January 13, 2026
Michigan’s job openings rate declined in the latest data release of the state Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The hires rate was the only other metric to decline during this time. Conversely, the separations rate, labor turnover rate, and layoffs/discharges rate all increased, while the quits rate stagnated.
Michigan recorded approximately 213,000 job openings in October, a decline of 23,000 from September (236,000). This resulted in a 0.4 percentage point drop in the job openings rate, a measure of job openings as a percentage of employment, to 4.5 percent. Michigan’s rate was equal to the national rate at the time and 33rd among other states.
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Source: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The labor turnover rate, a combination of the hires and separations rates, grew to 7.7 percent (+0.2 percentage points). This was driven by a jump in separations in October. Michigan recorded the 11th highest turnover rate among other states and was significantly higher than the national rate (6.5 percent).
The hires rate, a measure of hires as a percentage of employment, fell to 3.8 percent (-0.2 percentage points) in October. This came as a result of approximately 10,000 less individuals being hired in October (171,000) than September (181,000). Michigan recorded the 11th highest rate among states and was above the national rate (3.4 percent).
Approximately 179,000 individuals separated from their jobs in October, an increase of roughly 19,000 from September (160,000). This translated to a 0.4 percentage point increase in the separations rate, a measure of separations as a percentage of employment, to 3.9 percent. Michigan was above the national separations rate (3.2 percent) and 10th among other states.
The layoffs/discharges rate, a measure of involuntary separations, was the main driver of the increase in separations. There were approximately 68,000 layoffs/discharges in October, an increase of 17,000 from September. This increase resulted in a 0.4 percentage point increase in the layoffs/discharges rate to 1.5 percent. The quits rate, a measure of quits as a percentage of employment, was recorded at 2.2 percent for the second consecutive month. Despite this, Michigan recorded the seventh highest quits rate among states and was above the national rate (1.9).
