WASHINGTON: U.S. job openings increased further in July, though more workers quit their jobs in the retail as well as professional and business services industries likely because of fears of exposure to COVID-19 and problems with childcare.
Job openings were led by the retail sector, with 172,000 new vacancies. There were an additional 146,000 jobs in healthcare and social assistance. In the construction industry, job openings increased by 90,000. The job openings rate shot up to 4.5per cent, the highest since October 2019, from 4.2per cent in June.The number of people voluntarily quitting their jobs increased 344,000 to 2.9 million. There were 152,000 workers who quit their jobs in the retail sector.
"More quits during the pandemic are probably a reflection of virus fear and challenges related to childcare given the current weak state of the labor market," said Lydia Boussour, a senior U.S. economist at Oxford Economics in New York.
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