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News Release Information

23-387-SAN
Friday, February 24, 2023

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (415) 625-2270

Alaska Job Openings and Labor Turnover — December 2022

Alaska had 30,000 job openings in December 2022, compared to 29,000 openings in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the job openings rate in Alaska was 8.5 percent in December and 8.2 percent in the previous month. (See chart 1 and table 2.) The job openings rate nationally was 6.7 percent in December and 6.4 percent in November. (See table 3.)

The ratio of unemployed persons per job opening in Alaska was 0.5 in December. Alaska’s ratio has been below 1.0 since June 2021, when it was 0.9. Nationwide, 20 states and the District of Columbia had ratios in December that were lower than the national ratio of 0.5 unemployed persons per job opening; 11 states had ratios equal to the national average, and 19 states had ratios that were higher than the national average. (See map 1.)

In December, Alaska had 20,000 hires and 19,000 separations, compared to 20,000 hires and 23,000 separations in November. (See chart 2.) Over the 12 months ending in December, hires and separations have each averaged 21,000 per month. These averages include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.

Among the December separations in Alaska, 13,000 were quits and 5,000 were layoffs and discharges, compared to 13,000 quits and 9,000 layoffs and discharges in November. (See chart 3.) Over the last 12 months, quits averaged 14,000 per month, ranging from 12,000 to 18,000. Layoffs and discharges have averaged 5,000 per month, ranging from 3,000 to 9,000.

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

Upcoming Changes to Annual Estimates for States from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey

Effective with the release of the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) national data for January on March 8, 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will publish historical annual average job openings levels and rates for states. State annual averages for 2001 through 2021 will be available in the BLS JOLTS database.

Also effective with the release of national data on March 8, 2023, JOLTS will modify its method for calculating annual estimates for hires and separations rates. Annual rates will be computed as annual averages, instead of annual totals, to make the estimates more helpful for data users and to be consistent with other BLS programs. State annual average hires and separations rates for 2001 through 2021 will be available in the BLS database.

The 2022 state annual estimates will be published with the issuance of this news release on July 26, 2023.

See upcoming changes to JOLTS annual estimates for states for additional information about these changes, including the annual average calculation method.


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 Alaska, seasonally adjusted (in thousands)
EstimateDecember 2021September 2022October 2022November 2022December 2022(p)Change from November 2022 to December 2022(p)

Openings

37483029301

Hires

19262020200

Total separations

2315222319-4

Quits

16121413130

Layoffs & discharges

53695-4

Footnotes:
(p) Preliminary.

Table 2. Job openings and labor turnover rates for Alaska, seasonally adjusted
EstimateDecember 2021September 2022October 2022November 2022December 2022(p)Change from November 2022 to December 2022(p)

Openings(1)

10.513.08.58.28.50.3

Hires(2)

6.08.16.26.26.20.0

Total separations(3)

7.34.76.87.15.9-1.2

Quits(3)

5.03.74.44.04.00.0

Layoffs & discharges(3)

1.60.91.92.81.5-1.3

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
EstimateDecember 2021September 2022October 2022November 2022December 2022(p)Change from November 2022 to December 2022(p)

Openings(1)

7.16.56.46.46.70.3

Hires(2)

4.34.04.03.94.00.1

Total separations(3)

4.13.73.83.83.80.0

Quits(3)

3.02.72.62.72.70.0

Layoffs & discharges(3)

0.80.90.90.91.00.1

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: Friday, February 24, 2023