The Connecticut Department of Labor reported the state gained 20,400 net jobs in August, a 1.3% uptick after a revised 32,300 July increase. However, year-over-year employment in the state fell by 118,700 jobs, a 7% decline, and now stands at 1,566,600 seasonally adjusted.
Private sector employment grew by 16,700 to 1,344,500 jobs from July to August and is currently down by 105,600 jobs since August 2019. The government supersector increased by 3,700 jobs to a total of 222,100, but recorded 13,100 fewer jobs from one year ago. The federal government created 1,900 jobs in August with its U.S. Census-related employment.
Within Fairfield County, the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk corridor grew by 5,100 net jobs in August, a 1.4% increase, while the Greater Danbury area grew by 1,600 positions for a 2.2% gain.
“Connecticut job gains topped 20,000 for the third month in a row,” said Patrick Flaherty, acting director of the Office of Research at the Connecticut Department of Labor. “However, the pace of gains has slowed after the 77,300 June increase. The largest August job gains were in healthcare and social assistance, leisure and hospitality, and trade and transportation.”
However, CBIA President and CEO Chris DiPentima observed that the state”™s manufacturing sector lost 1,500 jobs last month, or 1% of its total workforce.
“We”™re seeing two factors at play there,” DiPentima said. “First, the continued slump in commercial aerospace demand is now having an impact on many of the state”™s aerospace manufacturers. In addition, we”™re also seeing the impact as the disaster relief loans many received from the federal Paycheck Protection Program run out. That was a critical lifeline for manufacturers.”
DiPentima warned that other industry sectors will be impacted when their loans are exhausted.
“We are very concerned that Congress has failed to act on a new round of emergency relief funding,” he said. “There”™s a lot of uncertainty ahead. The state”™s jobs recovery is a fragile one, with serious implications for our economy if we don”™t protect employers during this crucial time.”
