HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby has announced his retirement after leading the department's response to a major spike in unemployment claims during the pandemic. Gov. Ned Lamont said Westby, who has served as commissioner for five years, will leave his post at the end of the month and will be replaced by Danté Bartolomeo, who currently serves as the agency's deputy commissioner. The Labor Department saw unemployment claims rise from about 40,000 during a typical week, to 400,000 per week during May, 2020 and set up special call center to deal with the volume. The department says it is still seeing about 178,000 filers per week.