- 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
- When You Think About Your Health, Don’t Forget Your Eyes
Bernard J. WolfsonSeptember 22, 2023 I vividly remember that late Friday afternoon when my eye pressure spiked and I staggered on foot to my ophthalmologist’s office as the rapidly thickening fog in my field of vision shrouded passing cars and traffic lights. The office was already closed, but the whole eye care team was there … Read more - Americans now want gun restrictions for those convicted of domestic violence
Originally published by The 19th Your trusted source for contextualizing America’s core issues. Sign up for our daily newsletter. Want to support this work? Donate today. Michele Bell wishes more politicians knew what she saw in her 50 years working as a nurse at a Houston hospital, where she cared for countless women who had … Read more - A Fabulous New Haynes Lawsuit Gets Crain’s Attention Again
Filed last week, the new Shelton Haynes lawsuit required an article here, but that’s where it should have ended. But Crain’s New York got wind of it and couldn’t resist. Missing much of the substance and misconstruing more, their report embarrasses Roosevelt Island and repeats unsubstantiated claims by Haynes. by David Stone The Roosevelt Island … Read more - How to Get the New COVID-19 Vaccine in New York City
The newest shot is not a booster, and it’s available at pharmacies at no cost. Here’s how to make your appointment for a jab. Rachel Holliday Smith, The City This article was originally published on Sep 21 5:00am EDT by THE CITY ‘Tis the season for a new COVID vaccine. If it’s been more than … Read more - Building a Better World for People With PMDD
August 31, 2023 by Ciara McLaren For one week of every month, I have a very bad time. My back aches so badly I struggle to stand up straight. My mood swings from frantic to bleak. My concentration flags; it’s difficult to send an email. Then, my period starts, and the curse is lifted. I … Read more
About Author
