Connecticut employers reported more job openings in the month of July than they did a year ago, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Connecticut employers reported 113,000 job openings at the end of July, the same number as June 2022, but above last July’s number of 108,000 job openings, indicating that the labor crunch isn’t easing, BLS data shows.
Nationally, there were 11.2 million jobs open in the United States at the end of July.
In July, job openings rates decreased in five states, increased in four states, and were little changed in 41 states and the District of Columbia, BLS data shows.
In addition, an estimated 37,000 Connecticut workers quit their jobs in July, BLS data shows. In July 2021, 38,000 Connecticut workers quit their jobs.
The number of July hires in Connecticut increased slightly to 71,000 compared to 66,000 in May.
Connecticut companies also collectively laid off 16,000 workers in July, down from 13,000 layoffs in June.
On Thursday, the state Department of Labor released data showing Connecticut added 2,900 jobs in August. However, the unemployment rose from 3.7% to 4.1% because more people entered the labor force in search of work.
Despite the growth, Connecticut still has only recovered 87.9% of the 289,400 jobs lost during March and April 2020, when the pandemic temporarily shut down significant parts of the state’s economy. The private sector is 91.2% recovered from the April 2020 COVID employment trough.
And Connecticut’s labor market still lags behind national trends.
Nationally, July of this year marked the full recovery of all jobs lost during the pandemic, nearly two and a half years after it began.
