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May 17, 2024

Employers add 1,100 jobs in April as unemployment rate drops to 4.4%

By Andrew Larson

Employers in Connecticut added 1,100 jobs in April, continuing a trend of four consecutive months of job growth, according to new data released by the state Department of Labor (DOL).

The unemployment rate fell by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.4%. 

Payroll jobs were up 21,600 from April 2023. Employers have added an average of 2,500 jobs per month so far in 2024, according to the report.

March’s job numbers underwent a significant downward revision, due to a low survey response, but remained in positive territory. Initially, the state said employers added 4,900 jobs in March; however, that number was revised to 500.

“Some months are stronger than others, but overall, Connecticut’s economy continues to steadily add jobs,” said Patrick Flaherty, DOL economist and director of research.

DOL Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo said the state’s economy is “stable” and called job creation “very good news for employers who remain challenged by the tight labor market.”

She added that the job market offers plenty of opportunities for recent graduates.

The largest gains in April were in the health care and social assistance, local government, wholesale trade, finance and insurance, and manufacturing sectors, according to the report.

The finance and insurance sector has added 1,300 jobs so far this year, more than making up for the 1,000 lost in 2023.

The manufacturing industry has created 1,500 jobs since December 2023.

Administrative and support services jobs dropped by 800 in April, which the DOL attributed to workers taking full-time jobs rather than temporary work.

Connecticut’s labor force participation rate was 64.6%, higher than the national average of 62.7%. The state has roughly 25,000 people receiving unemployment compensation. 

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