WASHINGTON - The Labor Department says employers advertised fewer job openings in August and kept hiring flat.

Job openings slid to 5.4 million in August from a record high 5.7 million in July. Hiring was little-changed at 5.1 million.

The number of people quitting jobs - a measure of confidence in the job market - was also essentially unchanged from July at 2.7 million. Quits have been flat for the past year after rising steadily in the aftermath of the 2007-2009 Great Recession.

The job market has weakened the past two months, reflecting slower global economic growth. Cautious employers added just 142,000 jobs in September, pulling hiring for the July-September quarter down to a lackluster 167,000 a month from an average 231,000 from April through June.