Job Openings and Labor Turnover: June 2022

Historical release narrative reproduced from the official public-domain source. Statistical tables, standard technical appendices, administrative material and attendance rosters are omitted; formatting is adapted for reading. Figures retain the release's historical context and may have been revised. Consult the linked source for the complete document.

The number of job openings decreased to 10.7 million on the last business day of June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Hires and total separations were little changed at 6.4 million and 5.9 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (4.2 million) and layoffs and discharges (1.3 million) were little changed. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector, by industry, and by establishment size class.

Job Openings

On the last business day of June, the number and rate of job openings decreased to 10.7 million (-605,000) and 6.6 percent, respectively. The largest decreases in job openings were in retail trade (-343,000), wholesale trade (-82,000), and in state and local government education (-62,000). (See table 1.)

Hires

In June, the number and rate of hires were little changed at 6.4 million and 4.2 percent, respectively. Hires were little changed in all industries. (See table 2.)

Separations

Total separations includes quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee. Therefore, the quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs. Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer. Other separations includes separations due to retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.

In June, the number and rate of total separations were little changed at 5.9 million and 3.9 percent, respectively. Total separations were little changed in all industries. (See table 3.)

In June, the number of quits was little changed at 4.2 million. The rate was unchanged at 2.8 percent. Quits decreased in construction (-51,000). Quits increased in state and local government education (+14,000). (See table 4.)

In June, the number of layoffs and discharges was little changed at 1.3 million. The rate was unchanged at 0.9 percent. Layoffs and discharges decreased in wholesale trade (-26,000), finance and insurance (-25,000), and in federal government (-4,000). (See table 5.)

The number of other separations was little changed in June at 367,000. Other separations decreased in real estate and rental and leasing (-9,000). Other separations increased in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+9,000); durable goods manufacturing (+6,000); educational services (+3,000); and in federal government (+3,000). (See table 6.)

Establishment Size Class

In June, the job openings rate increased in establishments with 1,000 to 4,999 employees. The hires rate decreased in establishments with 1,000 to 4,999 employees and in establishments with 5,000 or more employees. For a more in-depth description of the JOLTS establishment size class estimates, please visit www.bls.gov/jlt/sizeclassmethodology.htm.