Job Openings and Labor Turnover: June 2024

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 unchanged at 8.2 million on the last business day of June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, both the number of hires and total separations were little changed at 5.3 million and 5.1 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (3.3 million) and 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 unchanged at 8.2 million and was down by 941,000 over the year. The job openings rate held at 4.9 percent in June. Job openings increased in accommodation and food services (+120,000) and in state and local government, excluding education (+94,000). The number of job openings decreased in durable goods manufacturing (-88,000) and in federal government (-62,000). (See table 1.)

Hires

The number of hires was little changed at 5.3 million in June but was down by 554,000 over the year. The hires rate, at 3.4 percent, changed little in June. (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 changed little at 5.1 million. This measure was down by 544,000 over the year. The total separations rate was little changed at 3.2 percent in June. Total separations decreased in state and local government education (-51,000) and in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-39,000). (See table 3.)

In June, the number of quits was little changed at 3.3 million but was down by 434,000 over the year. The quits rate was unchanged at 2.1 percent in June. Quits decreased in construction (-64,000) and in state and local government education (-55,000). (See table 4.)

In June, the number of layoffs and discharges changed little at 1.5 million, and the rate decreased to 0.9 percent. Layoffs and discharges decreased in finance and insurance (-26,000). (See table 5.)

The number of other separations was little changed in June at 314,000. (See table 6.)

Establishment Size Class

In June, for establishments with 1 to 9 employees, the job openings rate, hires rate, and total separations rate changed little. For establishments with 5,000 or more employees, the layoffs and discharges rate decreased, while the job openings rate and total separations rate changed little. The hires rate was unchanged. (See table 7.)

May 2024 Revisions

The number of job openings for May was revised up by 90,000 to 8.2 million, the number of hires was revised down by 101,000 to 5.7 million, and the number of total separations was revised down by 25,000 to 5.4 million. Within separations, the number of quits was revised down by 56,000 to 3.4 million, and the number of layoffs and discharges was revised up by 24,000 to 1.7 million. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.)