CBIA Response to February 2026 Employment Report

04.21.2026

Media Center

The state’s largest business organization issued the following response to today’s release of the February 2026 employment report. 

“After a positive start to 2026, February’s employment report underscores several troubling trends for Connecticut’s labor market,” said CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima.

“With February’s losses erasing January’s gains, Connecticut has now added just 927 jobs over the past year—an anemic 0.05% growth that’s half the U.S. rate.

“Connecticut’s labor force also continues to decline—down 2,200 in February and 14,100 year-over-year (-0.1%).

“While we have over 76,000 job openings, the softening labor market is only making it harder for people to find opportunities and for employers to fill those positions.

“Excluding the COVID-19 pandemic, the state’s 4.7% unemployment rate is at its highest since December 2016.

“Connecticut’s total employment numbers have fallen below 2008 levels, while nationally, job growth is at 15% since the beginning of the Great Recession.

Timely piece given the legislature's indifferent treatment of #smallbiz. "Politicians who view the business community as a target to be exploited, rather than an asset that requires cultivation, do so at their own peril and that of their constituents." https://t.co/dh8KKWb9Hr
— Chris DiPentima (@ChrisDipentima) April 21, 2026

“And while our GDP was the 12^th fastest among all states in 2025, that’s not enough to overlook long-term trends and structural deficiencies in the state’s labor market.

“There’s no denying volatility from federal and global factors, but it’s clear that Connecticut continues to lag the U.S. across a range of key economic indicators.

“Despite the critical need to address these long-term challenges, state lawmakers are instead considering onerous new mandates on businesses—creating costly burdens and making it harder to attract and retain workers.

“At the same time, legislators this session failed to advance a transformative, bipartisan healthcare bill for small businesses struggling to maintain employee benefits.

“Employers—particularly small businesses—are looking to their legislators for solutions to make Connecticut a more affordable place to live, work, and do business.

“But time and again this session, they’ve been met with largely indifferent treatment.

“Connecticut’s employers deserve better. Connecticut’s workforce deserves better. Connecticut’s economy deserves better.”

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 contact Scott Beaulieu (860.244.1929).