April Jobs Report: Progress, Concerns Over Unemployment Rate

05.19.2016
Media Center
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/264906694″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /] Moderate job growth among a mix of industry sectors is a step in the right direction, an economist with the state’s largest business organization said today.
“It isn’t a spectacular report but it does show decent progress,” said CBIA economist Pete Gioia.
Overall, Connecticut added 3,500 news jobs. Unemployment remained at 5.7% according to the state Department of Labor’s April jobs report.
Gioia notes the rate is high when compared with the national rate of 5% and regionally, where Connecticut has the highest unemployment of all six New England states.
“The report showed some solid progress in job creation but we still have some issues particularly with the rate of unemployment,” said Gioia.
“The mix of jobs added is also better than we’ve seen.”
Construction and mining led all sectors in April with 2,400 new jobs, followed by professional and business services (1,100), and education and health services (800).
Year over year, Connecticut has added 20,100 jobs.
Connecticut has now recovered 80% of jobs lost since February 2010. The state must add an additional 23,500 jobs to reach pre-recession levels.
“This report should be a modest confidence builder for the state,” said Gioia.
“We still have a lot of work to do but this is a step forward.”


CBIA is Connecticut’s largest business organization, with thousands of member companies, small and large, representing a diverse range of industries from every part of the state. For more information, please email or call Meaghan MacDonald (860.244.1957).

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