Alabama reported 115,000 job openings in June 2025, down from 123,000 openings in May, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The state’s job openings rate stood at 4.9 percent for June, compared to 5.3 percent in the previous month. Nationally, the job openings rate was slightly lower at 4.4 percent in June and 4.6 percent in May.
Victoria G. Lee, Regional Commissioner for the BLS, highlighted these figures as part of the monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), which provides insight into labor demand and turnover trends.
The ratio of unemployed persons per job opening in Alabama was reported at 0.7 for June. This figure is below the national measure of 0.9 unemployed persons per job opening for that month. In total across the country, there were 25 states and the District of Columbia with ratios lower than the national average; 18 states had higher ratios while seven matched it.
Alabama recorded 73,000 hires and 66,000 separations during June—hires remained unchanged from May while separations decreased from last month’s total of 77,000. Over the past year ending in June, Alabama has averaged about 77,000 hires and 73,000 separations each month.
Within those separations for June were approximately 40,000 quits and about 21,000 layoffs or discharges—down from May’s numbers of roughly 54,000 quits but up slightly from around 19,000 layoffs or discharges a month earlier. Over the year-long period leading up to this report, quits have averaged about 48,000 per month while layoffs and discharges have averaged about 22,000 monthly.
The next release of state-level JOLTS estimates is scheduled for September 17th at www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.toc.htm.
The JOLTS program uses data modeled from several sources including its own sample surveys as well as employment statistics programs like QCEW and CES to produce state estimates on labor market activity such as hiring rates and separation rates.
“This news release presents statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The JOLTS program provides information on labor demand and turnover. The state estimates produced by JOLTS are model-based, incorporating JOLTS sample, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), and Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates. For more information see the JOLTS State Estimates Methodology.”
Job openings count all positions available on the last business day of each reference month if they meet certain criteria regarding availability to start work immediately.
A ratio below one unemployed person per job opening signals a tight labor market where firms may struggle more to fill vacancies compared to areas with higher ratios indicating greater competition among job seekers.
Hires include all new additions to payrolls within a given reference month; separations account for employees leaving payrolls through quitting voluntarily or due to layoffs/discharges.
Further definitions can be found through official technical notes provided by BLS with additional resources available upon request via voice phone or telecommunications relay service.
