Groton's Unemployment Rate Increases, But So Does Labor Force

The latest Department of Labor statistics show that the unemployment rate in Groton and across the state went up slightly during the month of May, and there are also more people out there searching for work.

According to the latest DOL statistics, 8.8 percent of Groton residents were unemployed in May, up from 8.1 percent in April. But the data also showed there was more growth in the number of people finding work than losing their jobs.

The differences indicate a slight growth in the labor force, as 408 more people reported having jobs in May than in April, while 129 more claimed to have become unemployed during that time.

Here's the breakdown from the past four months in Groton:

The slight growth in the labor force is also being seen across Connecticut.

Statewide, the unemployment rate crept from 7.7 percent up to 7.8 percent from April to May. But as in Groton, the state overall saw an increase of over 5,200 jobs during the month of May.

"An expanding labor force may signal jobseekers are reentering the labor market, sensing better employment prospects," the DOL said.

“A resumption of more typical seasonal patterns now will hopefully give us a clearer picture going forward on job growth and unemployment in the state,” remarked Andy Condon, director of the agency’s Office of Research. “Growth in the civilian labor force, if it continues, is a sign that more people are actively searching for work and is significant since the labor force had declined four months in a row.”

At this same time last year, the unemployment rate in Connecticut stood at 8.9 percent.

In a statement to the media, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy didn’t directly mention the word “increase” in regard to the unemployment figures. Malloy highlighted how the national unemployment rate is at 8.2 percent, still higher than Connecticut.

“Given the fact that more people are trying to enter the work force because they’re more optimistic they can actually find a job, the change in the unemployment rate is not a surprise,” Malloy said. “We saw an example of that increase . As I’ve said all along, changing an economy that failed to grow jobs in a meaningful way for a generation won’t happen overnight. But I am committed to seeing this through.”

He went on to highlight the recent U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report that Connecticut’s economy was among the .

“So while it’s clear we have a lot more work to do, it’s also clear we’re in the process of turning this thing around,” the governor said.