The New York State economy added 33,800 private sector jobs in September and October 2013, for a growth rate of 0.5%, according to preliminary figures released today by the New York State Department of Labor. The increase of 9,000 jobs in October and September’s gain of 24,800 jobs raised New York State’s private sector job count to 7,490,100, an all-time high. The release of labor market information for September and October 2013 was postponed until today because the recent federal government shutdown caused the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to delay sending jobs and labor force data to the New York State Department of Labor.

Since the beginning of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration, the New York State economy has added 377,000 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 payroll employment estimates are preliminary and subject to revision as more information becomes available the following month.

Between September and October 2013, New York State’s unemployment rate increased from 7.6% to 7.7% as more New Yorkers had confidence about finding a job. In September and October 2013 combined, 40,800 individuals returned to the labor force. Layoffs related to the recent federal government shutdown may have contributed in part to the increase. The nation’s unemployment rate also increased between September and October 2013. 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.

"The New York State economy continued to grow during September and October 2013, adding a total of 33,800 private sector jobs. Since the state’s economic recovery began in late 2009, we have added more than 500,000 private sector jobs,quot; said Bohdan M. Wynnyk, Deputy Director of the Division of Research and Statistics.

Note: Seasonally adjusted data are used to 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, October 2012 versus October 2013.

1) Jobs data (seasonally adjusted):

U.S. and New York State, September 2013 - October 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 September and October 2013.

2) Unemployment rates (seasonally adjusted):

The state's unemployment rate, as determined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is calculated by a statistical model that primarily uses the results of a telephone survey of 3,100 households in New York State. The statewide rate rose from 7.6% in September to 7.7% in October 2013. In addition, the number of unemployed New Yorkers increased over the month -- from 734,600 in September 2013 to 740,300 in October 2013. Layoffs related to the recent federal government shutdown may have contributed in part to the increase in unemployment.

3) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):

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

Job highlights since October 2012:

• Since October 2012, the number of private sector jobs in New York State increased by 112,700, or 1.5%
• In the 10-county Downstate region, private sector jobs grew by 2.2% over the past year. Downstate's private sector job growth was most rapid in New York City (+2.5%) and Nassau-Suffolk (+2.4%).
• In the 52-county Upstate region, the private sector job count grew by 0.7% over the past year. The Upstate region's private sector job growth was centered within its metro areas (+0.7%).
• Over the past year, private sector jobs grew most rapidly in these metro areas in the state:
  • New York City (+2.5%)
  • Nassau-Suffolk (+2.4%)
  • Glens Falls(+2.2%)
  • Kingston (+2.0%)
  • Utica-Rome (+2.0%)
• The two metro areas in the state to lose private sector jobs between October 2012 and October 2013 were Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown (-1.4%) and Elmira (-0.6%).

4) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):

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

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

Highlights among NYS sectors with job gains since October 2012:

• Private educational and health services added the most jobs (+48,000) of any industry sector over the past year. Sector employment gains were centered in health care and social assistance (+31,300), especially ambulatory health care services (+23,200).
• Professional and business services had the second largest increase in jobs (+27,400) between October 2012 and October 2013. Over the past year, sector job gains occurred in both administrative and support services (+17,500), and professional, scientific, and technical services (+11,600).
• The third largest increase in employment over the past year was registered in leisure and hospitality (+21,800), with sector gains centered in accommodation and food services (+19,500).

Highlights among NYS sectors with job losses since October 2012:

• Over the past year, government lost more jobs (-14,400) than any other sector in the state. Government employment losses between October 2012 and October 2013 were largest at the local (-8,500) and federal (-3,400) levels.
• Manufacturing sector job losses (-12,300) between October 2012 and October 2013 were greatest in durable goods (-10,400), especially computer and electronic products (-2,700).

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

For New York State, during the week that included October 12, 2013, there were 272,143 people (including 248,536 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 34% of the total unemployed in the state in October 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

Unless legislation is introduced by Congress to reauthorize the EUC program, the program and benefits will end on December 31, 2013.

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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