According to a recent 50-state report, Delaware ranks eighth in the rate of job resignations.
It comes amid signs that the labor shortage in some sectors of the economy is easing, worries that a better job might not be out there or perhaps improved conditions in the workplace.
The ranking, compiled by SelectSoftware Reviews, shows each state’s percentage change in job quitting between November 2022 and November 2023, based on federal Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
The job quitting rate is defined as the number of people resigning during an entire month as a percentage of the number of people employed.
South Dakota had the highest job quitting rate, increasing by 21.4% between November 2022 and November 2023. By contrast, the national rate of resignations decreased by 18.5% during the same period.
California has topped the ranking for the states with the greatest decline in job quitting, with the job quitting rate decreasing by 44.8% between November 2022 and November 2023. The Golden State is seeing massive layoffs in its tech industry.
Delaware has one of the nation’s highest unemployment rates. However, the unemployment rate does not always track with the quit rate. For example, Illinois, a state with a high jobless rate, had one of the biggest increases in the quit rate.
Top 8 states with the greatest decrease in quit rate
| Rank | State | % change in the resignation rate |
| 1 | California | -44.8% |
| 2 | North Carolina | -35.7% |
| 3 | Maryland | -35.5% |
| 4 | Georgia | -33.3% |
| 5 | Tennessee | -27.3% |
| 6 | Alaska | -26.1% |
| 7 | Texas | -25.8% |
| 8 | Delaware | -25.0% |
Top 8 states with the greatest increase in quitting
| Rank | State | % change in the resignation rate |
| 1 | South Dakota | 21.4% |
| 2 | North Dakota | 15.4% |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 13.6% |
| 4 | Michigan | 9.1% |
| 5 | Nebraska | 8.7% |
| 6 | Maine | 8.0% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 5.0% |
| 8 | Illinois | 4.8% |
Phil Strazzulla, CEO of SelectSoftware Reviews said: “The majority of states have seen a decline in the resignation rate, which is reassuring to see after the shockingly high resignation rates seen in 2020 and 2021. This could be due to job openings and hiring rates also being down; employees are aware that the job market has become more competitive, and they might not be able to find another position if they were to resign. Or it could be that the workplace is shifting in its attitude towards work-life balance by putting more of an emphasis on the wellbeing of their staff, meaning that employees are less burnt out and value their employment more. Whatever the reasons, it is reassuring to see that resignation rates are generally lowering.”
Editor’s note: The headline is based on the popular song from the late country performer Johnny Paycheck and written by fellow “outlaw” singer-composer David Allan Coe)
