CBIA Response to April 2026 Employment Report

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

“April’s gains—while encouraging—highlight the ongoing volatility in Connecticut’s job market,” said CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima.

“Driven by growth in key industry sectors including manufacturing, healthcare and professional and business services, Connecticut’s year-over-year job growth is now above the national rate and among the better rates in the region.

“Despite those gains, it’s concerning to see the state’s unemployment rate continues to rise—now at 5% compared to 4.3% nationally.

“This report again reinforces the top challenge to Connecticut’s economic growth—the state’s shrinking labor force.

“The labor force—those working and actively looking for work—-fell by 9,000 in March and is down more than 28,000 (-1.4%) in the last year.

“We now have 21,000 fewer people (-1.1%) in the labor force compared to pre-Covid levels.

“For Connecticut to truly see sustained, meaningful growth, it’s critical that state policymakers focus on making the state a more affordable and attractive place to live, work, and do business.

“During the legislative session, those policymakers failed to act on opportunities to address healthcare, housing, and energy costs.

“Until that happens, Connecticut’s affordability crisis will keep holding our economy back.”