Job Openings and Labor Turnover: June 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 was little changed at 9.6 million on the last business day of June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, the number of hires and total separations decreased to 5.9 million and 5.6 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (3.8 million) decreased, while layoffs and discharges (1.5 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 June, the number of job openings was little changed at 9.6 million, while the rate was unchanged at 5.8 percent. In June, job openings increased in health care and social assistance (+136,000) and in state and local government, excluding education (+62,000). Job openings decreased in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-78,000), state and local government education (-29,000), and federal government (-21,000). (See table 1.)

Hires

In June, the number of hires decreased to 5.9 million (-326,000), while the rate was little changed at 3.8 percent. Hires decreased in durable goods manufacturing (-54,000) and in finance and insurance (-54,000). (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 in June decreased to 5.6 million (-288,000), while the rate was little changed at 3.6 percent. Over the month, the number of total separations decreased in retail trade (-134,000), health care and social assistance (-84,000), and durable goods manufacturing (-54,000). The number of total separations increased in professional and business services (+129,000). (See table 3.)

In June, the number and rate of quits decreased to 3.8 million (-295,000) and 2.4 percent, respectively. The number of quits decreased in several industries, with the largest decreases in retail trade (-95,000), health care and social assistance (-75,000), and construction (-51,000). The number of quits increased in arts, entertainment, and recreation (+20,000). (See table 4.)

In June, the number of layoffs and discharges changed little at 1.5 million, and the rate held at 1.0 percent. Layoffs and discharges increased in professional and business services (+112,000). The number of layoffs and discharges decreased in durable goods manufacturing (-26,000) and in wholesale trade (-26,000). (See table 5.)

The number of other separations was little changed in June at 339,000. (See table 6.)

Establishment Size Class

In June, establishments with 1 to 9 employees saw a decrease in their quits rates and an increase in their other separations rates. Establishments with more than 5,000 employees saw increases in their quits rates. (See table 7.)