By Jessica Coacci
U.S. job openings and hires held steady in May, according to a report from the Labor Department's monthly job openings and labor turnover survey.
Available positions held steady at 7.6 million in May, unchanged from April. Meanwhile, the hiring rate held steady at 3.3% with about 5.2 million Americans landing new jobs in May.
The rate of workers facing layoffs ticked up to 1.1% in May from 1% in April.
The quit rate - workers leaving their jobs voluntarily - changed little at 3.1 million, while the rate was unchanged at 1.9% from April. The quits rate can serve as a measure of workers' willingness or ability to leave their job.
The job market this spring has been climbing back from slowing hiring last year, as May marked the best three-month stretch the job market has had in more than two years. More data on the jobs market will be available this Thursday, when the Labor Department releases its employment situation report for June.
Write to Jessica Coacci at jessica.coacci@wsj.com