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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Geographic Information > Mountain-Plains > News Release
News Release Information

23-2642-KAN
Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (816) 285-7000

Montana Job Openings and Labor Turnover — October 2023

Montana had 36,000 job openings in October 2023, unchanged from September, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table 1.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the job openings rate in Montana was 6.5 percent in October, unchanged from the previous month. (See chart 1 and table 2.) The job openings rate nationally was 5.3 percent in October and 5.6 percent in September. (See table 3.) All data in this release are seasonally adjusted.

  Chart 1. Job openings rates for the United States and Montana, seasonally adjusted
View Chart Data
 

The ratio of unemployed persons per job opening in Montana was 0.5 in October. Nationwide, 35 states and the District of Columbia had ratios in October that were lower than the national measure of 0.7 unemployed persons per job opening; 10 states had ratios that were higher than the national ratio, and 5 states had ratios equal to the national measure. (See map 1.)

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

(U.S. ratio = 0.7)

 

In October, Montana had 28,000 hires and 31,000 separations, compared to 25,000 hires and 30,000 separations in September. (See chart 2.) Over the 12 months ending in October, hires have averaged 27,000 per month and separations have averaged 29,000 per month. These averages include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.

  Chart 2. Hires and total separations in Montana, seasonally adjusted (in thousands)
View Chart Data
 

Among the October separations in Montana, 17,000 were quits and 12,000 were layoffs and discharges, compared to 18,000 quits and 8,000 layoffs and discharges in September. (See chart 3.) Over the last 12 months, quits averaged 18,000 per month, ranging from 16,000 to 23,000. Layoffs and discharges have averaged 8,000 per month, ranging from 6,000 to 12,000.

  Chart 3. Quits and layoffs and discharges in Montana, seasonally adjusted (in thousands)
View Chart Data

The State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for November 2023 are scheduled to be released on Thursday, January 18, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. (MT).

 


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 Montana, seasonally adjusted (in thousands)
EstimateOctober 2022July 2023August 2023September 2023October 2023(p)Change from September 2023 to October 2023(p)

Openings

44353636360

Hires

30252425283

Total separations

29292830311

Quits

1916171817-1

Layoffs & discharges

9998124

(p) Preliminary.

Table 2. Job openings and labor turnover rates for Montana, seasonally adjusted
EstimateOctober 2022July 2023August 2023September 2023October 2023(p)Change from September 2023 to October 2023(p)

Openings(1)

7.96.46.56.56.50.0

Hires(2)

5.84.84.64.85.40.6

Total separations(3)

5.75.65.45.85.90.1

Quits(3)

3.73.13.33.53.3-0.2

Layoffs & discharges(3)

1.81.71.71.52.30.8

(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
EstimateOctober 2022July 2023August 2023September 2023October 2023(p)Change from September 2023 to October 2023(p)

Openings(1)

6.45.45.75.65.3-0.3

Hires(2)

4.03.73.73.83.7-0.1

Total separations(3)

3.83.63.63.63.60.0

Quits(3)

2.62.32.32.32.30.0

Layoffs & discharges(3)

1.01.11.11.01.00.0

(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, December 19, 2023