Job openings fell to 6.8 million in November 2019

On the last business day of November 2019, the number of job openings fell to 6.8 million, down by 561,000 from October. In November, the number of total nonfarm total separations was little changed at 5.6 million. The number of total nonfarm hires was little changed at 5.8 million. Over the 12 months ending in November 2019, hires totaled 69.8 million and separations totaled 67.5 million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.3 million. These totals include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.

Chart Image

Chart Data Job openings, hires, and separations levels, seasonally adjusted Month Total nonfarm job openings Total nonfarm hires Total nonfarm separations Total private job openings Total private hires Total private separations Government job openings Government hires Government separations Nov 2009 2,435,000 4,024,000 3,983,000 2,096,000 3,736,000 3,702,000 338,000 288,000 281,000 Dec 2009 2,487,000 4,004,000 4,103,000 2,169,000 3,753,000 3,813,000 318,000 251,000 290,000 Jan 2010 2,833,000 3,904,000 3,989,000 2,437,000 3,615,000 3,703,000 396,000 289,000 286,000 Feb 2010 2,651,000 3,864,000 3,978,000 2,303,000 3,580,000 3,675,000 348,000 284,000 303,000 Mar 2010 2,679,000 4,302,000 4,072,000 2,257,000 3,959,000 3,769,000 422,000 344,000 303,000 Apr 2010 3,217,000 4,159,000 3,948,000 2,587,000 3,820,000 3,641,000 631,000 338,000 307,000 May 2010 3,019,000 4,420,000 3,911,000 2,622,000 3,686,000 3,600,000 398,000 735,000 311,000 Jun 2010 2,813,000 4,111,000 4,308,000 2,511,000 3,833,000 3,756,000 301,000 278,000 552,000 Jul 2010 3,127,000 4,163,000 4,299,000 2,806,000 3,882,000 3,859,000 321,000 281,000 440,000 Aug 2010 3,025,000 4,046,000 4,067,000 2,674,000 3,780,000 3,642,000 351,000 266,000 425,000 Sep 2010 2,912,000 4,034,000 4,047,000 2,582,000 3,784,000 3,643,000 330,000 250,000 404,000 Oct 2010 3,256,000 4,173,000 3,883,000 2,911,000 3,865,000 3,622,000 345,000 309,000 262,000 Nov 2010 3,134,000 4,182,000 4,041,000 2,810,000 3,903,000 3,746,000 324,000 279,000 295,000 Dec 2010 2,969,000 4,299,000 4,143,000 2,584,000 4,013,000 3,844,000 385,000 285,000 299,000 Jan 2011 3,100,000 4,000,000 4,045,000 2,770,000 3,714,000 3,759,000 330,000 286,000 286,000 Feb 2011 3,213,000 4,231,000 4,014,000 2,894,000 4,003,000 3,742,000 319,000 227,000 272,000 Mar 2011 3,253,000 4,430,000 4,109,000 2,921,000 4,179,000 3,835,000 332,000 251,000 274,000 Apr 2011 3,337,000 4,296,000 3,994,000 2,985,000 4,028,000 3,700,000 352,000 268,000 294,000 May 2011 3,207,000 4,261,000 4,179,000 2,901,000 4,022,000 3,877,000 306,000 239,000 302,000 Jun 2011 3,467,000 4,366,000 4,168,000 3,103,000 4,075,000 3,899,000 364,000 291,000 270,000 Jul 2011 3,676,000 4,261,000 4,180,000 3,348,000 4,020,000 3,866,000 328,000 242,000 314,000 Aug 2011 3,358,000 4,298,000 4,189,000 3,026,000 4,057,000 3,897,000 332,000 241,000 293,000 Sep 2011 3,763,000 4,429,000 4,213,000 3,371,000 4,159,000 3,927,000 392,000 270,000 286,000 Oct 2011 3,650,000 4,370,000 4,147,000 3,283,000 4,101,000 3,887,000 367,000 269,000 260,000 Nov 2011 3,485,000 4,365,000 4,237,000 3,142,000 4,093,000 3,933,000 342,000 272,000 305,000 Dec 2011 3,662,000 4,356,000 4,090,000 3,311,000 4,062,000 3,769,000 351,000 294,000 320,000 Jan 2012 3,904,000 4,457,000 4,195,000 3,565,000 4,172,000 3,901,000 339,000 285,000 294,000 Feb 2012 3,605,000 4,560,000 4,322,000 3,203,000 4,260,000 4,017,000 403,000 300,000 305,000 Mar 2012 3,976,000 4,575,000 4,257,000 3,566,000 4,279,000 3,947,000 409,000 296,000 310,000 Apr 2012 3,878,000 4,389,000 4,329,000 3,497,000 4,098,000 4,013,000 381,000 291,000 316,000 May 2012 3,861,000 4,533,000 4,430,000 3,455,000 4,228,000 4,099,000 405,000 306,000 331,000 Jun 2012 3,916,000 4,440,000 4,383,000 3,524,000 4,121,000 4,086,000 393,000 319,000 297,000 Jul 2012 3,790,000 4,327,000 4,178,000 3,417,000 4,032,000 3,880,000 373,000 295,000 298,000 Aug 2012 3,839,000 4,450,000 4,338,000 3,417,000 4,136,000 4,034,000 422,000 315,000 304,000 Sep 2012 3,861,000 4,302,000 4,100,000 3,482,000 4,022,000 3,834,000 379,000 280,000 266,000 Oct 2012 3,808,000 4,389,000 4,260,000 3,428,000 4,120,000 3,958,000 380,000 269,000 302,000 Nov 2012 3,787,000 4,489,000 4,303,000 3,439,000 4,213,000 4,011,000 348,000 276,000 292,000 Dec 2012 3,840,000 4,452,000 4,117,000 3,446,000 4,162,000 3,827,000 393,000 290,000 290,000 Jan 2013 3,915,000 4,487,000 4,381,000 3,477,000 4,204,000 4,082,000 438,000 283,000 298,000 Feb 2013 3,981,000 4,571,000 4,257,000 3,553,000 4,275,000 3,966,000 428,000 296,000 291,000 Mar 2013 4,080,000 4,369,000 4,215,000 3,672,000 4,100,000 3,918,000 408,000 270,000 296,000 Apr 2013 4,078,000 4,572,000 4,424,000 3,635,000 4,282,000 4,127,000 442,000 290,000 297,000 May 2013 4,173,000 4,663,000 4,433,000 3,755,000 4,376,000 4,136,000 418,000 288,000 297,000 Jun 2013 4,166,000 4,440,000 4,313,000 3,756,000 4,196,000 4,027,000 410,000 244,000 287,000 Jul 2013 3,946,000 4,561,000 4,459,000 3,576,000 4,291,000 4,168,000 370,000 270,000 291,000 Aug 2013 4,112,000 4,730,000 4,522,000 3,718,000 4,430,000 4,249,000 393,000 299,000 273,000 Sep 2013 4,105,000 4,726,000 4,521,000 3,711,000 4,433,000 4,236,000 394,000 293,000 285,000 Oct 2013 4,268,000 4,518,000 4,354,000 3,873,000 4,237,000 4,060,000 395,000 281,000 294,000 Nov 2013 4,002,000 4,622,000 4,332,000 3,616,000 4,326,000 4,049,000 386,000 296,000 283,000 Dec 2013 3,996,000 4,614,000 4,387,000 3,662,000 4,333,000 4,087,000 334,000 280,000 299,000 Jan 2014 4,131,000 4,626,000 4,464,000 3,756,000 4,336,000 4,172,000 375,000 289,000 292,000 Feb 2014 4,347,000 4,696,000 4,511,000 3,939,000 4,405,000 4,223,000 409,000 291,000 288,000 Mar 2014 4,388,000 4,763,000 4,498,000 3,949,000 4,456,000 4,193,000 439,000 307,000 305,000 Apr 2014 4,662,000 4,880,000 4,584,000 4,204,000 4,582,000 4,304,000 458,000 298,000 280,000 May 2014 4,775,000 4,808,000 4,569,000 4,326,000 4,522,000 4,271,000 449,000 285,000 298,000 Jun 2014 4,999,000 4,925,000 4,617,000 4,473,000 4,600,000 4,346,000 526,000 326,000 272,000 Jul 2014 4,919,000 5,008,000 4,786,000 4,450,000 4,721,000 4,506,000 469,000 287,000 280,000 Aug 2014 5,383,000 4,810,000 4,654,000 4,946,000 4,542,000 4,349,000 437,000 267,000 305,000 Sep 2014 4,876,000 5,149,000 4,861,000 4,412,000 4,815,000 4,563,000 464,000 334,000 298,000 Oct 2014 5,066,000 5,111,000 4,941,000 4,635,000 4,806,000 4,643,000 431,000 306,000 298,000 Nov 2014 4,719,000 4,978,000 4,642,000 4,270,000 4,682,000 4,362,000 449,000 296,000 280,000 Dec 2014 4,981,000 5,192,000 4,815,000 4,499,000 4,874,000 4,505,000 482,000 318,000 310,000 Jan 2015 5,377,000 5,071,000 4,874,000 4,876,000 4,756,000 4,567,000 501,000 315,000 307,000 Feb 2015 5,410,000 5,096,000 4,827,000 4,877,000 4,774,000 4,513,000 533,000 322,000 314,000 Mar 2015 5,223,000 5,138,000 5,057,000 4,707,000 4,813,000 4,717,000 516,000 326,000 339,000 Apr 2015 5,726,000 5,205,000 4,943,000 5,176,000 4,853,000 4,626,000 550,000 352,000 317,000 May 2015 5,587,000 5,166,000 4,835,000 5,055,000 4,838,000 4,515,000 532,000 328,000 320,000 Jun 2015 5,259,000 5,127,000 5,010,000 4,778,000 4,795,000 4,666,000 481,000 332,000 343,000 Jul 2015 6,147,000 5,170,000 4,885,000 5,604,000 4,812,000 4,566,000 544,000 358,000 319,000 Aug 2015 5,517,000 5,183,000 5,058,000 5,031,000 4,837,000 4,733,000 487,000 347,000 325,000 Sep 2015 5,450,000 5,260,000 5,104,000 4,982,000 4,943,000 4,774,000 468,000 317,000 330,000 Oct 2015 5,846,000 5,321,000 5,036,000 5,328,000 4,968,000 4,692,000 519,000 353,000 344,000 Nov 2015 5,564,000 5,341,000 5,065,000 5,064,000 4,990,000 4,734,000 500,000 351,000 331,000 Dec 2015 5,678,000 5,546,000 5,208,000 5,157,000 5,181,000 4,863,000 521,000 365,000 345,000 Jan 2016 5,977,000 5,214,000 5,112,000 5,482,000 4,856,000 4,773,000 495,000 358,000 339,000 Feb 2016 5,747,000 5,493,000 5,258,000 5,246,000 5,148,000 4,923,000 500,000 344,000 335,000 Mar 2016 6,151,000 5,369,000 5,130,000 5,644,000 4,996,000 4,795,000 507,000 373,000 336,000 Apr 2016 5,872,000 5,304,000 5,125,000 5,344,000 4,959,000 4,785,000 528,000 345,000 340,000 May 2016 5,775,000 5,228,000 5,150,000 5,230,000 4,869,000 4,806,000 545,000 359,000 344,000 Jun 2016 5,778,000 5,288,000 5,058,000 5,276,000 4,930,000 4,703,000 502,000 357,000 354,000 Jul 2016 6,088,000 5,427,000 5,118,000 5,513,000 5,033,000 4,813,000 575,000 394,000 304,000 Aug 2016 5,720,000 5,321,000 5,188,000 5,223,000 4,973,000 4,823,000 498,000 348,000 365,000 Sep 2016 5,828,000 5,273,000 4,978,000 5,306,000 4,906,000 4,641,000 521,000 366,000 337,000 Oct 2016 5,616,000 5,177,000 5,127,000 5,126,000 4,849,000 4,798,000 491,000 328,000 329,000 Nov 2016 5,862,000 5,320,000 5,108,000 5,311,000 4,995,000 4,772,000 551,000 326,000 336,000 Dec 2016 5,831,000 5,408,000 5,115,000 5,293,000 5,082,000 4,808,000 538,000 326,000 306,000 Jan 2017 5,624,000 5,528,000 5,289,000 5,149,000 5,177,000 4,950,000 475,000 352,000 339,000 Feb 2017 5,875,000 5,313,000 5,132,000 5,354,000 4,963,000 4,780,000 521,000 349,000 353,000 Mar 2017 5,848,000 5,389,000 5,264,000 5,318,000 5,048,000 4,939,000 530,000 341,000 325,000 Apr 2017 6,157,000 5,292,000 5,107,000 5,593,000 4,955,000 4,772,000 564,000 337,000 334,000 May 2017 5,821,000 5,469,000 5,285,000 5,264,000 5,123,000 4,936,000 557,000 346,000 349,000 Jun 2017 6,371,000 5,652,000 5,453,000 5,788,000 5,304,000 5,124,000 582,000 348,000 329,000 Jul 2017 6,349,000 5,510,000 5,356,000 5,805,000 5,173,000 5,024,000 544,000 337,000 333,000 Aug 2017 6,352,000 5,548,000 5,367,000 5,820,000 5,205,000 5,028,000 532,000 343,000 339,000 Sep 2017 6,256,000 5,395,000 5,339,000 5,701,000 5,049,000 5,003,000 555,000 346,000 337,000 Oct 2017 6,405,000 5,587,000 5,349,000 5,861,000 5,241,000 5,020,000 544,000 346,000 329,000 Nov 2017 6,163,000 5,486,000 5,225,000 5,655,000 5,122,000 4,878,000 509,000 364,000 347,000 Dec 2017 6,204,000 5,488,000 5,283,000 5,644,000 5,133,000 4,930,000 560,000 355,000 354,000 Jan 2018 6,591,000 5,525,000 5,317,000 6,025,000 5,194,000 4,983,000 566,000 330,000 334,000 Feb 2018 6,530,000 5,594,000 5,270,000 5,925,000 5,243,000 4,930,000 605,000 351,000 341,000 Mar 2018 6,894,000 5,625,000 5,446,000 6,236,000 5,282,000 5,108,000 659,000 344,000 338,000 Apr 2018 7,106,000 5,694,000 5,467,000 6,497,000 5,334,000 5,128,000 609,000 359,000 339,000 May 2018 7,126,000 5,862,000 5,502,000 6,525,000 5,510,000 5,166,000 600,000 352,000 336,000 Jun 2018 7,393,000 5,833,000 5,565,000 6,752,000 5,460,000 5,210,000 641,000 373,000 355,000 Jul 2018 7,442,000 5,833,000 5,675,000 6,764,000 5,443,000 5,281,000 678,000 390,000 394,000 Aug 2018 7,342,000 5,826,000 5,600,000 6,611,000 5,435,000 5,257,000 730,000 391,000 343,000 Sep 2018 7,392,000 5,670,000 5,558,000 6,771,000 5,327,000 5,216,000 621,000 343,000 342,000 Oct 2018 7,593,000 5,877,000 5,642,000 6,956,000 5,515,000 5,279,000 637,000 362,000 363,000 Nov 2018 7,626,000 5,821,000 5,597,000 6,962,000 5,447,000 5,230,000 665,000 375,000 367,000 Dec 2018 7,479,000 5,717,000 5,469,000 6,860,000 5,353,000 5,122,000 619,000 364,000 347,000 Jan 2019 7,625,000 5,829,000 5,532,000 6,929,000 5,434,000 5,146,000 696,000 395,000 386,000 Feb 2019 7,142,000 5,695,000 5,576,000 6,437,000 5,333,000 5,206,000 705,000 362,000 370,000 Mar 2019 7,474,000 5,697,000 5,508,000 6,772,000 5,345,000 5,171,000 702,000 352,000 337,000 Apr 2019 7,372,000 5,991,000 5,687,000 6,635,000 5,613,000 5,335,000 737,000 379,000 353,000 May 2019 7,384,000 5,760,000 5,557,000 6,680,000 5,398,000 5,208,000 704,000 361,000 349,000 Jun 2019 7,248,000 5,716,000 5,513,000 6,560,000 5,377,000 5,174,000 688,000 339,000 339,000 Jul 2019 7,174,000 5,978,000 5,810,000 6,462,000 5,620,000 5,473,000 712,000 358,000 336,000 Aug 2019 7,301,000 5,884,000 5,732,000 6,562,000 5,489,000 5,385,000 739,000 396,000 347,000 Sep 2019 7,032,000 5,951,000 5,798,000 6,314,000 5,596,000 5,454,000 719,000 355,000 344,000 Oct 2019 7,361,000 5,782,000 5,652,000 6,600,000 5,426,000 5,282,000 761,000 356,000 370,000 Nov 2019 6,800,000 5,821,000 5,648,000 6,080,000 5,450,000 5,298,000 719,000 371,000 351,000

November job openings decreased for total private (−520,000) and edged down for government (−42,000). The largest decreases in job openings were in retail trade (−139,000) and construction (−112,000).

These data are from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The data are seasonally adjusted. To learn more, see “Job Openings and Labor Turnover — November 2019.” We also have more charts on hires, separations, and job openings. Total separations include quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Quits usually are voluntary separations started by the employee. Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations started by the employer. Other separations may result from retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.

RELATED SUBJECTS Employment