Hudson Valley jobs decline for third month

The Hudson Valley lost jobs for the third straight month, according to September numbers released by the state Department of Labor.

The seven-county region lost 6,500 jobs, or 0.7 percent of nonfarm employment, from August to September.

Most of the decline was in the private sector, with 4,500 fewer jobs. The leisure and hospitality subsector lost 6,300 jobs, or 6.5 percent. Government employment was down by 2,000 jobs, or 1.3 percent.

The education and health services subsector added 5,500 jobs, or 2.8 percent.

In contrast, New York state gained 5,000 jobs. But the state”™s 0.1 percent increase lagged the national increase of 0.4 percent for the month.

Government work accounted for the positive state and national numbers, increasing by 1.3 percent in New York and 4.7 percent in the U.S. In New York, there were 9,300 more state jobs and 9,200 local government jobs.

That was more than enough to offset a weakening private sector, where New York declined by 0.2 percent in the nation by 0.4 percent.

The regional and state employment pictures look brighter on yearly snapshots. From September 2015 to September 2016, the Hudson Valley is up by 1.6 percent and the state is up by 1.3 percent in nonfarm jobs. National job growth is up 1.7 percent.

The region added 14,900 jobs for the 12 months. The strongest subsector was education and health services, up by 7,500 jobs.

The unemployment rate in New York rose to 5 percent, from 4.8 percent in August, and now matches the national rate.

Jobs are counted monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in a survey of 18,000 New York employers. The monthly estimates are preliminary and could be revised as more data becomes available. The unemployment rate is based on the current population survey and a monthly survey of 3,100 households.

The Hudson Valley region includes Columbia, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster and Westchester counties.