Job openings, the hires rate, and the separations rate remained unchanged for the month of November, according to a Department of Labor report [link opens in PDF] released today.
Job openings for November stayed at October's 3.7 million level, and reflect a 12% gain over November 2011's figure. Retail trade showed the largest increase in the last month, up 23% to 460,000 job openings. On a regional basis, all regions recorded increases in openings over the past year. Using not seasonally adjusted figures, Midwest job openings jumped up 21%, while the South recorded only a 4% increase in openings.
Source: Department of Labor.
Nationally, the hires rate remained at 3.2% (4.3 million). The separations (quits, layoffs, discharges, etc.) rate stayed steady at 3.1% for November. The quits rate remained constant at 1.6%. The 2.1 million quits in November compares to 1.8 million at the end of the recession in June 2009, according to the report. In the past year, quits increased in transportation, warehousing, utilities, and state and local government sectors.
