The number of job openings on the last business day of December slipped to 3.6 million compared to 3.8 million in November, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bloomberg reported that job openings had reached a four-year high in November.

The job openings rate — a measure of job openings compared with total employment — was 2.6 percent, down from 2.8 percent in November.

The number of hires fell 4.7 percent to 4.2 million in December from the previous month, and the number of separations fell 3.6 percent to approximately 4.1 million.

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