- Connecticut posts third consecutive month of jobs growth
- Seven industry supersectors post gains, while three see a decrease in positions
- Unemployment rate drops slightly, but remains persistently above 8 percent
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
Connecticut added 5,400 jobs in March as several private industries increased their hiring and the public sector snapped a streak of job losses. The state’s unemployment rate also dropped slightly, from 8.5 percent to 8.3 percent.
Seven industry supersectors posted gains, led by education and health (up 5,400 jobs, or 1.7 percent), leisure and hospitality (up 1,600, or 1.3 percent) construction and mining (up 1,100, or 2 percent). Three supersectors posted losses: professional and business services (down 2,600, or 1.3 percent), trade, transportation, and utilities (down 2,100, or 0.7 percent), and information (down 100, or 0.4 percent).
The report from the Connecticut Department of Labor marks the third consecutive month of jobs growth, although the state’s tally of 1.58 million jobs is down 6.1 percent compared to the previous year. The state has recovered 60.3 percent of the jobs lost in March and April 2020 at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Connecticut’s unemployment rate is down from a pandemic high of 11.4 percent in May and June 2020, but has stayed above 8 percent throughout the pandemic and exceeded the national unemployment rate for seven consecutive months. Wages are relatively flat, with the average worker earning $33.52 an hour – down 27 cents compared to March 2020.
