June 3 (UPI) -- At 7.4 million, the number of job openings was little changed in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday.
During the month, both hires and what the bureau called "total separations" were little changed at 5.6 million and 5.3 million, respectively, experts said.
Also, within separations, quits (at 3.2 million) and layoffs and discharges (at 1.8 million), recorded little change, bureau experts said.
The bureau's update included estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires and separations for the total nonfarm sector. Job openings include all the positions that are open on the last business day of the month.
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Hires and separations include all changes to the payroll during the entire month, as well.
In their Tuesday release on the numbers, bureau officials said the April statistics and rate of job openings were little changed at 7.4 million and 4.4 percent.
Experts noted that the number of job openings decreased in accommodation and food services (-135,000) and in state and local government, education (-51,000). Meanwhile, the number of job openings increased in arts, entertainment, and recreation (+43,000) and in mining and logging (+10,000), they said.
Additionally, the number of hires was little changed in all industries in April, they said.
The number of total separations in April was little changed at 5.3 million while the total separations rate remained unchanged at 3.3 percent. Total separations increased in federal government (+9,000).
In April, the number and rate of quits were little changed at 3.2 million and 2.0 percent, respectively. The number of quits was down by 220,000 over the year, bureau officials said. In April, the number and rate of layoffs and discharges were little changed at 1.8 million and 1.1 percent, respectively.
According to April numbers, layoffs and discharges increased in health care and social assistance (+52,000) but decreased in state and local government, excluding education (-14,000) and in federal government (-4,000).
May's numbers are scheduled for release next month, the bureau said.
