WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. employers advertised more openings and hired more people in June, adding to evidence that the job market has rebounded from a brief soft patch in the spring.

The Labor Department says the number of job openings rose a modest 2 percent to 5.6 million in June from 5.5 million in May. Still, that figure is below the 5.8 million openings advertised in April, the highest on records going back 16 years.

Hiring increased 1.7 percent in June to 5.1 million, a solid level but below a recent peak of 5.5 million in February.
Businesses are hiring at a healthy pace even as economic growth has lagged, in part because the workforce has become less productive.

Still, with more Americans earning paychecks, spending and growth could strengthen in coming months.