___________
Table F. Revisions in layoffs and discharges data January 2018 - December 2018,
seasonally adjusted
_________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Levels (in thousands) | Rates (percent)
Year |---------------------------------- |----------------------------------
and | As | As | | As | As |
month | previously | revised | Difference | previously | revised | Difference
| published | | | published | |
_________________________________________________________________________________
2018 | | | | | |
January...| 1,784 | 1,934 | 150 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.1
February..| 1,619 | 1,763 | 144 | 1.1 | 1.2 | .1
March.....| 1,546 | 1,771 | 225 | 1.0 | 1.2 | .2
April.....| 1,731 | 1,788 | 57 | 1.2 | 1.2 | .0
May.......| 1,618 | 1,811 | 193 | 1.1 | 1.2 | .1
June......| 1,652 | 1,843 | 191 | 1.1 | 1.2 | .1
July......| 1,622 | 1,859 | 237 | 1.1 | 1.2 | .1
August....| 1,790 | 1,809 | 19 | 1.2 | 1.2 | .0
September.| 1,707 | 1,818 | 111 | 1.1 | 1.2 | .1
October...| 1,761 | 1,855 | 94 | 1.2 | 1.2 | .0
November..| 1,753 | 1,889 | 136 | 1.2 | 1.3 | .1
December..| 1,697 | 1,751 | 54 | 1.1 | 1.2 | .1
__________|____________|_________|____________|____________|_________|___________
Table G. Revisions in other separations data January 2018 - December 2018,
seasonally adjusted
_________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Levels (in thousands) | Rates (percent)
Year |---------------------------------- |----------------------------------
and | As | As | | As | As |
month | previously | revised | Difference | previously | revised | Difference
| published | | | published | |
_________________________________________________________________________________
2018 | | | | | |
January...| 344 | 361 | 17 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0
February..| 346 | 331 | -15 | .2 | .2 | .0
March.....| 387 | 375 | -12 | .3 | .3 | .0
April.....| 344 | 340 | -4 | .2 | .2 | .0
May.......| 321 | 349 | 28 | .2 | .2 | .0
June......| 384 | 368 | -16 | .3 | .2 | -.1
July......| 365 | 373 | 8 | .2 | .2 | .0
August....| 341 | 319 | -22 | .2 | .2 | .0
September.| 369 | 348 | -21 | .2 | .2 | .0
October...| 341 | 318 | -23 | .2 | .2 | .0
November..| 316 | 328 | 12 | .2 | .2 | .0
December..| 366 | 327 | -39 | .2 | .2 | .0
__________|____________|_________|____________|____________|_________|___________
