(Bloomberg) -- The number of positions waiting to be filled in the U.S. increased by 267,000 to 5.38 million in April from 5.11 million the prior month, the Labor Department reported Tuesday in Washington. Rates of hiring and firing decreased, and the number of Americans quitting their jobs was little changed.

The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey projected openings would climb to 5.04 million in April from a previously reported 4.99 million a month earlier.

To contact the reporter on this story: Michelle Jamrisko in Washington at mjamrisko@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Carlos Torres at ctorres2@bloomberg.net Mark Rohner, Alister Bull