U.S. job openings increase 1.3 percent in September; hires fall 1.4 percent

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) published by the Labor Department on Tuesday revealed a 1.3 percent m-o-m advance in the U.S. job openings in September after a revised 5.2 percent m-o-m drop in August (originally a 3.0 percent m-o-m decline).

According to the report, employers posted 6.436 million job openings in September compared to the August figure of 6.352 million (revised from 6.493 million in the original estimate) and economists’ expectations of 6.500 million. The job openings rate was 4.3 percent in September, unchanged from a downwardly revised 4.3 percent in the prior month. The report showed that the number of job openings decreased in federal government (-20,000 jobs) but increased for total private (+104,000).

Meanwhile, the number of hires fell 1.4 percent m-o-m to 5.871 million in September from a revised 5.952 million in August. The hiring rate was 4.1 percent in September, down from an unrevised 4.2 percent in August. The hires decreased in federal government (-256,000), largely due to a drop in demand for temporary 2020 Census workers. Hires also declined in retail trade (-105,000) and educational services (-23,000). The number of hires increased in accommodation and food services (+137,000), wholesale trade (+73,000), and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+46,000).

The separation rate in September was 4.664 million or 3.3 percent, compared to 4.689 million or 3.3 percent in August. Within separations, the quits rate was 2.1 percent (+0.1 pp m-o-m), and the layoffs rate was 0.9 percent (-0.2 pp m-o-m).