Washington Job Openings and Labor Turnover — May 2024

Washington had 167,000 job openings in May 2024, compared to 129,000 openings in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the job openings rate in Washington was 4.4 percent in May and 3.4 percent in the previous month. (See chart 1 and table 2.) The job openings rate nationally was 4.9 percent in May and 4.8 percent in April. (See table 3.) All data in this release are seasonally adjusted. (See table 3.) All data in this release are seasonally adjusted.

The ratio of unemployed persons per job opening in Washington was 1.2 in May. Nationwide, 36 states and the District of Columbia had ratios in May that were lower than the national ratio of 0.8 unemployed persons per job opening; 11 states had ratios that were higher than the national ratio, and 3 states had ratios equal to the national measure. (See map 1.)

In May, Washington had 121,000 hires and 115,000 separations, compared to 111,000 hires and 115,000 separations in April. (See chart 2.) Over the 12 months ending in May, hires have averaged 110,000 per month and separations have averaged 112,000 per month. These averages include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.

Among the May separations in Washington, 70,000 were quits and 39,000 were layoffs and discharges, compared to 69,000 quits and 35,000 layoffs and discharges in April. (See chart 3.) Over the last 12 months, quits averaged 69,000 per month, ranging from 55,000 to 77,000. Layoffs and discharges have averaged 37,000 per month, ranging from 27,000 to 49,000.

The State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for June 2024 are scheduled to be released on Friday, August 16, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Technical Note

This news release presents statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The JOLTS program provides information on labor demand and turnover. The state estimates produced by JOLTS are model-based, incorporating JOLTS sample, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), and Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates. For more information see the JOLTS State Estimates Methodology.

Job Openings. Job openings include all positions that are open on the last business day of the reference month. A job is open only if it meets all three of these conditions:

• A specific position exists and there is work available for that position.
• The job could start within 30 days.
• The employer is actively recruiting workers from outside the establishment to fill the position.

The number of unemployed persons per job opening is a ratio of the level of unemployed persons and the level of job openings. The number of unemployed persons at the national level is an estimate from the Current Population Survey (CPS), while state-level unemployment estimates are modeled by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. A ratio of 1.0 means there is a job available for every unemployed person. Lower ratios signal tighter labor markets, where firms have more job openings than there are unemployed persons available to work. Higher ratios indicate there are more unemployed persons competing for each job opening.

Hires. Hires include all additions to the payroll during the entire reference month.

Separations. Separations include all separations from the payroll during the entire reference month and is reported by type of separation: quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations.

• Quits include employees who left voluntarily, except for retirements or transfers to other locations.
• Layoffs and discharges include involuntary separations initiated by the employer.
• Other separations include retirements, transfers to other locations, separations due to employee disability, and deaths.

Levels and rates of other separations represent a small portion of total separations and are not published with the release of state estimates.

Complete definitions, including exclusions, and additional information about the State JOLTS data presented in this release are available in the State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Technical Note.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Job openings and labor turnover for Washington, seasonally adjusted (in thousands)

Estimate	May 2023	February 2024	March 2024	April 2024	May 2024(p)	Change from April 2024 to May 2024(p)
Openings	167	178	164	129	167	38
Hires	136	119	103	111	121	10
Total separations	106	121	109	115	115	0
Quits	76	77	60	69	70	1
Layoffs & discharges	23	35	44	35	39	4
Footnotes: (p) Preliminary.

Table 2. Job openings and labor turnover rates for Washington, seasonally adjusted

Estimate	May 2023	February 2024	March 2024	April 2024	May 2024(p)	Change from April 2024 to May 2024(p)
Openings(1)	4.4	4.7	4.3	3.4	4.4	1.0
Hires(2)	3.8	3.3	2.8	3.0	3.3	0.3
Total separations(3)	2.9	3.3	3.0	3.2	3.1	-0.1
Quits(3)	2.1	2.1	1.6	1.9	1.9	0.0
Layoffs & discharges(3)	0.6	1.0	1.2	1.0	1.1	0.1
Footnotes: (p) Preliminary. (1) The job openings rate is computed by dividing the number of job openings by the sum of employment and job openings and multiplying that quotient by 100. (2) The hires rate is computed by dividing the number of hires by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. (3) The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. The quits and layoffs and discharges rates are computed similarly.

Table 3. Job openings and labor turnover rates for the United States, seasonally adjusted

Estimate	May 2023	February 2024	March 2024	April 2024	May 2024(p)	Change from April 2024 to May 2024(p)
Openings(1)	5.6	5.3	5.0	4.8	4.9	0.1
Hires(2)	4.0	3.7	3.6	3.5	3.6	0.1
Total separations(3)	3.8	3.5	3.4	3.4	3.4	0.0
Quits(3)	2.6	2.2	2.2	2.2	2.2	0.0
Layoffs & discharges(3)	1.0	1.1	1.0	1.0	1.0	0.0
Footnotes: (p) Preliminary. (1) The job openings rate is computed by dividing the number of job openings by the sum of employment and job openings and multiplying that quotient by 100. (2) The hires rate is computed by dividing the number of hires by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. (3) The separations rate is computed by dividing the number of separations by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. The quits and layoffs and discharges rates are computed similarly.

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