The Connecticut Department of Labor reported the state gained 25,800 net jobs (1.8%) in May, to a level of 1,434,000 seasonally adjusted.
On a year-over-year basis, nonagricultural employment in the state during May fell by 251,400 (-14.9%) seasonally adjusted. The state”™s unemployment rate stood at 9.4%, compared to the national level of 13.3%.
Private sector employment recovered by 30,500 (2.6%) to 1,226,200 jobs over the month in May and are now down by 223,300 (-15.4%) seasonally adjusted jobs from one year earlier. The leisure and hospitality industry saw the greatest gains with 9,400 jobs, a 13.4% increase. The government supersector fell by 4,700 jobs in May to a total of 207,800 and is down by 28,100 jobs (-11.9%) over the year.
“Connecticut saw the beginnings of recovery of the historic job losses in April caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Andy Condon, director of the Office of Research at the Connecticut Department of Labor. “Leisure and hospitality, retail trade, and education and health services remain the hardest hit industries. The process of recovery may quicken as Connecticut implements its phased response to the slowing spread of the virus.”
Within Fairfield County, the Danbury area grew by 3,200 net jobs in May, a 5.1% increase, while the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk corridor grew by 2,100 positions for a 0.6% uptick.
