Job openings slightly changed from April to May with a rise in retail trade and a fall in professional and business services, according to a recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The hiring prospects improved in the Midwest but stayed the same in other regions.
Job openings over the year occurred in several industries including retail trade, transportation, warehousing, utilities, finance and insurance, while openings decreased in durable goods, manufacturing, and professional and business services.
The hiring rate stayed relatively unchanged at 3.3 percent in all industries and regions comparing April to May this year. The hiring rate rose in mining and logging and fell in accommodation and food services.
Job turnover remained at 3.2 percent from April to May this year. The rate of employees quitting their jobs stayed at 1.6 percent for total non-farm and 1.8 percent for total private. The quit rate for government employees stayed low at 0.6 percent. The highest rate of quits over the year occurred in the educational services industry and stayed relatively the same for total non-farm, total private and government in all four regions.
The layoffs and discharge rate remained at 1.3 percent in May with little movement in total private at 1.4 percent and government at 0.4 percent in all four geographical regions of the country. In the last year, the rate of layoffs and discharges in government, professional and business services and educational services fell but little changed for total non-farm and total private sectors.
