Job openings and layoffs and discharges rise in Georgia during January

 Job openings in Georgia, seasonally adjusted

Both the number of job openings and the number of people losing their jobs rose in January, according to information released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Job openings and hires

Compared to December, the number of job openings in the state grew by 48,000 from December to January after seasonal adjustment. In contrast, job openings nationwide fell by 410,000 over the month.

The number of people hired was essentially unchanged between December and January. For the nation, the number of hires was little changed over the month.

The number of job openings and hires can be seen as measures of employer optimism about future economic activity as employers will increase job openings and hires only when they see brighter economic prospects in the near future.

Separations

Total separations, which include people who choose to leave their job as well as those who are separated from work either by layoff or fired, increased by 36,000 in January. For the nation, the number was little changed over the month.

Of those leaving their jobs in January, the number of people choosing to voluntarily leave was virtually the same as in December, which was also true nationwide. The number of people quitting their job can be seen as a measure of worker optimism about their economic prospects.

The number of people who were laid off or discharged over the month rose by 27,000, in contrast to the nation which showed little change in January. The January number represented the largest number of layoffs and discharges in the state since March 2022.

Ratio of unemployed persons to job openings

In Georgia, the number of unemployed persons per job opening remained 0.4 in January, the same as for most of calendar year 2022.