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March 13, 2020

DOL: Revision shows CT lost 3,300 jobs in 2019

By Joe Cooper

Amid fears of how the coronavirus outbreak could impact Connecticut’s economy, an annual revision of the state’s 2019 jobs picture shows a dramatic change from a gain of 7,400 jobs to a 3,300 loss.

The state Department of Labor (DOL) on Friday announced the revision by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reduced Connecticut’s 2019 jobs estimate by six-tenths of a percent.

The announcement is more bad news for a local and global economy that is bracing for tough times ahead as coronavirus cases mount. Economists say the global pandemic's impact on Connecticut's economy has already been significant, and will likely get worse in the weeks and potentially months ahead.

Also Friday, DOL said Connecticut added 2,600 net jobs in January, which held the state’s unemployment rate steady at 3.7%. The state now has a total of 1,696,100 seasonally adjusted jobs, and an estimated 72,300 unemployed residents.

“January’s payroll job numbers are a good start to the year with a seasonally adjusted increase of 2,600 jobs over Dec. 2019,” said Andy Condon, who leads the agency’s Office of Research.

Following the major 2019 revision, Connecticut has now recovered just 82.9%, or 99,400 jobs, of the 120,000 seasonally adjusted jobs lost in the 2008-2010 Great Recession, DOL said.

In January, private sector employment grew by 2,500 jobs to 1,459,600, an increase of 8,800 seasonally-adjusted jobs compared to the year-ago period. The private sector has regained all jobs lost during the recession.

Six of the 10 major industry supersectors added jobs in January and four declined. 

Gains were led by the trade, transportation and utilities supersector (1.1% increase), adding 3,200 net new jobs. Education and health services (0.1%) trailed with 300 new positions.

The government, professional and business services, manufacturing, and leisure/hospitality industries each added 100 new jobs.

Construction/mining led declines with a loss of 600 jobs (1% decrease), followed by financial activities, which shed 300 positions. The information and other services supersectors also each lost 200 jobs.

The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk region led employment growth in the state with an increase of 1,500 net new jobs, while the Hartford region gained 1,300.

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