Available Jobs Hit Record High in June

New York, NY, August 10, 2021-Available jobs in the U.S. rose to another record high at the end of June, pushing openings above the number of unemployed Americans seeking work, a sign of an unusually tight labor market, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

“Unfilled job openings rose by 590,000 to a seasonally adjusted 10.1 million in June, the highest level since record-keeping began in 2000, the Labor Department said Monday. The increase was driven by industries such as professional and business services, retail and the accommodation and food services, as pandemic restrictions continued to ease that month and consumers were more willing to dine out and travel.

“The June increase in job openings came ahead of an uptick in cases tied to Covid-19’s Delta variant. Private measures of job postings through July showed openings remained elevated, though they began to plateau as hiring improved. The continued high number of openings indicates that the variant, so far, isn’t affecting hiring plans.

“The number of job openings in June exceeded the 9.5 million people who were unemployed that same month. To be counted as unemployed, a person must be available and looking for work.

“The gap between openings and unemployment shows an unusual tightness in the labor market. From 2000 to 2018, there were more unemployed workers than available jobs. That flipped in early 2018, when the unemployment rate pushed toward a 50-year low.”