Project Summary: Was the Great Resignation real? Using real monthly data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS survey, this project proves it was — and quantifies exactly how big it was. The quit rate peaked at 3.0% in November 2021, +19.7% above the pre-pandemic baseline. Welch t-test: p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 3.82 (large effect). The Great Resignation lasted 20 months and returned to normal by July 2023.
Key Findings
Pre-pandemic quit rate
2.3%
GR peak quit rate
3.0%
Lift vs baseline
+19.7%
Effect size (Cohen's d)
3.82
GR duration
20 mo
Latest quit rate
2.2%
Charts & Analysis
US Monthly Quit Rate 2019–2023
Seasonally adjusted — BLS JOLTS
All JOLTS Measures
Quits · Openings · Hires · Layoffs
Industry Comparison
Which industries saw the biggest walkout?
Industry Heatmap
Quit rate by industry and year
Wage Pressure Map
Quits vs Job Openings — each dot = one month
Is the Great Resignation Over?
Tracking recovery to pre-pandemic normal
Data Source
US Bureau of Labor Statistics — JOLTS — https://www.bls.gov/jlt/
All data used in this project is real, publicly available government data. Free to download and verify.