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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Geographic Information > Mid-Atlantic > News Release
News Release Information

23-1113-PHI
Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Virginia Job Openings and Labor Turnover — March 2023

Virginia had 347,000 job openings in March 2023, compared to 335,000 openings in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that the job openings rate in Virginia was 7.7 percent in March and 7.5 percent in the previous month. (See chart 1 and table 2.) The job openings rate nationally was 5.8 percent in March and 6.0 percent in February. (See table 3.) All data in this release are seasonally adjusted.

The ratio of unemployed persons per job opening in Virginia was 0.4 in March. Nationwide, 30 states and the District of Columbia had ratios in March that were lower than the national measure of 0.6 unemployed persons per job opening; 13 states had ratios that were higher than the national ratio, and 7 states had ratios equal to the national measure. (See map 1.)

Map 1. Number of unemployed persons per job opening by state, March 2023, seasonally adjusted

(U.S. ratio = 0.6)

 

In March, Virginia had 188,000 hires and 181,000 separations, compared to 183,000 hires and 161,000 separations in February. (See chart 2.) Over the 12 months ending in March, hires have averaged 176,000 per month and separations have averaged 159,000 per month. These averages include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.

Among the March separations in Virginia, 125,000 were quits and 46,000 were layoffs and discharges, compared to 117,000 quits and 33,000 layoffs and discharges in February. (See chart 3.) Over the last 12 months, quits averaged 111,000 per month, ranging from 95,000 to 125,000. Layoffs and discharges have averaged 39,000 per month, ranging from 29,000 to 63,000.

The State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for April 2023 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Upcoming Changes to State Estimates from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey

Effective with the release of May 2023 data on July 26, 2023, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) state estimates will be benchmarked and estimation methodology to reduce variance will be modified. The State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary has additional information. State data from January 2018 forward are subject to revision.

Additional information about 2023 changes to State and National JOLTS estimates, including the annual average calculation method, is available online.


Technical Note

This news release presents statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The JOLTS program provides information on labor demand and turnover. The state estimates produced by JOLTS are model-based incorporating JOLTS sample, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), and Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates. For more information see the JOLTS State Estimates Methodology.

Job Openings. Job openings include all positions that are open on the last business day of the reference month. A job is open only if it meets all three of these conditions:

  • A specific position exists and there is work available for that position.
  • The job could start within 30 days.
  • The employer is actively recruiting workers from outside the establishment to fill the position.

The number of unemployed persons per job opening is a ratio of the level of unemployed persons and the level of job openings. The number of unemployed persons at the national level is an estimate from the Current Population Survey (CPS), while state-level unemployment estimates are modeled by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. A ratio of 1.0 means there is a job available for every unemployed person. Lower ratios signal tighter labor markets, where firms have more job openings than there are unemployed persons available to work. Higher ratios indicate there are more unemployed persons competing for each job opening.

Hires. Hires include all additions to the payroll during the entire reference month.

Separations. Separations include all separations from the payroll during the entire reference month and is reported by type of separation: quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations.

  • Quits include employees who left voluntarily, except for retirements or transfers to other locations.
  • Layoffs and discharges include involuntary separations initiated by the employer.
  • Other separations include retirements, transfers to other locations, separations due to employee disability, and deaths.

Levels and rates of other separations represent a small portion of total separations and are not published with the release of state estimates.

Complete definitions, including exclusions, and additional information about the State JOLTS data presented in this release are available in the State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Technical Note.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Job openings and labor turnover for Virginia, seasonally adjusted (in thousands)
EstimateMarch 2022December 2022January 2023February 2023March 2023(p)Change from February 2023 to March 2023(p)

Openings

34034433733534712

Hires

1971771761831885

Total separations

16015314916118120

Quits

105109951171258

Layoffs & discharges

423545334613

Footnotes:
(p) Preliminary.

Table 2. Job openings and labor turnover rates for Virginia, seasonally adjusted
EstimateMarch 2022December 2022January 2023February 2023March 2023(p)Change from February 2023 to March 2023(p)

Openings(1)

7.87.77.57.57.70.2

Hires(2)

4.94.34.34.44.50.1

Total separations(3)

4.03.73.63.94.40.5

Quits(3)

2.62.72.32.83.00.2

Layoffs & discharges(3)

1.00.91.10.81.10.3

Footnotes:
(p) Preliminary.
(1) 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.
(2) The hires rate is computed by dividing the number of hires by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100.
(3) The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. The quits and layoffs and discharges rates are computed similarly.

Table 3. Job openings and labor turnover rates for the United States, seasonally adjusted
EstimateMarch 2022December 2022January 2023February 2023March 2023(p)Change from February 2023 to March 2023(p)

Openings(1)

7.46.86.46.05.8-0.2

Hires(2)

4.34.04.14.04.00.0

Total separations(3)

4.13.83.83.83.80.0

Quits(3)

2.92.62.52.62.5-0.1

Layoffs & discharges(3)

0.91.01.11.01.20.2

Footnotes:
(p) Preliminary.
(1) 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.
(2) The hires rate is computed by dividing the number of hires by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100.
(3) The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. The quits and layoffs and discharges rates are computed similarly.

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, May 23, 2023