Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, May 2, 2023        USDL-23-0868
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                              JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER – MARCH 2023

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.)
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The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for April 2023 are scheduled to be 
released on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).