Connecticut added 5,300 jobs in October, the 10th consecutive month of employment gains.
According to data from the Connecticut Department of Labor, the state ended October at a level of 1.6 million jobs, which is 39,100 (2.5%) positions higher than one year ago. The state has also regained 72.8% (212,900) of the 292,400 positions lost in March and April 2020 when the Covid-19 lockdowns occurred.
The department also revised September”™s job gains higher by 1,800 to a 6,500 (0.4%) gain.
Private sector employment increased by 5,900 jobs (0.4%) to 1.39 million in October, which is higher by 40,300 jobs (3%) from the previous year. But the government supersector was lower by 600 jobs (-0.3%) to a level of 224,200, which is 1,200 (-0.5%) positions fewer than in October 2020.
Within Fairfield County, the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk corridor added 4,000 positions, the largest regional gain for October, while the Greater Danbury area added 100 jobs for the smallest regional uptick.
“Job growth has been broad-based across industries and accelerated each calendar quarter in the first three quarters of 2021. October’s gains add to that growth,” said Patrick Flaherty, director of the Office of Research at the Connecticut Department of Labor. “The unemployment rate has fallen 0.4% points each month in four of the past five months ”“ a rapid decline by historic standards. Examination of the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate suggests further declines are expected in coming months.”
