07/20/2023
CT Dept. Of Labor: Unemployment Rate Unchanged at 3.7%; Seasonal Factors Impact June Job Numbers
(Wethersfield, CT) – Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo today released the jobs report showing that Connecticut lost 4,600 jobs in June; May numbers were revised up to 5,300 jobs gained. The report data, which is seasonally adjusted, likely represents early spring hiring. Non-seasonally adjusted data shows that job gains were lower than usual in June after a much stronger than usual May. The unemployment rate remains at a low 3.7%.
Commissioner Bartolomeo said, “May jobs data was quite strong and then revised up further, an indication that employers filled jobs early. The pandemic and recovery have caused some wide swings in monthly data, making economic trends more valuable to forecasting than a single month’s numbers. Overall, Connecticut’s economy remains solid and stable with economists monitoring closely for signs of weakening. With about 90,000 jobs available in the state, employers are still facing hiring challenges.”
CTDOL Office of Research Director Patrick Flaherty said, “Seasonally adjusted reports assume that June is a big hiring month, however, in Connecticut the warm weather resulted in earlier hiring in both winter and spring of 2023. The largest June job declines were in the same industries with strong May job gains. Accommodation & Food Services saw a hiring bump in May as restaurants and hotels brought on staff to meet tourism demand, hiring they would normally do in June.”
TOPLINE POINTS FROM THE REPORT:
- The private sector is 98.1% recovered from the pandemic shutdown.
- Overall, Connecticut has recovered 96.4% of the jobs lost in March – April 2020.
- To date, Connecticut has gained 14,100 jobs in 2023, more jobs than added in the first six months of any pre-pandemic year since 2006.
- Fully recovered sectors include arts, entertainment, recreation, and construction. Finance is not fully recovered; it has lost more than 7,000 jobs since March 2020.
VIDEO: Director Flaherty comments on the June 2023 report:
- #DOLDaily June 2023: Major Takeaways
Are you an employer who needs recruitment assistance? CTDOL can help through CTHires, Registered Apprenticeship, and the American Job Centers. Contact the nearest American Job Center to get started.
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For Immediate Release: July 20, 2023
Media Contact:
CTDOL Communications Unit
200 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, CT 06109-1114
Email: CTDOL.Communications@ct.gov | https://www.ct.gov/dol