Job Openings And Labor Turnover: September 2005 — 2005-11-08

The job openings rate increased in September while the hires and total separations rates were unchanged, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. 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. On the last business day of September 2005, there were 3.7 million job openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.7 percent. (See table 1.) The job openings rate rose in September, continuing the generally upward trend that began in September 2003. Over the month, the job openings rate increased in government and in the South region. The hires rate was unchanged at 3.4 percent in September. (See table 2.) Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. Over the month, the hires rate did not change significantly in any industry or region.