Openings outpace jobless for 3rd month

WASHINGTON — U.S. employers posted slightly more openings in June than the previous month, resulting in more available jobs than unemployed people for the third-straight month, signaling a solid economy.

The Labor Department said Tuesday that job openings barely increased, rising 3,000 to 6.66 million. That’s more than the 6.56 million people who were searching for work in June. It’s also close to April’s figure of 6.8 million, a record high. Overall hiring slipped to 5.65 million from 5.75 million, and the number of people quitting their jobs declined slightly to 3.4 million from nearly 3.5 million in May.

The unemployed typically outnumber job openings, but that reversed this spring during strong demand from employers. Businesses are optimistic about the outlook and stepping up hiring in anticipation of solid growth. The economy expanded at a 4.1 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter, the fastest pace in four years.

Last week, the government said employers added 157,000 jobs in July and the unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent, near an 18-year low. That figure represents a net gain, while Tuesday’s report, known as the Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey, measures total hiring before resignations, layoffs and retirements.

The proportion of workers quitting their jobs is at the highest level in nearly 13 years. That’s a sign of confidence in the economy, because workers typically quit when they are sure they can find new ones, or when they already have them, usually at higher pay.