Job Openings and Labor Turnover: March 2023

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 9.6 million on the last business day of March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, the number of hires and total separations were little changed at 6.1 million and 5.9 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (3.9 million) changed little, while layoffs and discharges (1.8 million) increased. 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 March, the number of job openings decreased to 9.6 million (-384,000) and was 1.6 million lower than in December. The job openings rate was 5.8 percent in March and was down by 1.0 percentage point since December. In March, job openings decreased in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-144,000) but increased in educational services (+28,000). (See table 1.)

Hires

In March, the number of hires was little changed at 6.1 million, and the rate held at 4.0 percent. Hires decreased in real estate and rental and leasing (-29,000). (See table 2.)

Separations

Total separations include 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 include separations due to retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.

The number of total separations changed little at 5.9 million in March, and the rate was 3.8 percent for the fourth month in a row. Over the month, the number of total separations decreased in accommodation and food services (-107,000) but increased in construction (+104,000). (See table 3.)

In March, the number and rate of quits changed little at 3.9 million and 2.5 percent, respectively. The number of quits decreased in accommodation and food services (-178,000). (See table 4.)

In March, the number and rate of layoffs and discharges increased to 1.8 million (+248,000) and 1.2 percent, respectively. Layoffs and discharges increased in construction (+112,000), accommodation and food services (+63,000), and health care and social assistance (+42,000). (See table 5.)

The number of other separations was little changed in March at 276,000. Other separations decreased in finance and insurance (-31,000) and in real estate and rental and leasing (-7,000). (See table 6.)

Establishment Size Class

In March, establishments with 1 to 9 employees saw a decrease in their job openings rate and an increase in their layoffs and discharges rate. Establishments with more than 5,000 employees saw little change in their job openings, hires, and total separations rates. (See table 7.)