Connecticut’s unemployment rate has fallen below 7 percent for the first time since 2008. The state added 2,200 employees in the labor force last month, according to recent data from the state Department of Labor, marking its third consecutive month of job gains.
The state’s April unemployment rate dropped to 6.9 percent, the lowest since the 6.7 percent rate in December 2008. The April unemployment rate was below the 7 percent metric in March and 7.8 percent in April 2013.
The trade, transportation and utilities supersector led job gains, putting 800 employees to work. The leisure and hospitality and education and health services industries remain closely behind. Restaurant and hotel employment numbers are strong in the leisure sector, according to the report.
The financial industry gained 500 jobs in April with real estate, finance and insurance showing the most noticeable growth. The construction and mining industry, which was resilient in the winter, continued to put more employees in the labor force. Government employment slightly increased but remains the labor arena with the most job losses.
The four sectors to lose the most jobs in April include professional and business services, other services, manufacturing, and information, the department reported.
Connecticut has recovered 66,300 jobs, or 55.7 percent, of the 119,000 seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs that were lost in the state during the recession, the department reported.
Three of the six major Connecticut labor market areas showed job gains, especially the shorelines of Stamford, Norwalk and Bridgeport, according to the department. The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk labor market area led the state in regional employment growth over the year with 7,200 jobs. Meanwhile, Danbury was one of three  labor market areas to show significant job losses last month.
