- Steve Bittenbender | The Center Square contributor/June 18th, 2021
(The Center Square) – Jobs data released Thursday shows New York gained private-sector jobs in May but not at the same rate as the rest of the country.
The New York State Department of Labor said the number of jobs grew by 17,500, or 0.2%, last month as there are now nearly 7.5 million jobs in the state.
Nationally, the number of private-sector jobs grew at a 0.4% clip, meaning 492,000 new jobs were created.
New York’s unemployment rate went from 8.2% in April to 7.8% last month. That’s still significantly higher than the U.S. average of 5.8%.
In addition, while the state’s unemployment rate went down, so too did its labor participation rate, which accounts for the percentage of working-age individuals – people 16 or older – who are either working or actively seeking a job. It went from 61.4% in April to 60.9% last month.
New York City continues to be the main drag on the statewide numbers. According to the DOL, the city’s unemployment rate was 10.9% for the month. That’s down from 11.4% in April, but outside of the nation’s largest city, the rest of the state reported a 5.5% unemployment rate for May.
DOL data does show that the state is regaining the jobs it lost more than a year ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the job recovery is happening slower than the COVID-caused freefall.
In May 2020, the state reported a loss of more than 550,000 leisure and hospitality jobs from the previous year. From May 2020 to last month, the number of jobs in that sector grew by more than 255,000.
The next biggest gainer, in terms of job numbers, was trade, transportation and utilities. After losing nearly 359,000 jobs from May 2019 to May 2020, that industry has picked up 204,000 jobs from May 2020 to last month.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily
- J and M Train Weekend Service Changes: What Riders Need to KnowJ and M train weekend service changes will impact riders for five weekends as crews replace elevated track switches. Here’s what to expect and how to prepare for modified schedules across Brooklyn and Queens.
- Coastal Flooding Disrupts Southeast Queens Streets and TransitCoastal flooding disrupted streets and transit across Southeast Queens as a fall nor’easter brought heavy rain and renewed calls for resilience and improved drainage.
- Nor’easter Brings Slow Streets and Transit Delays Across Queens and NYCAfter the nor’easter, slow streets and transit delays across Queens and NYC greeted commuters. Utility crews continued repairs as normal routines resumed Monday.
- Nor’easter Brings Flooding and Disruption Across New York CityA powerful nor’easter brings flooding and disruption across New York City, with heavy rain, gusty winds, and coastal flooding impacting neighborhoods through the weekend.
- Fatal Shooting Outside Astoria Gentlemen’s Club During Robbery AttemptA man was fatally shot outside an Astoria gentlemen’s club during a robbery attempt early Thursday. NYPD investigators are seeking witnesses and reviewing video footage as the homicide investigation continues.
Can the Lawsuit Reach the Stacks in Time?
The underlying record remains largely hidden. Now two residents have taken the question somewhere government cannot manage quite as easily: a courtroom.
1 COMMENTS