Danbury Unemployment Rate Beats State, Again

Despite the addition of 7,400 new jobs in April and May of this year Connecticut’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8 percent, according to the lastest figures released by the state Department of Labor.

Though the rate has remained unchanged for the past four months, labor officials said the jobs picture in Connecticut is looking up.

In Danbury, 634 more people were employed in May than in January and 425 fewer people were unemployed, according to state Labor Department statistics.

“With the exception of a storm [that] impacted February, Connecticut has been experiencing consistent job growth so far this year,” said Andy Condon, Director of the Office of Research for the state’s labor department. “The upward turn in labor force participation, after 35 straight months of decline, may indicate increased confidence in labor market conditions. However, there are still headwinds ahead. Federal budget sequester cuts could hinder employment growth possibilities throughout the rest of 2013.”

In Danbury, January was the worst month this year for unemployment with a rate of 7.3 percent, compared to the lowest rate this year falling in April at 6.1 percent. The rate crept up to 6.4 percent in May, still 1.6 percent better than the state average.

"Despite state government policies that drive up the cost of doing business in the state, we are again one of those special places in New England that year after year, quarter after quarter, month after month, reports lower unemployment than the state," said Stephen Bull, president of the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce. "It isn't an accident. It's our great companies, our pharmaceuticals, bearings, aerospace, retail. Hardly a day goes by when we're not attending a grand opening or an expansion event."

Since the Great Recession ended, Connecticut has recovered 58,600 jobs, or 48.3 percent of the 121,200 seasonally adjusted jobs that were lost between March of 2008 to February of 2010, labor officials reported in a release issued this week.