U.S. Job Openings Hold at 8.1 Million in November

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that job openings remained largely unchanged at 8.1 million on the last business day of November 2024. While stable month-over-month, this figure is 833,000 lower than the 8.9 million openings recorded in November 2023.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that job openings remained largely unchanged at 8.1 million on the last business day of November 2024. While stable month-over-month, this figure is 833,000 lower than the 8.9 million openings recorded in November 2023. The job openings rate also held steady at 4.8%, reflecting little variation from the previous month.

Hiring and Separations

Hiring and separations also showed minimal changes in November:

• Hires: Totaled 5.3 million, marking a year-over-year decrease of 300,000.
• Separations: Remained at 5.1 million, with notable declines in quits.
  • Quits: Dropped to 3.1 million, indicating reduced voluntary turnover.
  • Layoffs and Discharges: Held steady at 1.8 million.

Sector Highlights

Significant shifts in job openings were observed across sectors. Job openings increased by 273,000 in professional and business services, by 105,000 in finance and insurance, and by 38,000 in private educational services. However, the information sector experienced a decline of 89,000 job openings.

Source:  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics