The Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest JOLTS report shows federal job openings jumped to 823,000 in June, up 39,000 from May and the highest reading since June 2025. Total nonfarm openings across the economy held flat at 7.4 million, meaning the federal government drove the only notable move in an otherwise steady month.
Federal job postings climbed to 823,000 in June, a gain of 39,000 from May and the strongest reading since June 2025. The rest of the labor market barely moved, leaving the public sector as the standout in the report.
A split labor market
Total nonfarm job openings stayed at 7.4 million, a 4.4% rate, unchanged from the prior month. Yet federal hires actually fell by 6,000 over the same period, and government quits dropped by 4,000, suggesting fewer federal employees chose to leave their jobs.
Nationally, hiring activity was similarly frozen. Total hires held at 5.3 million, while separations came in around 5.4 million.
Why the jump stands out
A single-month gain of 39,000 vacancies is significant on its own, and it works out to roughly a 5% month-over-month increase in federal vacancies. Because June 2025 was the last time federal openings reached this level, the government spent a full year below it before climbing back.
The 7.4 million total openings figure still sits in the range economists associate with a balanced labor market, well below the pandemic-era peak when openings exceeded 12 million. The BLS confirmed the federal figures required no revisions as of August 11, 2026.
Source: Crypto Briefing
Trading involves risk.
Risk Disclaimer
