Job postings rose to 6.65 million in October from 6.49 million in September, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. But employers hired 5.81 million workers, which is less than the 5.89 million hires in September. In its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS), the Labor Department reported that companies and government agencies laid off or fired 1.68 million workers, up from 1.44 million in September. Employers slashed 22 million jobs in March and April, then began recalling furloughed employees back to work. But the job rebound has been slowing and is threatened by a rebound in COVID-19 cases.

WASHINGTON – American employers advertised slightly more jobs in September but hired fewer people as the U.S. economy struggles to recover from spring's coronavirus collapse. Job postings rose to to 6.44 million in September, up from 6.35 million in August, the Labor Department said Tuesday. Employers hired 5.87 million workers, down from 5.95 million in September. The U.S. labor market has rebounded gradually from last spring economic shutdown. “Happy days aren’t here again for jobless workers but the labor market is slowly healing day by day.''

WASHINGTON U.S. employers added a substantial 4.8 million jobs in June, and the unemployment rate fell to 11.1%, as the job market improved for a second straight month, yet still remained far short of regaining the colossal losses it suffered this spring.