Job openings jumped in September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday, Nov. 3. Openings rose by 333,000 from August to 7.52 million, well above the 7.15 million Dow Jones forecast. The openings rate increased to 4.5%.
Workers also moved more. Quits rose by 321,000 to 3.36 million, the highest since March 2025. Hires increased by 131,000 to 5.4 million. Layoffs and discharges fell by 127,000 to 1.64 million, also the lowest since March 2025. CNBC said openings exceeded unemployed workers by about 414,000, roughly 1.05 openings per unemployed person.
Openings are unfilled positions, not paychecks already issued. More quits suggest more people were willing to leave; that is not proof every searcher was hired. Manufacturing openings rose 54,000, state and local government 108,000, and professional and business services 106,000. This September snapshot is separate from ADP's October hiring figure released the next day.
Do more September openings mean a layoff was reversed or a wage rose? No individual job or raise was announced. The report shows more openings, more quits, more hires and fewer layoffs in September. It does not change a contract you already have.