Job Openings and Labor Turnover: July 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 edged down to 8.8 million on the last business day of July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, the number of hires and total separations changed little at 5.8 million and 5.5 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (3.5 million) decreased, while layoffs and discharges (1.6 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 July, the number of job openings edged down to 8.8 million (-338,000), while the rate changed little at 5.3 percent. Over the month, job openings decreased in professional and business services (-198,000); health care and social assistance (-130,000); state and local government, excluding education (-67,000); state and local government education (-62,000); and federal government (-27,000). By contrast, job openings increased in information (+101,000) and in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+75,000). (See table 1.)

Hires

In July, the number and rate of hires changed little at 5.8 million and 3.7 percent, respectively. The number of hires changed little in all industries. (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 and rate of total separations in July were little changed at 5.5 million and 3.5 percent, respectively. Over the month, the number of total separations decreased in accommodation and food services (-132,000). (See table 3.)

In July, the number of quits decreased to 3.5 million (-253,000), while the rate changed little at 2.3 percent. The number of quits declined in accommodation and food services (-166,000); wholesale trade (-27,000); and arts, entertainment, and recreation (-17,000). The number of quits increased in state and local government education (+18,000). (See table 4.)

In July, the number of layoffs and discharges changed little at 1.6 million, and the rate held at 1.0 percent. The number of layoffs and discharges changed little in all industries. (See table 5.)

The number of other separations was little changed in July at 378,000. (See table 6.)

Establishment Size Class

In July, establishments with 1 to 9 employees saw little change in all data elements. Establishments with more than 5,000 employees had decreases in their quits rates and total separations rates. (See table 7.)