CT Loses 1,400 Jobs: What's the Unemployment Rate in Bethel?

By Wendy Ann Mitchell (Patch Staff)

Bethel, CT — A recent report from the Connecticut Department of Labor (CT DOL) shows that Connecticut lost 1,400 jobs in May 2016.

“Connecticut’s decline of 1,400 jobs in May follows a very slow month for job growth across the country,” said Andy Condon, Director of the Office of Research. “Our labor force saw small but equal percentage declines in both residents employed and unemployed, resulting in an unchanged unemployment rate.”

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The good news is that there are a number of startups and expansions in the state:

• FedEx announced it will open a new distribution hub in 2018 in Middletown and hire 500 workers.
• Primark, a fashion retailer, has opened a new store in Danbury with 220 employees.
• Big Y plans to open a new store in 2018 in Marlborough, adding 130 jobs.
• Gloucester Engineering will be moving 30 jobs in its production unit to Stonington.
• Faneuil Inc., a call center, will open in Bristol in July with 300 workers.
• Subway plans to launch a new division over the next few years at its headquarters in Milford, adding 150 employees.

The bad news is that Dattco cut 138 jobs after losing the bus service contract with a Hartford school and Boehringer Ingelheim of Ridgefield eliminated 50 jobs due to restructuring, the CT DOL reports.

What does the job market look like in Bethel for May 2016, the CT DOL's most recent report?

Connecticut's Department of Labor show that Bethel has a work force of 10,789 with 10,299 employed and 490 unemployed. The unemployment rate is 4.5 percent.

How do other towns compare?

• Brookfield: Work force of 9,400, 8,990 employed, 410 unemployed, unemployment rate is 4.4 percent
• Danbury: Work force of 47,280, 45,258 employed, 2,022 unemployed, unemployment rate is 4.3 percent
• Easton: Work force of 3,909, 3,760 employed, 149 unemployed, unemployment rate is 3.8 percent
• Monroe: Work force of 10,286, 9,798 employed, 488 unemployed, unemployment rate is 4.7 percent
• New Milford: Work force of 15,617, 14,938 employed, 679 unemployed, unemployment rate 4.3 percent
• Newtown: Work force of 14,516, 13,855 employed, 661 unemployed, unemployment rate is 4.6 percent
• Redding: Work force of 4,573, 4,373 employed, 200 unemployed, unemployment rate is 4.4 percent
• Ridgefield: Work force of 11,967, 11,493 employed, 474 unemployed, unemployment rate is 4.0 percent
• Southbury: Work force of 8,918, 8,472 employed, 446 unemployed, unemployment rate is 5.0 percent
• Weston: Work force of 4,473, 4,265 employed, 208 unemployed, unemployment rate is 4.7 percent
• Wilton: Work force of 8,608, 8,239 employed, 369 unemployed, unemployment rate is 4.3 percent

See the full report on the Connecticut Department of Labor's website.

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