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The share of workers quitting their jobs is at the lowest point in years, and pay increases are expected to remain flat in 2026.
Here’s a closer look at those numbers and some of the others making headlines in the HR world.
By the numbers
Nearly three years
The period of time since the quits rate — the percentage of workers who voluntarily leave their employer — fell to as low of a level as it did in September, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, indicating low confidence in the outlook for hiring.
3.2%
The expected average number merit base salary increases U.S. employers will award in 2026, compared to 3.5% overall average increases, per Mercer.
21%
The percentage of workers who say they believe they are losing control over their professional future, according to a white paper published by the University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies.
27
The number of biweekly pay periods there will be in 2026, or one extra, a phenomenon that occurs approximately every 11 to 12 years for affected employers.
$103 million
The amount Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. will have to pay to a former employee who alleged the company discriminated against and harassed her because of her age, according to court documents.
