In February 2020, the number of private sector jobs in New York State grew by 11,200, or 0.1%, to 8,362,600, according to preliminary figures released today by the New York State Department of Labor.

In addition, New York’s statewide unemployment rate decreased from 3.8% to 3.7% in February 2020. 

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’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Monthly payroll employment estimates are preliminary and subject to revision as more data become available the following month. The federal government calculates New York State’s unemployment rate based partly upon the results of the Current Population Survey, which contacts approximately 3,100 households in New York State each month.

“We reached both a new record high private sector job count and a new record low jobless rate in February 2020. However, it is important to note that these latest monthly labor market data do not yet reflect the economic impact of the current coronavirus outbreak,” 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: January – February 2020

1) Jobs data (seasonally adjusted):

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

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 February 2020, the statewide unemployment rate decreased from 3.8% to 3.7%, its lowest rate on records dating back to 1976. New York City’s unemployment rate decreased over the month from 3.5% to 3.4%. Outside of New York City, the unemployment rate decreased from 4.0% to 3.9%.

The number of unemployed New Yorkers also decreased over the month, from 364,500 in January to 354,200 in February 2020.

United States, New York State and Metro Areas: February 2019 – February 2020

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 in the state, between February 2019 and February 2020.

Job highlights since February 2019:

• Seven metro areas in New York State added private sector jobs since February 2019:
  • Glens Falls (+1.7%)
  • Albany-Schenectady-Troy (+1.6%)
  • New York City (+1.6%)
  • Kingston (+1.5%)
  • Nassau-Suffolk (+0.8%)
  • Dutchess-Putnam (+0.6%)
  • Syracuse (+0.5%)
• Non-metro counties in New York added 1,600 private sector jobs over the past year.
• From February 2019 to February 2020, eight metropolitan areas in the state lost private sector jobs including: Ithaca (-3.0%), Orange-Rockland-Westchester (-1.1%), Utica-Rome (-0.9%), Binghamton (-0.8%), Elmira (-0.7%), Watertown-Fort Drum (-0.7%), Buffalo-Niagara Falls (-0.4%) and Rochester (-0.2%).

Change in jobs by major industry sector: February 2019 –February 2020

1) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):

The table below compares the change in jobs by major industry sector in New York State occurring between February 2019 – February 2020.

Highlights among New York State sectors with job gains since February 2019:

• Private educational and health services added the most jobs (+48,100) of any major industry sector over the past year. Sector job gains were focused in health care and social assistance (+58,700), especially ambulatory health care (+26,900).
• Over the past year, the second largest employment gain was in professional and business services (+31,300). Most sector job gains occurred in administrative and support services (+15,700) and professional, scientific and technical services (+13,400).
• The third largest statewide employment increase in February 2019–February 2020 occurred in leisure and hospitality (+5,900). Within the sector, over-the-year employment gains were largest in accommodation and food services (+7,100), especially food services and drinking places (+8,400).

Highlights among New York State sectors with job losses since February 2019:

• The industry sector experiencing the largest over-the-year decline in employment was trade, transportation and utilities (-9,900). Within this sector, job losses were greatest in retail trade (-9,300), especially clothing and clothing accessories stores (-5,600).
• The second largest over-the-year job loss was in construction (-2,700). Sector job losses were focused in specialty trade contractors (-5,200), especially building equipment contractors (-4,200).
• Over the past year, the third largest employment drop was in financial activities (-1,600). Within the sector, most job losses occurred in finance and insurance (-1,500), especially securities, commodities and other investments (-1,600).

Unemployment Insurance Benefits: February 2020

1) Regular Unemployment Insurance:

For New York State, during the week that included February 12, 2020, there were 139,752 people (including 128,013 who live in the state) who received benefits under the regular Unemployment Insurance program.

In February 2020, New York State residents who received Unemployment Insurance benefits made up 36% 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.

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)