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

25-94-SAN
Friday, January 24, 2025

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

Washington Job Openings and Labor Turnover — November 2024

Washington had 163,000 job openings in November 2024, compared to 157,000 openings in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the job openings rate in Washington was 4.3 percent in November and 4.1 percent in the previous month. (See chart 1 and table 2.) The job openings rate nationally was 4.8 percent in November and 4.7 percent in October. (See table 3.) All data in this release are seasonally adjusted.

The ratio of unemployed persons per job opening in Washington was 1.1 in November. Nationwide, 37 states and the District of Columbia had ratios in November that were lower than the national measure of 0.9 unemployed persons per job opening; 8 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, November 2024, seasonally adjusted

(U.S. ratio = 0.9)

In November, Washington had 112,000 hires and 107,000 separations, compared to 104,000 hires and 108,000 separations in October. (See chart 2.) Over the 12 months ending in November, hires have averaged 112,000 per month and separations have averaged 113,000 per month. These averages include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.

Among the November separations in Washington, 64,000 were quits and 36,000 were layoffs and discharges, compared to 66,000 quits and 34,000 layoffs and discharges in October. (See chart 3.) Over the 12 months ending in November, quits averaged 66,000 per month, ranging from 57,000 to 77,000. Layoffs and discharges have averaged 39,000 per month, ranging from 34,000 to 51,000.

The State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for December 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).


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 Washington, seasonally adjusted (in thousands)
Estimate November 2023 August 2024 September 2024 October 2024 November 2024(p) Change from October 2024 to November 2024(p)

Openings

 179 155 158 157 163 6

Hires

 107 107 114 104 112 8

Total separations

 115 121 101 108 107 -1

Quits

 71 64 57 66 64 -2

Layoffs & discharges

 38 51 38 34 36 2

Footnotes:
(p) Preliminary.
Table 2. Job openings and labor turnover rates for Washington, seasonally adjusted
Estimate November 2023 August 2024 September 2024 October 2024 November 2024(p) Change from October 2024 to November 2024(p)

Openings(1)

 4.7 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.3 0.2

Hires(2)

 3.0 2.9 3.1 2.9 3.1 0.2

Total separations(3)

 3.2 3.3 2.8 3.0 2.9 -0.1

Quits(3)

 2.0 1.7 1.6 1.8 1.7 -0.1

Layoffs & discharges(3)

 1.1 1.4 1.0 0.9 1.0 0.1

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.
Table 3. Job openings and labor turnover rates for the United States, seasonally adjusted
Estimate November 2023 August 2024 September 2024 October 2024 November 2024(p) Change from October 2024 to November 2024(p)

Openings(1)

 5.4 4.7 4.4 4.7 4.8 0.1

Hires(2)

 3.5 3.4 3.5 3.4 3.3 -0.1

Total separations(3)

 3.4 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.2 -0.1

Quits(3)

 2.2 2.0 1.9 2.1 1.9 -0.2

Layoffs & discharges(3)

 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.1 0.0

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, January 24, 2025