Economics
Job Openings in U.S. Rise to Second-Highest Level on Record
- Construction firms, manufacturers among those looking to hire
- Rate of workers quitting their jobs was highest in seven years
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Job openings in the U.S. climbed in December to the second-highest level on record, a sign demand for labor remains strong.
The number of positions waiting to be filled rose by 261,000 to 5.61 million from a revised 5.35 million in November, the Labor Department reported Tuesday in Washington. The reading was just behind the 5.67 million reached in July that was the highest since data began in 2000. Construction companies and manufacturers were among employers looking to boost staff, and more people had the confidence to quit their jobs.