U.S. job openings crept up to 9 million in December

Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Job openings in the United States grew slightly in December, according to an economic news release Tuesday from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The number of job openings grew to 9 million in December, which is up from 8.8 million in November, but still down from a series high of 12 million in March 2022, according to the BLS.

Overall job openings increased by 101,000. The professional and business services sector saw the highest increase in job openings at 239,000. The gains were offset by the leisure and hospitality industry, which saw the highest decrease in job openings at about 131,000.

New hires grew slightly to 5.6 million in December, a 0.1% change from November. The number of new hires decreased the most in health care and social assistance by 119,000, but grew the most in leisure and hospitality by 65,000.

Total separations remained relatively unchanged from November at 5.4 million, with a rate of 3.4%. Of those separations, 3.4 million people quit and 1.6 million people were fired or laid off, remaining consistent percentage-wise from November.

Wholesale trade saw the biggest increase in people voluntarily leaving the workforce by 63,000, while the number of quits decreased the most in health care by 71,000.

Layoffs and firings increased by 69,000 in professional and business services and decreased by 23,000 in wholesale trade.

Other separations due to retirement, death, disability or transfers changed little from 361,000 in November to 346,000 in December.