Jobless rate falls for 4th month in a row
Manufacturing and wholesale trades boost hiring in April
Connecticut employers added 1,600 jobs in April, continuing four consecutive months of job creation, although employment declined in five of the state’s 10 industry sectors, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.
The unemployment rate fell two-tenths of a percent, to 4.4%, the lowest since the 3.4% rate in March 2020 immediately before the pandemic swept Connecticut. The rate has fallen in each of the four months of 2022, dropping by nearly 1 percentage point since January, though it’s still higher than the U.S. jobless rate of 3.6%.
“April’s job growth builds on the momentum we saw in February and March,” said Patrick Flaherty, research director at the Department of Labor.
Recent claims data suggest the unemployment rate will continue to fall, he said.
Manufacturing employment, which jumped by 1,000 in April, has increased for eight consecutive months, and wholesale trade has more than fully recovered jobs lost during the COVID-19 shutdown, joining administrative and support services and construction that already passed that milepost, he said.
The Connecticut Business &
Industry Association, the state’s largest business group, has criticized state legislation — paid family leave, for example — calling for new business regulations or higher taxes it sees as slowing economic growth. The state’s year-to-date job growth is 0.7%, half the national rate and slowest in New England region, CBIA said.
“The slow, uncertain pace of our recovery must be addressed by candidates for governor and the General Assembly on the campaign trail this year with meaningful policy solutions,” said Eric Gjede, vice president of
public policy at CBIA.
“At this rate, we will not recover all jobs lost to pandemic shutdowns and restrictions for at least another 18 months, and that’s assuming that fears of a recession are not realized,” he said.
Gjede said Connecticut’s recovery is fragile, with manufacturing gains and seasonal growth in leisure and hospitality in April offsetting job losses in trade, transportation and utilities; information; and professional and business services.
Where did employers hire?
Leisure and Hospitality, up 3,000, or 2.1%, to 147,500
Manufacturing, an increase of 1,000, up 0.6%, to 159,300
Financial Activities rose by 600 jobs, or 0.5%, to 118,500
Construction and Mining, up 300, or 0.5%, to 63,200
The number of jobs fell in five industry sectors
Trade, Transportation & Utilities shed 1,200 jobs, down 0.4%, to 295,100
Information dropped 1,000 jobs, or 3.2%, to 29,800
Professional and Business
Services fell by 800 jobs, a drop of 0.4%, to 215,000
Educational and Health Services were off by 400 jobs, a 0.1% decrease, to 334,000
Government jobs fell by 300, down 0.1%, to 224,300. (Includes employment at the two Native American-owned casinos.)
Where in Connecticut were jobs added?
Four of the six labor markets in Connecticut gained jobs in April:
The Hartford-west Hartford-east Hartford labor market led the state in April, with 2,000 new jobs, up 0.4%, to 569,800.
The Norwich-new London-westerly labor market gained 900 jobs, up 0.8%, to 120,100.
The Danbury labor market was up 300 jobs, or 0.4%, to 75,200.
Waterbury added 200 jobs, an increase of 0.3%, to 65,800.
The number of jobs fell in two labor markets
The Bridgeport-stamford-norwalk labor market dropped 2,100 jobs, down 0.5%, to 392,600.
The New Haven labor market shed 200 jobs, a slight decline of 0.1%, to 294,300.