Connecticut added 4,600 jobs in March, dropping the state’s official unemployment rate from 4.9% to 4.6%.
The state Labor Department, which released the latest data Thursday, also revised February job numbers downward from 6,300 new jobs to 5,400.
Additionally, unemployment claims are near a historic low with 22,000 weekly filers. Currently, there are a record 100,000 job openings in the state, signaling a strong market for job seekers, labor officials said.
“This is another strong jobs report for the state and continues the trends we’ve seen for months: the unemployment rate is down and employers are adding jobs,” said state DOL Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo.
Bartolomeo said economists are watching several key indicators including energy prices, inflation, and the labor shortage and there is uncertainty over how they may impact the job market going forward.
Connecticut business advocates have warned the state’s labor shortage represents a “crisis situation” that will remain a drag on the economy.
The professional and business services sector led job gains last with 2,900 new positions. Other industries that added jobs included: construction and mining (1,300), trade, transportation & utilities (900), leisure and hospitality (500), manufacturing (300), educational and health services (200) and other services (100).
The government sector experienced the most job losses (-900), followed by financial services (-600) and information services (-100).
