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Impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Job Openings and Labor Turnover data for September 2020

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) national estimates of job openings, hires, and separations have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This page provides further information on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic for the September 2020 JOLTS news release.

More information on the JOLTS methodology can be found in the JOLTS Handbook of Methods chapter.

Collection mode

Data collection for the JOLTS survey was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, JOLTS collected 42 percent of data by phone at the JOLTS data collection center on average. Most phone respondents were asked to report electronically. However, data collection was adversely impacted by the inability to reach some respondents that normally respond by phone.

 Table 1. Percent of establishments responding by collection mode for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey
Collection mode 12-month average through February 2020 March 2020 April 2020 May 2020 June 2020 July 2020 August 2020 September 2020

Phone

42% 19% 27% 28% 32% 31% 32% 33%

Web

52% 75% 68% 67% 62% 65% 63% 62%

Other

6% 6% 5% 5% 6% 4% 5% 6%

Response rates

The preliminary JOLTS response rate for September 2020 was 47 percent. In August, the final response rate was 50 percent. In the year prior to the pandemic, the preliminary response rate averaged 54 percent and the final response rate averaged 58 percent.

In September, JOLTS response rates declined in all industries and size classes. The industries most impacted were real estate and rental and leasing as well as accommodations and food services. The industries least impacted was federal government.

Table 2. Response rates for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey
Time period Preliminary Rate Final Rate

12-month average through February 2020

54% 58%

March 2020

46% 51%

April 2020

44% 49%

May 2020

45% 51%

June 2020

47% 50%

July 2020

46% 50%

August 2020

47% 50%

September 2020

47% Not available

Imputation

JOLTS imputation for September resulted in very few cells with more imputation relative to the previous year. The industries that generally experienced more imputation were transportation, warehousing, and utilities and real estate and rental and leasing.

Changes to methods

In anticipation of issues due to the pandemic, the JOLTS program reviewed all estimation and methodological procedures. An adjustment has been made to the JOLTS estimation methodology in order to more accurately reflect the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Adjustments were also made to the seasonal adjustment process.

Estimation

BLS modified the JOLTS estimates starting in March and continuing through September to better reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The estimation process usually includes an alignment of monthly hires minus separations to the over-the-month change in the Current Employment Statistics (CES) employment estimates. BLS suspended the alignment process because the differing reference periods for the CES employment estimates (pay period including the 12th of the month) and the JOLTS hires and separations estimates (the entire reference month) led to different measurement outcomes. For example, hires and separations during the latter half of September were not included in the CES employment change for September, but were included in the JOLTS data for the month.

The alignment portion of the JOLTS estimation process was designed to correct a long-term divergence between the JOLTS implied employment change and the CES employment change. JOLTS hires minus separations and CES employment change generally approximate one another. Alignment was developed to correct small monthly discrepancies between the two series that build up over time; it was not designed to address a substantial short-term divergence between the two series. The alignment process was suppressed in order to produce the highest quality JOLTS estimates possible in this unique situation.

Seasonal Adjustment

Seasonal adjustment factors can be either multiplicative or additive. A multiplicative seasonal effect is assumed to be proportional to the level of the series. A sudden large increase in the level of the series will be accompanied by a proportionally large seasonal effect. In contrast, an additive seasonal effect is assumed to be unaffected by the level of the series. In times of relative economic stability, the multiplicative option is generally preferred over the additive option. However, in the presence of a large level shift in a time series, multiplicative seasonal adjustment factors can result in systematic over- or under-adjustment of the series; in such cases, additive seasonal adjustment factors are preferred since they tend to more accurately track seasonal fluctuations in the series and have smaller revisions.

In September, the majority of the JOLTS series will retain the additive designation. In accordance with the survey’s usual practice, the seasonal adjustment models and factors will be reviewed at the end of the calendar year, when 5 years of seasonally adjusted estimates will be subject to revision.

Comparison of September JOLTS Estimates with Previous Months

Please see the following tables for a comparison of September 2020 estimates to historical levels.

Table 3a. Job openings by sector and region (numbers in thousands)
Sector and region September 2020 level Monthly change Monthly percent change Last time level was smaller or equal or next closest Last time level was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was larger or equal or next closest

Total nonfarm

6,436 84 1.3 Aug 2020 6,352 Jul 2020 6,697 Aug 2020 -345 Jul 2020 696 Aug 2020 -5.2 Jul 2020 11.6

Total private

5,740 104 1.8 Aug 2020 5,636 Jul 2020 5,879 Aug 2020 -243 Jul 2020 532 Aug 2020 -4.1 Jul 2020 9.9

Government

695 -21 -2.9 Jun 2020 654 Aug 2020 716 Aug 2020 -102 Jul 2020 164 Aug 2020 -12.5 Jul 2020 25.1

Region

Northeast

1,116 36 3.3 Aug 2020 1,080 Jul 2020 1,209 Aug 2020 -129 Jul 2020 86 Aug 2020 -10.7 Jul 2020 7.7

South

2,532 20 0.8 Aug 2020 2,512 Feb 2020 2,589 Apr 2020 -395 Aug 2020 33 Apr 2020 -17.5 Aug 2020 1.3

Midwest

1,378 12 0.9 Aug 2020 1,366 Jul 2020 1,561 Aug 2020 -195 Jul 2020 232 Aug 2020 -12.5 Jul 2020 17.5

West

1,410 16 1.1 Aug 2020 1,394 Jul 2020 1,448 Aug 2020 -54 Jul 2020 125 Aug 2020 -3.7 Jul 2020 9.4
Table 3b. Hires by sector and region (numbers in thousands)
Sector and region September 2020 level Monthly change Monthly percent change Last time level was smaller or equal or next closest Last time level was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was larger or equal or next closest

Total nonfarm

5,871 -81 -1.4 Apr 2020 4,047 Aug 2020 5,952 Jul 2020 -1067 Aug 2020 49 Jul 2020 -15.3 Aug 2020 0.8

Total private

5,563 169 3.1 Aug 2020 5,394 Jul 2020 5,569 Aug 2020 -175 May 2020 3140 Aug 2020 -3.1 May 2020 82.4

Government

308 -250 -44.8 Jun 2020 281 Aug 2020 558 Jun 2010 -457 Aug 2020 224 Jun 2010 -62.2 Aug 2020 67.1

Region

Northeast

977 -40 -3.9 Apr 2020 534 Aug 2020 1,017 Jul 2020 -162 Aug 2020 -35 Jul 2020 -13.3 Aug 2020 -3.3

South

2,256 -22 -1.0 Jul 2020 2,173 Aug 2020 2,278 Jul 2020 -244 Aug 2020 105 Jul 2020 -10.1 Aug 2020 4.8

Midwest

1,203 -108 -8.2 Apr 2020 914 Aug 2020 1,311 Jul 2020 -375 Aug 2020 4 Jul 2020 -22.3 Aug 2020 0.3

West

1,435 89 6.6 Aug 2020 1,346 Jun 2020 1,656 Aug 2020 -25 May 2020 1044 Aug 2020 -1.8 May 2020 102.9
Table 3c. Total separations by sector and region (numbers in thousands)
Sector and region September 2020 level Monthly change Monthly percent change Last time level was smaller or equal or next closest Last time level was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was larger or equal or next closest

Total nonfarm

4,664 -25 -0.5 May 2020 4,236 Aug 2020 4,689 Aug 2020 -299 Jul 2020 89 Aug 2020 -6.0 Jul 2020 1.8

Total private

4,332 -81 -1.8 May 2020 3,935 Aug 2020 4,413 Aug 2020 -316 Jul 2020 73 Aug 2020 -6.7 Jul 2020 1.6

Government

332 56 20.3 Aug 2020 276 Apr 2020 439 Aug 2020 17 Aug 2016 64 Aug 2020 6.6 Aug 2016 21.5

Region

Northeast

649 -53 -7.5 Dec 2011 657 Aug 2020 702 Aug 2020 -64 Jun 2020 114 Aug 2020 -8.4 Jun 2020 15.7

South

1,854 -41 -2.2 May 2020 1,675 Aug 2020 1,895 May 2020 -1754 Aug 2020 -20 May 2020 -51.2 Aug 2020 -1.0

Midwest

1,079 24 2.3 Aug 2020 1,055 Jul 2020 1,121 Aug 2020 -66 Jul 2020 41 Aug 2020 -5.9 Jul 2020 3.8

West

1,082 45 4.3 Aug 2020 1,037 Jul 2020 1,185 Aug 2020 -148 Jul 2020 70 Aug 2020 -12.5 Jul 2020 6.3
Table 3d. Layoffs and discharges by sector and region (numbers in thousands)
Sector and region September 2020 level Monthly change Monthly percent change Last time level was smaller or equal or next closest Last time level was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was larger or equal or next closest

Total nonfarm

1,333 -200 -13.0 Aug 2020 1,533 Aug 2020 1533 Aug 2020 -212 Jun 2020 92 May 2020 -75.3 Aug 2020 -12.1

Total private

1,206 -258 -17.6 Aug 2020 1,464 Aug 2020 1464 May 2020 -5701 Aug 2020 -226 May 2020 -76.2 Aug 2020 -13.4

Government

126 57 82.6 Aug 2020 69 Apr 2020 227 Aug 2020 14 Mar 2020 78 Aug 2020 25.5 Jun 2010 134.4

Region

Northeast

194 -70 -26.5 Aug 2006 240 Aug 2020 264 Jul 2020 -95 Aug 2020 -36 May 2020 -73.4 Aug 2020 -12.0

South

442 -98 -18.1 Aug 2020 540 Aug 2020 540 Aug 2020 -99 Jul 2020 -67 May 2020 -73.5 Aug 2020 -15.5

Midwest

331 -24 -6.8 Mar 2019 329 Aug 2020 355 Jul 2020 -61 Aug 2020 0 Jul 2020 -14.7 Aug 2020 0.0

West

365 -9 -2.4 Jun 2019 364 Aug 2020 374 Aug 2020 -77 Jun 2020 49 Aug 2020 -17.1 Jun 2020 11.4
Table 3e. Quits by sector and region (numbers in thousands)
Sector and region September 2020 level Monthly change Monthly percent change Last time level was smaller or equal or next closest Last time level was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly change was larger or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was smaller or equal or next closest Last time monthly percent change was larger or equal or next closest

Total nonfarm

3,018 179 6.3 Aug 2020 2,839 Feb 2020 3,436 Aug 2020 -93 Jul 2020 327 Aug 2020 -3.2 Jul 2020 12.6

Total private

2,868 172 6.4 Aug 2020 2,696 Feb 2020 3,245 Aug 2020 -93 Jul 2020 297 Aug 2020 -3.3 Jul 2020 11.9

Government

150 8 5.6 Aug 2020 142 Mar 2020 170 Aug 2020 -1 Jul 2020 30 Aug 2020 -0.7 Jul 2020 26.5

Region

Northeast

404 15 3.9 Aug 2020 389 Jul 2020 410 Aug 2020 -21 Jul 2020 18 Aug 2020 -5.1 Jul 2020 4.6

South

1,287 54 4.4 Aug 2020 1,233 Feb 2020 1,347 Apr 2020 -307 Aug 2020 73 Apr 2020 -28.0 Aug 2020 6.3

Midwest

687 54 8.5 Aug 2020 633 Jul 2020 703 Aug 2020 -70 Jul 2020 104 Aug 2020 -10.0 Jul 2020 17.4

West

639 56 9.6 Aug 2020 583 Jul 2020 658 Aug 2020 -75 Jul 2020 98 Aug 2020 -11.4 Jul 2020 17.5

Last Modified Date: November 10, 2020