The region”™s employment market bounced back last month as private sector employers in the Hudson Valley added 16,500 jobs from July 2011 to July 2012.
Private sector growth of 2.2 percent outpaced the rate of private sector job growth statewide, which was 1.7 percent for the 12-month period ending in July.
The leisure and hospitality sector led the way with a whopping 7,700 net new jobs, followed by the education and health services sector, which added 4,900 jobs; the trade, transportation and utilities sector, which added 3,600 jobs; and the professional and business services sector, which added 3,400 jobs.
Job losses were concentrated in the construction, manufacturing and government sectors.
Statewide, the jobless rate increased to 9.1 percent from 8.9 percent in June and from 8.2 percent in July 2011. The state Department of Labor will release regional unemployment statistics next week.
State labor analysts attributed the increase in the unemployment rate to the continued entry of unemployed and discouraged job-seekers into the job market.
“Growth in our statewide labor force in recent months has contributed to a higher state jobless rate, as more New Yorkers have confidence in the job market,” said Bohdan Wynnyk, deputy director of the Labor Department”™s division of research and statistics, in a statement.
Wynnyk said more than 100,000 New York residents re-entered the labor force over the past 12 months, during which time he said the number of discouraged workers ”“ those not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available ”“ in New York state fell 21.6 percent.
