Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, May 31, 2023     USDL-23-1193
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                              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.)
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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).