The number of job openings in October slipped to 6.0 million compared to 6.2 million in the previous month, but the number of hires increased to 5.6 million from September's 5.3 million, U.S. Department of Labor data showed on Dec. 11.
Moreover, the number of total separations changed only slightly over the month at 5.2 million; the quits levels remained stable at 3.2 million while the layoffs and discharges levels fell to 1.6 million from September's 1.8 million. Other separations edged up to 0.4 million from September's 0.3 million.
The official data showed that over the 12 months ended October, the number of hires totaled 64.3 million and separations totaled 62.2 million, generating a net employment gain of 2.1 million. The Labor Department said that the total figures included workers who may have been hired and separated multiple times over the year.
