Connecticut employers added 3,200 jobs in September, with the unemployment rate holding steady at 3.5%, labor officials said.
That’s the lowest jobless rate the state has recorded since July 2019, according to the Connecticut Department of Labor.
The U.S. unemployment rate is 3.8%.
However, the state revised downward the job gains initially recorded in August, from 2,100 to 100 new jobs. The swing in was caused by school employment data — job gains that were modeled in the August report actually occurred a few weeks later in September, according to the DOL.
Connecticut payroll jobs totaled 1,694,500 at the end of September. The state’s nonfarm employment is now 21,100 (1.3%) positions higher than the year-ago level.
The state has recovered 99% (286,100) of the 289,100 nonagricultural jobs lost during the March-April 2020 COVID lockdown, labor officials said.
Connecticut’s private sector employment in September increased by 700 (0.1%) jobs. The private sector is now fully recovered (100.6%) from the April 2020 COVID employment lockdown low point, the labor department said.
The government sector added 2,500 jobs in September and is now 80.1% recovered from the COVID April 2020 employment lockdown low point, the DOL said.
“We had good job growth in September and other economic indicators remain strong,” said CTDOL Director of Research Patrick Flaherty. “Healthcare, one of the top growth industries in 2023, is now close to fully recovered from the pandemic shutdown. With unemployment so low, bringing more people into the labor force will help businesses and the economy continue to grow.”
The six industry supersectors that increased employment in September 2023 were:
- Government +2,500, 1.1%, 232,100
- Other Services +1,100, 1.8%, 61,900
- Manufacturing +900, 0.6%, 158,700
- Educational and Health Services +700, 0.2%, 356,000
- Leisure and Hospitality +400, 0.3%, 155,900
- Information +100, 0.3%, 31,700
The four industry supersectors that decreased jobs in September 2023 were:
- Trade, Transportation & Utilities -1,200, -0.4%, 298,900
- Construction and Mining -900, -1.4%, 61,200
- Professional and Business Services -300, -0.1%, 223,500
- Financial Activities -100, -0.1%, 114,600
