US Job Openings Hit Record High, Layoffs to Record Low
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Job openings in the U.S. hit a record 9.2 million at the end of May, the U.S. Labor Department said Wednesday. These numbers are a slight increase from the previous month's 9.19 million; however, industries such as hotels and restaurants saw a rise in jobs openings as a record 4 million people quit their jobs in April, and 3.6 million people quit in May. Layoffs also hit a record low in May, indicating a tight market for employers. May's job openings numbers are about 30% higher than the numbers were just before the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020.
The story received wide coverage from across the political spectrum. Some outlets highlighted quotes from employers struggling to staff their businesses.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
US Job Openings Rise to Record High, Layoffs Hit Record Low
U.S. employers posted a record-high number of open jobs for the second straight month as a rapidly rebounding economy generates intense demand for workers.
The number of available jobs on the last day of May rose slightly to 9.21 million, from 9.19 million in April, the Labor Department said Wednesday. That is the highest since records began in December 2000. The previously reported figure for April of 9.3 million was revised lower.
The number of people quitting their jobs slipped in May from a record high in April, but remains elevated. And the percentage...
From the Left
U.S. Job Openings Remain At A Historic High, Giving Job Seekers Options
Job openings remained at a historic high in May, more evidence that workers are in high demand as the economy bounces back from the pandemic.
Openings reached 9.2 million, according to the Labor Department, about what they were a month earlier. They're about 30% higher than they were in February 2020, right before the pandemic.
While the May numbers remain little changed since April, there were some declines in job openings in certain sectors such as real estate, warehouses and transportation. Other sectors, meanwhile, continue to face staffing shortages.
From the Left
US job openings climb to record high, layoffs hit all-time low 
Employers in the United States posted a record-high number of job openings for the second straight month, spotlighting persistent hiring challenges as a snapback in economic activity generates high demand for workers.
The number of available positions on the last day of May rose slightly to 9.2 million, the US Department of Labor’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) showed on Wednesday.
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