Job Openings Fall to 7.08 Million in August as Layoffs Stay Low
Quick answer: US employers listed about 7.08 million open jobs at the end of August, down from a revised 7.34 million in July and below the roughly 7.2 million economists expected, the Labor Department said on September 29. Layoffs eased to about 1.64 million, hires stayed near 5.2 million, and quits held at 3.1 million.
Key Takeaways
Job openings dropped to roughly 7.08 million in August from a revised 7.34 million in July, missing economist forecasts.
Layoffs and discharges declined to about 1.64 million, so employers are posting fewer vacancies without cutting more workers.
Hiring stayed close to 5.2 million and quits were unchanged at 3.1 million, which points to a stable but slow-moving job market.
Manufacturing stood out, with factory hires climbing to 332,000, their highest level since September 2024.
The September employment report is due Friday, October 2, and forecasters expect payroll growth of roughly 90,000 to 95,000 jobs.
American employers advertised fewer open positions in August, but they did not start shedding workers. The Labor Department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), published Tuesday, September 29, put openings at about 7.08 million on the last business day of August, a drop of roughly a quarter of a million from July. Layoffs actually edged lower during the month.
How big was the drop in job openings?
July's figure was revised upward to about 7.34 million, so August's reading marks a decline of around 256,000 positions, according to a summary of the release by investingLive. The result also landed below the consensus call: investingLive cited an estimate of 7.225 million, while The Associated Press reported that forecasters had pencilled in about 7.2 million.
The AP noted that August's level was the lowest since March, when openings stood near 6.9 million. The job openings rate was 4.3%, investingLive reported. The Bureau of Labor Statistics itself described the change in openings as small, but the gap versus expectations suggests employers have become more cautious about adding headcount.
Not every sector pulled back. Breitbart's breakdown of the release showed openings rising in retail trade and in leisure and hospitality, while government openings went down. The information sector, which covers many technology roles, saw vacancies jump to 123,000 from 78,000, though actual hires in that industry slipped by 18,000 to 44,000.
Are layoffs rising?
No. Layoffs and discharges fell by about 61,000 to roughly 1.64 million, with about 1.57 million of those in the private sector, according to Breitbart. investingLive put the layoff rate at 1.0%, essentially flat. The AP summarized the picture this way: employers may not be letting people go, but they are not hiring at anything like the pace of a few years ago.
Quits, which economists watch as a gauge of worker confidence because people tend to leave jobs when they expect to land something better, held at about 3.1 million, a rate of 1.9%. The AP described quitting as having retreated slightly, while investingLive called both the level and rate unchanged.
What happened with hiring?
Gross hiring, which counts every new hire before subtracting departures, came in near 5.2 million. Breitbart reported a modest increase to 5.19 million from 5.15 million, and the AP characterized the gain as a small uptick that still leaves hiring at low levels.
Manufacturing was the brightest spot in the report. Factory hires rose to 332,000 from 293,000, the strongest since September 2024, Breitbart reported. Manufacturers had 522,000 openings at the end of August, down from 576,000 in July but still near their highest levels since May 2024. The factory quits rate climbed two-tenths of a point to 1.6%, its highest since October 2024, a sign that some manufacturing workers feel confident enough to switch employers.
Why this report matters now
According to the AP, the labor market has held up this year despite higher energy costs tied to the conflict with Iran. Employers across businesses, nonprofits and government have added about 80,000 jobs a month on average in 2026, well above the average of roughly 9,700 a month in 2025, when high borrowing costs and uncertainty over trade policy made companies hesitant to hire.
That pace still trails earlier years by a wide margin. The AP pointed to average monthly gains of 166,000 in 2023 and 2024 and about 491,000 during the 2021 to 2022 rebound after pandemic lockdowns. Meanwhile, the Conference Board's consumer confidence index, also released Tuesday, fell to its weakest reading in more than ten years, the AP reported.
Financial markets reacted quickly. Kitco News reported that spot gold climbed more than 1% to about $4,166 an ounce after the release, as traders weighed whether cooling demand for workers could change the Federal Reserve's interest rate outlook.
What happens next?
Attention now shifts to the September employment report, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics is scheduled to publish at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, October 2. Forecasters surveyed by FactSet expect about 95,000 jobs to have been added, the AP reported, while investingLive cited a consensus near 90,000. Either figure would be a step down from August's stronger-than-expected gain of 162,000.
The unemployment rate is expected to stay at 4.1%, and investingLive noted that economists anticipate average hourly earnings growth of 0.3% for the month. JOLTS tracks demand for workers, whereas Friday's report will show how many jobs were actually added, so the two releases together will give a clearer read on whether fewer openings are starting to slow real hiring.
What this means for you
For people who already have a job, the numbers point to relative security. Layoffs remain low and have not risen alongside the drop in postings. Indeed senior economist Cory Stahle told the AP the market is a comfortable place to be if you already have a job, but a harder one for anyone trying to get hired, particularly new graduates.
If you are job hunting, practical steps include:
Target growing areas. Manufacturing, retail, and leisure and hospitality added openings or hires in August, and tech-focused information firms posted more vacancies.
Expect a longer search. With openings shrinking and hiring flat, competition for each posting is likely to be stiffer, so apply broadly and follow up.
Tailor every application. Match your resume to the specific skills listed in each posting, since employers are being selective about who they add.
Think carefully before quitting. Quits are flat nationally, so line up a new offer before leaving a stable role, unless you work in a field such as manufacturing where demand is firmer.
Watch Friday's report. The September jobs data will show whether slower postings are turning into slower hiring.
New graduates and career changers may benefit most from building referrals and targeting sectors that are still expanding rather than relying only on large job boards.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many job openings were there in the US in August 2026?
Employers had about 7.08 million open positions at the end of August 2026, according to the Labor Department's JOLTS report released September 29. That was down from a revised 7.34 million in July and below the roughly 7.2 million economists expected.
Did layoffs go up in the August JOLTS report?
No. Layoffs and discharges fell by about 61,000 to roughly 1.64 million, and the layoff rate stayed near 1.0%. Employers cut back on new postings without increasing job cuts.
What is the JOLTS report?
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey is a monthly Labor Department report. It measures how many positions are vacant as of the final business day of each month, along with hires, quits and layoffs during that month. The data are seasonally adjusted and subject to revision.
Which industries are adding jobs or openings right now?
Manufacturing hires rose to 332,000 in August, the highest since September 2024. Openings increased in retail trade, leisure and hospitality, and the information sector, although hires in the information sector fell. Government openings declined.
When is the next jobs report?
The September employment report is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, October 2. Forecasters expect roughly 90,000 to 95,000 jobs added and an unemployment rate of 4.1%.
Sources
Published September 29, 2026. This article was compiled from the sources listed above with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.