Job Openings And Labor Turnover: November 2007

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JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER: NOVEMBER 2007

On the last business day of November, there were 4.0 million job openings in
the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.8 percent, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The job openings,
hires, and total separations rates were all essentially unchanged in November.
This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires,
and separations for the total nonfarm sector by industry and geographic region.

Although the month-to-month changes in job openings, hires, and turnover data
are often small, some over-the-year changes are significant. From November 2006
to November 2007, the job openings, hires, quits, and total separations rates
all fell significantly for total nonfarm and total private employment. (See
tables 5, 6, 7, and 8.)

Job Openings

In November, the job openings rate remained at 2.8 percent. Job openings
include only those jobs open on the last business day of the month. Over the
month, the job openings rate rose in retail trade and fell in accommodation and
food services. The job openings rate did not change significantly in any region
in November. As occurs nearly every month, the seasonally adjusted job openings
rate was highest in November in the accommodation and food services industry
(4.0 percent). (See table 1.)

Over the year, the job openings rate rose significantly only in federal gov-
ernment (to 1.4 percent). The rate fell over the year in natural resources and
mining (1.0 percent), durable goods manufacturing (1.7 percent), information
(2.6 percent), arts, entertainment, and recreation (2.7 percent), and state and
local government (1.9 percent). Regionally, the job openings rate fell over the
year in the Northeast (2.2 percent) and in the West (2.7 percent). (See table 5.)

Hires

The hires rate was little changed at 3.4 percent in November. Hires are any
additions to the payroll during the month. In November, the hires rate decreased
in retail trade, in accommodation and food services, and in the West region. The
hires rate did not increase significantly in November in any industry or region.
As occurs nearly every month, the seasonally adjusted hires rate was highest in
November in accommodation and food services (6.0 percent). (See table 2.)

From November 2006 to November 2007, the hires rate decreased over the year
in retail trade (to 4.9 percent), information (1.5 percent), the South region
(3.3 percent), and the West region (3.1 per-cent). The hires rate did not
increase significantly in any industry or region over the year.