Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey - State and Local Government

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey

CATI Script—Basic Units (C1 form)

Data Collection

(Person answers)

Hello, may I please speak with [contact's name or title]?

If contact is not available, schedule a callback appointment.

(Contact answers)

Hello, this is [name] calling for the U.S. Department of Labor. Thank you for agreeing to provide data for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover program. I'm calling to collect your organization's employment and turnover data for the month of [month]. As you may recall, we are asking for only a few items: your number of employees, job openings, hires, and separations.

Question 1: Verify Sample Unit

Our records show that your location is:

Read name and address of sample unit.

This location appears in Section 1 on the front of the data reporting form. Is it correct?

If no, enter address change if in same state.

Question 2: Pay Period Type

At the location shown in Section 1 of your form, how often are the employees paid?

If you have multiple payrolls, please indicate all that apply.

(1) Each week

(2) Every two weeks

(3) Twice a month

(4) Once a month

(5) Other

Question 3: Total Employment

The first question asks for the total employment [of this establishment/at this location] for the pay period that included the 12th of [month]. The back of the form lists the workers that should or should not be included in total employment. Would you follow along with me as we go over it?

Total Employment includes:

• full-time and part-time employees,

• permanent, short-term, and seasonal employees,

• salaried and hourly workers, and

• employees on paid vacation or other paid leave.

Total Employment does not include:

• proprietors and partners of unincorporated businesses,

• unpaid family workers,

• employees on strike for the entire pay period,

• employees on leave without pay for the entire pay period, or

• employees of temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants.

Do you need help figuring out the dates of the pay period that included the 12^th of [month]? You may want to check a calendar to verify the dates.

For the location shown in Section 1 of your form, what was the total number of employees who worked or received pay for any part of the pay period that included the 12^th of [month]?

Total Employment: __________

Question 4: Job Openings

The next question is about the number of job openings at this [establishment/location]. We would like you to give us a count of job openings as of the last business day of the month. Again, you may want to follow along with me on the back of the form.

A job is open if:

• a specific position exists and there is work available for that position, and

• the job could start within 30 days, whether or not you find a suitable candidate during that time, and

• you are actively recruiting workers from outside the location shown in Section 1 of the form.

“Active recruiting” means your establishment is taking steps to fill a position. You may be advertising, posting "help wanted" signs, accepting applications, going to job fairs, or looking for employees in other ways.

Please count a job as open if the work could start within 30 days, even if you don't think you'll be able to hire someone that quickly.

Please do not count as job openings:

• positions to be filled by internal transfers, by promotions or demotions, or by recall from layoffs,

• openings for positions with start dates more than 30 days in the future,

• positions for which employees have been hired, but the employees have not yet reported for work, or

• positions to be filled by employees of temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants.

What was the total number of job openings at this [establishment/location] on the last business day of [month]?

Job Openings: __________

Question 5: Hires

The next few questions are about labor turnover, which includes hires and separations. We collect turnover for the entire month.

Hires include all additions to [your establishment's payroll/the payroll at your location] during the month of [month].

Hires may be:

• newly hired and rehired employees,

• permanent, short-term, and seasonal employees,

• full-time and part-time employees,

• on-call or intermittent employees who returned to work after having been formally separated,

• workers who were hired and separated during the month,

• transfers from other locations, and

• employees who were recalled to a job at this location following a layoff lasting more than 7 days.

Typically, hires need to fill out a W-4 form when they start work.

Hires are not:

• transfers or promotions within this location,

• employees returning from strikes, or

• employees of temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants.

What was the total number of hires for your [establishment/location] for the entire month of [month]?

Hires: __________

Question 6: Quits

Labor turnover also includes separations. We collect separations for the entire month.

Separations occur when any employee leaves the payroll at your [establishment/location], either voluntarily or because of a decision made by the employer. There are three categories of separations: Quits, Layoffs and Discharges, and Other Separations. Separations refer only to the employees who were on the payroll at this location, and not to employees of temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants.

The first category of separations is Quits. Employees who left voluntarily are considered quits. We count retirements and transfers in another category.

What was the total number of quits for your [establishment/location] for the entire month of [month]?

Quits: __________

Question 7: Layoffs and Discharges

Another category of separations is Layoffs and Discharges. These are involuntary separations initiated by the employer.

Layoffs and discharges include:

• layoffs with no intent to rehire,

• discharges because positions were eliminated,

• discharges resulting from mergers, downsizing, or plant closings,

• firings or other discharges for cause,

• terminations of seasonal employees, whether or not they are expected to return next season, and

• layoffs lasting or expected to last more than 7 days.

Layoffs and discharges do not include:

• transfers within this location,

• employees on strike, or

• employees of temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants.

What was the total number of layoffs and discharges for your [establishment/location] for the entire month of [month]?

Layoffs and Discharges: __________

Question 8: Other Separations

The last category of separations is Other Separations.

This category includes:

• retirements,

• transfers to other locations,

• deaths, and

• separations due to employee disability.

Please do not include:

• transfers within this location,

• employees on strike, or

• employees of temporary help agencies, employee leasing companies, outside contractors, or consultants.

What was the total number of these types of separations for your [establishment/location] for the entire month of [month]?

Other Separations: __________

Question 9: Total Separations

If the respondent knows the total number of separations for the month but is unable to break them out, enter the total below.

Total Separations: ___________

[If TDE rollover month, skip to the TDE rollover script now.]

[If not TDE rollover month, continue.]

Closing:

Thank you for your cooperation. I'd like to collect your data again next month. What is the earliest date the data will be available? And what would be a convenient time to call and collect the data?

Enter appointment month, day and time into scheduler.

Thank you again. It will be helpful if you use the form we sent to record the information for your [establishment/location], and have it available when we call next month.

JOLTS CATI Script

Basic Units

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9/25/00