August Ends with 2.4 Million Job Openings Nationwide

On the last business day of August, the number of job openings in the
U.S. was at a series low level of 2.4 million, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The hires rate was little
changed and remained low at 3.1 percent in August. The total
separations rate was little changed and remained low at 3.3 percent.


The job openings rate was unchanged in August at a rate of 1.8
percent. The number of job openings has fallen by 2.4 million, or 50
percent, since the most recent peak in June 2007.

Over the 12 months ending in August, hires totaled 50.9 million and
separations totaled 56.1 million, yielding a net employment loss of
5.2 million.

This information is from the Job Openings and Labor turnover Survey (JOLTS) conducted and published by the Buruea of Labor Statistics.