Job numbers continued to increase while unemployment decreased in the Westchester-Putnam-Rockland region.
The battered construction industry finally joined the upswing, adding 4 points to its employment percentage.
According to numbers released by the state Labor Department, the three counties gained 7,500 private sector jobs from March to April, an increase of 1.6 percent, with an unemployment rate of 6 percent, third lowest in the state among metropolitan areas.
The unemployment rate in Westchester fell to 6.1 percent ”“ fifth best in the state ”“ down from 6.8 percent in March and 6.7 percent in April 2012.
Putnam”™s unemployment rate fell to 5.8 percent ”“ fourth best in the state ”“ down from 6.3 percent for both March and for April 2012.
Rockland”™s unemployment rate fell to 5.8 percent, second lowest in the state, down from 6.4 percent in March and 6.6 percent in April 2012.
From April 2012 to April 2013, the region gained 4,500 jobs, a 1 percent increase.
In the region, trade, transportation and utilities added 1,200 jobs over the past month, a 1.1 percent increase and 2,600 jobs over the past year, a 2.5 percent increase.
There are 636,500 people employed in the three counties and 35,000 people unemployed. Westchester accounts for the bulk of that metric: 440,000 people employed, with 25,000 unemployed.
Professional and business services added 1,200 jobs over the past month, a 1.6 percent increase and 2,400 jobs over the past year, a 3.3 percent increase.
Leisure and hospitality had the biggest gain over the past month, adding 3,200 jobs, a 7.2 percent increase. Over the past year, the seasonally dependent leisure/hospitality sector actually lost 600 jobs, a 0.6 percent decrease.
Dan Conte, president of the Westchester Hotels Association, attributes the leisure/hospitality increase to hotels ramping up staff ahead of the summer season. Conte said hotels routinely add employees in April and May, especially hotels with outside pool areas.
Conte said while any increase is good, job losses over the past year remain a concern. Hotels remain behind pre-recession staffing levels, he said.
Education and health services added 600 jobs over the past month, a 0.5 percent increase and 1,800 jobs over the past year, a 1.5-percent increase.
Construction, which has been shedding jobs, gained 1,100 jobs over the past month, a 4 percent increase. Over the past year, it still lost 500 jobs, a 1.7 percent decrease.
Ross Pepe, president of the Tarrytown-based Construction Industry Council, said construction jobs typically increase in the spring, as there is an increase in work over the summer. He said the state has also awarded several new contracts for road resurfacing.
“It”™s improving,” Pepe said. “It”™s a slow process of pulling out of a five-year recession. It”™s going to take time. We won”™t see a major shift in job opportunities until later this year leading into 2014.”
The construction of a new Tappan Zee Bridge should prove a boost to the beleaguered industry. Pepe said private construction jobs are also improving and schools are undertaking projects again. Pepe hopes the public sector continues to push for infrastructure improvements.
“Governments have to come up with a good plan for how these projects work and can be funded,” Pepe said. “Unless the work is performed now, it will only cost more later.”
Manufacturing was flat month to month, but over the past year the sector lost 700 jobs, a 2.8 percent decrease.
Westchester-Rockland-Putnam”™s 1 percent increase in job growth ranks ninth among New York”™s 14 Metro Areas.
Allison Madison of White Plains-based Reinhardt-Madison Approach Staffing, said while job numbers are increasing, it”™s not fast enough.
“The economy is making a very slow and steady crawl out of the dark hole,” Madison said. “Just to keep pace with people entering the workforce, we need to be adding 130,000 jobs a month. Until you start exceeding that by significant numbers, you won”™t be making a dent in unemployment.”
Madison said while the unemployment rate is low, many people remain underemployed or have simply given up.
New York state”™s private sector job count has reached an all-time high with 7,452,100 employed in April. Since January 2011, the state has added 339,000 private sector jobs. From March to April, the state”™s unemployment rate fell from 8.2 percent to 7.8 percent, its lowest level since March 2009. The number of unemployed in New York state fell by 35,000 to 748,500.
The national unemployment rate is 7.5 percent.
