Over 7.3 Million Working Statewide
New York State’s economy added 2,900 private sector jobs in September, bringing the state’s job count to an all-time high of 7,337,000, the State Department of Labor reported last Thursday, Oct. 18.
In 2012, the state has added 107,200 private sector jobs. This year-to-date increase contributed to the state’s overall recovery of 352,500 private sector jobs since November 2009.
New York State is one of only five states in the country that have regained all of the private sector jobs lost in the recession.
The state’s unemployment rate fell in September by 0.2 percent to 8.9 percent. In addition, the number of unemployed in the state declined by 23,200, from 871,600 to 848,400.
“September 2012 was a good month for our state’s economy. The private sector job count grew by 2,900, continuing the trend of growth in the state and leading to an all-time high job count. Additionally, the number of unemployed New Yorkers declined by 23,200 and our statewide unemployment rate dropped by 0.2 percentage points,” said Bohdan M. Wynnyk, deputy director of the Division of Research and Statistics.
Since September 2011, the number of private sector jobs in the state increased by 134,300, or 1.9 percent. Over the same time frame, the nation’s private sector job count increased by 1.7 percent.
In the 10-county Downstate region, private sector jobs grew by 2.3 percent over the past year. Within the Downstate region, jobs grew by 2.9 percent in New York City and by 1.1 percent in the suburban counties.
In the 52-county Upstate region, the private sector job count grew by 0.8 percent over the past year, with job growth occurring in both the region’s metro areas (up 0.8 percent) and in counties outside of metro areas (up0.8 percent).
Professional and business services added the most jobs (up 63,200) of any sector between September 2011 and September 2012. Sector job gains over this period were focused in professional, scientific and technical services (up 31,500) and administrative and support services (up 28,500).
Private educational and health services (up 41,700) had the second largest increase in jobs over the past year. Sector employment gains occurred in both educational services (up 21,100) and health care and social assistance (up 20,600).
Over the past year, construction lost more jobs (down 12,500) than any other sector in the state. Sector job losses were concentrated in specialty trade contractors (down 10,100).
Employment losses in the information sector (down 6,600) were greatest in motion picture and sound recording (down 5,300) and publishing (down 2,000).
For New York, during the week that included Sept. 12, 2012, there were 381,460 people (including 348,335 who live in the state) who received benefits. New York State residents who received unemployment insurance made up 41 percent of the total unemployed in the state in September.
