Americans quit their jobs at a record pace in August

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — One reason America’s employers are having trouble filling jobs was starkly illustrated in a report Tuesday: Americans are quitting in droves. The Labor Department said that quits jumped to 4.3 million in August, the highest on records dating back to December 2000, and up from 4 million in July. Hiring also slowed in August. The report showed the number of jobs available fell to 10.4 million, from a record high of 11.1 million the previous month. The data strongly suggests that the delta variant wreaked havoc on the job market in August. As COVID-19 cases surged, quits jumped in restaurants and hotels and rose in other public-facing jobs, such as retail and education.