U.S. Labor Department says March hiring up
Job hunters, like Julian Richards in Tacoma, Wash., were more successful in March, according to U.S. Labor Department statistics. Some 4.24 million people went back to work a record for the year and an increase over the 4 million who found work in February. (April 2010) Credit: AP
New hiring nationwide rose in March to its highest level in more than a year while job openings increased slightly, fresh evidence the job market may be slowly improving.
The U.S. Labor Department says employers hired 4.24 million people in March, up from 4 million the previous month. Job openings edged up by 47,000 to 2.69 million.
Still, new hires and job openings remain well below pre-recession levels, as many employers are still cautious about adding to payrolls.
The construction and retail industries reported the largest jumps in hiring, while manufacturing and government also reported gains. The increase in construction hiring is likely a rebound from February, when severe weather shut down many projects.
