From May 2018 to May 2019, New York State’s private sector job count increased by 87,400, or 1.1%, according to preliminary figures released today by the New York State Department of Labor. In May 2019, the State’s private sector job count fell over the month by 15,100. Since the beginning of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration, New York State’s economy has added 1,172,900 private sector jobs.

In May 2019, New York’s statewide unemployment rate increased from 3.9% to 4.0%. Looking over the past year, the statewide jobless rate and the number of unemployed New Yorkers have dropped, while the number of people in the state’s civilian labor force has risen.

The slowdown this month in New York State’s labor market reflects the weak national jobs report in May, as private sector payrolls in the U.S. increased by less than 100,000, when a gain of 200,000 is more typical. The state’s monthly jobs data can be volatile and are subject to revision as more information becomes available. As a result, it is necessary to observe several months of data before establishing a trend.

“Looking over the past year, New York State’s economy has added more than 87,000 private sector jobs and we remain at a very low statewide unemployment rate,” said Bohdan M. Wynnyk, Director of the New York State Department of Labor’s Division of Research and Statistics.

United States and New York State: April – May 2019

1) Jobs data (seasonally adjusted):

The table below compares the over-the-month change in total nonfarm and private sector jobs in the United States and New York State in April-May 2019.

2) Unemployment rates (seasonally adjusted):

The State’s unemployment rate is calculated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, using a statistical regression model that primarily uses the results from the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS contacts approximately 3,100 households in New York State each month.

In May 2019, the statewide unemployment rate increased over the month from 3.9% to 4.0%. The unemployment rates remained unchanged in New York City at 4.3% and outside of New York City at 3.7% in May 2019.

United States, New York State and Metro Areas: May 2018 – May 2019

1) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):

The following table compares the changes in total nonfarm and private sector jobs occurring in the United States, New York State and metro areas within the State, between May 2018 and May 2019.

Job highlights since May 2018:

• Twelve metro areas in New York State added private sector jobs since May 2018. The most rapid growth was in these metro areas:
  • Ithaca (+3.0%)
  • Kingston (+2.4%)
  • New York City (+2.4%)
  • Dutchess-Putnam (+2.3%)
  • Syracuse (+2.3%)
  • Glens Falls (+1.8%)
• Non-metro counties in New York added 3,100 private sector jobs over the past year.
• Over the past 12 months, three metro areas in New York State lost private sector jobs: Binghamton (-1.1%), Utica-Rome (-0.3%) and Orange-Rockland-Westchester (-0.1%).

Change in jobs by major industry sector: May 2018 – May 2019

1) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):

The table below compares the change in jobs by major industry sector in New York State occurring between May 2018 and May 2019.

Highlights among New York State sectors with job gains since May 2018:

• Private educational and health services added the most jobs (+56,400) of any major industry sector over the past year. Sector job gains were mostly in health care and social assistance (+59,600), especially ambulatory health care (+38,500).
• Over the past year, the second largest gain in jobs occurred in trade, transportation and utilities (+9,900). Most of the gains in this sector were in retail trade (+12,400), especially food and beverage stores (+9,400) and health and personal care stores (+3,400).
• The third largest increase in jobs over the past year was in government (+8,200). Within the sector, job gains were greatest in local government (+7,200), especially elementary and secondary schools (+5,200).
• Professional and business services had the fourth largest over-the-year gain in jobs (+8,100). Sector gains were greatest in professional, scientific and technical services (+11,600), especially management, scientific and technical consulting services (+3,900).

Highlights among New York State sectors with job losses since May 2018:

• Over the past 12 months, financial activities lost the most jobs (-1,000) of any major industry sector in New York State. Sector job losses were focused in real estate and rental and leasing (-1,000), especially real estate (-700).

Unemployment Insurance Benefits: May 2019

1) Regular Unemployment Insurance:

For New York State, during the week that included May 12, 2019, there were 93,568 people (including 84,578 who live in the State) who received benefits under the regular Unemployment Insurance program.

In May 2019, New York State residents who received Unemployment Insurance benefits made up 22% of the total unemployed.

Note: The responsibility for the production of monthly estimates of state and metro area nonfarm employment by industry moved from the NYS Department of Labor’s 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 website.

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.

In New York State, payroll jobs data by industry come from a monthly survey of 18,000 business establishments conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data are preliminary and subject to revision. Jobs data by industry do not include agricultural workers, the self-employed, unpaid family workers or domestic workers in private households.

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. The state’s unemployment rate is based partly upon the results of the Current Population Survey, which contacts approximately 3,100 households in New York each month.

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