An official website of the United States government
23-2506-DAL
Monday, November 27, 2023
Arkansas had 90,000 job openings in September 2023, unchanged from August, 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 Arkansas was 6.2 percent in September, unchanged from the previous month. (See chart 1 and table 2.) The job openings rate nationally was 5.7 percent in September, unchanged from August. (See table 3.)
The ratio of unemployed persons per job opening in Arkansas was 0.4 in September. Nationwide, 40 states and the District of Columbia had ratios in September that were lower than the national measure of 0.7 unemployed persons per job opening; 7 states had ratios that were higher than the national ratio, and 3 states had ratios equal to the national measure. (See map 1.)
In September, Arkansas had 57,000 hires and 55,000 separations, compared to 59,000 hires and 56,000 separations in August. (See chart 2.) Over the 12 months ending in September, hires have averaged 62,000 per month and separations have averaged 58,000 per month. These averages include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.
Among the September separations in Arkansas, 37,000 were quits and 16,000 were layoffs and discharges, compared to 39,000 quits and 14,000 layoffs and discharges in August. (See chart 3.) Over the last 12 months, quits averaged 40,000 per month, ranging from 37,000 to 48,000. Layoffs and discharges have averaged 15,000 per month, ranging from 13,000 to 16,000.
The State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for October 2023 are scheduled to be released on Friday, December 15, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. (CT).
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 | September 2022 | June 2023 | July 2023 | August 2023 | September 2023(p) | Change from August 2023 to September 2023(p) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Openings | 99 | 91 | 84 | 90 | 90 | 0 |
Hires | 59 | 63 | 59 | 59 | 57 | -2 |
Total separations | 56 | 54 | 56 | 56 | 55 | -1 |
Quits | 41 | 37 | 37 | 39 | 37 | -2 |
Layoffs & discharges | 12 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 2 |
Estimate | September 2022 | June 2023 | July 2023 | August 2023 | September 2023(p) | Change from August 2023 to September 2023(p) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Openings(1) | 6.9 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 0.0 |
Hires(2) | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 | -0.1 |
Total separations(3) | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | -0.1 |
Quits(3) | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 2.7 | -0.2 |
Layoffs & discharges(3) | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.2 |
(p) Preliminary. |
Estimate | September 2022 | June 2023 | July 2023 | August 2023 | September 2023(p) | Change from August 2023 to September 2023(p) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Openings(1) | 6.6 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 0.0 |
Hires(2) | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 0.0 |
Total separations(3) | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.5 | -0.1 |
Quits(3) | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 0.0 |
Layoffs & discharges(3) | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.0 | -0.1 |
(p) Preliminary. |
Last Modified Date: Monday, November 27, 2023