The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its September Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) on Tuesday, showing a notable increase in voluntary quits and a modest rise in job openings.
Quits rise amid steady hiring
Workers voluntarily left their positions 321,000 more than in August, bringing the total to 3.365 million quits for September. That represents a 10.5% increase over the revised August figure and exceeds the same month a year ago by 375,000. The quits rate climbed to 2.1% from 1.9% in August, though the agency characterized the rate as “little changed” despite the higher count.
The BLS explained that quits are a reliable gauge of workers’ willingness and ability to move between jobs, reflecting confidence in the labor market. Layoffs and discharges, which are employer‑initiated separations, remained steady at about 1.6 million, a 1% rate that the agency also described as little changed.
Job openings edge higher
Employers reported 333,000 more openings than in August, bringing the total to 7.523 million. While the absolute number rose, the BLS noted that the openings rate of 4.5% was essentially unchanged from the prior month.
State and local governments, excluding education, added 104,000 openings, contributing to the overall increase. However, the agency cautioned that the openings count reflects positions reported on the last business day of the month and does not represent jobs actually filled during September.
Sector‑specific trends
The accommodation and food services sector recorded the largest gain in quits, with 197,000 more workers leaving than in August, and also saw hiring rise by 158,000. In contrast, quits in arts, entertainment and recreation fell by 19,000.
Health care and social assistance reported 70,000 fewer layoffs and discharges, indicating a slight easing of employer‑initiated separations in that field.
Revisions and upcoming data
The BLS also revised August’s figures upward, adding 111,000 openings to bring that month’s total to about 7.2 million and increasing hires by 79,000 to roughly 5.3 million. These adjustments result from additional employer reports and recalculated seasonal factors.
October’s JOLTS data are scheduled for release on December 1 at 9 a.m. Central Time.
Original reporting: WBAP News/Talk (Dallas-Fort Worth) — read the source article.
