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Updated Jan 4, 2022 - Economy & Business A record 4.5 million workers quit their jobs in November Axios Emily Peck, Courtenay Brown Expand chart Data: BLS; Chart: Sara Wise/Axios A record 4.5 million workers quit their jobs in November, according to government data released Tuesday morning. Why it matters: The numbers, from the Labor Department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, are the latest sign that the job market is red hot for workers, particularly for employees in lower wage industries. * America's quits rate is now 3%, matching the highest in the two decades the government has kept records. But sectors like accommodation and food services and retail are seeing workers quit at much higher rates -- 6.9% and 4.4%, respectively. Between the lines: These workers weren't quitting the labor force entirely: 6.7 million people were hired in November, similar to the month prior. * Job openings dipped to 10.6 million from 11 million. (That's still higher than at any point before the pandemic hit.) The bottom line: "It's not understood in the broader public discussion, people aren't quitting their jobs to leave the labor force they are quitting their jobs to take other jobs," said Heidi Shierholz, president of the progressive Economic Policy Institute. What to watch: These numbers pre-date the emergence of the Omicron variant, which has added a new level of uncertainty in the job market that's still shaking out. Go deeper Erin Doherty 51 mins ago - Health CDC panel backs Pfizer boosters for 12- to 17-year-olds A healthcare worker administers a COVID-19 vaccine to a teenager at a vaccination site at a church in Long Beach, New York, on May 13, 2021. Photo: Johnny Milano/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee voted 13-1 on Wednesday to endorse booster doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for 12- to 17-year olds. Why it matters: CDC director Rochelle Walensky is expected to sign off on the recommendation, which will expand the number of children eligible for boosters as a surge of COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant spreads nationwide. Go deeper (<1 min. read) Ivana Saric 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy Garland: "No higher priority" than holding Capitol rioters accountable Merrick Garland speaks to the press on Jan. 5. Photo: Carolyn Kaster-Pool/AFP via Getty Images Attorney General Merrick Garland gave an update on the Justice Department's investigation into the Capitol riot during a press conference Wednesday, emphasizing that the department has "no higher priority" than holding those accountable responsible. Why it matters: Garland noted that the investigation into the events of Jan. 6, 2021, has become "one of the largest, most complex and most resource-intensive investigations in our history." Go deeper (1 min. read) Zachary Basu 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy Blinken warns Russia: No progress with "gun pointed at Ukraine's head" Photo: Mandel Ngan/POOL/AFP via Getty Images The U.S. and Germany's top diplomats issued a joint warning to Russia ahead of high-level security talks in Europe next week, pledging "massive" economic consequences if Vladimir Putin proceeds with an invasion of Ukraine. Why it matters: With Russia massing troops on the Ukrainian border and questions swirling about how far Germany is prepared to go to deter Putin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and new German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock presented a united front at their first press conference together in Washington. Go deeper (2 min. read) You've caught up. Now what? Sign up for Mike Allen's daily Axios AM and PM newsletters to get smarter, faster on the news that matters. Enter your email address[ ] Please enter a valid email. Please enter a valid email. 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