Employer-Paid

A private survey shows U.S. businesses increased hiring in June, suggesting the job market could be recovering after three sluggish months.

Fewer people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, and a private survey showed hiring picked up in June. The reports offered some hope for the job market after three sluggish months of hiring.

More hiring is expected during the third quarter for commercial and light industrial jobs, according to a recent hiring trends survey by Express Employment Professionals, a privately held staffing company.

U.S. service companies grew in June at the slowest pace in nearly two and a half years, a troubling sign for the economy.

Atlantic City rejected a bid by its main casino workers union to force a public vote this fall on one casino's policy limiting many customer service jobs to between four and six years.

Missouri officials have overstated the economic benefit of the state's main job-incentive program and have been "woefully inadequate" in verifying businesses are following through on what they say they will do, the state auditor said Monday.