Job Openings and Labor Turnover: October 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 edged down to 10.3 million on the last business day of October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month the number of hires and total separations changed little at 6.0 million and 5.7 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (4.0 million) and layoffs and discharges (1.4 million) changed little. 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 October, the number of job openings edged down to 10.3 million (-353,000). The rate changed little at 6.3 percent but was 1.0 percentage points lower than its peak in March 2022. In October, job openings decreased in state and local government, excluding education (-101,000); nondurable goods manufacturing (-95,000); and federal government (-61,000). The number of job openings increased in other services (+76,000) and in finance and insurance (+70,000). (See table 1.)

Hires

In October, the number and rate of hires changed little at 6.0 million and 3.9 percent, respectively. Hires changed little 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 October, the number of total separations changed little at 5.7 million, and the rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent. The number of total separations changed little in all industries. (See table 3.)

In October, the number and rate of quits were little changed at 4.0 million and 2.6 percent, respectively. In October, quits decreased in information (-29,000). (See table 4.)

In October, the number of layoffs and discharges changed little at 1.4 million, and the rate was unchanged at 0.9 percent. Layoffs and discharges decreased in federal government (-3,000). (See table 5.)

The number of other separations were little changed in October at 270,000. Other separations decreased in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-14,000) and in durable goods manufacturing (-8,000). Other separations increased in real estate and rental and leasing (+7,000). (See table 6.)

Establishment Size Class

In October, the job openings rate decreased in establishments with 1,000 to 4,999 employees. The total separations rate decreased in establishments with 5,000 or more employees. The layoffs and discharges rate increased in establishments with 1 to 9 employees. For a more in-depth description of the JOLTS establishment size class estimates, please visit www.bls.gov/jlt/sizeclassmethodology.htm.