Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey News Release — 2009-10-09

On the last business day of August, the number of job openings in the U.S. was little changed at a series low level of 2.4 million, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The hires rate was little changed and remained low at 3.1 percent in August. The total separations rate was little changed and remained low at 3.3 percent. 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. The job openings rate was unchanged in August at a rate of 1.8 percent. The number of job openings has fallen by 2.4 million, or 50 percent, since the most recent peak in June 2007. The job openings rate was little changed in August in all industries and regions.