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                                FACT SHEET
	This fact sheet conveys important technical information that will 
contribute to a better understanding of resident labor force, including 
unemployment rates, and job data included in this and future press releases.

              State unemployment rates based on regression model
        Unemployment rates for New York State and all other states (as well as 
New York City and the City of Los Angeles) are estimated using time-series 
regression models developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The model 
reduces month-to-month variation in labor force data by reducing variation 
caused by sampling errors and other statistical noise (irregularities).

                          Benchmarking of estimates
        At the end of each year, labor force data are revised to reflect updated 
input data including new Census population controls, revised establishment jobs 
data, and revised state-level data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). As 
part of this procedure, all state figures are reviewed, revised as necessary, 
and then re-estimated. This process is commonly referred to as "benchmarking." 
 
                           Changes in methodology
	With the release of January 2005 data, a new time-series regression 
model that utilizes "real-time" benchmarking is in effect. The redesigned model 
should reduce end-of-year revisions as major economic events will be reflected 
in a more timely manner. The new model also changes how estimates of new 
entrants or re-entrants into the labor force are made for sub-state areas, which 
may result in higher or lower unemployment rates in some sub-state areas. Also 
effective with the January 2005 release data are updated metro area definitions. 
Please see http://www.labor.state.ny.us/workforceindustrydata/PDFs/enys1104.pdf 
for additional details.
                      
                       Unemployed and UI Beneficiaries
       The estimate of the number of unemployed includes all persons who had no 
employment during the reference week (the week including the 12th of the month), 
were available for work, except for temporary illness, and had made specific 
efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the 
reference week.  Unemployment insurance (UI) beneficiaries include those who 
apply for and qualify for UI benefits. Consequently, the estimate of the number 
of unemployed and the number of UI beneficiaries do not necessarily move in 
tandem. Persons collecting UI benefits generally make up from 35 to 50 percent 
of the unemployed.

                                  Job data
        Monthly job data are obtained from the Current Employment Statistics 
survey of business establishments, which samples 18,000 establishments in New 
York State. The survey excludes self-employed workers, agricultural workers, 
unpaid family workers and domestic workers employed by private households.  The 
data represent a count of jobs by place of work.  Estimates for each month are 
revised the following month, as well as at the end of each year, as more 
complete data become available.

                          Press release availability
        In an effort to distribute information faster and more reliably and to 
reduce shipping costs, the New York State Department of Labor's monthly press 
release is available exclusively online at: http://www.labor.state.ny.us. Please 
e-mail us at nysdol@labor.state.ny.us if you have any questions.