Supporting_Statement_A_(1220-0170)_JOLTS

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey

OMB Control Number: 1220-0170

OMB Expiration Date: 12/31/2025

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR

JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER SURVEY

OMB CONTROL NO. 1220-0170

This ICR seeks to extend the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

1. JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) collects data on job vacancies, labor hires, and labor separations. The data can be used as demand-side indicators of labor shortages. These indicators of labor shortages at the national level will greatly enhance policy makers' understanding of imbalances between the demand for and supply of labor. Presently there is no other economic indicator of the demand for labor with which to assess the presence of labor shortages in the U.S. labor market. The availability of unfilled jobs - the number of job vacancies or the vacancy rate - is an important measure of tightness of job markets, parallel to existing measures of unemployment.

JOLTS statistics reveal structural labor market conditions and can be used to shed light on topics such as the effectiveness of job matching and training processes, the implications of unemployment insurance and welfare, and deficient demand for labor.

JOLTS statistics can be used as a potential indicator of business cycles. In addition, JOLTS statistics allow businesses to compare their turnover rates to national rates.

Title 29, chapter 1, part 2 of United States Code authorizes JOLTS data collection.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

The information is collected once a month at two BLS data collection centers (DCCs). These data collection centers are located in Atlanta, Georgia, and Kansas City, Missouri. Data is collected from private-sector businesses, State and local governments, and the Federal Government. It is collected using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI), web reporting, email, and fax. For the next survey round, an establishment will be in the sample for 36 months.

Upon receiving the selected sample, the sample units are distributed among Atlanta and Kansas City DCC interviewers. Interviewers then conduct address refinement. Address refinement requires interviewers to confirm correct contact information for an establishment. Once this has been done, the enrollment package is printed and mailed to the respondent. During the first three months of collection, the interviewer calls the respondent and conducts the interview over the phone using CATI. The first month includes clarification on the reporting unit. During the three-month interview, the interviewer prepares the respondent for rollover to report via web, email, or fax. Each respondent is encouraged to report all remaining months of data using web reporting.

JOLTS collects 6 data elements. Those elements are Total Employment, Total Number of Job Openings, Total Hires, Quits, Layoffs and Discharges, and Other Separations. Quits, Layoffs and Discharges, and Other Separations comprise Total Separations.

The reference period for Total Employment is the pay period including the 12th of the month. The reference period for Job Openings is the last business day of the month. The reference period for Hires and Separations is the entire month.

JOLTS has been the principal source of the official federal statistics on job openings and labor turnover for over 20 years. The information gathered through JOLTS is of paramount importance in monitoring the economic health of the Nation. The JOLTS data are published in a monthly news release and in the BLS online database. Published estimates include levels and rates for the JOLTS data elements—job openings, hires, total separations, quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Estimates are broken out by NAICS Supersector, major Census region, and establishment size class.

Additionally, JOLTS data feature in other BLS publications that interpret and report labor market developments. Businesses use the data to compare their own turnover rates to a national figure. JOLTS data are useful to academics studying labor economics. Policy analysts can use the data to track the business cycle.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also, describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

JOLTS collects data using Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) for the first three months a unit is in the sample.  The initial three months reporting via CATI is necessary to help the respondent understand the form and data requested. JOLTS then encourages web reporting, which allows respondents to report at a time convenient for them.  There are two options to report online: respondents can submit individual reports using their report numbers; or respondent can establish a reporting account (with User ID and Password) from which they can immediately identify reporting location, submit multiple reports at once, and provide explanations for irregular data. The latter option is ideal for multiple unit reporters, though any reporter may find this site’s additional features helpful email and fax reporting are other alternatives for collection.  Having multiple collection modes gives respondents flexibility to choose the best reporting method for them. The data collection tools are designed to be as efficient as possible and to minimize the respondent burden.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item A.2 above.

Some other data sources provide estimates that are related to JOLTS data. Within BLS, the Business Employment Dynamics (BED) program produces measures of net change in private-sector employment at the establishment level from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next quarter. Gross job gains and job losses are compiled to calculate net employment change—that is, employment in expanding, contracting, opening, or closing establishments. BED does not produce a count of the number of hires or separations and cannot be used to approximate job openings. However, BED gross job gains and JOLTS hires do share some similarities in trend, as do gross job losses and JOLTS total separations. Unlike JOLTS, the BED statistics do not include the public sector and are not available monthly. They are also available considerably later than JOLTS data. For example, BED data for December 2022 was published in July 2023, while December JOLTS data was published in February 2023.

The Current Population Survey (CPS) releases monthly estimates of unemployed job losers and unemployed job leavers in the monthly Employment Situation news release. While these would appear to roughly correspond to JOLTS measures of layoffs and discharges and of quits, there is an important difference: the CPS data are limited to the unemployed—that is, to those who are actively looking for work. Thus, unlike JOLTS, they do not include people who have found employment or people who are not actively looking for work. CPS also produces measures of labor market status flows into and out of employment, unemployment, and people not in the labor force. While the labor force status flows data have similar trends as the JOLTS hires and total separations measures, they do not provide the industry, geographic, or size class detail that JOLTS measures do.

The BLS 2022 Business Response Survey (BRS), fielded from August through September 2022, included questions about hiring and vacancies. This survey of establishments provided detail not available through JOLTS, such as information about employers’ recruiting methods, the length of time vacancies had been open, and whether open positions were eligible for telework. This survey provided a one-time snapshot of the labor market, while JOLTS provides monthly data to monitor the changing labor market.

The Job-to-Job Flows (J2J) statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau are measure of job mobility and thus, J2J uses longitudinal administrative data on worker job histories to trace worker movements across industries, geographic labor markets, and in and out of employment. J2J and JOLTS do complement each other, but they differ in methodology and timeliness. Likewise, while hires and separations produced by J2J track well with JOLTS’s hires and separations estimates, J2J do not disaggregate separations to determine voluntary, involuntary, or other separations. J2J are also released on a quarterly basis in contrast with JOLTS’s more timely monthly release.

Some nonfederal entities produce data using online job postings. The Help Wanted Online (HWOL) Index, published by The Conference Board, measures changes over time in advertised online job vacancies, reflecting monthly trends in employment opportunities across the US from over 45,000 online job domains, including traditional job boards, corporate boards, and social media sites. This measure tracks fairly closely with the JOLTS job openings estimates. Beginning in January 2020, the HWOL Index was refined as an estimate of change in job openings, using a series of econometric models which incorporate job ads with other macroeconomic indicators such as employment and aggregate hours worked. Additional online labor demand estimates are produced from internal data by Indeed hiring lab, which produces the Indeed Job Postings Index. The Indeed Job Postings Index is based on job postings on Indeed.com only. Both the HWOL Index and the Indeed Job Postings Index have narrower definitions of job openings than JOLTS since it is restricted to jobs that are advertised online; job openings in JOLTS include vacancies for which employers made different recruiting efforts, such as posting “help wanted” signs, networking or making “word-of-mouth” announcements, and soliciting employees at job fairs. In addition, by JOLTS definitions, a job opening requires that a specific position exists and that the job could start within 30 days; this requirement does not apply in the HWOL Index or in the Indeed Job Postings Index. Also, the HWOL Index uses national and state JOLTS data as inputs into its models.

While other data sources serve as useful labor demand indicators, none provide as complete and timely a picture of job openings, hires, and separations as JOLTS. JOLTS definitions are structured to capture the most up-to-date labor demand and turnover data. For example, the definition for job openings requires that a position be fillable within 30 days, ensuring that data reflect current demand in the economy. Additionally, the components of separations that JOLTS publishes (quits, layoff and discharges, and other separations) allow users to better identify turnover trends in the economy. For instance, high quits generally indicate a healthy economy, as employees are in effect signaling confidence in attaining a better situation. JOLTS remains the premier labor demand and turnover survey at the establishment level, with specific questions intended to assess monthly changes directly from employers.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.

The information requested is readily available in both small and large firms. Special attention was paid to selecting reference periods for data elements that were easily understandable to all respondents.

The JOLTS sampling frame is stratified by geographic Region, Industry Supersector, and Employment Size Class. A stratified sample is allocated using the Neyman allocation (Cochran, 1977, pp. 259-261) methodology. This stratification and allocation methodology ensures that small businesses are sampled at a lower rate (i.e., lower probability of selection) than large businesses; this reduces the respondent burden on small establishments relative to large establishments.

6. Describe the consequence to federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

JOLTS produces extremely timely indicators of the demand for labor that are parallel to existing measures of unemployment. If JOLTS was not collected or was collected less frequently, BLS would be unable to produce demand-side estimates that could be used to assess the health of labor market in real time. In addition, estimates that could be used as leading indicators of business cycles and current economic trends would not be produced in a timely manner, if at all.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:

• requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly;

• requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;

• requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document;

• requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;

• in connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;

• requiring the use of statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;

• that includes a pledge of confidentially that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; or

• requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secret, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information's confidentially to the extent permitted by law.

JOLTS is specifically designed as a monthly indicator that can provide timely information on the health of the labor market. If the data were collected less often, the JOLTS estimates could not be produced monthly and would be less timely and relevant.

8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.

Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

Consultation with representatives of those from whom information is to be obtained or those who must compile records should occur at least once every 3 years -- even if the collection-of-information activity is the same as in prior periods. There may be circumstances that may preclude consultation in a specific situation. These circumstances should be explained.

One comment wase received as a result of the Federal Register notice published in 90 FR 29893 on July 7, 2025.

The comment, which was emailed to BLS on July 7, 2025, was out of scope. JOLTS has been the principal source of the official federal statistics on job openings and labor turnover for over 20 years. The information gathered in this collection is of paramount importance in monitoring the economic health of the Nation. The JOLTS data are published in a monthly news release and in the BLS online database. Published estimates include levels and rates for the JOLTS data elements—job openings, hires, total separations, quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Businesses use the data to compare their own turnover rates to a national figure. JOLTS data are useful to academics studying labor economics and policy analysts can use the data to track the business cycle.

The JOLTS program maintains regular contact with trade groups, academics, and other Federal agencies.  BLS also works closely with State Workforce Agencies through its federal-state cooperative programs; these state agencies are provided with information about JOLTS data and provide feedback. In the past, JOLTS has also sought stakeholder feedback through BLS advisory committees, the Data Users Advisory Council (DUAC) and the Technical Advisory Committee (BLSTAC). JOLTS also conducted a stakeholder outreach survey in 2022.  In addition, BLS provides a Touchpoint Customer Satisfaction Survey that is accessible on all JOLTS webpages, allowing users to provide feedback and make suggestions.

The JOLTS program maintains regular contact with all its respondents, through monthly mail, email, and phone prompts. Respondents also submit questions, concerns, and suggestions to the JOLTS program via email and phone. Respondents’ views are taken into account and addressed. If changes are deemed necessary, the JOLTS program attempts to make them as soon as possible.

JOLTS has made numerous changes in the last several years in response to stakeholder suggestions. In 2023, JOLTS redesigned its news release tables to make over-the-month changes more readily accessible to users and to include establishment size class. Starting with its data for 2022, the program began publishing annual average job openings levels and rates. JOLTS also modified its method for calculating annual estimates for hires and separations rates. Annual rates are now computed as annual averages, instead of annual totals, to make the estimates more helpful for data users and to be consistent with other BLS programs.

In addition to news release changes, JOLTS has also improved its publicly available methodological documentation. The program extensively updated its documentation in the BLS Handbook of Methods, available at https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/jlt/. JOLTS also began publishing data about revisions in 2025, available at https://www.bls.gov/web/jolts.supp.toc.htm.

During the original development of the JOLTS concepts and forms, the JOLTS form was sent to seven experts for their comments regarding the data elements to be collected. The comments were solicited to ensure that the form collected only essential data elements and/or appropriate breakouts. The result is a form that imposes the least respondent burden while capturing data essential to produce a quality economic indicator.

Reviewers of Form:

Katharine Abraham	Past Commissioner, BLS
Carolyn Bagin	Center for Clear Communications, Inc.
Dan Hamermesh	University of Texas
Harry Holzer	Chief Economist, DOL/Michigan State University
Larry Katz	Harvard University
Bruce Meyers	Northwestern University
Dan Sullivan	Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
William Wascher	National Bureau of Economic Research/ Bank for International Settlements
Joyce Zickler	Federal Reserve - DC

Also, during 2008 an OMB approved response analysis survey was conducted to determine the cause for employment divergence within the temporary help industry. Discussions were held with the owner of a Manpower Inc. franchise to identify possible areas of improvement in our survey questions.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

There will be no gifts or payments to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

The Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) safeguards the confidentiality of individually identifiable information acquired under a pledge of confidentiality by controlling access to, and uses made of, such information. CIPSEA includes fines and penalties for any knowing and willful disclosure of individually identifiable information by an officer, employee, or agent of the BLS.

Based on this law, the BLS provides respondents with the following confidentiality pledge/informed consent statement:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, its employees, agents, and partner statistical agencies, will use the information you provide for statistical purposes only and will hold the information in confidence to the full extent permitted by law. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (44 U.S.C. 3572) and other applicable Federal laws, your responses will not be disclosed in identifiable form without your informed consent. Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, Federal information systems are protected from malicious activities through cybersecurity screening of transmitted data.

BLS policy on the confidential nature of respondent identifiable information (RII) states that “RII acquired or maintained by the BLS for exclusively statistical purposes and under a pledge of confidentiality shall be treated in a manner that ensures the information will be used only for statistical purposes and will be accessible only to authorized individuals with a need-to-know.”

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

No sensitive questions will be asked.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. The statement should:

• Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. Unless directed to do so, agencies should not conduct special surveys to obtain information on which to base hour burden estimates. Consultation with a sample (fewer than 10) of potential respondents is desirable. If the hour burden on respondents is expected to vary widely because of differences in activity, size, or complexity, show the range of estimated hour burden, and explain the reasons for the variance. General, estimates should not include burden hours for customary and usual business practices.

• If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form

• Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories. The cost of contracting out or paying outside parties for information collection activities should not be included here. Instead, this cost should be included in Item 14.

Explanation of how the total burden hours were derived for fiscal years 2025-2028 is illustrated below.

Estimated Total Annualized Respondent Cost and Hour Burden

Form	No. of Respondents	No. of Responses per Respondent	Total Responses	Average Burden (Hours)	Total Burden (Hours)	Hourly Wage Rate	Total Burden Cost
Private	5,320	12	63,840	10/60	10,640	$35.86	$381,550.40
State, Local, and Tribal Government	835	12	10,020	10/60	1,670	$35.86	$59,886.20
Federal Government	291	12	3,492	10/60	582	$35.86	$20,870.52
Total	6,446		77,352		12,892		$462,307.12

Burden cost was calculated by obtaining the hourly employment cost for office and administrative support occupations as determined by the National Compensation Survey (NCS) Employment Cost for Employee Compensation. The employment cost for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $35.86¹.

Respondents to each survey round remain in a panel for 36 months. Below is a more detailed breakdown of responses by sector.

Breakdown of responses by Activity

Activity: Private

Form	No. of Respondents	No. of Responses per Respondent	Total Responses	Average Burden (Hours)	Total Burden (Hours)	Hourly Wage Rate	Total Burden Cost
CATI	1,420	12	17,040	10/60	2,840	$35.86	$101,842.40
Other	595	12	7,140	10/60	1,190	$35.86	$42,673.40
Web	3,305	12	39,660	10/60	6,610	$35.86	$237,034.60
Total	5,320		63,840		10,640		$381,550.40

Activity: State, Local, and Tribal Government

Form	No. of Respondents	No. of Responses per Respondent	Total Responses	Average Burden (Hours)	Total Burden (Hours)	Hourly Wage Rate	Total Burden Cost
CATI	223	12	2,676	10/60	446	$35.86	$15,993.56
Other	93	12	1,116	10/60	186	$35.86	$6,669.96
Web	519	12	6,228	10/60	1,038	$35.86	$37,222.68
Total	835		10,020		1,670		$59,886.20

Activity: Federal Government

Form	No. of Respondents	No. of Responses per Respondent	Total Responses	Average Burden (Hours)	Total Burden (Hours)	Hourly Wage Rate	Total Burden Cost
CATI	62	12	744	10/60	124	$35.86	$4,446.64
Other	26	12	312	10/60	52	$35.86	$1,864.72
Web	203	12	2,436	10/60	406	$35.86	$14,559.16
Total	291		3,492		582		$20,870.52

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record-keepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in Items 12 and 14).

• The cost estimate should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and start up cost component (annualized over its expected useful life); and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of service component. The estimates should take into account costs associated with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or providing the information. Include descriptions of methods used to estimate major cost factors including system and technology acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, the discount rate(s), and the time period over which costs will be incurred. Capital and start-up costs include, among other items, preparations for collecting information such as purchasing computers and software; monitoring, sampling, drilling and testing equipment; and record storage facilities.

• If cost estimates are expected to vary widely, agencies should present ranges of cost burdens and explain the reasons for the variance. The cost of purchasing or contracting out information collection services should be a part of this cost burden estimate. In developing cost burden estimates, agencies may consult with a sample of respondents (fewer than 10), utilize the 60-day pre-OMB submission public comment process and use existing economic or regulatory impact analysis associated with the rulemaking containing the information collection, as appropriate.

• Generally, estimates should not include purchases of equipment or services, or portions thereof, made: (1) prior to October 1, 1995, (2) to achieve regulatory compliance with requirements not associated with the information collection, (3) for reasons other than to provide information or keep records for the government, or (4) as part of customary and usual business or private practices.

1. Capital start-up costs: $0

2. Total operation and maintenance and purchase of services: $0

14. Provide estimates of the annualized cost to the Federal Government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information. Agencies also may aggregate cost estimates from Items 12, 13, and 14 into a single table.

The annual JOLTS budget is approximately $7 million, which includes roughly $2.5 million annually for data collection labor hours.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.

This request shows a 26% decrease in respondents, annual responses, and burden hours of 6,446; 77,352; and 12,892, respectively. The JOLTS program plans to perform response analysis sometime before this approval expires and will seek an appropriate increase in respondents and burden hours at that time.

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulations, and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

The JOLTS data are published monthly in the Job Openings and Labor Turnover news release, available at https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm. The release is available within 30 - 60 working days of the survey reference month. At the time of the release, estimates are also released in the BLS online database. For more details and techniques on methods for developing the data, see the BLS Handbook of Methods at https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/jlt/. All release dates for a given calendar year are published in advance on the BLS website at https://www.bls.gov/schedule/2025/03_sched.htm.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

BLS is requesting OMB approval for permission to suppress the expiration date on the JOLTS forms. BLS is continually soliciting new respondents for JOLTS, and an expiration date would restrict JOLTS’ ability to use the approved forms as the expiration date approaches.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.

There are no exceptions to the certification.

1 https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ecec.pdf

11