The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) tells us how many job openings there are each month, how many workers were hired, how many quit their job, how many were laid off, and how many experienced other separations (which includes worker deaths).
August
Next update: September 2021
• August 09, 2021
Below, EPI senior economist Elise Gould offers her initial insights on today’s release of the Jobs and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for June. Read the full Twitter thread here.
The uptick in the quits rate is notable, likely due in part to increased opportunities for workers to find better job matches, potentially with higher wages or safer working conditions in the lingering pandemic (which had not worsening as much during the June reference period). pic.twitter.com/bYOCIhlEYy
— Elise Gould (@eliselgould) August 9, 2021
It cannot be emphasized enough that the official unemployment measure misses millions of workers that left the labor force, were misclassified as employed not at work, or experienced a drop in pay or hours because of the pandemic. https://t.co/iot18cMqFj
— Elise Gould (@eliselgould) August 9, 2021
Quick reminders about the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS):
- JOLTS data provide information on all pieces that go into the net change in the number of jobs. These components include hires, layoffs, voluntary quits, and other job separations (which includes retirements and worker deaths). Putting those components together reveals the overall (or net) change.
- JOLTS data provide information about the end of one month to the end of the next, whereas the monthly employment numbers provide information from the middle of one month to the middle of the next.
Hires, quits, and layoff rates, 2000–2021
| Date | Hires | Quits | Layoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-12-01 | 4.1 | 2.2 | 1.5 |
| 2001-01-01 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 1.7 |
| 2001-02-01 | 4 | 2.3 | 1.4 |
| 2001-03-01 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 1.6 |
| 2001-04-01 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 1.4 |
| 2001-05-01 | 4.1 | 2.3 | 1.5 |
| 2001-06-01 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.5 |
| 2001-07-01 | 4 | 2.2 | 1.5 |
| 2001-08-01 | 4 | 2.2 | 1.5 |
| 2001-09-01 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| 2001-10-01 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 1.8 |
| 2001-11-01 | 3.7 | 2 | 1.7 |
| 2001-12-01 | 3.7 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 2002-01-01 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 1.5 |
| 2002-02-01 | 3.7 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 2002-03-01 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
| 2002-04-01 | 3.8 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 2002-05-01 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| 2002-06-01 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| 2002-07-01 | 3.8 | 2 | 1.6 |
| 2002-08-01 | 3.7 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 2002-09-01 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| 2002-10-01 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| 2002-11-01 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 2002-12-01 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| 2003-01-01 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| 2003-02-01 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| 2003-03-01 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 2003-04-01 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 2003-05-01 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| 2003-06-01 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| 2003-07-01 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
| 2003-08-01 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
| 2003-09-01 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 2003-10-01 | 3.8 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| 2003-11-01 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 2003-12-01 | 3.8 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| 2004-01-01 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| 2004-02-01 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| 2004-03-01 | 4 | 2 | 1.6 |
| 2004-04-01 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| 2004-05-01 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 2004-06-01 | 3.8 | 2 | 1.4 |
| 2004-07-01 | 3.7 | 2 | 1.4 |
| 2004-08-01 | 3.8 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 2004-09-01 | 3.8 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| 2004-10-01 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
| 2004-11-01 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 1.5 |
| 2004-12-01 | 3.9 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 2005-01-01 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 1.5 |
| 2005-02-01 | 4 | 2 | 1.6 |
| 2005-03-01 | 4 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| 2005-04-01 | 4 | 2.1 | 1.5 |
| 2005-05-01 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 1.5 |
| 2005-06-01 | 4 | 2.1 | 1.5 |
| 2005-07-01 | 4 | 2 | 1.4 |
| 2005-08-01 | 4 | 2.2 | 1.4 |
| 2005-09-01 | 4.1 | 2.3 | 1.5 |
| 2005-10-01 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.4 |
| 2005-11-01 | 4 | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| 2005-12-01 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 1.4 |
| 2006-01-01 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.3 |
| 2006-02-01 | 4 | 2.2 | 1.4 |
| 2006-03-01 | 4.1 | 2.2 | 1.4 |
| 2006-04-01 | 3.8 | 2 | 1.4 |
| 2006-05-01 | 4 | 2.2 | 1.5 |
| 2006-06-01 | 4 | 2.2 | 1.3 |
| 2006-07-01 | 4.1 | 2.2 | 1.4 |
| 2006-08-01 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.3 |
| 2006-09-01 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| 2006-10-01 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.4 |
| 2006-11-01 | 4 | 2.2 | 1.4 |
| 2006-12-01 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 1.3 |
| 2007-01-01 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 1.4 |
| 2007-02-01 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| 2007-03-01 | 4 | 2.2 | 1.4 |
| 2007-04-01 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 1.5 |
| 2007-05-01 | 4 | 2.2 | 1.4 |
| 2007-06-01 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| 2007-07-01 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.4 |
| 2007-08-01 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.5 |
| 2007-09-01 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| 2007-10-01 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 1.4 |
| 2007-11-01 | 3.7 | 2 | 1.4 |
| 2007-12-01 | 3.7 | 2 | 1.4 |
| 2008-01-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.4 |
| 2008-02-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.4 |
| 2008-03-01 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
| 2008-04-01 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 1.4 |
| 2008-05-01 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
| 2008-06-01 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| 2008-07-01 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 2008-08-01 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| 2008-09-01 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 2008-10-01 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
| 2008-11-01 | 3 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| 2008-12-01 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 1.8 |
| 2009-01-01 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
| 2009-02-01 | 3 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
| 2009-03-01 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 1.9 |
| 2009-04-01 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 2 |
| 2009-05-01 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
| 2009-06-01 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
| 2009-07-01 | 3 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
| 2009-08-01 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 1.6 |
| 2009-09-01 | 3 | 1.2 | 1.7 |
| 2009-10-01 | 3 | 1.3 | 1.6 |
| 2009-11-01 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| 2009-12-01 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| 2010-01-01 | 3 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
| 2010-02-01 | 3 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| 2010-03-01 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| 2010-04-01 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| 2010-05-01 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| 2010-06-01 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| 2010-07-01 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 |
| 2010-08-01 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| 2010-09-01 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2010-10-01 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| 2010-11-01 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| 2010-12-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2011-01-01 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| 2011-02-01 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| 2011-03-01 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2011-04-01 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| 2011-05-01 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2011-06-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| 2011-07-01 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2011-08-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2011-09-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2011-10-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2011-11-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2011-12-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2012-01-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| 2012-02-01 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
| 2012-03-01 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 1.3 |
| 2012-04-01 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
| 2012-05-01 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| 2012-06-01 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
| 2012-07-01 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| 2012-08-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2012-09-01 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| 2012-10-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2012-11-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2012-12-01 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| 2013-01-01 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 1.2 |
| 2013-02-01 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 1.2 |
| 2013-03-01 | 3.2 | 1.6 | 1.3 |
| 2013-04-01 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
| 2013-05-01 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 1.3 |
| 2013-06-01 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 |
| 2013-07-01 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
| 2013-08-01 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
| 2013-09-01 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 1.4 |
| 2013-10-01 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 1.2 |
| 2013-11-01 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 1.2 |
| 2013-12-01 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
| 2014-01-01 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
| 2014-02-01 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
| 2014-03-01 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| 2014-04-01 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
| 2014-05-01 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| 2014-06-01 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
| 2014-07-01 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 1.3 |
| 2014-08-01 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| 2014-09-01 | 3.7 | 2 | 1.2 |
| 2014-10-01 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.3 |
| 2014-11-01 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 |
| 2014-12-01 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
| 2015-01-01 | 3.6 | 2 | 1.3 |
| 2015-02-01 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 |
| 2015-03-01 | 3.6 | 2 | 1.4 |
| 2015-04-01 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.3 |
| 2015-05-01 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 |
| 2015-06-01 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 1.3 |
| 2015-07-01 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 |
| 2015-08-01 | 3.6 | 2 | 1.2 |
| 2015-09-01 | 3.7 | 2 | 1.4 |
| 2015-10-01 | 3.7 | 2 | 1.3 |
| 2015-11-01 | 3.8 | 2 | 1.2 |
| 2015-12-01 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| 2016-01-01 | 3.6 | 2 | 1.3 |
| 2016-02-01 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| 2016-03-01 | 3.7 | 2 | 1.3 |
| 2016-04-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| 2016-05-01 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| 2016-06-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| 2016-07-01 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| 2016-08-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| 2016-09-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.1 |
| 2016-10-01 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 1.1 |
| 2016-11-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| 2016-12-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| 2017-01-01 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 1.2 |
| 2017-02-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| 2017-03-01 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 1.2 |
| 2017-04-01 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| 2017-05-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| 2017-06-01 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.3 |
| 2017-07-01 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| 2017-08-01 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| 2017-09-01 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 1.3 |
| 2017-10-01 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 1.2 |
| 2017-11-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| 2017-12-01 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 1.1 |
| 2018-01-01 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.4 |
| 2018-02-01 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 1.2 |
| 2018-03-01 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 1.2 |
| 2018-04-01 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2018-05-01 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2018-06-01 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2018-07-01 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2018-08-01 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2018-09-01 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2018-10-01 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2018-11-01 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 1.3 |
| 2018-12-01 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2019-01-01 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.1 |
| 2019-02-01 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 1.2 |
| 2019-03-01 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.1 |
| 2019-04-01 | 4 | 2.3 | 1.3 |
| 2019-05-01 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2019-06-01 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2019-07-01 | 4 | 2.4 | 1.2 |
| 2019-08-01 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 1.2 |
| 2019-09-01 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 1.3 |
| 2019-10-01 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2019-11-01 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2019-12-01 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 1.3 |
| 2020-01-01 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2020-02-01 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.3 |
| 2020-03-01 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 8.6 |
| 2020-04-01 | 3 | 1.6 | 7.2 |
| 2020-05-01 | 6.2 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
| 2020-06-01 | 5.6 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| 2020-07-01 | 4.5 | 2.3 | 1.3 |
| 2020-08-01 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 1.1 |
| 2020-09-01 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 1.1 |
| 2020-10-01 | 4.2 | 2.4 | 1.2 |
| 2020-11-01 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 1.5 |
| 2020-12-01 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 1.3 |
| 2021-01-01 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 2021-02-01 | 4 | 2.4 | 1.2 |
| 2021-03-01 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 1.1 |
| 2021-04-01 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 1 |
| 2021-05-01 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 0.9 |
| 2021-06-01 | 4.6 | 2.7 | 0.9 |
Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. The hires rate is the number of hires during the entire month as a percent of total employment. The layoff rate is the number of layoffs and discharges during the entire month as a percent of total employment. The quits rate is the number of quits during the entire month as a percent of total employment.
Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey
Total hires, layoffs, and quits, 2000-2021
| Date | Hires | Quits | Layoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-12-01 | 5,426 | 2,882 | 2,018 |
| 2001-01-01 | 5,722 | 3,245 | 2,220 |
| 2001-02-01 | 5,303 | 3,053 | 1,855 |
| 2001-03-01 | 5,528 | 3,054 | 2,133 |
| 2001-04-01 | 5,204 | 3,163 | 1,883 |
| 2001-05-01 | 5,410 | 2,993 | 2,029 |
| 2001-06-01 | 5,109 | 2,878 | 2,015 |
| 2001-07-01 | 5,244 | 2,947 | 2,038 |
| 2001-08-01 | 5,223 | 2,928 | 2,011 |
| 2001-09-01 | 4,954 | 2,703 | 2,107 |
| 2001-10-01 | 5,078 | 2,795 | 2,319 |
| 2001-11-01 | 4,914 | 2,560 | 2,255 |
| 2001-12-01 | 4,829 | 2,559 | 1,922 |
| 2002-01-01 | 4,855 | 2,845 | 1,907 |
| 2002-02-01 | 4,801 | 2,572 | 1,978 |
| 2002-03-01 | 4,706 | 2,493 | 1,883 |
| 2002-04-01 | 4,928 | 2,624 | 1,956 |
| 2002-05-01 | 4,857 | 2,537 | 1,967 |
| 2002-06-01 | 4,869 | 2,522 | 2,015 |
| 2002-07-01 | 4,946 | 2,561 | 2,102 |
| 2002-08-01 | 4,871 | 2,561 | 1,923 |
| 2002-09-01 | 4,879 | 2,521 | 2,022 |
| 2002-10-01 | 4,798 | 2,423 | 1,935 |
| 2002-11-01 | 4,792 | 2,403 | 1,944 |
| 2002-12-01 | 4,893 | 2,501 | 2,007 |
| 2003-01-01 | 5,058 | 2,429 | 2,109 |
| 2003-02-01 | 4,714 | 2,490 | 2,015 |
| 2003-03-01 | 4,470 | 2,394 | 1,949 |
| 2003-04-01 | 4,600 | 2,279 | 1,998 |
| 2003-05-01 | 4,678 | 2,291 | 2,072 |
| 2003-06-01 | 4,682 | 2,315 | 2,076 |
| 2003-07-01 | 4,639 | 2,271 | 2,062 |
| 2003-08-01 | 4,666 | 2,195 | 2,162 |
| 2003-09-01 | 4,799 | 2,354 | 1,932 |
| 2003-10-01 | 4,902 | 2,415 | 1,969 |
| 2003-11-01 | 4,767 | 2,411 | 1,951 |
| 2003-12-01 | 4,984 | 2,444 | 2,007 |
| 2004-01-01 | 4,900 | 2,354 | 2,037 |
| 2004-02-01 | 4,788 | 2,448 | 1,985 |
| 2004-03-01 | 5,227 | 2,582 | 2,065 |
| 2004-04-01 | 5,152 | 2,534 | 2,010 |
| 2004-05-01 | 4,976 | 2,428 | 1,914 |
| 2004-06-01 | 5,009 | 2,659 | 1,887 |
| 2004-07-01 | 4,891 | 2,609 | 1,885 |
| 2004-08-01 | 5,013 | 2,586 | 1,974 |
| 2004-09-01 | 5,062 | 2,531 | 2,027 |
| 2004-10-01 | 5,149 | 2,550 | 1,903 |
| 2004-11-01 | 5,181 | 2,789 | 2,037 |
| 2004-12-01 | 5,153 | 2,695 | 1,951 |
| 2005-01-01 | 5,201 | 2,732 | 2,008 |
| 2005-02-01 | 5,276 | 2,651 | 2,068 |
| 2005-03-01 | 5,273 | 2,747 | 2,188 |
| 2005-04-01 | 5,362 | 2,741 | 1,957 |
| 2005-05-01 | 5,271 | 2,763 | 2,021 |
| 2005-06-01 | 5,376 | 2,754 | 2,015 |
| 2005-07-01 | 5,328 | 2,735 | 1,898 |
| 2005-08-01 | 5,409 | 2,957 | 1,905 |
| 2005-09-01 | 5,493 | 3,046 | 2,032 |
| 2005-10-01 | 5,124 | 2,863 | 1,873 |
| 2005-11-01 | 5,344 | 2,895 | 1,769 |
| 2005-12-01 | 5,294 | 2,849 | 1,923 |
| 2006-01-01 | 5,271 | 2,945 | 1,784 |
| 2006-02-01 | 5,474 | 2,965 | 1,882 |
| 2006-03-01 | 5,524 | 2,956 | 1,888 |
| 2006-04-01 | 5,215 | 2,778 | 1,853 |
| 2006-05-01 | 5,498 | 3,002 | 1,991 |
| 2006-06-01 | 5,455 | 3,042 | 1,817 |
| 2006-07-01 | 5,573 | 3,047 | 1,860 |
| 2006-08-01 | 5,373 | 3,056 | 1,775 |
| 2006-09-01 | 5,288 | 2,888 | 1,831 |
| 2006-10-01 | 5,375 | 2,983 | 1,898 |
| 2006-11-01 | 5,495 | 3,043 | 1,926 |
| 2006-12-01 | 5,214 | 2,999 | 1,772 |
| 2007-01-01 | 5,426 | 2,956 | 1,922 |
| 2007-02-01 | 5,160 | 2,933 | 1,850 |
| 2007-03-01 | 5,479 | 2,997 | 1,882 |
| 2007-04-01 | 5,353 | 2,911 | 2,000 |
| 2007-05-01 | 5,469 | 3,010 | 1,967 |
| 2007-06-01 | 5,267 | 2,910 | 1,845 |
| 2007-07-01 | 5,217 | 2,951 | 1,896 |
| 2007-08-01 | 5,358 | 3,014 | 2,033 |
| 2007-09-01 | 5,344 | 2,691 | 2,188 |
| 2007-10-01 | 5,398 | 2,926 | 1,998 |
| 2007-11-01 | 5,176 | 2,784 | 1,966 |
| 2007-12-01 | 5,119 | 2,773 | 1,915 |
| 2008-01-01 | 5,071 | 2,847 | 1,989 |
| 2008-02-01 | 5,077 | 2,881 | 1,995 |
| 2008-03-01 | 4,924 | 2,661 | 1,918 |
| 2008-04-01 | 4,948 | 2,837 | 1,958 |
| 2008-05-01 | 4,691 | 2,607 | 1,950 |
| 2008-06-01 | 4,893 | 2,595 | 2,172 |
| 2008-07-01 | 4,637 | 2,489 | 2,071 |
| 2008-08-01 | 4,682 | 2,445 | 2,190 |
| 2008-09-01 | 4,499 | 2,468 | 2,088 |
| 2008-10-01 | 4,548 | 2,347 | 2,250 |
| 2008-11-01 | 4,104 | 2,157 | 2,290 |
| 2008-12-01 | 4,348 | 2,084 | 2,482 |
| 2009-01-01 | 4,095 | 1,976 | 2,581 |
| 2009-02-01 | 4,061 | 1,952 | 2,599 |
| 2009-03-01 | 3,858 | 1,834 | 2,575 |
| 2009-04-01 | 3,888 | 1,712 | 2,654 |
| 2009-05-01 | 3,758 | 1,683 | 2,231 |
| 2009-06-01 | 3,639 | 1,685 | 2,261 |
| 2009-07-01 | 3,857 | 1,685 | 2,267 |
| 2009-08-01 | 3,810 | 1,555 | 2,119 |
| 2009-09-01 | 3,944 | 1,627 | 2,195 |
| 2009-10-01 | 3,838 | 1,660 | 2,028 |
| 2009-11-01 | 4,024 | 1,810 | 1,913 |
| 2009-12-01 | 4,004 | 1,766 | 2,033 |
| 2010-01-01 | 3,904 | 1,742 | 1,880 |
| 2010-02-01 | 3,864 | 1,844 | 1,825 |
| 2010-03-01 | 4,302 | 1,856 | 1,924 |
| 2010-04-01 | 4,159 | 1,897 | 1,749 |
| 2010-05-01 | 4,420 | 1,813 | 1,762 |
| 2010-06-01 | 4,111 | 1,911 | 2,075 |
| 2010-07-01 | 4,163 | 1,785 | 2,166 |
| 2010-08-01 | 4,046 | 1,842 | 1,890 |
| 2010-09-01 | 4,034 | 1,895 | 1,832 |
| 2010-10-01 | 4,173 | 1,846 | 1,745 |
| 2010-11-01 | 4,182 | 1,887 | 1,849 |
| 2010-12-01 | 4,299 | 1,977 | 1,854 |
| 2011-01-01 | 4,000 | 1,832 | 1,827 |
| 2011-02-01 | 4,231 | 1,958 | 1,755 |
| 2011-03-01 | 4,430 | 2,033 | 1,794 |
| 2011-04-01 | 4,296 | 1,882 | 1,792 |
| 2011-05-01 | 4,261 | 1,965 | 1,904 |
| 2011-06-01 | 4,366 | 1,923 | 1,942 |
| 2011-07-01 | 4,261 | 1,986 | 1,845 |
| 2011-08-01 | 4,298 | 2,031 | 1,845 |
| 2011-09-01 | 4,429 | 2,041 | 1,872 |
| 2011-10-01 | 4,370 | 1,997 | 1,794 |
| 2011-11-01 | 4,365 | 2,039 | 1,912 |
| 2011-12-01 | 4,356 | 1,981 | 1,801 |
| 2012-01-01 | 4,457 | 2,030 | 1,797 |
| 2012-02-01 | 4,560 | 2,130 | 1,903 |
| 2012-03-01 | 4,575 | 2,167 | 1,784 |
| 2012-04-01 | 4,389 | 2,134 | 1,880 |
| 2012-05-01 | 4,533 | 2,138 | 1,969 |
| 2012-06-01 | 4,440 | 2,152 | 1,892 |
| 2012-07-01 | 4,327 | 2,072 | 1,722 |
| 2012-08-01 | 4,450 | 2,069 | 1,894 |
| 2012-09-01 | 4,302 | 1,950 | 1,805 |
| 2012-10-01 | 4,389 | 2,035 | 1,891 |
| 2012-11-01 | 4,489 | 2,078 | 1,921 |
| 2012-12-01 | 4,452 | 2,051 | 1,700 |
| 2013-01-01 | 4,487 | 2,280 | 1,678 |
| 2013-02-01 | 4,571 | 2,298 | 1,664 |
| 2013-03-01 | 4,369 | 2,124 | 1,787 |
| 2013-04-01 | 4,572 | 2,296 | 1,793 |
| 2013-05-01 | 4,663 | 2,234 | 1,836 |
| 2013-06-01 | 4,440 | 2,203 | 1,761 |
| 2013-07-01 | 4,561 | 2,363 | 1,713 |
| 2013-08-01 | 4,730 | 2,316 | 1,816 |
| 2013-09-01 | 4,726 | 2,302 | 1,892 |
| 2013-10-01 | 4,518 | 2,372 | 1,675 |
| 2013-11-01 | 4,622 | 2,391 | 1,630 |
| 2013-12-01 | 4,614 | 2,287 | 1,770 |
| 2014-01-01 | 4,626 | 2,311 | 1,806 |
| 2014-02-01 | 4,696 | 2,411 | 1,767 |
| 2014-03-01 | 4,763 | 2,449 | 1,703 |
| 2014-04-01 | 4,880 | 2,474 | 1,764 |
| 2014-05-01 | 4,808 | 2,483 | 1,710 |
| 2014-06-01 | 4,925 | 2,507 | 1,761 |
| 2014-07-01 | 5,008 | 2,633 | 1,781 |
| 2014-08-01 | 4,810 | 2,549 | 1,699 |
| 2014-09-01 | 5,149 | 2,732 | 1,718 |
| 2014-10-01 | 5,111 | 2,718 | 1,835 |
| 2014-11-01 | 4,978 | 2,600 | 1,726 |
| 2014-12-01 | 5,192 | 2,552 | 1,857 |
| 2015-01-01 | 5,061 | 2,764 | 1,789 |
| 2015-02-01 | 5,127 | 2,741 | 1,757 |
| 2015-03-01 | 5,126 | 2,754 | 1,973 |
| 2015-04-01 | 5,196 | 2,705 | 1,856 |
| 2015-05-01 | 5,142 | 2,743 | 1,711 |
| 2015-06-01 | 5,125 | 2,756 | 1,821 |
| 2015-07-01 | 5,150 | 2,764 | 1,703 |
| 2015-08-01 | 5,163 | 2,879 | 1,773 |
| 2015-09-01 | 5,287 | 2,778 | 1,964 |
| 2015-10-01 | 5,338 | 2,810 | 1,845 |
| 2015-11-01 | 5,358 | 2,897 | 1,779 |
| 2015-12-01 | 5,540 | 3,056 | 1,803 |
| 2016-01-01 | 5,220 | 2,875 | 1,805 |
| 2016-02-01 | 5,470 | 2,994 | 1,894 |
| 2016-03-01 | 5,359 | 2,917 | 1,850 |
| 2016-04-01 | 5,294 | 2,955 | 1,771 |
| 2016-05-01 | 5,197 | 3,009 | 1,825 |
| 2016-06-01 | 5,281 | 3,018 | 1,750 |
| 2016-07-01 | 5,426 | 2,967 | 1,759 |
| 2016-08-01 | 5,327 | 2,998 | 1,860 |
| 2016-09-01 | 5,306 | 3,047 | 1,588 |
| 2016-10-01 | 5,210 | 3,074 | 1,664 |
| 2016-11-01 | 5,308 | 3,026 | 1,751 |
| 2016-12-01 | 5,343 | 2,989 | 1,708 |
| 2017-01-01 | 5,497 | 3,166 | 1,738 |
| 2017-02-01 | 5,345 | 3,085 | 1,714 |
| 2017-03-01 | 5,394 | 3,145 | 1,759 |
| 2017-04-01 | 5,309 | 3,028 | 1,705 |
| 2017-05-01 | 5,477 | 3,125 | 1,804 |
| 2017-06-01 | 5,664 | 3,166 | 1,935 |
| 2017-07-01 | 5,508 | 3,107 | 1,858 |
| 2017-08-01 | 5,571 | 3,109 | 1,919 |
| 2017-09-01 | 5,409 | 3,214 | 1,885 |
| 2017-10-01 | 5,605 | 3,177 | 1,835 |
| 2017-11-01 | 5,463 | 3,166 | 1,740 |
| 2017-12-01 | 5,424 | 3,194 | 1,676 |
| 2018-01-01 | 5,459 | 3,034 | 1,994 |
| 2018-02-01 | 5,633 | 3,200 | 1,758 |
| 2018-03-01 | 5,636 | 3,305 | 1,783 |
| 2018-04-01 | 5,610 | 3,366 | 1,741 |
| 2018-05-01 | 5,865 | 3,401 | 1,767 |
| 2018-06-01 | 5,777 | 3,401 | 1,793 |
| 2018-07-01 | 5,707 | 3,444 | 1,791 |
| 2018-08-01 | 5,863 | 3,476 | 1,838 |
| 2018-09-01 | 5,616 | 3,424 | 1,778 |
| 2018-10-01 | 5,876 | 3,460 | 1,824 |
| 2018-11-01 | 5,815 | 3,435 | 1,905 |
| 2018-12-01 | 5,709 | 3,381 | 1,824 |
| 2019-01-01 | 5,741 | 3,521 | 1,689 |
| 2019-02-01 | 5,668 | 3,543 | 1,769 |
| 2019-03-01 | 5,684 | 3,524 | 1,721 |
| 2019-04-01 | 6,051 | 3,494 | 1,954 |
| 2019-05-01 | 5,719 | 3,487 | 1,776 |
| 2019-06-01 | 5,776 | 3,527 | 1,771 |
| 2019-07-01 | 5,987 | 3,627 | 1,826 |
| 2019-08-01 | 5,907 | 3,591 | 1,825 |
| 2019-09-01 | 5,970 | 3,449 | 1,982 |
| 2019-10-01 | 5,799 | 3,414 | 1,793 |
| 2019-11-01 | 5,842 | 3,482 | 1,788 |
| 2019-12-01 | 5,882 | 3,487 | 1,952 |
| 2020-01-01 | 5,974 | 3,568 | 1,788 |
| 2020-02-01 | 5,979 | 3,430 | 1,953 |
| 2020-03-01 | 5,132 | 2,902 | 13,046 |
| 2020-04-01 | 3,942 | 2,107 | 9,307 |
| 2020-05-01 | 8,272 | 2,206 | 2,096 |
| 2020-06-01 | 7,697 | 2,646 | 2,204 |
| 2020-07-01 | 6,237 | 3,182 | 1,845 |
| 2020-08-01 | 6,431 | 2,987 | 1,573 |
| 2020-09-01 | 5,932 | 3,307 | 1,555 |
| 2020-10-01 | 6,035 | 3,352 | 1,728 |
| 2020-11-01 | 6,019 | 3,296 | 2,123 |
| 2020-12-01 | 5,411 | 3,407 | 1,823 |
| 2021-01-01 | 5,465 | 3,306 | 1,724 |
| 2021-02-01 | 5,794 | 3,383 | 1,723 |
| 2021-03-01 | 6,006 | 3,568 | 1,525 |
| 2021-04-01 | 6,012 | 3,992 | 1,450 |
| 2021-05-01 | 6,022 | 3,630 | 1,353 |
| 2021-06-01 | 6,719 | 3,869 | 1,310 |
Note: Shaded areas denote recessions.
Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey
The job-seekers ratio, 2000–2021
| Date | job seekers ratio, imputed |
|---|---|
| 2000-12-01 | 1.15 |
| 2001-01-01 | 1.16 |
| 2001-02-01 | 1.20 |
| 2001-03-01 | 1.30 |
| 2001-04-01 | 1.35 |
| 2001-05-01 | 1.44 |
| 2001-06-01 | 1.50 |
| 2001-07-01 | 1.53 |
| 2001-08-01 | 1.76 |
| 2001-09-01 | 1.82 |
| 2001-10-01 | 2.12 |
| 2001-11-01 | 2.15 |
| 2001-12-01 | 2.24 |
| 2002-01-01 | 2.22 |
| 2002-02-01 | 2.40 |
| 2002-03-01 | 2.34 |
| 2002-04-01 | 2.45 |
| 2002-05-01 | 2.43 |
| 2002-06-01 | 2.46 |
| 2002-07-01 | 2.48 |
| 2002-08-01 | 2.35 |
| 2002-09-01 | 2.51 |
| 2002-10-01 | 2.42 |
| 2002-11-01 | 2.44 |
| 2002-12-01 | 2.71 |
| 2003-01-01 | 2.49 |
| 2003-02-01 | 2.66 |
| 2003-03-01 | 2.81 |
| 2003-04-01 | 2.86 |
| 2003-05-01 | 2.77 |
| 2003-06-01 | 2.70 |
| 2003-07-01 | 3.00 |
| 2003-08-01 | 2.79 |
| 2003-09-01 | 2.86 |
| 2003-10-01 | 2.62 |
| 2003-11-01 | 2.54 |
| 2003-12-01 | 2.44 |
| 2004-01-01 | 2.41 |
| 2004-02-01 | 2.36 |
| 2004-03-01 | 2.36 |
| 2004-04-01 | 2.33 |
| 2004-05-01 | 2.22 |
| 2004-06-01 | 2.46 |
| 2004-07-01 | 2.11 |
| 2004-08-01 | 2.25 |
| 2004-09-01 | 2.09 |
| 2004-10-01 | 2.03 |
| 2004-11-01 | 2.28 |
| 2004-12-01 | 1.93 |
| 2005-01-01 | 2.07 |
| 2005-02-01 | 1.98 |
| 2005-03-01 | 1.91 |
| 2005-04-01 | 1.84 |
| 2005-05-01 | 2.00 |
| 2005-06-01 | 1.84 |
| 2005-07-01 | 1.73 |
| 2005-08-01 | 1.80 |
| 2005-09-01 | 1.72 |
| 2005-10-01 | 1.79 |
| 2005-11-01 | 1.75 |
| 2005-12-01 | 1.67 |
| 2006-01-01 | 1.62 |
| 2006-02-01 | 1.65 |
| 2006-03-01 | 1.50 |
| 2006-04-01 | 1.47 |
| 2006-05-01 | 1.57 |
| 2006-06-01 | 1.54 |
| 2006-07-01 | 1.62 |
| 2006-08-01 | 1.48 |
| 2006-09-01 | 1.43 |
| 2006-10-01 | 1.48 |
| 2006-11-01 | 1.47 |
| 2006-12-01 | 1.50 |
| 2007-01-01 | 1.47 |
| 2007-02-01 | 1.45 |
| 2007-03-01 | 1.37 |
| 2007-04-01 | 1.45 |
| 2007-05-01 | 1.48 |
| 2007-06-01 | 1.45 |
| 2007-07-01 | 1.55 |
| 2007-08-01 | 1.57 |
| 2007-09-01 | 1.55 |
| 2007-10-01 | 1.56 |
| 2007-11-01 | 1.60 |
| 2007-12-01 | 1.69 |
| 2008-01-01 | 1.64 |
| 2008-02-01 | 1.79 |
| 2008-03-01 | 1.83 |
| 2008-04-01 | 1.99 |
| 2008-05-01 | 2.02 |
| 2008-06-01 | 2.29 |
| 2008-07-01 | 2.45 |
| 2008-08-01 | 2.58 |
| 2008-09-01 | 3.04 |
| 2008-10-01 | 3.05 |
| 2008-11-01 | 3.38 |
| 2008-12-01 | 3.71 |
| 2009-01-01 | 4.56 |
| 2009-02-01 | 4.60 |
| 2009-03-01 | 5.38 |
| 2009-04-01 | 6.18 |
| 2009-05-01 | 5.73 |
| 2009-06-01 | 5.85 |
| 2009-07-01 | 6.59 |
| 2009-08-01 | 6.38 |
| 2009-09-01 | 6.10 |
| 2009-10-01 | 6.35 |
| 2009-11-01 | 6.06 |
| 2009-12-01 | 5.87 |
| 2010-01-01 | 5.32 |
| 2010-02-01 | 5.69 |
| 2010-03-01 | 5.70 |
| 2010-04-01 | 4.78 |
| 2010-05-01 | 4.91 |
| 2010-06-01 | 5.17 |
| 2010-07-01 | 4.73 |
| 2010-08-01 | 4.87 |
| 2010-09-01 | 4.99 |
| 2010-10-01 | 4.57 |
| 2010-11-01 | 4.58 |
| 2010-12-01 | 4.64 |
| 2011-01-01 | 4.48 |
| 2011-02-01 | 4.27 |
| 2011-03-01 | 4.25 |
| 2011-04-01 | 4.27 |
| 2011-05-01 | 4.38 |
| 2011-06-01 | 4.01 |
| 2011-07-01 | 3.81 |
| 2011-08-01 | 4.17 |
| 2011-09-01 | 3.65 |
| 2011-10-01 | 3.72 |
| 2011-11-01 | 3.70 |
| 2011-12-01 | 3.44 |
| 2012-01-01 | 3.28 |
| 2012-02-01 | 3.53 |
| 2012-03-01 | 3.19 |
| 2012-04-01 | 3.34 |
| 2012-05-01 | 3.31 |
| 2012-06-01 | 3.24 |
| 2012-07-01 | 3.36 |
| 2012-08-01 | 3.23 |
| 2012-09-01 | 3.12 |
| 2012-10-01 | 3.20 |
| 2012-11-01 | 3.13 |
| 2012-12-01 | 3.12 |
| 2013-01-01 | 3.11 |
| 2013-02-01 | 2.95 |
| 2013-03-01 | 2.88 |
| 2013-04-01 | 2.94 |
| 2013-05-01 | 2.82 |
| 2013-06-01 | 2.78 |
| 2013-07-01 | 2.91 |
| 2013-08-01 | 2.76 |
| 2013-09-01 | 2.71 |
| 2013-10-01 | 2.60 |
| 2013-11-01 | 2.57 |
| 2013-12-01 | 2.50 |
| 2014-01-01 | 2.49 |
| 2014-02-01 | 2.37 |
| 2014-03-01 | 2.29 |
| 2014-04-01 | 2.14 |
| 2014-05-01 | 2.03 |
| 2014-06-01 | 1.91 |
| 2014-07-01 | 1.98 |
| 2014-08-01 | 1.76 |
| 2014-09-01 | 1.86 |
| 2014-10-01 | 1.80 |
| 2014-11-01 | 1.84 |
| 2014-12-01 | 1.72 |
| 2015-01-01 | 1.64 |
| 2015-02-01 | 1.57 |
| 2015-03-01 | 1.64 |
| 2015-04-01 | 1.55 |
| 2015-05-01 | 1.54 |
| 2015-06-01 | 1.56 |
| 2015-07-01 | 1.33 |
| 2015-08-01 | 1.45 |
| 2015-09-01 | 1.44 |
| 2015-10-01 | 1.38 |
| 2015-11-01 | 1.39 |
| 2015-12-01 | 1.33 |
| 2016-01-01 | 1.27 |
| 2016-02-01 | 1.36 |
| 2016-03-01 | 1.31 |
| 2016-04-01 | 1.35 |
| 2016-05-01 | 1.33 |
| 2016-06-01 | 1.34 |
| 2016-07-01 | 1.29 |
| 2016-08-01 | 1.39 |
| 2016-09-01 | 1.34 |
| 2016-10-01 | 1.37 |
| 2016-11-01 | 1.26 |
| 2016-12-01 | 1.26 |
| 2017-01-01 | 1.31 |
| 2017-02-01 | 1.22 |
| 2017-03-01 | 1.23 |
| 2017-04-01 | 1.16 |
| 2017-05-01 | 1.19 |
| 2017-06-01 | 1.08 |
| 2017-07-01 | 1.12 |
| 2017-08-01 | 1.10 |
| 2017-09-01 | 1.07 |
| 2017-10-01 | 1.05 |
| 2017-11-01 | 1.07 |
| 2017-12-01 | 1.03 |
| 2018-01-01 | 0.99 |
| 2018-02-01 | 0.99 |
| 2018-03-01 | 0.95 |
| 2018-04-01 | 0.92 |
| 2018-05-01 | 0.90 |
| 2018-06-01 | 0.86 |
| 2018-07-01 | 0.85 |
| 2018-08-01 | 0.85 |
| 2018-09-01 | 0.83 |
| 2018-10-01 | 0.84 |
| 2018-11-01 | 0.82 |
| 2018-12-01 | 0.86 |
| 2019-01-01 | 0.84 |
| 2019-02-01 | 0.87 |
| 2019-03-01 | 0.83 |
| 2019-04-01 | 0.82 |
| 2019-05-01 | 0.82 |
| 2019-06-01 | 0.83 |
| 2019-07-01 | 0.84 |
| 2019-08-01 | 0.82 |
| 2019-09-01 | 0.82 |
| 2019-10-01 | 0.81 |
| 2019-11-01 | 0.85 |
| 2019-12-01 | 0.86 |
| 2020-01-01 | 0.80 |
| 2020-02-01 | 0.92 |
| 2020-03-01 | 2.63 |
| 2020-04-01 | 4.76 |
| 2020-05-01 | 3.55 |
| 2020-06-01 | 2.78 |
| 2020-07-01 | 2.22 |
| 2020-08-01 | 2.02 |
| 2020-09-01 | 1.78 |
| 2020-10-01 | 1.58 |
| 2020-11-01 | 1.59 |
| 2020-12-01 | 1.55 |
| 2021-01-01 | 1.42 |
| 2021-02-01 | 1.31 |
| 2021-03-01 | 1.18 |
| 2021-04-01 | 1.04 |
| 2021-05-01 | 0.99 |
| 2021-06-01 | 0.90 |
Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Unemployment levels represent the average of the unemployment level for the current month and the subsequent month in the Current Population Survey to better line up with the job openings data from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.
Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and Current Population Survey
Job openings levels and unemployment levels, 2000–2021
| Date | Openings | Unemployment, two-month average |
|---|---|---|
| 2000-12-01 | 5,088 | 5,829 |
| 2001-01-01 | 5,234 | 6,056 |
| 2001-02-01 | 5,097 | 6,115 |
| 2001-03-01 | 4,762 | 6,206 |
| 2001-04-01 | 4,615 | 6,249 |
| 2001-05-01 | 4,425 | 6,355 |
| 2001-06-01 | 4,361 | 6,534 |
| 2001-07-01 | 4,447 | 6,813 |
| 2001-08-01 | 4,024 | 7,092 |
| 2001-09-01 | 4,071 | 7,418 |
| 2001-10-01 | 3,707 | 7,849 |
| 2001-11-01 | 3,775 | 8,131 |
| 2001-12-01 | 3,677 | 8,220 |
| 2002-01-01 | 3,699 | 8,199 |
| 2002-02-01 | 3,436 | 8,260 |
| 2002-03-01 | 3,612 | 8,452 |
| 2002-04-01 | 3,471 | 8,499 |
| 2002-05-01 | 3,457 | 8,396 |
| 2002-06-01 | 3,412 | 8,392 |
| 2002-07-01 | 3,367 | 8,347 |
| 2002-08-01 | 3,517 | 8,278 |
| 2002-09-01 | 3,301 | 8,279 |
| 2002-10-01 | 3,479 | 8,414 |
| 2002-11-01 | 3,514 | 8,580 |
| 2002-12-01 | 3,169 | 8,580 |
| 2003-01-01 | 3,441 | 8,569 |
| 2003-02-01 | 3,229 | 8,603 |
| 2003-03-01 | 3,099 | 8,715 |
| 2003-04-01 | 3,108 | 8,900 |
| 2003-05-01 | 3,289 | 9,112 |
| 2003-06-01 | 3,390 | 9,139 |
| 2003-07-01 | 2,981 | 8,954 |
| 2003-08-01 | 3,190 | 8,909 |
| 2003-09-01 | 3,091 | 8,827 |
| 2003-10-01 | 3,305 | 8,654 |
| 2003-11-01 | 3,324 | 8,447 |
| 2003-12-01 | 3,414 | 8,344 |
| 2004-01-01 | 3,424 | 8,269 |
| 2004-02-01 | 3,532 | 8,329 |
| 2004-03-01 | 3,525 | 8,331 |
| 2004-04-01 | 3,511 | 8,191 |
| 2004-05-01 | 3,710 | 8,249 |
| 2004-06-01 | 3,337 | 8,211 |
| 2004-07-01 | 3,814 | 8,063 |
| 2004-08-01 | 3,541 | 7,959 |
| 2004-09-01 | 3,821 | 7,994 |
| 2004-10-01 | 3,943 | 7,997 |
| 2004-11-01 | 3,472 | 7,933 |
| 2004-12-01 | 4,074 | 7,859 |
| 2005-01-01 | 3,804 | 7,882 |
| 2005-02-01 | 3,965 | 7,859 |
| 2005-03-01 | 4,044 | 7,705 |
| 2005-04-01 | 4,159 | 7,662 |
| 2005-05-01 | 3,797 | 7,588 |
| 2005-06-01 | 4,062 | 7,465 |
| 2005-07-01 | 4,256 | 7,376 |
| 2005-08-01 | 4,142 | 7,449 |
| 2005-09-01 | 4,352 | 7,503 |
| 2005-10-01 | 4,184 | 7,510 |
| 2005-11-01 | 4,248 | 7,423 |
| 2005-12-01 | 4,282 | 7,172 |
| 2006-01-01 | 4,397 | 7,124 |
| 2006-02-01 | 4,325 | 7,128 |
| 2006-03-01 | 4,732 | 7,096 |
| 2006-04-01 | 4,790 | 7,050 |
| 2006-05-01 | 4,463 | 6,991 |
| 2006-06-01 | 4,614 | 7,088 |
| 2006-07-01 | 4,394 | 7,133 |
| 2006-08-01 | 4,710 | 6,969 |
| 2006-09-01 | 4,737 | 6,787 |
| 2006-10-01 | 4,591 | 6,800 |
| 2006-11-01 | 4,645 | 6,817 |
| 2006-12-01 | 4,620 | 6,939 |
| 2007-01-01 | 4,763 | 7,022 |
| 2007-02-01 | 4,699 | 6,829 |
| 2007-03-01 | 4,962 | 6,791 |
| 2007-04-01 | 4,689 | 6,808 |
| 2007-05-01 | 4,657 | 6,873 |
| 2007-06-01 | 4,859 | 7,064 |
| 2007-07-01 | 4,598 | 7,108 |
| 2007-08-01 | 4,546 | 7,119 |
| 2007-09-01 | 4,652 | 7,204 |
| 2007-10-01 | 4,636 | 7,239 |
| 2007-11-01 | 4,646 | 7,443 |
| 2007-12-01 | 4,545 | 7,665 |
| 2008-01-01 | 4,624 | 7,591 |
| 2008-02-01 | 4,279 | 7,660 |
| 2008-03-01 | 4,225 | 7,730 |
| 2008-04-01 | 4,035 | 8,016 |
| 2008-05-01 | 4,194 | 8,485 |
| 2008-06-01 | 3,830 | 8,756 |
| 2008-07-01 | 3,749 | 9,188 |
| 2008-08-01 | 3,674 | 9,466 |
| 2008-09-01 | 3,222 | 9,784 |
| 2008-10-01 | 3,377 | 10,306 |
| 2008-11-01 | 3,231 | 10,912 |
| 2008-12-01 | 3,146 | 11,672 |
| 2009-01-01 | 2,738 | 12,478 |
| 2009-02-01 | 2,864 | 13,162 |
| 2009-03-01 | 2,534 | 13,640 |
| 2009-04-01 | 2,295 | 14,176 |
| 2009-05-01 | 2,549 | 14,603 |
| 2009-06-01 | 2,503 | 14,654 |
| 2009-07-01 | 2,232 | 14,708 |
| 2009-08-01 | 2,338 | 14,912 |
| 2009-09-01 | 2,487 | 15,181 |
| 2009-10-01 | 2,406 | 15,286 |
| 2009-11-01 | 2,503 | 15,159 |
| 2009-12-01 | 2,568 | 15,072 |
| 2010-01-01 | 2,837 | 15,080 |
| 2010-02-01 | 2,666 | 15,158 |
| 2010-03-01 | 2,679 | 15,264 |
| 2010-04-01 | 3,153 | 15,087 |
| 2010-05-01 | 2,988 | 14,662 |
| 2010-06-01 | 2,801 | 14,493 |
| 2010-07-01 | 3,082 | 14,580 |
| 2010-08-01 | 2,999 | 14,614 |
| 2010-09-01 | 2,918 | 14,548 |
| 2010-10-01 | 3,235 | 14,799 |
| 2010-11-01 | 3,211 | 14,715 |
| 2010-12-01 | 3,058 | 14,181 |
| 2011-01-01 | 3,104 | 13,917 |
| 2011-02-01 | 3,226 | 13,779 |
| 2011-03-01 | 3,261 | 13,847 |
| 2011-04-01 | 3,259 | 13,906 |
| 2011-05-01 | 3,179 | 13,909 |
| 2011-06-01 | 3,455 | 13,863 |
| 2011-07-01 | 3,623 | 13,791 |
| 2011-08-01 | 3,329 | 13,883 |
| 2011-09-01 | 3,774 | 13,771 |
| 2011-10-01 | 3,619 | 13,448 |
| 2011-11-01 | 3,565 | 13,198 |
| 2011-12-01 | 3,768 | 12,945 |
| 2012-01-01 | 3,909 | 12,805 |
| 2012-02-01 | 3,616 | 12,763 |
| 2012-03-01 | 3,979 | 12,680 |
| 2012-04-01 | 3,793 | 12,653 |
| 2012-05-01 | 3,835 | 12,676 |
| 2012-06-01 | 3,911 | 12,674 |
| 2012-07-01 | 3,735 | 12,564 |
| 2012-08-01 | 3,809 | 12,293 |
| 2012-09-01 | 3,882 | 12,120 |
| 2012-10-01 | 3,775 | 12,065 |
| 2012-11-01 | 3,878 | 12,152 |
| 2012-12-01 | 3,970 | 12,385 |
| 2013-01-01 | 3,923 | 12,211 |
| 2013-02-01 | 4,004 | 11,820 |
| 2013-03-01 | 4,076 | 11,725 |
| 2013-04-01 | 3,988 | 11,707 |
| 2013-05-01 | 4,145 | 11,703 |
| 2013-06-01 | 4,150 | 11,543 |
| 2013-07-01 | 3,885 | 11,307 |
| 2013-08-01 | 4,085 | 11,275 |
| 2013-09-01 | 4,128 | 11,203 |
| 2013-10-01 | 4,222 | 10,962 |
| 2013-11-01 | 4,119 | 10,596 |
| 2013-12-01 | 4,121 | 10,303 |
| 2014-01-01 | 4,127 | 10,276 |
| 2014-02-01 | 4,373 | 10,365 |
| 2014-03-01 | 4,388 | 10,041 |
| 2014-04-01 | 4,566 | 9,781 |
| 2014-05-01 | 4,747 | 9,660 |
| 2014-06-01 | 4,982 | 9,534 |
| 2014-07-01 | 4,846 | 9,604 |
| 2014-08-01 | 5,349 | 9,431 |
| 2014-09-01 | 4,914 | 9,126 |
| 2014-10-01 | 5,012 | 9,040 |
| 2014-11-01 | 4,843 | 8,904 |
| 2014-12-01 | 5,130 | 8,801 |
| 2015-01-01 | 5,344 | 8,742 |
| 2015-02-01 | 5,466 | 8,557 |
| 2015-03-01 | 5,210 | 8,533 |
| 2015-04-01 | 5,598 | 8,692 |
| 2015-05-01 | 5,563 | 8,541 |
| 2015-06-01 | 5,248 | 8,207 |
| 2015-07-01 | 6,056 | 8,080 |
| 2015-08-01 | 5,467 | 7,950 |
| 2015-09-01 | 5,488 | 7,915 |
| 2015-10-01 | 5,773 | 7,961 |
| 2015-11-01 | 5,708 | 7,954 |
| 2015-12-01 | 5,845 | 7,767 |
| 2016-01-01 | 6,012 | 7,665 |
| 2016-02-01 | 5,770 | 7,832 |
| 2016-03-01 | 6,129 | 8,014 |
| 2016-04-01 | 5,803 | 7,860 |
| 2016-05-01 | 5,777 | 7,698 |
| 2016-06-01 | 5,742 | 7,693 |
| 2016-07-01 | 5,962 | 7,713 |
| 2016-08-01 | 5,677 | 7,869 |
| 2016-09-01 | 5,868 | 7,882 |
| 2016-10-01 | 5,591 | 7,682 |
| 2016-11-01 | 5,971 | 7,537 |
| 2016-12-01 | 5,964 | 7,494 |
| 2017-01-01 | 5,646 | 7,421 |
| 2017-02-01 | 5,931 | 7,248 |
| 2017-03-01 | 5,813 | 7,158 |
| 2017-04-01 | 6,103 | 7,108 |
| 2017-05-01 | 5,810 | 6,941 |
| 2017-06-01 | 6,334 | 6,843 |
| 2017-07-01 | 6,203 | 6,952 |
| 2017-08-01 | 6,300 | 6,960 |
| 2017-09-01 | 6,279 | 6,730 |
| 2017-10-01 | 6,380 | 6,690 |
| 2017-11-01 | 6,282 | 6,696 |
| 2017-12-01 | 6,359 | 6,564 |
| 2018-01-01 | 6,601 | 6,543 |
| 2018-02-01 | 6,586 | 6,545 |
| 2018-03-01 | 6,833 | 6,525 |
| 2018-04-01 | 6,910 | 6,380 |
| 2018-05-01 | 6,987 | 6,321 |
| 2018-06-01 | 7,271 | 6,281 |
| 2018-07-01 | 7,209 | 6,149 |
| 2018-08-01 | 7,204 | 6,102 |
| 2018-09-01 | 7,352 | 6,101 |
| 2018-10-01 | 7,295 | 6,140 |
| 2018-11-01 | 7,574 | 6,247 |
| 2018-12-01 | 7,436 | 6,411 |
| 2019-01-01 | 7,478 | 6,285 |
| 2019-02-01 | 7,058 | 6,165 |
| 2019-03-01 | 7,332 | 6,098 |
| 2019-04-01 | 7,257 | 5,980 |
| 2019-05-01 | 7,279 | 5,940 |
| 2019-06-01 | 7,165 | 5,942 |
| 2019-07-01 | 7,137 | 5,985 |
| 2019-08-01 | 7,150 | 5,864 |
| 2019-09-01 | 7,100 | 5,825 |
| 2019-10-01 | 7,340 | 5,915 |
| 2019-11-01 | 6,915 | 5,876 |
| 2019-12-01 | 6,730 | 5,820 |
| 2020-01-01 | 7,154 | 5,757 |
| 2020-02-01 | 7,012 | 6,451 |
| 2020-03-01 | 5,769 | 15,147 |
| 2020-04-01 | 4,630 | 22,042 |
| 2020-05-01 | 5,447 | 19,336 |
| 2020-06-01 | 6,112 | 17,003 |
| 2020-07-01 | 6,717 | 14,925 |
| 2020-08-01 | 6,451 | 13,039 |
| 2020-09-01 | 6,611 | 11,792 |
| 2020-10-01 | 6,873 | 10,889 |
| 2020-11-01 | 6,766 | 10,732 |
| 2020-12-01 | 6,752 | 10,433 |
| 2021-01-01 | 7,099 | 10,051 |
| 2021-02-01 | 7,526 | 9,841 |
| 2021-03-01 | 8,288 | 9,761 |
| 2021-04-01 | 9,193 | 9,564 |
| 2021-05-01 | 9,483 | 9,400 |
| 2021-06-01 | 10,073 | 9,093 |
Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Unemployment levels represent the average of the unemployment level for the current month and the subsequent month in the Current Population Survey to better line up with the job openings data from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.
Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and Current Population Survey. Unemployment levels represent the average of the unemployment level for the current month and the subsequent month to better line up with the job openings data.
Unemployment and job openings by industry (in thousands), June 2021
| Industry | Unemployment, three-month average | Job openings, three-month average | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining | 77.0 | 25.7 | 3.0 |
| Construction | 713.3 | 357.3 | 2.0 |
| Educational services | 240.3 | 166.3 | 1.4 |
| Transportation and utilities | 525.0 | 437.0 | 1.2 |
| Information | 160.3 | 138.7 | 1.2 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 133.0 | 115.3 | 1.2 |
| Retail trade | 1,128.0 | 1,043.3 | 1.1 |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 262.3 | 246.3 | 1.1 |
| Durable goods manufacturing | 501.7 | 497.3 | 1.0 |
| Other services | 359.3 | 435.7 | 0.8 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,118.0 | 1,423.0 | 0.8 |
| Nondurable goods manufacturing | 284.7 | 383.0 | 0.7 |
| Finance and Insurance | 167.3 | 277.7 | 0.6 |
| Professional and business services | 969.7 | 1,681.0 | 0.6 |
| Government | 565.0 | 986.7 | 0.6 |
| Health care and social assistance | 679.0 | 1,499.7 | 0.5 |
| Wholesale trade | 126.0 | 288.7 | 0.4 |
Notes: Unemployment levels represent the average of the unemployment level for the current month and the subsequent month in the Current Population Survey to better line up with the job openings data from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. Both unemployment data and job openings data are then averaged over three months to smooth for better data reliability. These data are non-seasonally adjusted so caution is warranted when making comparisons across time.
Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and Current Population Survey.
