The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the September 2026 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey on Tuesday, November 3, at 10 a.m. ET. The report will update job openings, hiring, quits and layoffs across the U.S. labor market.

The data describe September conditions, while the publication date is November 3. That distinction matters because JOLTS is a lagged survey rather than a real-time count of vacancies or worker movement.

JOLTS Release Schedule and Scope

The BLS November release calendar lists the September JOLTS report for November 3. The JOLTS program page says the survey produces national estimates of job openings, hires and separations, including quits and layoffs.

BLS draws the survey from about 21,000 nonfarm business and government establishments. The sample is organized by ownership, region, industry and establishment size, giving the release a broader foundation than online job advertisements.

Job openings are measured on the last business day of the month. Hires and separations are flows measured across the full month, so the categories should not be treated as if they cover identical reference periods.

What Markets Will Watch in September Data

Investors will first examine whether vacancies and hiring are moving together. A high openings total paired with weak hiring can indicate that employers are selective or struggling to match workers with available roles. A decline in both can point to softer labor demand.

The quits rate offers a view of worker confidence because employees are generally more willing to leave voluntarily when they expect other opportunities. Layoffs and discharges provide a separate read on employer-driven separations.

Those signals will help frame the November 6 employment report. JOLTS and payroll data use different methods and can diverge over short periods, so one release should not substitute for the other.

Why JOLTS Matters for Rates and Stocks

Federal Reserve officials monitor labor demand because persistent imbalance between vacancies and available workers can affect wage pressure and inflation. The report therefore adds context to the Fed’s latest rate decision and the newly released bank lending survey.

Industry details can also matter for equities. Changes in hiring or layoffs across manufacturing, professional services, retail and government may show where demand is strengthening or weakening before company guidance fully reflects the shift.

Monthly JOLTS figures are initially preliminary. BLS revises them as additional establishment reports arrive and seasonal factors are recalculated, making revisions part of the signal rather than an editorial error.

No original chart is included because the September 2026 figures were not available when this preview was prepared. A chart before the release would require estimates or substituted data rather than the official series.

Sharron Kendi is a seasoned crypto market analyst and writer with over three years of experience decoding blockchain trends, price movements, and market dynamics. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce (Finance) from Kenyatta University, blending a solid academic foundation with a sharp eye for technical analysis and a deep understanding of on-chain data. Her work delivers clear, data-driven insights that empower investors to navigate the fast-evolving digital asset space with confidence.