The number of americans who voluntarily quit their jobs rose to a record 4.5 million in November, a show of confidence in the job market and an indication that wages higher may prevail for a time.
The increase of 370,000 resignations recorded Tuesday in the Department of Labor’s monthly report on job vacancies and staff turnover, or JOLTS, was led by the food and lodging services sector.
There were also large increases in the areas of health care and social assistance, as well as in the transport, storage and energy supply sectors. All four regions of the United States saw an increase in the number of people leaving their jobs.
Job vacancies, a measure of labor demand, fell by 529,000 to a still-high 10.6 million, according to figures from the last day of November. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 11.075 billion vacancies. There were large declines in job vacancies in the accommodation and food, construction and non-durable goods manufacturing sectors.