Only 1.1 million people — 0.8% of all U.S. employees— lost their jobs in December, according to the nationwide Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey. That is the lowest number of people laid off in one month on record .
Now, with the latest State JOLTS report released this morning, we know where workers face the lowest chance of being laid off and are experiencing the most job security:
Workers in Pennsylvania have the highest degree of job security in the country, with the record low layoffs in the nation’s history
- Pennsylvania (0.2%), Connecticut (0.4%), New Jersey (0.5%), Maine (0.6%), Massachusetts (0.6%), New Hampshire (0.6%), and New York (0.6%) saw the lowest number of their employees laid off or terminated in December, the lowest share across the nation and in their history.
- Given the trouble businesses are experiencing finding and attracting new hires, many feel they cannot afford to lose the workers they have. That means workers have more job security than ever before.
Workers in Alaska and Wyoming have the most job opportunities across the nation.
- In December, Alaska (9.3%) and Wyoming (8.9%) were punching above their weight when it came to generating opportunity. They recorded the highest job openings rates in the nation—more than 2 percentage points higher than the national average of 6.8%.
- Nurses, drivers, and food workers were in highest demand in those states as a result of an intense need in healthcare and food services. These numbers still do not reflect the Omicron effect on labor demand. We expect the already high demand for healthcare workers to skyrocket in upcoming months, making it even tougher for hospitals and healthcare providers to keep up with public needs.
Employers in Alaska, Vermont and Georgia are dealing with the highest churn rates
- December was one of the toughest months for employers in Alaska, Vermont, and Georgia in terms of labor shortages. Alaska recorded the highest churn in the country, more than one and a half times higher than the national average. They are losing their workers to other firms at rates never seen before.
- The high churn in Vermont and Georgia are not the only problem. Businesses are also struggling to attract new talent. Both rank in the top 6 states with the highest number of job openings per unemployed person. There are currently 3.3 vacancies per unemployed in Vermont and 2.8 in Georgia.
- When it comes to tough labor shortages, employers in Nebraska are betting against the toughest odds in the country. With labor force participation still stalling and job openings remaining high, there are currently 4 job openings per unemployed person in the state, making it increasingly challenging for firms to attract talent.
- Slow population growth, low immigration rates, and hesitancy to get back to work due to Covid concerns have been a drag on the number of people willing to work over the last 2 years. All of these factors are making it harder, and more costly, for employers to fill the monumental number of job openings.
