US Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary for April

On Tuesday, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported the results of its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for April. As of the last business day in April, the number of job openings was 8.1 million, little changed from the 8.5 million reported in March. However, year-over-year the measure was down 1.8 million. The job openings rate was 4.8%, down from 5.1% in March.

The number of hires was 5.6 million and the hire rate was 3.6%, up from the March report of 5.5 million. The hire rate was 3.5%.

The total number of separations was 5.4 million, up from 5.2 million in March. The total rate of separations held steady at 3.4%.

The number of quits was 3.5 million, up from 3.3 million in March, and the rate held steady for the sixth consecutive month at 2.2%.

The number and rate of layoffs and discharges was unchanged from March, holding steady at 1.5 million, and the rate was 1.0%.

The number of other separations in April was 349,000, up from March’s report of 345,000.

The job openings, hires, and total separation rates changed little for establishments with 1 to 9 employees and establishments with 5,000 employees or more.

The BLS also released revisions to the March JOLTS report, the result of additional information received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors. The BLS is now reporting that the number of job openings for March was revised lower by 133,000 to 8.4 million, the number of hires was revised up by 117,000 to 5.6 million, and the number of total separations was revised up by 130,000 to 5.3 million. Within separations, the number of quits was revised up by 80,000 to 3.4 million and the number of layoffs and discharges was revised up by 75,000 to 1.6 million