Economics

U.S. Job Openings Rise to Record, Underscore Hiring Difficulties

Vacancies climb to 9.21 million after downward April revision
Voluntary job leavers decrease, while remaining elevated

U.S. Job Openings Reach Record High 9.2 Million in May

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By Reade Pickert and Olivia Rockeman

July 7, 2021 at 2:05 PM UTC

Updated on

July 7, 2021 at 2:28 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

U.S. job openings rose to a fresh record high in May, underscoring persistent hiring difficulties and reflecting more vacancies in the health care, education and hospitality industries.

The number of available positions climbed to 9.21 million during the month from a downwardly revised 9.19 million in April, the Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, showed Wednesday.