Between April and May 2013, New York State's unemployment rate fell from 7.8% to 7.6%, its lowest level since February 2009, according to preliminary figures released today by the State Department of Labor. In addition, the number of unemployed state residents fell by 18,300 to 729,800. The unemployment rate in New York City also decreased over the month from 8.4% to 8.3%. The unemployment rate in the balance of state region (New York State outside of New York City) fell from 7.4% to 7.1% over this period. The unemployment rates in both New York City and the balance of state region are now at their lowest levels since early 2009. The federal government calculates New York's unemployment rate partly based upon the results of a monthly telephone survey of 3,100 households in the state conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In addition, the New York State economy added 5,000 private sector jobs in May 2013, for a growth rate of 0.1%. This raised New York State's private sector job count to 7,449,700. Since the beginning of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's administration, the New York State economy has added 336,600 private sector jobs. The state's private sector job count is based on a payroll survey of 18,000 New York employers conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Monthly employment estimates are provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, and are preliminary and subject to revision as more information becomes available the following month.

"The New York State economy continued to show strength in May 2013 as the state's unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level since early 2009," 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, May 2012 versus May 2013.

1) Jobs data (seasonally adjusted):

U.S. and New York State, April 2013 - May 2013

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 April and May 2013.

2) Unemployment rates (seasonally adjusted):

The state's unemployment rate, as determined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is calculated primarily from the results of a telephone survey of 3,100 households in New York State. The statewide rate fell from 7.8% in April to 7.6% in May 2013. In addition, the number of unemployed New Yorkers decreased over the month -- from 748,100 in April 2013 to 729,800 in May 2013.

3) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):

U.S., New York State, Major Regions, and Metro Areas: May 2012 - May 2013

The table that follows compares the over-the-year change in total nonfarm and private sector jobs that occurred in the United States, New York State, the Upstate and Downstate regions, and metro areas in the state between May 2012 and May 2013.

Job highlights since May 2012:

• Since May 2012, the number of private sector jobs in the state increased by 104,200, or 1.4%. Over the same time frame, the nation's private sector job count increased by 2.0%.
• In the 10-county Downstate region, private sector jobs grew by 2.0% over the past year.
• In the 52-county Upstate region, the private sector job count grew by 0.8% over the past year.
• Over the past year, private sector jobs grew most rapidly in these metro areas in the state:
  • Nassau-Suffolk (+2.7%)
  
  
  • Kingston (+2.6%)
  • Glens Falls (+2.5%)
  • New York City (+2.0%)
  • Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown (+2.0%)
• The only metro areas in the state to lose private sector jobs between May 2012 and May 2013 were Elmira (-1.2%) and Binghamton (-0.1%).

4) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):

Change in jobs by major industry sector, May 2012 - May 2013

The table below compares the over-the-year change in jobs by major industry sector in New York State occurring between May 2012 and May 2013.

Highlights among NYS sectors with job gains since May 2012:

• Professional and business services added the most jobs (+40,400) of any industry sector over the past year. Sector employment gains were centered in administrative and support services (+24,600) and professional, scientific and technical services (+16,500).
• The leisure and hospitality sector had the second largest increase in jobs (+26,300) between May 2012 and May 2013. Employment gains occurring over this period were concentrated in accommodations and food services (+18,600), especially limited service eating places (+16,100).

Highlights among NYS sectors with job losses since May 2012:

• Over the past year, government lost more jobs (-18,500) than any other sector in the state. Government sector job losses were concentrated at the local level (-14,400).
• Employment losses in the manufacturing sector (-13,300) were greatest in durable goods (-7,600), especially computer and electronic products (-2,200).

5) Regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC):

For New York State, during the week that included May 12, 2013, there were 313,752 people (including 286,619 who live in the state) who received benefits under:

• Regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) or
• Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC)

New York State residents who received Unemployment Insurance benefits made up 39% of the total unemployed in the state in May 2013.

See the table below for the maximum number of weeks available under current federal regulations.

We encourage people to use the Department's online Unemployment Insurance calculator to estimate how many weeks of benefits 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 the 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. In New York State, jobs data by industry come from a monthly survey of 18,000 business establishments. Jobs data by industry do not include agricultural workers, the self-employed, unpaid family workers, or domestic workers in private households.

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