by Staff Report CTNewsJunkie
HARTFORD, CT — Warning of a potential recession and “flurry” of layoffs, Connecticut’s state Senate leadership are looking for the state Department of Labor to take a proactive approach to a potential surge in unemployment.
In a letter to Labor Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo Monday morning, Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, and Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, expressed concern about national recession predictions and the compounding impact of lingering tariffs on Connecticut’s manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation sectors.
“We are already seeing signs of distress from businesses facing higher costs and supply chain complications,” the letter states. “We fear a flurry of layoffs may soon follow.”
The senators requested information about the department’s current operational readiness, including: whether the claims system has undergone stress testing, plans for staffing increases in the event of a spike in claims, and strategies to inform displaced workers about how to access assistance.
A representative from the department said Gov. Ned Lamont’s budget includes funding for nine new staff members for unemployment claims representatives for the Consumer Contact Center. According to the department, the contact center receives more than 3,000 calls a day.
The department also has a Rapid Response Team that assists employers during a downturn and works with employers to find workers through job fairs and recruitment events.
The state’s unemployment rate remains low, at 3.4%, though it did tick up slightly in February, according to the department’s data. The next jobs report, covering March, is due out Thursday.
In the letter, the senators said economic forecasts were “increasingly predicting a downturn, with many economists anticipating a recession soon. Compounding these challenges are the ongoing effects of the Trump-era tariffs, which will likely continue to damage key sectors of our state’s economy — particularly manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation.”
They concluded by saying they “stand ready to work with you to ensure the Department has the resources and support it needs to serve Connecticut residents efficiently and compassionately during what could be another trying time for working families.”