State’s job losses continuing

ALBANY — Employment statistics for December from the York State Department of Labor show the continuing effects of September 11 and the national recession on the New York economy and jobs.

In the month of December 2001, private employment fell a seasonally adjusted 9,500 from November 2001. The rate of loss is diminishing. Private jobs fell 23,300 in November and 63,000 in October. Nonagricultural employment (private plus government) fell 10,700 in December.

Among the state’s major industry sectors, the biggest losses in December came in finance, insurance and real estate, which cut 3,200 jobs.

Excluding New York City, private jobs in the rest of the state declined 15,300 or 0.4 percent. By comparison, U.S. private employment declined 1.4 percent over the past 12 months. In the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County and the northern suburbs (Westchester, Rockland, Putnam), each lost 0.1 percent.