U.S. employers reported 7.5 million job openings at the end of September, a level the Bureau of Labor Statistics described as little changed. Hiring also showed little movement, but more workers quit their jobs, according to the agency’s Nov. 3 report.
Hiring held steady as quits rose
Employers recorded 5.4 million hires and 5.3 million separations during September. Quits rose to 3.4 million. Layoffs and discharges were little changed at 1.6 million. Accommodation and food services accounted for a rise of 197,000 quits, while quits fell by 19,000 in arts, entertainment and recreation.
The numbers measure different parts of the labor market. Openings are a snapshot at the end of the month. Hires and separations are flows over the entire month. A worker leaving one job and starting another can show up in both flows, so those totals are best read alongside the separate monthly payroll report.
Why revisions matter
The agency revised August openings up by 111,000 to 7.2 million and August hires up by 79,000 to 5.3 million. The bureau said revisions reflect additional employer and agency responses as well as updated seasonal factors. Those changes matter when readers compare consecutive months: the September release compares its figures with a revised August baseline.
For employers and job seekers, the national totals provide context, but the industry figures explain where movement was concentrated. The increase in quits in accommodation and food services, for example, is a narrower finding than a broad acceleration in hiring. Readers can find industry tables and later revisions on the BLS labor turnover release page.