BLS: CT employers have 114,000 job openings

Connecticut’s labor shortage is showing no signs of letting up. 

Connecticut employers reported 114,000 job openings at the end of August, nearly on par with the 115,000 job openings reported a month earlier, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Nationally, there were 10.1 million jobs open in the United States at the end of August, down from 11.2 million open jobs in July, BLS data shows.

In August, job opening rates decreased in 26 states, increased in two states, and were little changed in remaining states, BLS data shows.  

In addition, an estimated 35,000 Connecticut workers quit their jobs in August, BLS data shows, the same number recorded a year earlier, but down from 40,000 in July 2022.

The number of August hires in Connecticut was 58,000 down significantly from 89,000 hires in July and 65,000 hires in August 2022. 

Connecticut companies also collectively laid off 14,000 workers in August, down from 16,000 layoffs in July.

On Thursday, the state Department of Labor released data showing Connecticut added 4,400 jobs in September, which decreased the unemployment rate from 4.1% to 4%. 

Despite the growth, Connecticut still has only recovered 89.2% of the 289,400 jobs lost during March and April 2020, when the pandemic temporarily shut down significant parts of the state’s economy. 

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.