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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Geographic Information > Southwest > News Release
News Release Information

24-748-DAL
Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (972) 850-4800

Arkansas Job Openings and Labor Turnover — February 2024

Arkansas had 75,000 job openings in February 2024, compared to 74,000 openings in January, 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 5.2 percent in February, unchanged from the previous month. (See chart 1 and table 2.) The job openings rate nationally was 5.3 percent in February, unchanged from January. (See table 3.) All data in this release are seasonally adjusted.

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

The ratio of unemployed persons per job opening in Arkansas was 0.7 in February. Nationwide, 31 states and the District of Columbia had ratios in February that were lower than the national measure of 0.7 unemployed persons per job opening; 6 states had ratios equal to the national ratio, and 13 states had ratios that were higher. (See map 1.)

Map 1. Number of unemployed persons per job opening by state, February 2024, seasonally adjusted

(U.S. ratio = 0.7)

 

In February, Arkansas had 59,000 hires and 57,000 separations, compared to 57,000 hires and 51,000 separations in January. (See chart 2.) Over the 12 months ending in February, hires have averaged 60,000 per month and separations have averaged 56,000 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 Arkansas, seasonally adjusted
View Chart Data
 

Among the February separations in Arkansas, 36,000 were quits and 17,000 were layoffs and discharges, compared to 33,000 quits and 14,000 layoffs and discharges in January. (See chart 3.) Over the last 12 months, quits averaged 38,000 per month, ranging from 33,000 to 48,000. Layoffs and discharges have averaged 15,000 per month, ranging from 14,000 to 17,000.

  Chart 3. Quits and layoffs and discharges in Arkansas, seasonally adjusted
View Chart Data

The State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for March 2024 are scheduled to be released on Friday, May 17, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. (CT).

Upcoming Revisions to the JOLTS State Estimates

Effective with the release of May 2024 data on July 24, 2024, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) state estimates will be benchmarked and revised, to include the annual benchmark revisions to JOLTS national estimates, the Current Employment Statistics (CES) employment estimates, and the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) data. Seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted data from January 2019 forward are subject to revision. In addition, 2023 annual estimates for states will be released at this time.


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 Arkansas, seasonally adjusted (in thousands)
EstimateFebruary 2023November 2023December 2023January 2024February 2024(p)Change from January 2024 to February 2024(p)

Openings

98817874751

Hires

64596457592

Total separations

62565451576

Quits

45383633363

Layoffs & discharges

13141414173

(p) Preliminary.

Table 2. Job openings and labor turnover rates for Arkansas, seasonally adjusted
EstimateFebruary 2023November 2023December 2023January 2024February 2024(p)Change from January 2024 to February 2024(p)

Openings(1)

6.85.65.45.25.20.0

Hires(2)

4.74.34.74.24.30.1

Total separations(3)

4.64.14.03.84.20.4

Quits(3)

3.32.82.72.42.60.2

Layoffs & discharges(3)

1.01.01.01.01.20.2

(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
EstimateFebruary 2023November 2023December 2023January 2024February 2024(p)Change from January 2024 to February 2024(p)

Openings(1)

6.05.45.35.35.30.0

Hires(2)

3.93.53.73.63.70.1

Total separations(3)

3.83.43.43.53.50.0

Quits(3)

2.62.22.22.22.20.0

Layoffs & discharges(3)

1.01.01.01.01.10.1

(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, April 23, 2024