U.S. quits rise to 3.4Mn in September as job openings hold at 7.5Mn
- U.S. quits rose to 3.4 million in September 2026, BLS data show.
- Job openings were little changed at 7.5 million, a rate of 4.5%.
- Hires held at 5.4 million and layoffs and discharges at 1.6 million.
- August quits were revised down by 22,000 to 3.0 million.
WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES — More American workers quit their jobs in September, even as employers kept the number of open positions roughly flat. Quits rose to 3.4 million, while job openings were little changed at 7.5 million and layoffs and discharges held at 1.6 million.
Openings flat, hires steady
The job openings rate was little changed at 4.5%, though openings increased by 104,000 in state and local government, excluding education. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published the figures in its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey on Nov. 3.
Hires changed little at 5.4 million, a rate of 3.4%, and total separations held at 5.3 million. Hires increased by 158,000 in accommodation and food services.
Quits up, rate steady
The BLS says the quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs, since quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee. Over the year, total nonfarm quits increased by 375,000, although the quits rate was little changed at 2.1% in September.
Quits increased by 197,000 in accommodation and food services but fell by 19,000 in arts, entertainment and recreation.
Layoffs steady, August revised
Layoffs and discharges changed little at 1.6 million, or 1.0%. They decreased by 70,000 in health care and social assistance, and the layoffs rate fell for establishments with one to nine employees.
Other separations, which include retirements, deaths, disabilities and transfers to other locations of the same firm, were little changed at 313,000. Establishments with 5,000 or more employees showed little change in job openings, hires and separations rates.
The BLS also revised its August data. Job openings were revised up by 111,000 to 7.2 million, while quits were revised down by 22,000 to 3.0 million, setting September’s 3.4 million well above the prior month.
What it means for employers
The September data show more workers choosing to leave while employers held openings steady, with hospitality seeing big moves in both hires and quits. A higher quit count leaves more roles to backfill even when hiring plans have not changed.
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