New York State
Department of Labor

Albany, NY (July 19, 2012) -

New York State's economy added 15,400 private sector jobs, or 0.2%, in June 2012, the State Labor Department reported today. By comparison, the nation's private sector job count increased by 84,000, or 0.1%. Since the beginning of the state's economic recovery in November 2009, New York State has added 342,600 private sector jobs and regained all of the private sector jobs it lost during the recession. The state's private sector job count now stands at 7,327,100.

New York State's labor force grew by 105,000 since July 2011, as people have more confidence in the economy. The growth in the labor force contributed to a rise in the state's unemployment rate, from 8.6% in May 2012 to 8.9% in June 2012.

When more jobseekers enter or re-enter the labor market due to renewed confidence about finding employment, an area's unemployment rate temporarily rises.

"The state's private sector employers continued to add jobs in June 2012. The latest job statistics show that while New York has regained all of the private sector jobs it lost during the state's recession, the U.S. has only recouped 42% of its lost jobs. In recent months, growth in our statewide labor force, however, has contributed to a higher state jobless rate," said Bohdan M. Wynnyk, Deputy Director of the Division of Research and Statistics.

Note: The data above are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. Non-seasonally adjusted data are valuable in year-to-year comparisons of the same month; for example, June 2011 versus June 2012.

1) Jobs data (seasonally adjusted):

U.S. and New York State, May 2012 - June 2012

The table below compares the over-the-month change in total nonfarm and private sector jobs in the United States and New York State between May 2012 and June 2012.

 

2) Unemployment rates (seasonally adjusted):

The state's unemployment rate was 8.9% in June 2012, up from May's level of 8.6%. The number of unemployed New Yorkers also increased over the month -- from 825,800 in May to 855,800 in June 2012.

 

3) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):

U.S., New York State, Major Regions, and Metro Areas: June 2011 - June 2012

The table below compares the over-the-year change in total nonfarm and private sector jobs in the United States, New York State, the Upstate and Downstate regions, and metro areas in the state between June 2011 and June 2012.

 

Job highlights since June 2011:

• Since June 2011, the number of private sector jobs in the state increased by 139,100, or 1.9%. Over the same time frame, the nation's private sector job count increased by 1.8%.
• In the 10-county Downstate region, private sector jobs grew by 2.0% over the past year. Within the Downstate region, jobs grew by 2.5% in New York City and by 1.1% in the suburban counties.
• In the 52-county Upstate region, the private sector job count grew by 1.4% over the past year. Job growth was most rapid in the region's metro areas (+1.6%).
• Over the past year, private sector jobs grew most rapidly in these metro areas in the state:
  • Kingston (+5.4%)
  • Utica-Rome (+4.8%)
  • Albany-Schenectady-Troy (+2.9%)
  • Binghamton (+2.7%)
  • New York City (+2.5%)
• Elmira (-2.7%), Ithaca (-0.6%), and Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown (-0.3%) were the only metro areas in the state to lose private sector jobs between June 2011 and June 2012.

4) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):

Change in jobs by major industry sector, June 2011 - June 2012

The table below compares the over-the-year change in jobs by major industry sector in New York State between June 2011 and June 2012.

 

Highlights among NYS sectors with job gains since June 2011:

• Professional and business services added the most jobs (+53,100) of any sector between June 2011 and June 2012. Sector job gains over this period were focused in professional, scientific and technical services (+34,200) and administrative and support services (+17,000).
• Private educational and health services (+44,200) had the second largest increase in jobs over the past year. Sector employment gains occurred in both educational services (+25,800) and health care and social assistance (+18,400).

Highlights among NYS sectors with job losses since June 2011:

• Over the past year, construction lost more jobs (-9,700) than any other sector in the state. Sector job losses were concentrated in heavy and civil engineering construction (-4,300) and specialty trade contractors (-4,200).
• The information sector lost 4,800 jobs over the past year. Sector job losses were largest in publishing (-1,400) and broadcasting (-800).

 

5) Regular Unemployment Insurance (UI), Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) and Extended Benefits (EB) programs:

For New York, during the week that included June 12, 2012, there were 483,578 people (including 440,978 who live in the state) who received benefits under:

• Regular Unemployment Insurance (UI),
• Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC), or
• Federal Extended Benefits (EB) programs.

New Yorkers who received unemployment insurance made up 52% of the total unemployed in the state in June 2012.

Currently, Unemployment Insurance claimants in New York State may receive up to 79 weeks of benefits. In February 2012, Congress passed an extension of EUC and EB through December 2012. However, beginning in early June, there were significant changes to the maximum number of weeks of benefits available to the unemployed in New York State.

• On June 4, 2012, UI claimants in New York State became eligible for EUC Tier 4 because the 3-month average seasonally adjusted unemployment rate reached 8.5%. EUC Tier 4 provides a maximum of 6 weeks of benefits.
• As of June 11, 2012, claimants in New York State were no longer eligible for EB since the 3-month average seasonally adjusted unemployment rate no longer met federal criteria. This represents a loss of 20 weeks of federally funded benefits. Most EB claimants moved to EUC Tier 4 on June 4, 2012.

Taken together, these two changes resulted in a net reduction of 14 weeks of benefits in New York State, leaving a maximum of 79 weeks of benefits starting in June. See the table below for the maximum number of weeks available under the new federal regulations.

 

People who file a new claim during the week that begins June 25, 2012 or later are likely to only receive up to 26 weeks of regular UI. We encourage people to use the Department's online Unemployment Insurance calculator to estimate how many weeks they may receive. See the calculator on the State Department of Labor's website or go here: http://www.labor.ny.gov/ui/claimantinfo/UIBenefitsCalculator.shtm

 

Note: The responsibility for the production of monthly estimates of state and metro area nonfarm employment by industry moved from the Division of Research and Statistics to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), starting with March 2011 estimates. More detailed information on the change is available on the BLS web site.

Many economic data series have a seasonal pattern, which means they tend to occur at the same time each year (e.g., retail jobs usually increase in December). Seasonal adjustment is the process of removing seasonal effects from a data series. This is done to simplify the data so that they may be more easily interpreted and help to reveal true underlying trends. Seasonal adjustment permits comparisons of data from one month to data from any other month.

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 Labor Market Overview (opens in new window)
See Jobs and Unemployment Fact Sheet (opens in new window)