Unemployment Rate Shows Little Change in April
New York State's unemployment rate, after seasonal adjustment, fell from 7.8 percent in March to 7.7 percent in April. New York City's rate also declined, dropping from 8.1 percent in March 2009 to 8.0 in April 2009. Outside of New York City, the unemployment rate was 7.4 percent in April 2009, down from March's 7.6 percent.
"While it is gratifying to see that the state's unemployment rate showed little change during April, it would be premature to say that the end of the recession is in sight," said Peter A. Neenan, Ph.D., Director of the Division of Research and Statistics.
Note: When comparing different months, seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid comparison, for example, March 2009 versus April 2009. Non-seasonally adjusted data are valuable in year-to-year comparisons of the same month, for example, April 2008 versus April 2009
1.) Unemployment rates (seasonally adjusted):
New York State's unemployment rate, after seasonal adjustment, fell from 7.8 percent in March to 7.7 percent in April. In April 2008, the state's rate was 5.0 percent. The U.S. rate was 8.9 percent in April 2009, up from 8.5 percent in March. In April 2008, the nation's rate was 5.0 percent.
New York City's rate also dropped, declining from 8.1 percent in March 2009 to 8.0 percent in April 2009. In April 2008, the city's rate was 4.9 percent. The rate in the state outside of New York City was 7.4 percent in April 2009, down from March's 7.6 percent. In April 2008, the rate outside of New York City was 5.0 percent.
| Unemployment Rates* (seasonally adjusted) | |||
| April 2009* | March 2009 | April 2008 | |
| New York State | 7.7 | 7.8 | 5.0 |
| United States | 8.9 | 8.5 | 5.0 |
| New York City | 8.0 | 8.1 | 4.9 |
| NYS, excluding NYC | 7.4 | 7.6 | 5.0 |
| *Data are preliminary and subject to change. | |||
2.) Unemployment Insurance and EUC08 data (not seasonally adjusted):
Under the Regular Unemployment Insurance (Regular UI) program, individuals who are involuntarily unemployed through no fault of their own may be eligible for up to 26 weeks of benefits as long as they remain ready, willing and able to work, and are actively seeking employment. Under the temporary federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) program, enacted on June 30, 2008, as part of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, claimants who have exhausted their 26 weeks of regular benefits are eligible to receive up to 13 weeks of additional benefits. Federal legislation signed into law on November 21, 2008, added up to 20 more weeks to the original 13 weeks of EUC08 benefits. Currently, beneficiaries in New York State may receive up to 33 weeks of EUC08 benefits in addition to the 26 weeks of regular UI benefits. Monthly beneficiaries data for these two programs are noted below.
| Program and Data Item* | April 2009 | March 2009 | April 2008 | |||
| Regular UI, monthly beneficiaries |
456,806
|
446,281
|
231,843
|
|||
| Regular UI, year-to-date beneficiaries |
649,457
|
575,983
|
383,898
|
|||
| EUC08, monthly beneficiaries |
187,985
|
171,868
|
NA
|
|||
| EUC08, year-to-date beneficiaries |
223,724
|
197,188
|
NA
|
|||
| *Data are preliminary and subject to revision. | ||||||
3.) Job data (seasonally adjusted):
New York State and the nation, March 2009 - April 2009:
The number of private sector jobs in New York State decreased by 15,600, or 0.2 percent, to 7,125,200 in April 2009, on a seasonally adjusted basis. Nationally, the number of private sector jobs decreased by 0.6 percent over the same period. After seasonal adjustment, the number of nonfarm jobs in the state decreased over the month by 12,000, or 0.1 percent, to 8,630,400 in April 2009. Nationally, the number of seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs decreased by 0.4 percent.
4.) Nonfarm jobs since April 2008 (not seasonally adjusted):| Total nonfarm jobs | -184,500 | ||
| Private sector jobs | -180,800 |
Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs (private plus public sectors) in New York State decreased by 184,500, or 2.1 percent, and the number of private sector jobs decreased by 180,800, or 2.5 percent. Nationally, the number of nonfarm jobs decreased by 3.8 percent and the number of private sector jobs decreased by 4.7 percent between April 2008 and April 2009.
Educational and health services (+34,500) was the only supersector to add jobs over the April 2008-April 2009 period, with increases in both educational services (+19,000) and health care and social assistance (+15,500).
Trade, transportation and utilities (-55,400) registered the largest drop among declining industries, with sector losses centered in retail trade (-24,400) and wholesale trade (-19,000). The second largest employment drop was in professional and business services (-44,900), with sector losses centered in employment services (-33,800). Manufacturing (-36,700) had the third largest employment drop among declining industries. Manufacturing job losses were largest in durable goods (-26,100). Financial activities (-31,700) had the fourth largest job decline, with losses centered in securities, commodity contracts, and related activities (-21,200). Other industries that experienced declines include: construction; leisure and hospitality; information; government; natural resources and mining; and other services.
| Industries with Job Gains: | |||
| Educational & Health Services | +34,500 | ||
| Industries with Job Losses: | |||
| Trade, Transportation & Utilities | -55,400 | ||
| Professional & Business Services | -44,900 | ||
| Manufacturing | -36,700 | ||
| Financial Activities | -31,700 | ||
| Construction | -25,400 | ||
| Leisure & Hospitality | -14,700 | ||
| Information | -6,300 | ||
| Government | -3,700 | ||
| Natural Resources & Mining | -100 | ||
| Other Services | -100 | ||
| Total nonfarm jobs | +38,300 | ||
| Private sector jobs | +35,400 |
In April 2009, New York State had 8,594,800 total nonfarm jobs, including 7,077,100 private sector jobs. From March 2009 to April 2009, the number of nonfarm jobs increased by 38,300 and the number of private sector jobs increased by 35,400. On average, in the previous ten years, the number of nonfarm jobs in New York increased by 49,200 from March to April, and the number of private sector jobs increased by 47,900.
The not seasonally adjusted job count increased over the month in construction (+13,200), leisure and hospitality (+12,000), professional and business services (+8,400), educational and health services (+6,700), government (+2,900), other services (+1,200), and natural resources and mining (+600). The job count in trade, transportation and utilities (-2,400), financial activities (-2,200), manufacturing (-1,600), and information (-500) decreased over the month.
6.) New York State nonfarm job highlights since March 2009 (not seasonally adjusted):
Construction
Construction employment experienced its typical seasonal increase in April, with most of the increase due to heavy and civil engineering construction and specialty trade contractors.
Leisure and hospitality
Leisure and hospitality employment increased over the month, with hiring focused in accommodation and food services, particularly food services and drinking places.
Professional and business services
This month's hiring increase was concentrated in administrative and support services.
Educational and health services
Sector employment increased over the month, with educational services, especially colleges, universities, and professional schools, adding the most jobs in April.
Government
Almost all of the over-the-month increase in government employment was due to expansion at the federal level.
Other services
This sector's over-the-month employment gain was centered in automotive repair and maintenance.
Natural resource and mining
Natural resources and mining employment experienced its usual March-April increase.
Information
Motion picture and sound recording accounted for most of April's loss in sector employment.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing's job count dropped over the month due to losses in durable goods, particularly in fabricated metal product manufacturing.
Financial activities
Employment losses in financial activities were largest in finance and insurance, especially securities, commodity contracts, and related activities.
Trade, transportation and utilities
Most of this month's employment decrease reflected losses in the economically-sensitive retail trade sector.
7.) Metropolitan Areas:
Job Growth and Unemployment Rates (not seasonally adjusted):
Albany-Schenectady-Troy: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 9,100, or 2.0 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 7,600, or 2.2 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in April 2009, compared with 7.3 in March and 4.4 in April 2008.
Binghamton: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 2,600, or 2.3 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 2,500, or 2.8 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 7.7 percent in April 2009, compared with 8.6 in March and 4.8 in April 2008.
Buffalo-Niagara Falls: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 13,700, or 2.5 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 14,500, or 3.2 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 8.5 percent in April 2009, compared with 9.2 in March and 5.4 in April 2008.
Glens Falls: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 900, or 1.7 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 800, or 1.9 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 8.0 percent in April 2009, compared with 9.4 in March and 5.3 in April 2008.
Ithaca: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 400, or 0.6 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 400, or 0.7 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in April 2009, compared with 5.7 in March and 3.2 in April 2008.
Kingston: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 1,500, or 2.3 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 1,700, or 3.5 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 7.0 percent in April 2009, compared with 7.8 in March and 4.5 in April 2008.
Nassau-Suffolk: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 33,900, or 2.7 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 32,800, or 3.1 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in April 2009, compared with 7.2 in March and 4.0 in April 2008.
New York City (five boroughs): Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 92,600, or 2.4 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 93,600, or 2.9 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 7.8 percent in April 2009, compared with 8.2 in March and 4.4 in April 2008.
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 4,400, or 1.7 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 4,400, or 2.2 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 7.2 percent in April 2009, compared with 7.8 in March and 4.4 in April 2008.
Putnam-Rockland-Westchester: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 9,800, or 1.7 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 9,200, or 1.9 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 6.5 percent in April 2009, compared with 7.0 in March and 3.9 in April 2008.
Rochester: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 3,700, or 0.7 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 4,800, or 1.1 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 7.4 percent in April 2009, compared with 8.3 in March and 5.0 in April 2008.
Syracuse: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 3,500, or 1.1 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 4,200, or 1.6 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 7.7 percent in April 2009, compared with 8.5 in March and 4.8 in April 2008.
Utica-Rome: Since April 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 1,000, or 0.8 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 1,100, or 1.1 percent. The area's unemployment rate was 7.4 percent in April 2009, compared with 8.3 in March and 5.1 in April 2008.
Note: Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, for New York and every other state are based on statistical regression models specified by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs data for New York are obtained from a survey of 18,000 business establishments. Jobs data exclude agricultural workers, the self-employed, unpaid family workers and domestic workers in private households.
See State and Area Unemployment Rates