Job Openings Flat for January, 2025: US Bureau of Labor Statistics MDBAL, March 12, 2025March 12, 2025 Release – The number of job openings changed little at 7.7 million in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday. Hires held at 5.4 million, and total separations changed little at 5.3 million. Within separations, quits (3.3 million) and layoffs and discharges (1.6 million) changed little. 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. This release also includes 2024 annual estimates for job openings, hires, and separations. Job openings include all positions that are open on the last business day of the month. Hires and separations include all changes to the payroll during the entire month. Job Openings The number of job openings was little changed at 7.7 million in January but was down by 728,000 over the year. The job openings rate, at 4.6 percent, changed little over the month. The number of job openings increased in real estate and rental and leasing (+46,000). Hires In January, the number and rate of hires were unchanged at 5.4 million and 3.4 percent, respectively. Hires decreased in mining and logging (-6,000). 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 and rate of total separations in January were little changed at 5.3 million and 3.3 percent, respectively. In January, the number and rate of quits were little changed at 3.3 million and 2.1 percent, respectively. Quits increased in construction (+53,000) and in mining and logging (+6,000). In January, the number and rate of layoffs and discharges changed little at 1.6 million and 1.0 percent, respectively. Layoffs and discharges decreased in mining and logging (-8,000). The number of other separations changed little at 350,000 in January. Establishment Size Class In January, the quits rate increased for establishments with 1 to 9 employees, while the job openings, hires, layoffs and discharges, and total separations rates showed little change. For establishments with 5,000 or more employees, all rates showed little or no change. December 2024 Revisions The number of job openings for December was revised down by 92,000 to 7.5 million, the number of hires was revised down by 88,000 to 5.4 million, and the number of total separations was revised down by 187,000 to 5.1 million. Within separations, the number of quits was revised down by 102,000 to 3.1 million, and the number of layoffs and discharges was revised down by 102,000 to 1.7 million. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.) Annual Levels and Rates Consistent with BLS practice, annual estimates are published for not seasonally adjusted data each year with the January news release. For details about how these estimates are calculated, see the technical note. In 2024, the annual average job openings level was 7.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million from 2023. The annual average job openings rate was 4.7 percent in 2024, compared to 5.6 percent in 2023. In 2024, the annual hires level was 65.3 million, a decrease of 5.1 million from 2023. Annual total separations decreased by 4.6 million in 2024 to 63.2 million. Annual quits decreased by 5.0 million in 2024 to 39.2 million and accounted for 62.0 percent of total separations. Annual layoffs and discharges increased by 402,000 in 2024 to 20.2 million and accounted for 31.9 percent of total separations. Annual other separations decreased by 5,000 in 2024 to 3.8 million and accounted for 6.1 percent of total separations. The annual average hires rate for 2024 was 3.4 percent, down from 3.8 percent in 2023. The annual average total separations rate for 2024 was 3.3 percent, compared to 3.6 percent in 2023. The 2024 annual average rates for the components of total separations were 2.1 percent for quits, 1.1 percent for layoffs and discharges, and 0.2 percent for other separations. U.S.