Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for September 2020

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has posted its Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for September 2020. According to the JOLTS report the number of job openings was little changed from August at 6.4 million, which is a rate of 4.3%, as of the last business day of September. Hires and total separations were little changed at 5.9 million and 4.7 million, respectively. Within separations, the quits rate was little changed at 2.1% while the layoffs and discharges rate decreased to a series low of 0.9%. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector, by industry, and by four geographic regions. Hires decreased in federal government (-256,000), largely due to a drop in demand for temporary 2020 Census workers. Hires also decreased in retail trade (-105,000) and educational services (-23,000). The number of hires increased in accommodation and food services (+137,000), wholesale trade (+73,000), and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+46,000). The number of hires was little changed in all four regions.