WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers posted the most jobs in two decades in August, and hiring also reached a record high, fresh evidence that companies are desperate to staff up amid solid economic growth.
The Labor Department says job openings rose a slight 0.8 percent to 7.14 million, the highest on records dating back to December 2000. That is also far more than the 6.2 million of people who were unemployed that month.
The number of available jobs has swamped the number of unemployed for five straight months. Hiring has been solid, which has pushed down the unemployment rate to a nearly five-decade low of 3.7 percent. Strong demand for workers when so few are out of work may force more companies to raise pay in the coming months.
