Ever-So-Slight Decrease in TOBAY Unemployment

Fewer Long Islanders filed for unemployment benefits in November, compared to a year ago. At the same time the overall number of private sector jobs on Long Island dipped, though some sectors showed growth.

That’s according to recent Labor Department reports, the latest of which were released Tuesday.

Reports showed 1,100 less unemployed people in the Town of . The decrease from 10,200 to 9,100 persons dropped the rate to six percent, a 0.6 percent decrease overall.

However, while the unemployment rate dipped, so did the civilian labor force overall, dropping from 154,100 last November to 151,500 this past November.

The unemployment pattern “is similar to what we’ve seen in recent months,” said Michael Crowell, an economist with the Labor Department in Hicksville.

“It’s a sign that there is a number of discouraged workers,” he said, adding that those finding work did so outside of Long Island.

And while the job count fell, Crowell pointed out that four sectors added jobs in November whereas only one sector did so in October.

Unemployment in Nassau County in November, though, crept up slightly in North Hempstead. In North Hempstead, the unemployment rate for November was 5.8 percent, up from 5.7 percent a month ago. It was 6.2 percent in November 2010. There were 6,400 North Hempstead residents listed as unemployed last month, compared to 6,400 in October, and 7,000 a year ago.

In Nassau, the unemployment rate was 6.4 percent in November, just as it was in October. It was at 7 percent in November 2010.  There were 43,300 Nassau County residents listed as unemployed in November, up from 42,900 in October, and 48,000 a year ago.

Meanwhile, the private sector job count across Long Island fell over the year by 4,400. Leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, other services, information, and financial activities all took hits. Government employment fell by 4,200.

Industries with job gains included health care and social assistance, retail trade; and administrative, support and waste management.

And though Long Island lost jobs, Crowell said “the decline is a good deal smaller than it was a month ago" when there was only one sector adding jobs.

Crowell said that the gains could mean that Long Island is heading in the same direction as other parts of the state that added jobs in October.

“I continue to be hopeful,” he said. “There is variability in the numbers. To the extent that the numbers can tell us anything, I guess this is good news.”