The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits declined by 214,000 last week, reported the Labor Department on March 17, a sign that the demand for workers remains elevated amid an ongoing labor shortage. Meanwhile, the February jobs report exceeded past expectations with 678,000 additional hires. The figures for the week ending March 12 fell from an upwardly revised 229,000 a week earlier, as layoffs continue to fall amid a strong job market rebound. The four-week average for claims, which compensates for weekly volatility, fell to 223,000 from the previous week’s 231,750, a decrease of 8,750 and a 50-year low. According to the Labor Department, 1,419,000 Americans in total were collecting jobless aid the week that ended March 5, down 71,000 from the week before, the lowest level since Feb. 21, 1970. A year ago, that number was more than 4 million. Earlier this month, the government reported that employers added …