By Mike Sunnucks | Rose Law Group Reporter
More than 47 million Americans quit their jobs in 2021, a record level for voluntary separations.
That is according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
There were 47.4 million job quits during 2021 with 4.3 million of those occurring in December and 4.5 million in November (a monthly record).
There were 68.3 million job separations (including layoffs, firings and quits) during 2021 compared to 75.3 million new hires, according to BLS.
The large number of workers quitting jobs is another challenge for the labor market as employers struggle to hire and retain employees.
The shutdowns, layoffs and pay cuts during the COVID pandemic have resulted in some workers exiting the labor pool or shifting careers.
Employers are having an especially hard time filling lower-paying jobs that lack health insurance, retirement and other benefits.
Workers have also had to leave jobs due to school and day care closures and rising costs for preschools. Some employees are also reluctant to take some front-facing jobs where they could be exposed to the virus.
Layoffs and pay reductions during the pandemic have also soured some workers on employers and certain career paths.
Restaurants, bars and retail have had an especially hard time with labor shortages.
More than 1.87 million restaurant, hotel, bar and other hospitality workers and 2 million retail, wholesale and logistics employees quit their jobs in November and December.
Another 1.1 million workers in the health care and social service industries also resigned their positions during the last two months of 2021, according to BLS.
