New York State
Department of Labor

Albany, NY (December 16, 2010) -

New York State's economy added 700 private sector jobs, or less than 0.1%, on a seasonally adjusted basis in November 2010, the State Labor Department reported today. This was the smallest monthly jobs gain during the state's current economic recovery. The total nonfarm job count in New York decreased slightly (-300), or less than 0.1%, in November 2010. The nonfarm job count tracks all jobs in the private and public sectors. It does not count the self-employed or workers on farms.

New York State's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.3% in November 2010. The statewide October 2010 rate was revised downward from 8.3% to 8.2%. The number of unemployed New York State residents increased from 797,400 in October to 799,500 in November 2010.

"Like the nation as a whole, New York State's economic recovery from this recession has been very uneven to date. November's small increase of 700 private sector jobs follows October's very large gain of 37,800. The recovery has also been uneven across the state's regions. While New York City’s unemployment rate is down over the year, virtually every other metro area in the state saw its rate increase over the year. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.3% in November, remaining below the nation's rate of 9.8%," said Norman A. Steele, Deputy Director of the Division of Research and Statistics.

Note: When comparing different months, seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid comparison; for example, October 2010 versus November 2010. Non-seasonally adjusted data are valuable in year-to-year comparisons of the same month; for example, November 2009 versus November 2010.

1) Unemployment rates (seasonally adjusted)

New York State's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 8.3% in November 2010. The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 9.8% in November. New York City's rate dropped slightly to 9.1% in November 2010, while the rate outside of New York City ticked up to 7.7% in November 2010.

2) Regular Unemployment Insurance (UI), the four tiers of federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) and Extended Benefits (EB) data (not seasonally adjusted):

Some important changes recently occurred in the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) and the Extended Benefits (EB) programs. EUC08 Tier 4 benefits ended in New York State as of August 15, 2010. Federal authorization of the EUC08 program and 100% federal funding of the EB program were extended through November 2010. However, Congress may extend the filing dates.

For the EUC08 program:

• For the three months ending November 2010, New York State’s unemployment rate was 8.3%.
• Because New York State’s average unemployment rate for the three months ending in June 2010 fell below 8.5%, EUC08 Tier 4 benefits are available only to people who exhausted Tier 3 by August 15, 2010. People who exhausted Tier 3 after that date moved directly into the EB program.
• Based on the latest amendments to federal law, to qualify for EUC08 Tier 1 people must exhaust regular UI benefits by November 21, 2010. They must claim EUC Tier 1 by November 28, 2010.
• To qualify for EUC08 Tiers 2 and 3, people must exhaust Tier 1 or Tier 2 by November 28, 2010. Beneficiaries in the EUC08 program may continue to collect UI from the tier of EUC that they are in on December 5, 2010. They can collect until those benefits run out, but they may not move to the next tier of EUC08.

For the federally funded EB program:

• People may not claim benefits under the EB program after December 5, 2010. We cannot pay any benefits under the EB program for periods of unemployment after that date.

Use the department's online Unemployment Insurance calculator to estimate the amount of unemployment benefits due. See the calculator on the Department of Labor's web site at: http://www.labor.ny.gov/ui/claimantinfo/UIBenefitsCalculator.shtm

See the table below for beneficiary data for these programs. During the week that included November 12, 2010, 533,989 people (including out-of-state claimants) received regular UI, EUC08, or EB. This includes 487,584 who live in New York State. Residents who received benefits under these programs made up 61% of the total unemployed in the state in November 2010.

*Data are preliminary and subject to revision. Note: EUC08 Tier 1 began 7/13/2008; Tier 2 began 2/22/2009; Tier 3 began 11/15/2009; Tier 4 began 2/21/2010. EB began 5/24/2009.
Program and Data Item*	November 2010	October 2010	November 2009
Regular UI, reference week beneficiaries	217,470	208,607	253,906
Regular UI, year-to-date beneficiaries	884,894	845,181	1,008,074
EUC08, reference week beneficiaries	216,332	217,804	281,135
EUC08, year-to-date beneficiaries	704,731	676,393	509,887
EB, reference week beneficiaries	100,359	100,717	47,399
EB, year-to-date beneficiaries	195,626	177,295	120,880

3) Jobs data (seasonally adjusted):

New York State and the nation, October 2010 - November 2010

Note: All data reported in this section are seasonally adjusted. These data are most useful when comparing different months; for example, October 2010 versus November 2010.

The number of private sector jobs in New York State increased by 700, or less than 0.1%, to 7,045,500 in November 2010, on a seasonally adjusted basis. Nationally, the number of private sector jobs also rose by less than 0.1% over the same period.

Between October and November 2010, the nonfarm job count (private and public sectors) in the state decreased by 300, or less than 0.1%, to 8,514,300, after seasonal adjustment. Nationally, the number of seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs increased by less than 0.1% in November.

4) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):

New York State and the nation, November 2009 - November 2010

Note: All data reported in this section are not seasonally adjusted. The most valid comparisons with this type of data are year-to-year comparisons of the same month; for example, November 2009 versus November 2010.

New York State: Total nonfarm jobs                      +38,100
New York State: Private sector jobs                      +77,900

Since November 2009, the number of nonfarm jobs (private and public sectors) in New York State increased by 38,100, or 0.4%. The number of private sector jobs in the state increased by 77,900, or 1.1%, over the last year.  Additional industry detail for New York State is shown in the table on the next page.

Nationally, the number of nonfarm jobs increased by 0.6% since November 2009. The number of private sector jobs in the U.S. increased by 1.0% over the same period.

Highlights among NYS sectors with job gains since November 2009

• Educational and health services added the most private sector jobs (+30,800) of any sector over the past year. Within that sector, job gains were greatest in health care and social assistance (+21,000), particularly ambulatory health care services (+11,800).
• Professional and business services (+27,600) had the second largest increase in jobs since November 2009. Sector job gains were greatest in administrative and support services (+15,000).
• The third largest increase in jobs occurred in other services (+16,600), where gains were concentrated in religious, grantmaking, civic, and professional organizations (+14,600).
• The job count also increased over the year in leisure and hospitality (+8,400). Gains in accommodation and food services (+13,500) outweighed losses in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-5,100).
• Financial activities (+2,000), construction (+1,900) and natural resources and mining (+400) also increased over the year.

Highlights among NYS sectors with job losses since November 2009

• Over the past year, government lost the most jobs (-39,800) of any sector. Losses were greatest at the local level (-25,500). Losses also occurred at the state (-9,600) and federal (-4,700) levels.
• Trade, transportation, and utilities had the second largest jobs decline (-4,800). Sector job losses were greatest in wholesale and retail trade (-4,200).
• Information had the third largest jobs decline (-3,600). Sector job losses were centered in publishing (-3,100) and telecommunications (-2,500).
• The job count also fell over the year in manufacturing (-1,400), with factory losses largest in machinery (-4,900) and computers and electronic products (-3,700).

5) Major Regions and Metropolitan Areas:

Job Growth and Unemployment Rates (not seasonally adjusted)

Note: All data reported in this section are not seasonally adjusted. The most valid comparisons with this type of data are year-to-year comparisons of the same month; for example November 2009 versus November 2010.

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. We survey 18,000 business establishments to get jobs data for New York State by industry. The jobs data do not include agricultural workers, the self-employed, unpaid family workers and domestic workers in private households.

See State and Area Job Data (opens in new window)
See State and Area Unemployment Rates (opens in new window)
See Jobs and Unemployment Fact Sheet (opens in new window)
See Labor Market Overview (opens in new window)