Report: Unemployment in New York Decreased Last Month

Thinks are looking up in the job market.

Private sector jobs increased by about 110,000 in New York State, from December 2012 to December 2013, according to a report released by the state Labor Department Tuesday.

The unemployment rate in the state was 7.1 percent last December, which represents a decrease of about 1.1 percent from the rate recorded in December 2012. December's unemployment rate is the lower recorded in the state since January of 2009.

In Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties, the unemployment rate was 5.1 percent last December, according to figures released by the state Labor Department. That represents a decrease from the 6.9 percent unemployment rate recorded for the three counties in December 2012.

In a joint statement, Gov. Andrew Cuomo; state Senate Majority Coalition Co-Leaders Dean Skelos, R-Rockville Center, and Jeffrey Klein, D-Bronx/Westchester; and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, said the figures show that the state’s economy is heading in the right direction.

But they also said more needs to be done.

“This year, we will build on that work to deliver another on-time budget that creates jobs in every region, connects New Yorkers with new economic opportunities, and continues to make our communities more prosperous,” the statement said.

The counties that reported the lowest unemployment rates were Tompkins County, at 4.1 percent; Nassau County, at 4.8 percent; Putnam County, at 4.8 percent; and Rockland County, at 4.9 percent.

The counties with the highest rate were the Bronx, at 10.6 percent; Hamilton County, at 9.1 percent; Jefferson County, at 9.1 percent, and Lewis County, at 8.9 percent.

Go here to read more from the Department of Labor.