Long Island added 19,000 jobs in the year ending in June, a 1.7 percent increase that brings the region’s total private sector employment to 1,172,200, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The increase was in line with national numbers and slightly below New York State job growth of 1.9 percent.
Statistically, all of the growth came between May and June, when the region added a record 19,000 jobs, well above the historic average for the period of about 13,500. Give credit to the leisure and hospitality sector, which entered the summer on a strong note. Hotels and restaurants increased payrolls by 7,000 when a gain of 4,100 is typical, while the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry added 5,500 jobs compared to the average of 3,000.
Six of nine private industry sectors gained jobs in June compared to a year ago: Education and health services (+9,400), leisure and hospitality (+5,100), trade, transportation and utilities (+3,700), professional and business services (+3,000), other services (+1,500), and natural resources, mining and construction (+100). The government sector added 2,400 jobs over-the-year.
New York State’s June private sector job count increased by 23,900, or 0.3%, to 8,079,200, a new record high. Since the end of the recession in late 2009, New York has added more than 1.1 million private sector jobs.
