(WETHERSFIELD,CT) – Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) Commissioner Kurt Westby released the unemployment numbers for December
2020. The unemployment rate ticked down slightly from 8.2% in November to 8.0% in December. Connecticut lost 3,400 payroll jobs in the same month.
Commissioner Westby said, “Connecticut continues to see the impact of the pandemic in declines in the restaurant industry and hospitality sector. It’s
reasonable to assume many of these jobs will return once the pandemic is under control, vaccinations role out, and people begin to get back to a life
where they eat out, shop, and travel. However, right now these areas are being hit hard.”
Patrick Flaherty, Acting Director of the CTDOL Office of Research said, “While the second month of job declines is disappointing, the details reveal underlying
resilience in the economy. The largest December declines were in industries directly affected by the COVID‑19 pandemic such as accommodation and food
service. On the other hand, manufacturing, construction, and finance each increased in December.”
In December 2020, manufacturing, construction, and finance were growth sectors, while accommodation and food service sectors experienced
pandemic-related declines.