Connecticut’s latest job numbers show the state added 6,500 jobs in July, but lags behind the nation in pandemic job recovery.
Nationally, the number of jobs has surpassed pre-pandemic levels. But in Connecticut, July job numbers show that only 88 percent of the private sector jobs lost at the start of the pandemic have been recovered, according to the state Labor Department.
Connecticut’s workforce is smaller than it was before the pandemic because of a large number of retirements, said Patrick Flaherty, the department’s director of research.
He said problems with childcare and new businesses, including start-ups, rather than returning to the workforce are to blame.
“We also know that there are some women in particular who have children, who had some difficulty finding childcare,” Flaherty said. “There are other people who have found a way to support themselves and stay without going back into the workforce.”
The state now has 120,000 job openings spanning a wide range of industries. However, construction jobs have recovered to 112% of their pre-pandemic level.