Connecticut Unemployment Rate Jumps to 9 Percent

Connecticut's Labor Department says the state's unemployment rate jumped to 9 percent in August amid a record one-month decline in the labor force.

The department announced Thursday that data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show the state's unemployment rate increased half a percentage point from July to August, making it the largest monthly percentage point increase since 1976. Officials said the state lost 6,800 jobs from July to August.

The national unemployment rate in August was 8.1 percent.

The Labor Department says the civilian labor force was about 1.9 million in August, down 9,400 from July. That's a record 0.3 percent monthly drop.

Governor Dannel Malloy said in a statement he's skeptical of the new numbers, because unemployment claims are down while tax withholding revenue is up.

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