CT adds 100 jobs in Dec., 3,600 jobs in 2019

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By Joe Cooper

Connecticut employers added 100 jobs in December, holding the state’s unemployment rate steady at 3.7 percent, according to state labor officials.

The state Department of Labor (DOL) said statewide employment remained flat last month at a level of 1,700,400 seasonally adjusted jobs. There are currently 72,000 unemployed residents in the state, DOL said.

DOL, however, followed up the modest December employment figures with a bit of good news as the agency said its previously stated job gain of 900 was revised upward by 700 jobs to a gain of 1,600.

The latest job estimates for 2019 mean Connecticut added 3,600 net jobs, or a 0.2% increase, in 2019, DOL said. The job estimates will likely change during an annual revision conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in March.

Connecticut has now recovered 86.1 percent, or 103,600 jobs, of the 120,000 seasonally adjusted jobs lost in the 2008-2010 Great Recession, DOL said.

In December, five of the state’s 10 major industry supersectors added jobs and four declined. The “other services” supersector remained unchanged at 64,300 jobs.

The professional and business services sector led job gainers with an increase of 1,400 jobs, raising its total workforce to 222,800. Educational and health services trailed adding 900 new positions (347,000 total jobs).

The construction and mining supersector also gained 600 jobs, and financial activities added another 400.

Leisure and hospitality led jobs declines with a loss of 1,300 positions over the month. Job declines were also recorded in the trade, transportation and utilities (a loss of 1,100 positions), manufacturing (700 jobs) and government (200 jobs) supersectors.

The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk region led employment growth in the state with a gain of 1,900 jobs, followed by the Hartford region with an increase of 900 positions.

Clarification: A previous version of this story misstated Connecticut’s estimated job gain in 2019. State labor officials say Connecticut employers added 3,600 net jobs last year.