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State jobless rate drops sharply in February
March 27, 2008
By James Schlett (Contact)
Gazette Reporter

The technology and government sectors helped keep the Capital Region’s work force afloat last month as the nation’s economy sunk further into what looks like a recession, according to statistics released Thursday by the state Department of Labor.
The region’s non-farm workforce in February grew by 500 jobs or 0.1 percent to 442,000, compared to a year earlier. But without state government’s labor gains, the private work force shrunk by 0.2 percent.
Unemployment figures
To view unemployment statistics for the entire state and individual regions and counties for February, click here.
February’s private sector loss casts doubt on the assertion that the region is largely immune to national recessions because of its significant level of government employment.
“We’re not bucking the trend of a recession. We’re still being impacted by that,” said Labor Department Market Analyst James Ross.
The region’s unemployment rate continued its upward climb, reaching 5.1 percent in February.
The region’s economy continued to show signs of weakness with only two of its nine major labor sectors growing in February. The professional and business services sector, which includes technology and corporate managerial workers, grew by 900 jobs, or 1.7 percent, to 53,800. Government grew by 1,000 jobs, or 0.9 percent, to 109,900.
Schoharie County maintained the state’s highest unemployment rate at 8.8 percent. But the county’s spike was attributed to the small size of its labor pool. The county shed 200 jobs over the year, bringing its February total to 14,700.
“It’s a small county. So a small difference in jobs is going to have a big difference in the unemployment rate,” said Ross.

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The professional and business services sector, which includes technology and corporate managerial workers, grew by 900 jobs, or 1.7 percent, to 53,800. Government grew by 1,000 jobs, or 0.9 percent, to 109,900.

My thoughts exactly senders. After reading this article, it kinda made me sick to think that it is public sector jobs that are more plentiful than private sector. So...HELLO...is anyone in government going to do anything about this? They talk about creating jobs so our kids will not jump on a plane the day they graduate from high school or college to find work and a better way of life in another state. Well....?????

It's easy for the Jobless rate to go down if people are running from the state like it's a firesale.

The jobless rate also drops when the unemployment insurance runs out too because people are off the books and the count looks better even though there's still the same number of people unemployed.