For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Wednesday, December 7, 2016	USDL-16-2254

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                         JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER – OCTOBER 2016

The number of job openings was little changed at 5.5 million on the last business day of October, the 
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and separations were also little 
changed at 5.1 million and 4.9 million, respectively. Within separations, the quits rate was unchanged at 
2.1 percent and the layoffs and discharges rate was also unchanged at 1.0 percent. This release includes 
estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the nonfarm sector by 
industry and by four geographic regions.

Job Openings

On the last business day of October, there were 5.5 million job openings, little changed from 
September. The job openings rate was 3.7 percent in October. The number of job openings was little 
changed for total private and for government. Job openings increased in health care and social assistance 
(+139,000). Job openings decreased in professional and business services (-187,000), federal 
government (-13,000), and mining and logging (-8,000). The number of job openings was little changed 
in all four regions. (See table 1.)

Hires

The number of hires was essentially unchanged at 5.1 million in October. The hires rate was 3.5 
percent. The number of hires was little changed for total private and for government. Hires decreased in 
state and local government education (-26,000) and was little changed in all other industries. The 
number of hires was little changed in all four regions. (See table 2.)

Separations

Total separations includes quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Total separations is 
referred to as turnover. Quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee. Therefore, 
the quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs. Layoffs and 
discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer. Other separations includes separations 
due to retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.

There were 4.9 million total separations in October, little changed from September. The total 
separations rate in October was 3.4 percent. The number of total separations was little changed for total 
private and decreased for government (-39,000). Total separations decreased in state and local 
government education (-26,000), information (-20,000), and federal government (-7,000). The number 
of total separations was little changed in all four regions. (See table 3.)

The number of quits was little changed in October at 3.0 million. The quits rate was 2.1 percent. Over 
the month, the number of quits was little changed for total private, and decreased for government
(-26,000). Quits decreased in information (-18,000) and state and local government, excluding education 
(-16,000). The number of quits was little changed in all four regions. (See table 4.)

There were 1.5 million layoffs and discharges in October, essentially unchanged from September. The 
layoffs and discharges rate was unchanged at 1.0 percent in October. The number of layoffs and 
discharges was little changed for total private and for government. The layoffs and discharges level 
increased in health care and social assistance (+46,000) but decreased in state and local education
(-18,000). The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed in all four regions. (See table 5.)

In October, the number of other separations was little changed for total nonfarm, total private, and 
government. Other separations increased in retail trade (+20,000) but decreased in federal government
(-3,000). The number of other separations was little changed in all other industries and in all four 
regions. (See table 6.)

Net Change in Employment

Large numbers of hires and separations occur every month throughout the business cycle. Net 
employment change results from the relationship between hires and separations. When the number of 
hires exceeds the number of separations, employment rises, even if the hires level is steady or declining. 
Conversely, when the number of hires is less than the number of separations, employment declines, even 
if the hires level is steady or rising. Over the 12 months ending in October, hires totaled 62.6 million and 
separations totaled 60.1 million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.5 million. These totals include 
workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.
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The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey results for November 2016 are scheduled to be 
released on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. (EST).