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Job separations up 8.9 million to high of 14.5 million in March 2020

May 19, 2020

The number of total nonfarm job separations increased by 8.9 million to a record high of 14.5 million in March 2020. Job openings decreased to 6.2 million on the last business day of March. Over the month, hires declined to 5.2 million.
Job openings, hires, and separations levels, seasonally adjusted
Month Total nonfarm job openings Total nonfarm hires Total nonfarm separations Total private job openings Total private hires Total private separations Government job openings Government hires Government separations

Mar 2010

 2,679,000 4,302,000 4,072,000 2,257,000 3,959,000 3,769,000 422,000 344,000 303,000

Apr 2010

 3,217,000 4,159,000 3,948,000 2,587,000 3,820,000 3,641,000 631,000 338,000 307,000

May 2010

 3,019,000 4,420,000 3,911,000 2,622,000 3,686,000 3,600,000 398,000 735,000 311,000

Jun 2010

 2,813,000 4,111,000 4,308,000 2,511,000 3,833,000 3,756,000 301,000 278,000 552,000

Jul 2010

 3,127,000 4,163,000 4,299,000 2,806,000 3,882,000 3,859,000 321,000 281,000 440,000

Aug 2010

 3,025,000 4,046,000 4,067,000 2,674,000 3,780,000 3,642,000 351,000 266,000 425,000

Sep 2010

 2,912,000 4,034,000 4,047,000 2,582,000 3,784,000 3,643,000 330,000 250,000 404,000

Oct 2010

 3,256,000 4,173,000 3,883,000 2,911,000 3,865,000 3,622,000 345,000 309,000 262,000

Nov 2010

 3,134,000 4,182,000 4,041,000 2,810,000 3,903,000 3,746,000 324,000 279,000 295,000

Dec 2010

 2,969,000 4,299,000 4,143,000 2,584,000 4,013,000 3,844,000 385,000 285,000 299,000

Jan 2011

 3,100,000 4,000,000 4,045,000 2,770,000 3,714,000 3,759,000 330,000 286,000 286,000

Feb 2011

 3,213,000 4,231,000 4,014,000 2,894,000 4,003,000 3,742,000 319,000 227,000 272,000

Mar 2011

 3,253,000 4,430,000 4,109,000 2,921,000 4,179,000 3,835,000 332,000 251,000 274,000

Apr 2011

 3,337,000 4,296,000 3,994,000 2,985,000 4,028,000 3,700,000 352,000 268,000 294,000

May 2011

 3,207,000 4,261,000 4,179,000 2,901,000 4,022,000 3,877,000 306,000 239,000 302,000

Jun 2011

 3,467,000 4,366,000 4,168,000 3,103,000 4,075,000 3,899,000 364,000 291,000 270,000

Jul 2011

 3,676,000 4,261,000 4,180,000 3,348,000 4,020,000 3,866,000 328,000 242,000 314,000

Aug 2011

 3,358,000 4,298,000 4,189,000 3,026,000 4,057,000 3,897,000 332,000 241,000 293,000

Sep 2011

 3,763,000 4,429,000 4,213,000 3,371,000 4,159,000 3,927,000 392,000 270,000 286,000

Oct 2011

 3,650,000 4,370,000 4,147,000 3,283,000 4,101,000 3,887,000 367,000 269,000 260,000

Nov 2011

 3,485,000 4,365,000 4,237,000 3,142,000 4,093,000 3,933,000 342,000 272,000 305,000

Dec 2011

 3,662,000 4,356,000 4,090,000 3,311,000 4,062,000 3,769,000 351,000 294,000 320,000

Jan 2012

 3,904,000 4,457,000 4,195,000 3,565,000 4,172,000 3,901,000 339,000 285,000 294,000

Feb 2012

 3,605,000 4,560,000 4,322,000 3,203,000 4,260,000 4,017,000 403,000 300,000 305,000

Mar 2012

 3,976,000 4,575,000 4,257,000 3,566,000 4,279,000 3,947,000 409,000 296,000 310,000

Apr 2012

 3,878,000 4,389,000 4,329,000 3,497,000 4,098,000 4,013,000 381,000 291,000 316,000

May 2012

 3,861,000 4,533,000 4,430,000 3,455,000 4,228,000 4,099,000 405,000 306,000 331,000

Jun 2012

 3,916,000 4,440,000 4,383,000 3,524,000 4,121,000 4,086,000 393,000 319,000 297,000

Jul 2012

 3,790,000 4,327,000 4,178,000 3,417,000 4,032,000 3,880,000 373,000 295,000 298,000

Aug 2012

 3,839,000 4,450,000 4,338,000 3,417,000 4,136,000 4,034,000 422,000 315,000 304,000

Sep 2012

 3,861,000 4,302,000 4,100,000 3,482,000 4,022,000 3,834,000 379,000 280,000 266,000

Oct 2012

 3,808,000 4,389,000 4,260,000 3,428,000 4,120,000 3,958,000 380,000 269,000 302,000

Nov 2012

 3,787,000 4,489,000 4,303,000 3,439,000 4,213,000 4,011,000 348,000 276,000 292,000

Dec 2012

 3,840,000 4,452,000 4,117,000 3,446,000 4,162,000 3,827,000 393,000 290,000 290,000

Jan 2013

 3,915,000 4,487,000 4,381,000 3,477,000 4,204,000 4,082,000 438,000 283,000 298,000

Feb 2013

 3,981,000 4,571,000 4,257,000 3,553,000 4,275,000 3,966,000 428,000 296,000 291,000

Mar 2013

 4,080,000 4,369,000 4,215,000 3,672,000 4,100,000 3,918,000 408,000 270,000 296,000

Apr 2013

 4,078,000 4,572,000 4,424,000 3,635,000 4,282,000 4,127,000 442,000 290,000 297,000

May 2013

 4,173,000 4,663,000 4,433,000 3,755,000 4,376,000 4,136,000 418,000 288,000 297,000

Jun 2013

 4,166,000 4,440,000 4,313,000 3,756,000 4,196,000 4,027,000 410,000 244,000 287,000

Jul 2013

 3,946,000 4,561,000 4,459,000 3,576,000 4,291,000 4,168,000 370,000 270,000 291,000

Aug 2013

 4,112,000 4,730,000 4,522,000 3,718,000 4,430,000 4,249,000 393,000 299,000 273,000

Sep 2013

 4,105,000 4,726,000 4,521,000 3,711,000 4,433,000 4,236,000 394,000 293,000 285,000

Oct 2013

 4,268,000 4,518,000 4,354,000 3,873,000 4,237,000 4,060,000 395,000 281,000 294,000

Nov 2013

 4,002,000 4,622,000 4,332,000 3,616,000 4,326,000 4,049,000 386,000 296,000 283,000

Dec 2013

 3,996,000 4,614,000 4,387,000 3,662,000 4,333,000 4,087,000 334,000 280,000 299,000

Jan 2014

 4,131,000 4,626,000 4,464,000 3,756,000 4,336,000 4,172,000 375,000 289,000 292,000

Feb 2014

 4,347,000 4,696,000 4,511,000 3,939,000 4,405,000 4,223,000 409,000 291,000 288,000

Mar 2014

 4,388,000 4,763,000 4,498,000 3,949,000 4,456,000 4,193,000 439,000 307,000 305,000

Apr 2014

 4,662,000 4,880,000 4,584,000 4,204,000 4,582,000 4,304,000 458,000 298,000 280,000

May 2014

 4,775,000 4,808,000 4,569,000 4,326,000 4,522,000 4,271,000 449,000 285,000 298,000

Jun 2014

 4,999,000 4,925,000 4,617,000 4,473,000 4,600,000 4,346,000 526,000 326,000 272,000

Jul 2014

 4,919,000 5,008,000 4,786,000 4,450,000 4,721,000 4,506,000 469,000 287,000 280,000

Aug 2014

 5,383,000 4,810,000 4,654,000 4,946,000 4,542,000 4,349,000 437,000 267,000 305,000

Sep 2014

 4,876,000 5,149,000 4,861,000 4,412,000 4,815,000 4,563,000 464,000 334,000 298,000

Oct 2014

 5,066,000 5,111,000 4,941,000 4,635,000 4,806,000 4,643,000 431,000 306,000 298,000

Nov 2014

 4,719,000 4,978,000 4,642,000 4,270,000 4,682,000 4,362,000 449,000 296,000 280,000

Dec 2014

 4,981,000 5,192,000 4,815,000 4,499,000 4,874,000 4,505,000 482,000 318,000 310,000

Jan 2015

 5,362,000 5,061,000 4,911,000 4,854,000 4,744,000 4,602,000 508,000 316,000 309,000

Feb 2015

 5,446,000 5,127,000 4,828,000 4,918,000 4,807,000 4,515,000 528,000 320,000 312,000

Mar 2015

 5,208,000 5,126,000 5,064,000 4,688,000 4,797,000 4,727,000 520,000 328,000 337,000

Apr 2015

 5,712,000 5,196,000 4,942,000 5,160,000 4,847,000 4,624,000 552,000 349,000 318,000

May 2015

 5,599,000 5,142,000 4,826,000 5,065,000 4,819,000 4,506,000 534,000 323,000 321,000

Jun 2015

 5,263,000 5,125,000 4,992,000 4,783,000 4,789,000 4,649,000 479,000 336,000 343,000

Jul 2015

 6,143,000 5,150,000 4,887,000 5,602,000 4,798,000 4,570,000 541,000 352,000 317,000

Aug 2015

 5,510,000 5,163,000 5,055,000 5,018,000 4,822,000 4,731,000 492,000 341,000 324,000

Sep 2015

 5,445,000 5,287,000 5,114,000 4,980,000 4,964,000 4,779,000 465,000 323,000 335,000

Oct 2015

 5,832,000 5,338,000 5,032,000 5,313,000 4,978,000 4,688,000 520,000 360,000 344,000

Nov 2015

 5,573,000 5,358,000 5,052,000 5,074,000 5,007,000 4,721,000 500,000 352,000 331,000

Dec 2015

 5,676,000 5,540,000 5,208,000 5,159,000 5,168,000 4,861,000 517,000 371,000 347,000

Jan 2016

 5,994,000 5,204,000 5,144,000 5,487,000 4,845,000 4,807,000 507,000 360,000 337,000

Feb 2016

 5,757,000 5,559,000 5,282,000 5,267,000 5,214,000 4,951,000 490,000 344,000 331,000

Mar 2016

 6,137,000 5,362,000 5,140,000 5,629,000 4,988,000 4,806,000 508,000 374,000 333,000

Apr 2016

 5,868,000 5,277,000 5,122,000 5,338,000 4,936,000 4,781,000 531,000 341,000 341,000

May 2016

 5,812,000 5,206,000 5,137,000 5,265,000 4,850,000 4,793,000 546,000 356,000 344,000

Jun 2016

 5,768,000 5,277,000 5,061,000 5,278,000 4,932,000 4,695,000 490,000 345,000 367,000

Jul 2016

 6,094,000 5,419,000 5,114,000 5,510,000 5,024,000 4,817,000 584,000 395,000 297,000

Aug 2016

 5,716,000 5,301,000 5,188,000 5,209,000 4,951,000 4,827,000 507,000 350,000 361,000

Sep 2016

 5,816,000 5,283,000 4,988,000 5,291,000 4,903,000 4,650,000 524,000 380,000 338,000

Oct 2016

 5,626,000 5,234,000 5,098,000 5,149,000 4,907,000 4,763,000 477,000 327,000 335,000

Nov 2016

 5,867,000 5,316,000 5,114,000 5,310,000 4,983,000 4,782,000 557,000 333,000 331,000

Dec 2016

 5,835,000 5,380,000 5,087,000 5,300,000 5,053,000 4,780,000 535,000 327,000 307,000

Jan 2017

 5,607,000 5,517,000 5,338,000 5,130,000 5,173,000 4,997,000 477,000 344,000 341,000

Feb 2017

 5,872,000 5,366,000 5,141,000 5,361,000 5,016,000 4,794,000 511,000 350,000 347,000

Mar 2017

 5,816,000 5,395,000 5,254,000 5,288,000 5,055,000 4,932,000 528,000 340,000 322,000

Apr 2017

 6,142,000 5,265,000 5,101,000 5,575,000 4,931,000 4,767,000 567,000 334,000 334,000

May 2017

 5,851,000 5,454,000 5,280,000 5,294,000 5,111,000 4,929,000 557,000 343,000 351,000

Jun 2017

 6,351,000 5,642,000 5,457,000 5,772,000 5,307,000 5,124,000 579,000 335,000 333,000

Jul 2017

 6,354,000 5,502,000 5,351,000 5,802,000 5,163,000 5,021,000 551,000 339,000 330,000

Aug 2017

 6,335,000 5,528,000 5,368,000 5,794,000 5,187,000 5,030,000 541,000 341,000 338,000

Sep 2017

 6,239,000 5,401,000 5,334,000 5,684,000 5,045,000 4,995,000 555,000 356,000 339,000

Oct 2017

 6,383,000 5,635,000 5,347,000 5,854,000 5,294,000 5,011,000 529,000 341,000 336,000

Nov 2017

 6,204,000 5,473,000 5,221,000 5,694,000 5,102,000 4,882,000 510,000 371,000 339,000

Dec 2017

 6,235,000 5,426,000 5,265,000 5,688,000 5,074,000 4,905,000 547,000 351,000 360,000

Jan 2018

 6,645,000 5,511,000 5,346,000 6,073,000 5,190,000 5,012,000 571,000 321,000 334,000

Feb 2018

 6,575,000 5,669,000 5,276,000 5,969,000 5,309,000 4,952,000 606,000 360,000 324,000

Mar 2018

 6,865,000 5,629,000 5,475,000 6,215,000 5,289,000 5,133,000 650,000 340,000 342,000

Apr 2018

 6,985,000 5,587,000 5,449,000 6,371,000 5,234,000 5,110,000 614,000 353,000 339,000

May 2018

 7,028,000 5,819,000 5,513,000 6,419,000 5,463,000 5,177,000 609,000 356,000 336,000

Jun 2018

 7,280,000 5,783,000 5,558,000 6,633,000 5,407,000 5,207,000 648,000 376,000 351,000

Jul 2018

 7,326,000 5,691,000 5,579,000 6,638,000 5,330,000 5,214,000 688,000 361,000 365,000

Aug 2018

 7,249,000 5,792,000 5,568,000 6,518,000 5,416,000 5,223,000 732,000 376,000 345,000

Sep 2018

 7,282,000 5,610,000 5,517,000 6,672,000 5,264,000 5,170,000 609,000 346,000 347,000

Oct 2018

 7,237,000 5,855,000 5,638,000 6,627,000 5,507,000 5,284,000 609,000 348,000 354,000

Nov 2018

 7,509,000 5,818,000 5,692,000 6,858,000 5,452,000 5,331,000 651,000 366,000 361,000

Dec 2018

 7,303,000 5,762,000 5,569,000 6,687,000 5,408,000 5,227,000 616,000 354,000 342,000

Jan 2019

 7,520,000 5,834,000 5,590,000 6,808,000 5,443,000 5,219,000 712,000 391,000 371,000

Feb 2019

 7,048,000 5,703,000 5,676,000 6,343,000 5,346,000 5,310,000 704,000 357,000 366,000

Mar 2019

 7,364,000 5,689,000 5,553,000 6,625,000 5,337,000 5,212,000 739,000 352,000 341,000

Apr 2019

 7,284,000 6,000,000 5,763,000 6,540,000 5,625,000 5,414,000 744,000 376,000 349,000

May 2019

 7,300,000 5,687,000 5,547,000 6,600,000 5,343,000 5,211,000 701,000 344,000 336,000

Jun 2019

 7,185,000 5,760,000 5,568,000 6,497,000 5,420,000 5,227,000 688,000 340,000 341,000

Jul 2019

 7,236,000 5,975,000 5,769,000 6,529,000 5,605,000 5,427,000 707,000 370,000 342,000

Aug 2019

 7,166,000 5,839,000 5,660,000 6,429,000 5,443,000 5,312,000 738,000 396,000 348,000

Sep 2019

 7,046,000 5,959,000 5,739,000 6,325,000 5,593,000 5,387,000 721,000 366,000 352,000

Oct 2019

 7,309,000 5,757,000 5,580,000 6,546,000 5,397,000 5,211,000 763,000 360,000 369,000

Nov 2019

 6,793,000 5,857,000 5,657,000 6,070,000 5,485,000 5,307,000 723,000 371,000 350,000

Dec 2019

 6,552,000 5,927,000 5,762,000 5,838,000 5,574,000 5,419,000 715,000 352,000 343,000

Jan 2020

 7,012,000 5,925,000 5,703,000 6,231,000 5,541,000 5,382,000 781,000 384,000 321,000

Feb 2020

 7,004,000 5,864,000 5,595,000 6,236,000 5,489,000 5,244,000 769,000 375,000 351,000

Mar 2020

 6,191,000 5,206,000 14,517,000 5,462,000 4,835,000 14,106,000 730,000 372,000 411,000

In March 2020, private job openings fell by 774,000, with the largest declines in accommodation and food services (−258,000) and durable goods manufacturing (−82,000).

The number of private hires decreased by 654,000 and was little changed for government. Hires decreased in accommodation and food services (−344,000), health care and social assistance (−87,000), and durable goods manufacturing (−33,000).

The number of private job separations increased to 14.1 million (+8,862,000) and for government to 411,000 (+60,000). Total separations increased in almost all industries, with the largest increases in accommodation and food services (+3,999,000) and other services (+839,000).

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 — March 2020." Also see more charts on job openings, hires, and separations, and Impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Job Openings and Labor Turnover data for March 2020.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Job separations up 8.9 million to high of 14.5 million in March 2020 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2020/job-separations-up-8-point-9-million-to-high-of-14-point-5-million-in-march-2020.htm (visited April 18, 2024).

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