The overall jobs picture in the United States did not look materially different in October from the month before, according to figures released Tuesday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The number of job openings was little changed at 5.4 million on the last business day of October. Hires and separations were little changed at 5.1 million and 4.9 million, respectively. Within separations, the quits rate was 1.9% for the seventh consecutive month, and the layoffs and discharges rate was 1.2%. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the non-farm sector by industry and by four geographic regions.
The bureau goes on to say that the job openings rate was 3.6%. The number of job openings was little changed in October for total private and government. Job openings decreased in professional and business services (-137,000) and in the West region (-132,000)
There were 4.9 million total separations in October -- that is to say, quits, layoffs and discharges -- little changed from September. The total separations rate was 3.4%.
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