10.12.21
Released 12 October, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) shows the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ count of all available positions fell in August after soaring through the first two quarters. As the number of job openings dropped, the number of people quitting jobs rose sharply, 4.3 million in September compared to 4.0 million in August, with the greatest number of separations occurring in hotels, restaurants and bars, and public schools – all high-contact positions. While the quit-rate demonstrates worker confidence in the job market, this amount of churn is expected to ‘slow the return to pre-pandemic employment levels.’