Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey News Release — 2009-07-07

On the last business day of May job openings in the U.S. numbered 2.6 million, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The hires rate at 3.0 percent in May was at the lowest point since the series began in December 2000. The total separations rate at 3.3 percent declined over the month. 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. Job Openings The job openings rate remained unchanged in May at 1.9 percent. In May, the job openings rate increased significantly in retail trade; the rate decreased significantly in accommodation and food services and state and local government. Since May 2008, the number of job openings has declined by 1.5 million, or 36 percent.