What the quits rate measures
The quits rate is the number of workers who left their job voluntarily during the month, as a percentage of total employment. It comes from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), a monthly survey of about 21,000 employers by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retirements and transfers are excluded; quits are separations the employee chose. The data starts in December 2000 and is released about five weeks after the reference month.
How to read this chart
People quit when they are confident they can find something better, so the rate rises in strong labor markets and falls quickly in downturns. Readings above about 2.5% signal a tight market with plenty of job-hopping; below 2% suggests workers are staying put. Since workers who switch jobs tend to get larger raises, the quits rate often leads wage growth by several months.
The latest reading in context
- At 2.1%, the latest reading is below its 5-year average of 2.3% and below its 10-year average of 2.3%.
- Of all 310 monthly readings since December 2000, 52% were lower than today’s and 33% were higher.
- Direction: up 0.2 points over the past month; up 0.1 points over the past six months; up 0.2 points over the past year.
- The highest value on record is 3.0% (November 2021, 5 years ago); the lowest is 1.2% (August 2009, 17 years ago).
- The full history spans 3 US recessions, shaded grey on the chart.
Why it matters
The quits rate is one of the cleanest measures of worker bargaining power. Federal Reserve officials watch it as an indicator of labor-market heat that is less noisy than payrolls. A falling quits rate usually means wage pressure is easing, which matters for services inflation.
What moves the quits rate
- Job openings: more vacancies mean more outside offers
- Wage gaps between staying and switching
- Confidence about the economy and job security
- Industry mix: quits are highest in leisure, hospitality and retail
Key moments in its history
- 2001 and 2008–2009Fell during both recessions; reached a low of about 1.3% in 2009.
- 2010sClimbed slowly back to about 2.3% as the expansion matured.
- 2021–2022Peaked near 3% during the “Great Resignation”.
- 2024Returned below 2.2%, under its pre-pandemic level.
Quits Rate (JOLTS) data tables
Average by decade
| Decade | Average | High | Low |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s (so far) | 2.3% | 3.0% | 1.5% |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 2.4% | 1.3% |
| 2000s | 1.9% | 2.4% | 1.2% |
Last 12 months
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 2.1% | +0.2 pts |
| Aug 2026 | 1.9% | 0.0 pts |
| Jul 2026 | 1.9% | −0.1 pts |
| Jun 2026 | 2.0% | 0.0 pts |
| May 2026 | 2.0% | +0.1 pts |
| Apr 2026 | 1.9% | −0.1 pts |
| Mar 2026 | 2.0% | +0.1 pts |
| Feb 2026 | 1.9% | −0.1 pts |
| Jan 2026 | 2.0% | 0.0 pts |
| Dec 2025 | 2.0% | 0.0 pts |
| Nov 2025 | 2.0% | +0.1 pts |
| Oct 2025 | 1.9% | 0.0 pts |
Monthly values. Decade figures are averages of the monthly values in each decade. The complete history is available as a CSV file.
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Quits Rate (JOLTS): questions and answers
What was the Great Resignation?
The surge in quitting in 2021 and 2022, when record job openings let millions of workers change jobs for higher pay or better conditions. The quits rate reached its highest level in the history of the survey.
Is a high quits rate good or bad?
It signals a strong labor market and rising pay for workers who switch. For employers it means higher turnover costs, and for the Fed it can mean wage-driven inflation pressure.
How is the quits rate different from layoffs?
Quits are voluntary separations initiated by the worker; layoffs and discharges are initiated by the employer. Both come from JOLTS.
Where does the data on this chart come from?
From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. ChartWidgets downloads the series (JTSQUR) from FRED, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis database, and checks for new releases every day. The last update was on November 4, 2026.