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Unemployment Rate Hits 8.1

By Bob Connors

| Friday, Sep 18, 2009 | Updated 2:15 PM EST

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The unemployment lines are still long but there is hope.

Connecticut's jobless rate ticked to 8.1 percent in August, according to the state Labor Department.

The unemployment rate increase is three-tenths of a percentage point from July, caused in part by the state losing 3,700 jobs, mostly in the hospitality, government and financial sectors.

The Department of Labor says, overall, 152,100 Connecticut residents were out of work last month.

There is, however, a glimmer of hope. Construction and manufacturing jobs remained steady in August after several consecutive months of heavy losses, according to State Labor Statistics Supervisor Salvatore DiPillo.