LABOR SITUATION Office of Research

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1 e LABOR SITUATION Office of Research Patricia H. Mayfield Commissioner FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 2009 Data State Gains 1,000 Jobs, But Still Sees Unemployment Rate Increase WETHERSFIELD, Nov. 19, 2009 The state s nonfarm employment in October was 1,624,000, an increase of 1,000 jobs from the revised September 2009 figure of 1,623,000, the Connecticut Department of Labor announced today. On a seasonally adjusted basis, this is a decrease of 71,100 from the October 2008 total of 1,695,100 jobs. Despite the increase in the state s unemployment rate, there are some positive signs in Connecticut s economic indicators, noted Labor Statistics Supervisor Salvatore DiPillo. While a gain of 1,000 jobs is welcome news, even more significant is the fact that initial claims for October, at 5,900, decreased by nearly 1,000 from the previous month and are now at their lowest level since last December. Nonfarm Employment In October, Connecticut s job gains and losses were divided among its ten major industry sectors. The state s most significant gains occurred in the leisure and hospitality sector, up 1,700 jobs, and in professional and business services, up 1,100 jobs. The construction sector added 600 jobs and there was also growth in other services and government. The trade, transportation and utilities sector lost 1,300 jobs while manufacturing was down 800 jobs, and the information sector s employment was off by 400. Smaller losses were seen in financial activities and education and health services. For the third consecutive month, construction employment was up - by 600 from September s number - to a level of 52,400 jobs. This industry sector has experienced the largest percentage of job loss, with employment down 25 percent from October 2007 when it first began to shed jobs. While manufacturing lost 800 jobs in October, losses in this sector have eased off a bit in recent months, following substantial monthly losses earlier in the year. This sector, with 170,700 jobs, is down 8.3 percent from last October. Gains were seen in the leisure and hospitality sector, adding 1,700 jobs in October to number 140,600, with 700 of these in the arts, entertainment and recreation industries and 1,000 in the accommodations and foods services industries. This sector has weathered the recession fairly well in Connecticut and is one of only two sectors to have added jobs over the year. The professional and business sector, which includes temporary help agencies, also added jobs in October, with 1,100 new positions marking only the third month of gains since January With October s employment at 187,800, this sector has lost 7.8 percent of its jobs in the past year. The other services sector, which includes repair and maintenance services, personal and laundry services and religious, grantmaking, civic, and professional organizations, employed 61,700 in October, up 200 from September s level. Over the year, this sector has lost 1,800 jobs. The largest job losses in October occurred in the trade, transportation and utilities sector with nearly all of October s 1,300 loss found in retail and transportation, warehousing and utilities, with wholesale trade mostly unchanged. Employment in this sector is now 291,800, down 16,300 or 5.3 percent from last October. -- more --

2 The information sector showed a decline of 400 positions in October, for a total of 34,600 jobs. This sector, which has lost jobs in 11 of the past 12 months, is now down by 1,800 over the year, or 4.9 percent from its October 2008 level. All of October s 200 job losses reported in the financial activities sector are in the finance and insurance industry. Employment in the financial activities sector, at 137,600, is down 3.3 percent from one year ago. Employment in the educational and health services sector was down by 200 in October, to 299,100. However, both of its component industries -- educational services and health care and social assistance -- have seen job gains over the year. In October, the government sector added 300 jobs, with a 300 gain in federal government, a 200 gain in state government and a 200 loss in local government. Overall, employment in government was down 5,800 over the year, with losses nearly evenly distributed between state and federal government. Labor Market Areas: Job losses in three of the six major Labor Market Areas (LMAs) between September and October countered the gains in two LMAs. There were losses in the Danbury LMA with 1,100 fewer jobs; the Norwich- London LMA, down 600 jobs; and the LMA, with 500 job losses. The Hartford LMA added 2,700 jobs, the Bridgeport-Stamford LMA added 900 jobs, while the Waterbury LMA job level was mostly unchanged over the month. Hours and Earnings: The manufacturing production workweek, not seasonally adjusted, averaged 40.5 hours, down 1.7 hours from the October 2008 figure of 42.2 hours. Average hourly earnings at $23.20, not seasonally adjusted, were up $1.39 from a year ago at this time when the number was $21.81.This resulted in an average weekly wage for manufacturing of $939.60, up $19.22, which is an increase of approximately 2.1 percent over the year. Labor Force Data Connecticut s seasonally adjusted labor force was up 14,500 from last month, bringing October s total to 1,900,400. This represents an increase of 15,600 people from the October 2008 figure. Unemployment: Based on the household survey, the estimate of people unemployed, seasonally adjusted, increased in October 2009 by 7,600 to 166,700 while the unemployment rate increased from the September 2009 rate of 8.4 percent to 8.8 percent. This is 1.4 percentage points lower than the national rate of 10.2 percent. In comparison with the state s October 2008 unemployment rate of 6.1 percent, this month s unemployment number represents an increase of 2.7 percentage points over the year. The number of people unemployed increased by 51,200 from last year at this time. Average weekly initial unemployment claims in October 2009 for first-time filers decreased over the month by 842 to 5,943, and were up 2.3 percent, or 135 claims from last year. Unemployment rates and the number of unemployed people, not seasonally adjusted, were up over the year in all of the state s nine labor market areas in October The Danbury LMA had the lowest unemployment rate at 7.3 percent, followed by the Enfield LMA at 7.7 percent, and the Bridgeport-Stamford and Norwich- London LMAs, both at percent. The Waterbury LMA had the highest unemployment rate at 11.2 percent. Notes: The nonfarm employment estimate, derived from a survey of businesses, is a measure of jobs in the state; the unemployment rate, based on a household survey, is a measure of the work status of people who live in Connecticut. Please see note regarding changes in estimating procedures outlined on the following page. These procedures have been established by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for all states. Contact: Nancy Steffens (860) Labor market information is available on the Internet at Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, CT An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

3 A Note About Nonfarm Employment Monthly nonfarm employment data are widely recognized by policymakers, business analysts, and the media as a critical and sensitive gauge of the health of the state labor markets. These data, reflecting jobs in the state, are estimated based on the response from a survey of employers conducted monthly in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Changes to estimation procedures are being implemented that will yield results that rely more directly on the sample of employers selected and their response, and will have an effect on the numbers published. Published estimates for Connecticut will be more volatile than in the past; that is, they will show wider and more variable movement from month to month. This will be evident particularly for industry sectors of the economy and for sub-state areas for which estimates are produced, for which the samples are smaller, but will also be seen in the data for state-level employment. Many of the procedural changes are taking effect beginning with the initial estimates for November, which will be released on December 17, With these changes, it will be important for data users to keep in mind that it is best to look at the employment estimates over several months in order to better understand the state s economic condition with respect to the labor market.

4 NONFARM EMPLOYMENT Jobs - by Place of Work CONNECTICUT AND THE UNITED STATES - Seasonally Adjusted Oct. Sept. Aug. July Oct. Over Month Over Year Change Rate Change Rate CONNECTICUT 1,624,000 1,623,000 1,629,200 1,634,000 1,695,100 1, % -71, % Goods Producing Industries Construction 52,400 51,800 50,800 50,500 64, % -12, % Manufacturing 170, , , , , % -15, % Service Providing Industries Trade, Transportation & Utilities 291, , , , ,100-1, % -16, % Wholesale 66,300 66,400 66,600 66,900 69, % -3, % Retail 176, , , , , % -10, % Transp, Warehousing & Utilities 49,500 50,400 52,700 52,700 52, % -2, % Information 34,600 35,000 35,100 35,200 36, % -1, % Financial Activities 137, , , , , % -4, % Finance & Insurance 118, , , , , % -3, % Real Estate, Rental & Leasing 19,300 19,300 19,400 19,500 20, % % Professional & Business Services 187, , , , ,700 1, % -15, % Prof, Scientific & Tech Services 86,000 86,800 87,600 88,000 91, % -5, % Admn & Support & Waste Mgt Serv 76,200 74,500 75,800 75,600 86,400 1, % -10, % Educational & Health Services 299, , , , , % 2, % Educational Services 58,200 58,000 60,000 58,700 57, % 1, % Health Care & Social Assistance 240, , , , , % 1, % Leisure and Hospitality 140, , , , ,600 1, % 1, % Arts, Entertainment & Recreation 25,000 24,300 24,200 25,700 24, % % Accommodation & Food Services 115, , , , ,000 1, % % Other Services 61,700 61,500 62,800 63,000 63, % -1, % Government** 247, , , , , % -5, % UNITED STATES 130,848, ,038, ,257, ,411, ,352, , % -5,504, % LABOR MARKET AREAS Labor Market Area employment estimates are made independently of Statewide estimates. Oct. Sept. Aug. July Oct. Over Month Over Year Seasonally Adjusted data Change Rate Change Rate Bridgeport-Stamford 401, , , , , % -13, % Danbury 66,400 67,500 67,400 67,500 69,100-1, % -2, % Hartford 541, , , , ,700 2, % -18, % 270, , , , , % -5, % Norwich- London 131, , , , , % -4, % Waterbury 64,400 64,500 64,600 65,100 66, % -2, % Not Seasonally Adjusted data Enfield 46,800 46,900 44,600 45,100 49, % -2, % Torrington 35,800 35,800 34,400 34,500 38, % -2, % Willimantic-Danielson 35,600 35,300 35,300 35,100 37, % -2, % * Less than 0.05% ** Includes Native American tribal government employment Data in this publication are benchmarked to March Current month's nonfarm employment data are preliminary, previous months' data are revised. Nonfarm employment, hours and earnings, and labor force data included in this publication are developed in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

5 UNEMPLOYMENT Persons Unemployed - by Place of Residence CONNECTICUT AND THE UNITED STATES - Seasonally Adjusted October 2009 October 2008 Change September 2009 Number Rate Number Rate Number Points Number Rate CONNECTICUT Unemployed 166, , , , Labor Force 1,900,400 1,884,800 15,600 1,885,900 UNITED STATES Unemployed 15,700, ,221, ,479, ,142, Labor Force 153,975, ,878, , ,006, U.S. AND CONNECTICUT UNEMPLOYMENT RATES - Seasonally Adjusted Percent Unemployed US CT 4.0 J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D 2007 LABOR MARKET AREAS - Not Seasonally Adjusted October 2009 October 2008 Change September 2009 Number Rate Number Rate Number Points Number Rate Bridgeport-Stamford 38,200 26, , , Danbury 6, , , , Enfield 3, , , , Hartford 50, , , , , , , , Norwich- London 12,200 8, , , Torrington 4, , , , Waterbury 11, , , , Willimantic-Danielson 5, , , , CONNECTICUT 158, , , , UNITED STATES 14,547, ,469, ,078, ,538,

6 UNEMPLOYMENT RATES Not Seasonally Adjusted LABOR MARKET AREAS Sherman Fairfield Danbury Ridgefield Canaan Salisbury Sharon Kent Milford Danbury 7.3 Wilton Stamford Norwalk Darien Greenwich Brookfield Bethel Redding Warren Canaan Cornwall Washington Bethlehem on Weston Westport Canaan Roxbury Woodbury town Southbury Fairfield Goshen Torrington 8.2 Norfolk Litchfield Morris Monroe Bridgeport-Stamford Winchester Torrington Colebrook Thomaston Watertown Plymouth Beacon Oxford Falls Bethany Trumbull Milford Stratford Bridgeport Barkhamsted Hartford Hartland Harwinton Burlington Waterbury 11.2 Bristol Wolcott Southington Middlebury Waterbury Cheshire Prospect Naugatuck Simsbury Windsor Canton Bloomfield Hamden Granby Plainville Britain Berlin Middletown Meriden Middlefield Wallingford Branford Branford Granby Cromwell Portland Durham Guilford Haddam Hampton Clinton Madison Marlborough Chester Lyme Deep River Essex Bridgewater Seymour Wood- Derby Ansoniabridge Shelton Orange West Killingworth Westbrook Hebron Haddam Colchester Old Saybrook Stafford Avon West Manchester Hartford Hartford Coventry Bolton Hartford Farmington Andover ington Suffield Windsor Locks Wethersfield Rocky Hill 8.3 Enfield Enfield 7.7 Windsor South Windsor Hartford 8.4 Glastonbury Somers Ellington Vernon Tolland Columbia Old Lyme Mansfield Lebanon Salem Lyme Not Union Willington Ashford ford Sprague Franklin Lisbon Bozrah Chaplin Hampton Montville Norwich Woodstock Pomfret Preston Ledyard Waterford Groton London Brooklyn Thompson Putnam Willimantic-Danielson 9.3 Griswold Voluntown Stonington Stonington Killingly Windham Scotland Canterbury Plainfield Sterling Norwich- London October 2009 Connecticut: 8.3% U.S.: 9.5% HOURS AND EARNINGS Manufacturing Production and Related Workers CONNECTICUT - Not Seasonally Adjusted Average Weekly Earnings Average Weekly Hours Average Hourly Earnings Oct Oct Change Sept. Oct Oct Change Sept. Oct Oct Change Sept over Yr over Yr over Yr CONNECTICUT $ $ $19.22 $ $23.20 $21.81 $1.39 $23.37 Note: Due to federal budget cuts to state-federal statistical programs conducted by the Connecticut Department of Labor in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the development and publication of production worker hours and earnings data for labor market areas has been suspended.

7 T R E N D S Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Total Unemployment Employment (000s) Rate 2008 Jan 1, Feb 1, Mar 1, Apr 1, May 1, Jun 1, July 1, Aug 1, Sep 1, Oct 1, Nov 1, Dec 1, Jan 1, Feb 1, Mar 1, Apr 1, May 1, Jun 1, July 1, Aug 1, Sep 1, Oct 1, Nov Dec Thousands Percent 1,750 1,725 1,700 1,675 1,650 1,625 Nonfarm Employment 1,600 Total Unemployment Rate Avg Weekly Avg Manufacturing Initial Claims Weekly Hours* 2008 Jan 4, Feb 4, Mar 4, Apr 4, May 4, Jun 4, July 4, Aug 6, Sep 5, Oct 5, Nov 6, Dec 5, Jan 6, Feb 6, Mar 7, Apr 6, May 6, Jun 6, July 6, Aug 7, Sep 6, Oct 5, Nov Dec Average Weekly Initial Claims 9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 Average Manufacturing Weekly Hours * Not Seasonally Adjusted ** Labor-management dispute