Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey News Release — 2017-06-06

The number of job openings increased to a series high of 6.0 million on the last business day of April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires decreased to 5.1 million and separations edged down to 5.0 million. Within separations, the quits rate and the layoffs and discharges rate were little changed at 2.1 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively. 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. On the last business day of April, the job openings level increased to a series high of 6.0 million (+259,000). The job openings rate was 4.0 percent. The number of job openings edged up for total private (+220,000) and increased for government (+39,000). Job openings increased in a number of industries with the largest increase occurring in accommodation and food services (+118,000).