Employers said they hired 6.6 million people in April. Layoffs, meanwhile, fell to a record 1.2 million as companies sought to keep the workers they had.
“The labor market remains strong even if things are calming down a bit,” said Nick Bunker, economist at job site Indeed. “We are still in a market of workers and job seekers.”
The latest figures come as the U.S. job market is posting solid month-on-month growth. US employers added 428,000 jobs in April – the 12th consecutive month of at least 400,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate is at a pandemic low of 3.6%.
In total, the labor market has created more than 6.5 million jobs over the past year and is on track to return to pre-pandemic levels this summer. This rapid growth has allowed millions of workers to leave unsatisfying jobs.
Abigail Josephine worked at a veterinary hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for less than a month before quitting her job as a veterinary technician in April. The tight job market, combined with a stressful work environment, made the decision relatively easy, she said. The 20-year-old applied for several other positions but eventually tendered her resignation even with no further offers.
“At first, I wasn’t sure if I would quit,” Josephine said. “But I came home crying, and my husband told me no job was worth my sanity like this.”