Connecticut employers reported 71,000 job openings in July, representing a 4% job‑openings rate, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Monday. That was slightly below the national rate of 4.3%.
The state recorded 50,000 hires and 54,000 separations during the month. Over the past year, both hires and separations have averaged 54,000 per month.
Among July’s separations, 23,000 were voluntary quits while 25,000 were layoffs and discharges. The ratio of unemployed people per job opening stood at 1 in Connecticut, meaning there was roughly one jobless worker for every vacancy.
Earlier this year, in January 2025, Connecticut reported 92,000 job openings, which was the highest monthly level so far this year. At that time, the job‑openings rate stood at 5.1%.
Nationally, job openings edged down to about 7.9 million in July, little changed from June.
The quits rate held at 2.2% while the layoffs and discharges rate remained at 1%. Hires nationwide were steady at 5.7 million.
Economists say the current ratio of roughly one unemployed person per job opening across the U.S. indicates the labor market has cooled somewhat from its post‑pandemic strength but remains relatively balanced.
Across the country, most states saw little change in job openings during July. Rates fell in New York, Florida and Tennessee, while California posted an increase.
The number of openings declined by 104,000 in New York, 76,000 in Florida and 25,000 in Tennessee; California saw an increase of 80,000 openings. In the other 46 states and the District of Columbia, levels were essentially flat.
The Connecticut Department of Labor separately reported last week that employers added 900 jobs in August, pushing private-sector employment to a record 1.48 million. The state’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.8%, below the national 4.3% rate, though Connecticut’s labor force declined for the third straight month.
The BLS report is part of its monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.