Job Openings and Labor Turnover: September 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 increased to 10.7 million on the last business day of September, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The number of hires edged down to 6.1 million, while total separations decreased to 5.7 million. Within separations, quits (4.1 million) changed little and layoffs and discharges (1.3 million) edged down. 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 September, the number of job openings increased to 10.7 million (+437,000), partially offsetting a sharp decline in August. The rate changed little at 6.5 percent in September but was 0.8 percentage point lower than its peak in March 2022. In September, the largest increases in job openings were in accommodation and food services (+215,000); health care and social assistance (+115,000); and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+111,000). The number of job openings decreased in wholesale trade (-104,000) and in finance and insurance (-83,000). (See table 1.)

Hires

In September, the number of hires edged down to 6.1 million and the rate changed little at 4.0 percent. Hires decreased in durable goods manufacturing (-57,000) and in state and local government education (-40,000). (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 September, the number and rate of total separations decreased to 5.7 million (-370,000) and 3.7 percent, respectively. Total separations decreased in accommodation and food services (-103,000); transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-42,000); and durable goods manufacturing (-38,000). (See table 3.)

In September, the number of quits changed little at 4.1 million, and the rate was 2.7 percent for the third month in a row. Quits decreased in construction (-56,000); transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-35,000); and durable goods manufacturing (-28,000). Quits increased in state and local government, excluding education (+15,000). (See table 4.)

In September, the number of layoffs and discharges edged down to 1.3 million and the rate changed little at 0.9 percent. Layoffs and discharges changed little in all industries. (See table 5.)

The number of other separations decreased in September to 299,000 (-84,000). Other separations decreased in health care and social assistance (-31,000); professional and business services (-28,000); and finance and insurance (-20,000). Other separations increased in other services (+13,000) and federal government (+3,000). (See table 6.)

Establishment Size Class

In September, the job openings rate decreased in establishments with 5,000 or more employees. The quits rate decreased in establishments with 50 to 249 employees. For a more in-depth description of the JOLTS establishment size class estimates, please visit www.bls.gov/jlt/sizeclassmethodology.htm.