JOLTS Layoffs and Discharges Rate
The JOLTS layoffs and discharges rate measures involuntary separations initiated by employers as a share of employment. It includes layoffs, firings, downsizings and business closures, normalized so today can be compared fairly with the smaller labor market of the early 2000s.
Layoffs and discharges rate
Next release: Sep 1, 2026
Latest reading
As of June 2026, Layoffs Rate (Layoffs and discharges rate) stands at 1.1% — unchanged from 1.1% the prior reading, 7.5 pp below the March 2020 record of 8.6%. Low layoffs can coexist with weak hiring—the low-hire, low-fire market—so this is only one side of labor health. A persistent rise in the three-month average is more concerning than one noisy print, especially when initial and continued claims confirm that more workers are losing jobs and taking longer to find new ones. Series history runs from 2000 to present.
Sources, methodology & freshnessLast updated 2026-08-21 · Open ↓Close ↑
Full history
Methodology & data
Layoffs Rate is sourced from BLS via the Federal Reserve's FRED service (BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey via FRED (JTSLDR), monthly, seasonally adjusted). We pull the complete history, chart it on a monthly basis, overlay SPY for context, and generate a dated plain-English reading from the latest release — with no smoothing or adjustment beyond what the chart legend states.
Every reading is stamped with its release date, last updated 2026-08-21. Maintained and reviewed by Yuriy Matso; see our methodology for the standards every series on the site is held to.
Frequently asked questions
What is the JOLTS Layoffs and Discharges Rate?
The JOLTS layoffs and discharges rate measures involuntary separations initiated by employers as a share of employment. It includes layoffs, firings, downsizings and business closures, normalized so today can be compared fairly with the smaller labor market of the early 2000s.
How do you read Layoffs Rate?
Low layoffs can coexist with weak hiring—the low-hire, low-fire market—so this is only one side of labor health. A persistent rise in the three-month average is more concerning than one noisy print, especially when initial and continued claims confirm that more workers are losing jobs and taking longer to find new ones.
Where does the Layoffs Rate data come from?
BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey via FRED (JTSLDR), monthly, seasonally adjusted. We chart the full history and publish a dated, plain-English reading with every release; the raw series is downloadable as CSV at /data/indicators/layoffs-rate.csv.
How often is Layoffs Rate updated?
Layoffs Rate is a monthly series from BLS, refreshed here as soon as a new release posts to FRED.
Layoffs and discharges rate
Next release: Sep 1, 2026