The number of job openings was little changed at 5.6 million on the last business day of January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and separations were also little changed at 5.4 million and 5.3 million, respectively. Within separations, the quits rate was little changed
at 2.2 percent and the layoffs and discharges rate was unchanged at 1.1 percent.

This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the nonfarm sector by industry and by four geographic regions. The release also includes 2016 annual estimates for hires and separations. The annual number of hires at 62.7 million in 2016 was essentially the same as in 2015. The annual number of quits at 36.1 million increased in 2016 while the annual number of layoffs and discharges at 19.9 million declined.