(CN) – The number of open jobs in the U.S. jumped back up to 7.5 million in March and there are now about 1.7 million more available positions than unemployed people.
Job openings increased about 350,000 from 7.14 million in February, which had marked the lowest level in nine months.
Openings have outpaced the number of unemployed Americans for a year, a trend that began in March 2018 for the first time in nearly two decades. With roughly 5.8 million people classified as unemployed, there are now about 1.7 million more open jobs than jobless people.
The current number of open jobs, 7.49 million, is near the record high of 7.63 million in November.
According to a Labor Department report released Tuesday, there were 363,000 more job openings in the private sector in March compared to the month before while federal government openings dropped by 15,000.
There were 87,000 more transportation, warehousing and utilities jobs posted last month, and gains of 73,000 in construction and 57,000 in real estate and leasing.
The rebound in job openings indicates employers are still seeking to fill positions despite concerns about a slowing economy.
The number of new hires and people leaving their job both stayed about the same at 5.7 million and 5.4 million, respectively. While worker departures can be a challenge for employers, analysts see them as a positive sign because most people who quit do so for higher-paying positions.
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