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23-1662-CHI
Monday, July 31, 2023
Illinois had 429,000 job openings in May 2023, compared to 423,000 openings in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the job openings rate in Illinois was 6.5 percent in May, unchanged from the previous month. (See chart 1 and table 2.) The job openings rate nationally was 5.9 percent in May and 6.2 percent in April. (See table 3.) All data in this release are seasonally adjusted.
The ratio of unemployed persons per job opening in Illinois was 0.6 in May. Nationwide, 34 states and the District of Columbia had ratios in May that were lower than the national measure of 0.6 unemployed persons per job opening; 5 states had ratios equal to the national ratio, and 11 states had ratios that were higher. (See map 1.)
In May, Illinois had 263,000 hires and 209,000 separations, compared to 248,000 hires and 243,000 separations in April. (See chart 2.) Over the 12 months ending in May, hires have averaged 249,000 per month and separations have averaged 220,000 per month. These averages include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.
Among the May separations in Illinois, 134,000 were quits and 67,000 were layoffs and discharges, compared to 144,000 quits and 84,000 layoffs and discharges in April. (See chart 3.) Over the last 12 months, quits averaged 138,000 per month, ranging from 126,000 to 172,000. Layoffs and discharges have averaged 72,000 per month, ranging from 57,000 to 100,000.
The State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for June 2023 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
Effective with the release of May 2023 data on July 26, 2023, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) state estimates were benchmarked and estimation methodology to reduce variance has been modified. The State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary has additional information. State data from January 2018 forward were subject to revision.
Additional information about 2023 changes to State and National JOLTS estimates, including the annual average calculation method, is available online.
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:
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.
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.
Estimate | May 2022 | February 2023 | March 2023 | April 2023 | May 2023(p) | Change from April 2023 to May 2023(p) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Openings | 449 | 411 | 401 | 423 | 429 | 6 |
Hires | 279 | 252 | 241 | 248 | 263 | 15 |
Total separations | 237 | 207 | 227 | 243 | 209 | -34 |
Quits | 147 | 126 | 135 | 144 | 134 | -10 |
Layoffs & discharges | 75 | 68 | 86 | 84 | 67 | -17 |
Estimate | May 2022 | February 2023 | March 2023 | April 2023 | May 2023(p) | Change from April 2023 to May 2023(p) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Openings(1) | 7.0 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 0.0 |
Hires(2) | 4.6 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 0.3 |
Total separations(3) | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.4 | -0.6 |
Quits(3) | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.2 | -0.2 |
Layoffs & discharges(3) | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.1 | -0.3 |
Footnotes: |
Estimate | May 2022 | February 2023 | March 2023 | April 2023 | May 2023(p) | Change from April 2023 to May 2023(p) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Openings(1) | 7.0 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 6.2 | 5.9 | -0.3 |
Hires(2) | 4.3 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 0.1 |
Total separations(3) | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 0.2 |
Quits(3) | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 0.2 |
Layoffs & discharges(3) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
Footnotes: |
Last Modified Date: Monday, July 31, 2023