Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Thursday, February 5, 2026   USDL-26-0167
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                         JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER – DECEMBER 2025

The number of job openings continued to trend down to 6.5 million in December, the U.S. Bureau of 
Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, both hires and total separations were little changed at 
5.3 million each. Within separations, quits (3.2 million) were unchanged while layoffs and discharges 
(1.8 million) were little changed.  

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 include all positions that 
are open on the last business day of the month. Hires and separations include all changes to the payroll 
during the entire month. 

Job Openings

The number of job openings trended down to 6.5 million (-386,000) in December and was down by 
966,000 over the year. The job openings rate, at 3.9 percent, changed little over the month. The number 
of job openings decreased in professional and business services (-257,000), retail trade (-195,000), and 
finance and insurance (-120,000). (See table 1.) 

Hires

In December, the number and rate of hires were little changed at 5.3 million and 3.3 percent, 
respectively. The number of hires increased in real estate and rental and leasing (+38,000) and in state 
and local government, excluding education (+36,000). Hires decreased in federal government (-11,000). 
(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.

In December, the number and rate of total separations were little changed at 5.3 million and 3.3 
percent, respectively. The number of total separations decreased in professional and business services 
(-212,000) and in private educational services (-20,000). Total separations increased in transportation, 
warehousing, and utilities (+110,000) and in federal government (+10,000). (See table 3.) 

In December, the number and rate of quits were unchanged at 3.2 million and 2.0 percent, respectively. 
The number of quits decreased in professional and business services (-151,000) and in private 
educational services (-19,000). Quits increased in retail trade (+87,000) and in information (+28,000). 
(See table 4.)

The number of layoffs and discharges in December was little changed at 1.8 million. The layoffs and 
discharges rate was unchanged at 1.1 percent. Layoffs and discharges increased in transportation, 
warehousing, and utilities (+103,000) but decreased in finance and insurance (-20,000). (See table 5.)

The number of other separations was little changed at 285,000 in December. (See table 6.)

Establishment Size Class

In December, establishments with 1 to 9 employees and establishments with 5,000 or more employees 
showed little or no change in job openings, hires, and separations rates. (See table 7.)

November 2025 Revisions

The number of job openings for November was revised down by 218,000 to 6.9 million, the number of 
hires was revised up by 6,000 to 5.1 million, and the number of total separations was revised up by 
64,000 to 5.1 million. Within separations, the number of quits was revised up by 32,000 to 3.2 million, 
the number of layoffs and discharges was revised up by 14,000 to 1.7 million, and the number of other 
separations was revised up by 17,000 to 249,000. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports 
received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the 
recalculation of seasonal factors.)
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____________________________________________________________________________________________________                       
|                        Upcoming Revisions to the JOLTS Estimates                                 |
|As part of its regular annual process, the release of January 2026 estimates will incorporate the |
|annual updates to the Current Employment Statistics employment estimates and the JOLTS seasonal   |
|adjustment factors. Unadjusted data and seasonally adjusted data from January 2021 forward are    |
|subject to revision.                                                                              | 
|__________________________________________________________________________________________________|