In August there were 2.4 million job openings and 4.27 million people who quit, retired or were laid off

The labor market is getting worse, not better.

The number of job openings declined in August, the latest sign that while the economy may be recovering, it isn't rebounding fast enough to get sidelined employees back to work.

There were 2.4 million job openings in August, down from 2.41 million in July and the lowest level since the Labor Department started tracking the data in December 2000. In August 2008, there were 4.65 million job openings.

Job separations outpaced new hires in August. The report showed that roughly 4.27 million people quit, retired or were laid off in August. . . .