Quarterly increase in U.S. worker pay smallest on record

The U.S. Department of Labor announced Friday wages and salaries rose in the second quarter at the slowest pace on record.

The 0.2 percent bump was the smallest since records began in 1982 and followed a 0.7 percent increase in the first quarter. The employment cost index, including benefits, also rose 0.2 percent in the second quarter.

Employers have added an average of 208,300 positions a month in 2015, compared to 259,700 in 2014, which was the highest level in 15 years.  The 5.3 percent unemployment rate in June is the lowest since April 2008.

According to the Labor Department, job openings climbed to 5.36 million in May, the highest level since the end of 2000.

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