Job openings decreased by 388,000 to 5.4 million in August 2016
October 14, 2016
On the last business day of August 2016, the number of job openings was 5.4 million, a decrease of 388,000 from July 2016. Hires and separations were little changed at 5.2 million and 5.0 million, respectively.
Job openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations, seasonally adjusted, August 2006–August 2016
Month
Job openings
Hires
Separations
Total
Quits
Layoffs
Other separations
Aug 2006
4,560,000
5,208,000
5,001,000
3,003,000
1,621,000
377,000
Sep 2006
4,516,000
5,214,000
5,007,000
2,940,000
1,706,000
361,000
Oct 2006
4,472,000
5,179,000
5,171,000
2,931,000
1,830,000
411,000
Nov 2006
4,341,000
5,528,000
5,291,000
3,069,000
1,870,000
351,000
Dec 2006
4,278,000
5,223,000
5,108,000
3,046,000
1,725,000
337,000
Jan 2007
4,630,000
5,245,000
5,144,000
2,988,000
1,746,000
410,000
Feb 2007
4,465,000
5,202,000
5,094,000
2,993,000
1,750,000
352,000
Mar 2007
4,666,000
5,380,000
5,123,000
2,989,000
1,788,000
346,000
Apr 2007
4,824,000
5,158,000
5,138,000
2,901,000
1,879,000
357,000
May 2007
4,550,000
5,268,000
5,080,000
3,008,000
1,755,000
318,000
Jun 2007
4,608,000
5,187,000
5,065,000
2,841,000
1,851,000
373,000
Jul 2007
4,490,000
5,075,000
5,118,000
2,947,000
1,759,000
412,000
Aug 2007
4,555,000
5,106,000
5,105,000
2,950,000
1,811,000
343,000
Sep 2007
4,523,000
5,145,000
5,031,000
2,643,000
2,079,000
309,000
Oct 2007
4,300,000
5,227,000
5,129,000
2,884,000
1,917,000
328,000
Nov 2007
4,156,000
5,162,000
5,031,000
2,777,000
1,919,000
334,000
Dec 2007
4,123,000
4,968,000
4,926,000
2,792,000
1,770,000
363,000
Jan 2008
4,260,000
4,868,000
5,005,000
2,831,000
1,843,000
332,000
Feb 2008
4,042,000
4,943,000
5,010,000
2,789,000
1,908,000
313,000
Mar 2008
4,001,000
4,766,000
4,762,000
2,575,000
1,835,000
352,000
Apr 2008
4,098,000
4,875,000
5,121,000
2,882,000
1,845,000
394,000
May 2008
3,960,000
4,602,000
4,728,000
2,602,000
1,842,000
285,000
Jun 2008
3,767,000
4,751,000
4,900,000
2,662,000
1,974,000
264,000
Jul 2008
3,821,000
4,471,000
4,713,000
2,550,000
1,894,000
269,000
Aug 2008
3,665,000
4,522,000
4,815,000
2,416,000
2,075,000
324,000
Sep 2008
3,264,000
4,316,000
4,751,000
2,446,000
1,963,000
342,000
Oct 2008
3,292,000
4,454,000
4,895,000
2,412,000
2,138,000
346,000
Nov 2008
2,956,000
3,954,000
4,605,000
2,063,000
2,190,000
352,000
Dec 2008
2,830,000
4,218,000
4,814,000
2,104,000
2,405,000
305,000
Jan 2009
2,767,000
4,158,000
4,974,000
2,043,000
2,573,000
358,000
Feb 2009
2,791,000
4,011,000
4,674,000
1,906,000
2,501,000
266,000
Mar 2009
2,491,000
3,730,000
4,536,000
1,794,000
2,433,000
308,000
Apr 2009
2,357,000
3,853,000
4,655,000
1,734,000
2,559,000
362,000
May 2009
2,427,000
3,793,000
4,146,000
1,740,000
2,121,000
286,000
Jun 2009
2,428,000
3,675,000
4,192,000
1,782,000
2,115,000
295,000
Jul 2009
2,196,000
3,854,000
4,297,000
1,726,000
2,273,000
298,000
Aug 2009
2,306,000
3,744,000
4,060,000
1,676,000
2,063,000
321,000
Sep 2009
2,478,000
3,859,000
4,084,000
1,639,000
2,127,000
318,000
Oct 2009
2,400,000
3,767,000
3,951,000
1,671,000
1,964,000
317,000
Nov 2009
2,350,000
3,992,000
3,873,000
1,784,000
1,823,000
267,000
Dec 2009
2,407,000
3,806,000
3,989,000
1,697,000
1,994,000
298,000
Jan 2010
2,636,000
3,880,000
3,894,000
1,668,000
1,874,000
352,000
Feb 2010
2,578,000
3,781,000
3,830,000
1,724,000
1,790,000
317,000
Mar 2010
2,666,000
4,182,000
3,949,000
1,793,000
1,830,000
326,000
Apr 2010
3,220,000
4,082,000
3,892,000
1,914,000
1,676,000
302,000
May 2010
2,891,000
4,376,000
3,831,000
1,790,000
1,733,000
307,000
Jun 2010
2,664,000
4,064,000
4,223,000
1,940,000
1,959,000
325,000
Jul 2010
2,965,000
4,116,000
4,278,000
1,848,000
2,081,000
350,000
Aug 2010
2,920,000
3,910,000
4,009,000
1,904,000
1,748,000
357,000
Sep 2010
2,767,000
3,978,000
4,026,000
1,921,000
1,768,000
337,000
Oct 2010
3,033,000
4,061,000
3,784,000
1,852,000
1,645,000
287,000
Nov 2010
2,914,000
4,101,000
3,843,000
1,778,000
1,753,000
311,000
Dec 2010
2,857,000
4,155,000
4,026,000
1,937,000
1,776,000
312,000
Jan 2011
2,939,000
3,910,000
3,908,000
1,825,000
1,710,000
373,000
Feb 2011
3,056,000
4,061,000
3,838,000
1,872,000
1,652,000
314,000
Mar 2011
3,130,000
4,291,000
3,980,000
1,967,000
1,709,000
304,000
Apr 2011
3,287,000
4,218,000
3,924,000
1,925,000
1,676,000
323,000
May 2011
3,114,000
4,116,000
4,035,000
2,037,000
1,692,000
306,000
Jun 2011
3,224,000
4,297,000
4,094,000
1,949,000
1,826,000
319,000
Jul 2011
3,475,000
4,139,000
4,082,000
1,981,000
1,749,000
352,000
Aug 2011
3,168,000
4,168,000
4,120,000
2,087,000
1,715,000
318,000
Sep 2011
3,495,000
4,320,000
4,115,000
2,046,000
1,756,000
313,000
Oct 2011
3,421,000
4,239,000
4,011,000
1,953,000
1,707,000
352,000
Nov 2011
3,153,000
4,244,000
4,001,000
1,949,000
1,757,000
296,000
Dec 2011
3,369,000
4,234,000
3,994,000
1,955,000
1,740,000
299,000
Jan 2012
3,664,000
4,291,000
4,031,000
1,994,000
1,711,000
327,000
Feb 2012
3,501,000
4,470,000
4,174,000
2,083,000
1,777,000
314,000
Mar 2012
3,852,000
4,454,000
4,130,000
2,162,000
1,654,000
314,000
Apr 2012
3,663,000
4,290,000
4,247,000
2,103,000
1,840,000
305,000
May 2012
3,706,000
4,440,000
4,331,000
2,185,000
1,829,000
316,000
Jun 2012
3,792,000
4,435,000
4,374,000
2,189,000
1,819,000
367,000
Jul 2012
3,694,000
4,256,000
4,145,000
2,114,000
1,663,000
367,000
Aug 2012
3,655,000
4,421,000
4,352,000
2,174,000
1,825,000
353,000
Sep 2012
3,533,000
4,240,000
4,061,000
1,973,000
1,750,000
339,000
Oct 2012
3,713,000
4,314,000
4,177,000
2,032,000
1,779,000
366,000
Nov 2012
3,556,000
4,400,000
4,145,000
2,056,000
1,773,000
316,000
Dec 2012
3,576,000
4,345,000
4,069,000
2,102,000
1,615,000
352,000
Jan 2013
3,712,000
4,433,000
4,328,000
2,316,000
1,614,000
398,000
Feb 2013
3,972,000
4,557,000
4,163,000
2,257,000
1,599,000
307,000
Mar 2013
3,901,000
4,275,000
4,106,000
2,078,000
1,711,000
317,000
Apr 2013
3,962,000
4,503,000
4,357,000
2,298,000
1,717,000
342,000
May 2013
3,886,000
4,551,000
4,358,000
2,253,000
1,733,000
372,000
Jun 2013
3,913,000
4,411,000
4,278,000
2,247,000
1,637,000
393,000
Jul 2013
3,915,000
4,524,000
4,374,000
2,369,000
1,642,000
363,000
Aug 2013
3,921,000
4,694,000
4,514,000
2,384,000
1,716,000
414,000
Sep 2013
3,985,000
4,692,000
4,504,000
2,396,000
1,760,000
349,000
Oct 2013
4,104,000
4,457,000
4,262,000
2,399,000
1,539,000
324,000
Nov 2013
3,878,000
4,600,000
4,265,000
2,378,000
1,531,000
356,000
Dec 2013
3,742,000
4,488,000
4,383,000
2,309,000
1,715,000
360,000
Jan 2014
3,884,000
4,640,000
4,476,000
2,360,000
1,751,000
365,000
Feb 2014
4,098,000
4,700,000
4,465,000
2,421,000
1,672,000
372,000
Mar 2014
4,202,000
4,768,000
4,446,000
2,419,000
1,641,000
386,000
Apr 2014
4,575,000
4,763,000
4,499,000
2,442,000
1,677,000
379,000
May 2014
4,603,000
4,755,000
4,562,000
2,516,000
1,650,000
396,000
Jun 2014
4,690,000
4,839,000
4,543,000
2,467,000
1,697,000
379,000
Jul 2014
4,680,000
4,991,000
4,756,000
2,578,000
1,809,000
369,000
Aug 2014
4,952,000
4,787,000
4,634,000
2,543,000
1,673,000
418,000
Sep 2014
4,658,000
5,092,000
4,830,000
2,787,000
1,643,000
400,000
Oct 2014
4,896,000
5,103,000
4,914,000
2,767,000
1,760,000
387,000
Nov 2014
4,721,000
5,026,000
4,654,000
2,662,000
1,666,000
326,000
Dec 2014
4,815,000
5,186,000
4,840,000
2,655,000
1,749,000
436,000
Jan 2015
4,972,000
5,052,000
4,883,000
2,770,000
1,756,000
357,000
Feb 2015
5,131,000
5,091,000
4,740,000
2,703,000
1,683,000
354,000
Mar 2015
5,180,000
5,110,000
4,985,000
2,722,000
1,907,000
356,000
Apr 2015
5,580,000
5,071,000
4,887,000
2,681,000
1,798,000
407,000
May 2015
5,386,000
5,111,000
4,869,000
2,758,000
1,702,000
410,000
Jun 2015
5,168,000
5,147,000
4,937,000
2,746,000
1,783,000
407,000
Jul 2015
5,788,000
5,084,000
4,794,000
2,724,000
1,664,000
405,000
Aug 2015
5,308,000
5,060,000
4,951,000
2,855,000
1,693,000
403,000
Sep 2015
5,360,000
5,131,000
4,956,000
2,748,000
1,842,000
365,000
Oct 2015
5,422,000
5,212,000
4,912,000
2,797,000
1,721,000
394,000
Nov 2015
5,198,000
5,253,000
4,958,000
2,862,000
1,718,000
378,000
Dec 2015
5,281,000
5,401,000
5,128,000
3,088,000
1,672,000
368,000
Jan 2016
5,604,000
5,125,000
4,977,000
2,851,000
1,704,000
422,000
Feb 2016
5,608,000
5,510,000
5,159,000
2,955,000
1,808,000
397,000
Mar 2016
5,670,000
5,290,000
5,096,000
2,948,000
1,768,000
380,000
Apr 2016
5,845,000
5,085,000
5,015,000
2,909,000
1,708,000
398,000
May 2016
5,514,000
5,047,000
4,978,000
2,942,000
1,701,000
334,000
Jun 2016
5,643,000
5,172,000
4,964,000
2,979,000
1,622,000
363,000
Jul 2016
5,831,000
5,258,000
4,991,000
2,977,000
1,639,000
375,000
Aug 2016(p)
5,443,000
5,210,000
4,954,000
2,981,000
1,623,000
350,000
There were 5.0 million total separations in August 2016. Over the month, the number of total separations was essentially unchanged for total private and for government. Total separations increased by 23,000 in state and local government and education and was little changed in all 4 geographic regions (Northeast, South, Midwest, and West).
In August 2016, there were 3.0 million quits, little changed from July 2016. Over the month, the number of quits was little changed for total private and for government. Quits decreased by 13,000 in state and local government and education and was little changed in all 4 regions.
There were 1.6 million layoffs and discharges in August 2016. The number of layoffs and discharges was essentially unchanged for total private from July 2016 to August 2016 and edged up for government (+22,000). Layoffs and discharges increased by 39,000 in healthcare and social assistance and increased by 14,000 in state and local government education. Layoffs and discharges was little changed in all 4 regions.
These data are from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. To learn more, see "Job Openings and Labor Turnover — August 2016" (HTML ) ( PDF ). More charts featuring data on job openings, hires, and employment separations can be found in Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey Highlights: August 2016 ( PDF ). Total separations (employment terminations) consist of quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by employees. Therefore, the number of quits can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs. Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by employers. The other separations category includes separations due to retirement, death, and disability, as well as transfers to other locations of the same firm.
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