February 2026 JOLTS: Hiring Slows to Lowest Rate Since 2020 Amid Labor Market Stagnation

(Illustrative Only)

Farmer Jack explains
to young executives
 what broad based
capitalism means and
the importance of starting
their own businesses to
build something for 
themselves and their 
communities. 

He takes them on a hike
down Days River Nature Trail
to expose them to how nature
must rejuvenate and
is much like
small businesses that are
similar to the seedlings of future
companies that
regenerate communities. 

Jack explains.....
A new
plant must grow 
from a seed and as it 
matures it gets big
and then it should wither
away and return to
the soil where it
gives nutrients to
the new. Business
has cycles and so
does life. They
are patterned and
deeply woven
into nature.

Small business plays
a dominant role in adding
nearly 2/3rds of net new
employment rolls over the
 past 25 years as is
more resilient from
economic downturns
(Wilmoth, 2022).

The young executives
also have knowledge
to give and
try to teach Farmer 
Jack that "an App" is
not an acronym for
"appetite" and 
byte isn't mispelled. 

Jack teaches the
essential root
of business life
while the
young executives
teach Jack
new technologies
as a proud display of
the colorful flowering 
of their time
and generation.  
So the cycle continues.
 🙃

The February 2026 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey indicates that the hiring rate fell to 3.1%, one of the lowest levels since 2020, reflecting a labor market where workers are neither moving between jobs nor being hired or laid off at significant rates. This stagnation suggests a cautious, “wait-and-see” economic environment, making it important for individuals to update their skills to remain competitive and monitor long-term trends when making career decisions. 

At the same time, sustained economic growth depends on labor market fluidity—where new jobs replace old ones—highlighting the importance of developing human capital and encouraging job creation through startups, small businesses, and side ventures that can boost both employment opportunities and personal income.

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) — February 2026 Summary

• Job openings remained relatively stable at 6.9 million, though they declined in some sectors such as accommodation/food services and mining.
• Hiring weakened significantly, falling to 4.8 million, with the hiring rate dropping to 3.1%, the lowest since April 2020.
• Total separations (quits, layoffs, etc.) were largely unchanged at 5.0 million, indicating overall labor market stability.
• Quits held steady at about 3.0 million, suggesting workers are less willing to leave jobs and may feel less confident about new opportunities.
• Layoffs and discharges remained stable at 1.7 million, showing employers are slowing hiring more than cutting jobs.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026, March 31). Job openings and labor turnover summary: February 2026. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm

Wilmoth, D. (2022, April). Small business job creation. U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy. https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2022-04/Small-Business-Job-Creation-Fact-Sheet-Apr2022.pdf

(Illustrative Only)

We may want to ensure
the big trees are not
blocking the sun 
for the new trees 
so as to slow
or hinder natural
rejuvenation
and redevelopment.

"Everything flows,
and nothing abides,
everything gives way,
and nothing stays fixed."
--Heraclitus