WASHINGTON – Job openings rose in August for the second straight month and layoffs dropped sharply, evidence that the job market is slowly healing.
The Labor Department says the number of jobs advertised rose nearly 2 percent, to 3.2 million. That's the highest since April, when temporary census hiring inflated that month's figure.
Job openings at private companies rose slightly to 2.85 million, the highest in 21 months.
Even with the increases, the number of available jobs is far below the 4.4 million advertised in December 2007, when the recession began.
Private-sector layoffs, meanwhile, dropped sharply to 1.6 million in August, the lowest in more than four years.
True Crime
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.
