Bureau of Labor Statistics reports declining participation in JOLTS survey

One of the most closely watched economic indicators in the US is quietly becoming less trustworthy. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, better known as JOLTS, has seen its response rate roughly cut in half over the past decade, falling from the high 60s percentage range to around 30% in recent periods. That means roughly two-thirds of the businesses the Bureau of Labor Statistics contacts for the survey simply aren’t participating. What JOLTS measures and why it matters JOLTS tracks job openings, hires, quits, layoffs, and separations across approximately 21,000 establishments nationwide. It’s one of the primary tools economists and policymakers use to gauge the health of the US labor market. The participation problem The BLS collects JOLTS data over roughly 45 days using a mix of methods including computer-assisted telephone interviews, web submissions, email, and even fax. Despite that variety of collection channels, businesses have been increasingly opting out. A decade ago, response rates hovered in the high 60s. Today they’ve sunk to the low-to-mid 30s. That’s not a gradual drift. It’s a structural decline that mirrors broader trends across BLS establishment surveys. T...