Putnam Not Part of February's Lower Hudson Employment Surge

New York state hit an all-time employment high of 7.75 million in February, adding 16,400 private-sector jobs, state labor officials announced.

The region composed of Dutchess and Putnam counties was, however, stagnant, adding just 500 private-sector jobs last month, just enough to offset more losses in public-sector jobs. In all, the two county region added just 100 total jobs, for a negligible increase of 0.1 percent.

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“New York State’s economy added 16,400 private sector jobs in February 2015, keeping pace with the nation, and helping us to reach an all-time private sector job high of more than 7.75 million,” said Bohdan M. Wynnyk, Deputy Director of the Division of Research and Statistics in a prepared statement. “In addition, our state unemployment rate remained at its lowest level since 2008—down nearly a full percentage point from this time last year.”

The Orange-Rockland-Westchester region was one of the engines. Over the past year, private sector jobs grew most rapidly in these metro areas, state officials said:

• • New York City (+2.9%)
  • Buffalo-Niagara Falls (+2.0%)
  • Glens Falls (+1.9%)
  • Utica-Rome (+1.7%)
  • Kingston (+1.6%)
  • Albany-Schenectady-Troy (+1.5%)
  • Nassau-Suffolk (+1.4%)
  • Orange-Rockland-Westchester (+1.4%)
  
  

The Ithaca region was the only one to lose jobs year over year. The specifics of job growth, according to state statisticians:

• Private educational and health services added the most jobs (+49,800) of any major industry sector over the past year. Over the past year, sector job gains were mostly in health care and social assistance (+43,900), especially ambulatory health care services (+25,200).
• Professional and business services had the second largest increase in jobs (+34,900) between February 2014 and February 2015. Over the past year, sector job gains were mostly in professional, scientific and technical services (+21,000), and administrative and support services (+11,900).
• The third largest employment increase over the past year was registered in trade, transportation and utilities (+24,300), with most sector gains in retail trade (+13,000) and transportation, warehousing and utilities (+6,100).
• Over the past 12 months, manufacturing lost more jobs (-4,100) than any other major industry sector in the state. Sector losses were split between nondurable goods (-2,800) and durable goods (-1,300).
• Natural resources and mining also lost jobs (-200) over the past year.