In October 2019, the number of private sector jobs in New York State grew by 13,300, or 0.2%, to 8,305,800, a new, all-time high, according to preliminary figures released today by the New York State Department of Labor. Since the beginning of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration, New York State’s economy has added 1,207,700 private sector jobs.

In October 2019, New York State’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased from 3.9% to 4.0%. In January-October 2019, the jobless rate in New York State declined by 0.2 percentage points and the number of unemployed New Yorkers dropped by 18,500 compared to the same period in 2018.

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.

“New York State’s labor market continued to strengthen in October 2019, reaching a new record high in private sector jobs as the State’s growth rate outpaced the comparable U.S. 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: September – October 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 September-October 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 October 2019, the statewide unemployment rate increased from 3.9% to 4.0%. New York City’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1% in October 2019. Outside of New York City, the unemployment rate increased from 3.8% in September to 3.9% in October 2019.

The number of unemployed New Yorkers also increased over the month, from 375,800 in September to 379,100 in October 2019.

United States, New York State and Metro Areas: October 2018 – October 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 in the State, between October 2018 and October 2019.

Job highlights since October 2018:

• Twelve metro areas in New York State added private sector jobs since October 2018. The most rapid growth was in these metro areas:
  • Ithaca (+3.3%)
  • Syracuse (+1.9%)
  • Kingston (+1.6%)
  • New York City (+1.4%)
  • Elmira (+1.3%)
  • Nassau-Suffolk (+1.3%)
• Non-metro counties in New York added 4,900 private sector jobs over the past year.
• Over the past year, three metro area in New York State lost private sector jobs: Binghamton (-0.4%), Albany-Schenectady-Troy (-0.2%) and Utica-Rome (-0.2%).

Change in jobs by major industry sector: October 2018 – October 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 October 2018 and October 2019.

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

• Private educational and health services added the most jobs (+57,700) of any major industry sector over the past year. Sector job gains were mostly in health care and social assistance (+62,800), especially ambulatory health care (+40,100).
• Over the past year, the second largest gain was in professional and business services (+22,400). Most employment gains in this sector were in professional, scientific and technical services (+19,600), especially management, scientific and technical consulting (+7,400), legal services (+7,100) and architectural, engineering and related services (+5,800).
• The third largest employment increase in October 2018-October 2019 occurred in trade, transportation and utilities (+17,200). Within the sector, job gains were registered in retail trade (+13,500), especially food and beverage stores (+7,800).
• Leisure and hospitality had the fourth largest gain in jobs (+12,500) over the past year. Sector gains were focused in accommodation (+8,200) and food services and drinking places (+3,100).

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

• Over the past year, manufacturing lost the most jobs (-6,600). Sector job losses were greatest in durable goods (-6,800), especially fabricated metal products (-1,800).
• The second largest over-the-year decline in jobs occurred in other services (-3,700), with losses focused in personal and laundry services (-6,400), especially dry-cleaning and laundry services (-1,700).

Unemployment Insurance Benefits: October 2019

1) Regular Unemployment Insurance:

For New York State, during the week that included October 12, 2019, there were 85,800 people (including 77,671 who live in the state) who received benefits under the regular Unemployment Insurance program.

In October 2019, New York State residents who received Unemployment Insurance benefits made up 20% 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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