
An official website of the United States government
For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, May 31, 2023 USDL-23-1193 Technical information: (202) 691-5870 • JoltsInfo@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/jlt Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER – APRIL 2023 The number of job openings edged up to 10.1 million on the last business day of April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, the number of hires changed little at 6.1 million. Total separations decreased to 5.7 million. Within separations, quits (3.8 million) changed little, while layoffs and discharges (1.6 million) decreased. 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 April, the number of job openings edged up to 10.1 million (+358,000). The job openings rate was little changed at 6.1 percent. In April, job openings increased in retail trade (+209,000); health care and social assistance (+185,000); and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+154,000). (See table 1.) Hires In April, the number of hires was little changed at 6.1 million, and the rate held at 3.9 percent. Hires decreased in information (-37,000). (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 decreased to 5.7 million (-286,000) in April, and the rate was little changed at 3.7 percent. Over the month, the number of total separations was little changed in all industries. (See table 3.) In April, the number and rate of quits changed little at 3.8 million and 2.4 percent, respectively. The number of quits increased in wholesale trade (+29,000) but decreased in state and local government, excluding education (-18,000). (See table 4.) In April, the number and rate of layoffs and discharges decreased to 1.6 million (-264,000) and 1.0 percent, respectively. Layoffs and discharges decreased in construction (-113,000) and in information (-33,000). (See table 5.) The number of other separations was little changed in April at 333,000. Other separations increased in health care and social assistance (+24,000), state and local government, excluding education (+10,000), and mining and logging (+2,000). Other separations decreased in accommodation and food services (-18,000) and in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-3,000). (See table 6.) Establishment Size Class In April, establishments with 1 to 9 employees saw an increase in their job openings rate and a decrease in their layoffs and discharges rate. Establishments with more than 5,000 employees saw an increase in both their job openings and hires rates. (See table 7.) ____________ The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for May 2023 are scheduled to be released on Thursday, July 6, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).