REPORT: American workers are quitting their jobs by the millions

October 12, 2021

WASHINGTON (AP) — One reason America’s employers are having trouble filling jobs was starkly illustrated in a report Tuesday: Americans are quitting in droves.

The Labor Department said that quits jumped to 4.3 million in August, the highest on records dating back to December 2000, and up from 4 million in July.

Hiring also slowed in August. The report showed the number of jobs available fell to 10.4 million, from a record high of 11.1 million the previous month.

The data strongly suggests that the delta variant wreaked havoc on the job market in August.

As COVID-19 cases surged, quits jumped in restaurants and hotels and rose in other public-facing jobs, such as retail and education.