Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey News Release — 2010-03-09

There were 2.7 million job openings on the last business day of January 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The job openings rate rose over the month to 2.1 percent, the highest the rate has been since February 2009. The hires rate (3.1 percent) and the separations rate (3.2 percent) were unchanged in January. 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. This release also includes annual estimates for hires and separations. The annual totals for hires and quits decreased in 2009 while the annual total for layoffs and discharges increased. Job Openings The job openings rate increased in January to 2.1 percent, the highest the rate has been since February 2009. In January, the job openings rate increased in education and health services.