Connecticut Adds More Jobs

The Labor Department announced that Connecticut added 4,900 new jobs in February, which helped to push the unemployment rate down to 7.8%. This is the lowest state unemployment has been since March 2009.

So far the state has recovered 1/3 of the jobs lost in the Great Recession (March 2008- February 2010). The private sector is leading the way in the jobs recovery as it has regained 44% of the private sector jobs lost. The state lost a total of 117,500 jobs in the recession and so far has gained back 39,100.

The big gains in February 2012 came in the following sectors:

• Health care and social assistance – 1,900
• Retail trade – 1,600
• Professional scientific and technical services – 900
• Construction – 800
• Wholesale trade – 600