State jobs count at all-time high

There were some encouraging numbers in New York State”™s job report, released by the State Department of Labor today.

“September 2012 was a good month for our state”™s economy,”  said Bohdan M. Wynnyk, Deputy Director of the Division of Research and Statistics. “The private sector job count grew by 2,900, continuing the trend of growth in the state and leading to an all-time high job count.  Additionally, the number of unemployed New Yorkers declined by 23,200 and our statewide unemployment rate dropped by 0.2 percentage points.”

This year-to-date increase contributed to the state”™s overall recovery of 352,500 private sector jobs since November 2009.  New York State is one of only five states in the country that have regained all of the private sector jobs lost in the recession.

The state”™s unemployment rate fell in September by 0.2 percent to 8.9 percent.  In addition, the number of unemployed in the state declined by 23,200, from 871,600 to 848,400.

In the seven-county Hudson Valley region, the 12-month period ending in September saw private sector employment increase by 7,000 or 0.9 percent. Education and health services saw the most gains, while mining and construction lost 4,100 jobs. Government has shed 1,600 jobs over the year.

The lower Hudson Valley (Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam) saw growth of 6,100 jobs or 1.3 percent. The lower Hudson Valley accounted for more than 90 percent of total jobs gained in the region.