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Kingston, NY – The job market is shrinking in three Hudson Valley counties. WAMC's Dave Lucas reports...
The latest numbers released by the state Department of Labor show there were fewer jobs in October in Dutchess, Ulster and Orange counties compared with this time last year.
Overall, the Hudson Valley gained jobs, but breakouts for the Dutchess and Orange metropolitan statistical area showed a loss of 1,500 non-farm jobs within a year, a drop of point-6 percentage points. In Ulster County there was a drop of 1,200, a loss of 2 percent.
Seasonal holiday jobs in Ulster are hard to come by, but retail trade jobs rose by 700 compared to a year ago.
Farther down the valley, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties saw a collective net gain of 6,500 jobs.
More than 500 public sector jobs were lost region wide, while private sector employment grew by point-7 percent for the 12-month period ending in October 2011.
Statewide, the Labor Department found the unemployment rate had dropped to 7.9 percent in October, down from 8 percent in September and 8.3 percent in October 2010.
Dave Lucas, WAMC News.