Capital Region job market posts slight April gain ALBANY — The Capital Region’s labor market made one of its slightest April gains ever last month, according to statistics released Thursday by the state Department of Labor. For the third consecutive month, the region’s nonfarm work force grew in April to 446,900, up 1,300 jobs or 0.3 percent from a year ago. The unemployment rate came in at 4.4 percent, which is a 0.7-point improvement from March but up from 3.7 percent from April 2007. April tends to be a strong growth period for the region. Last month’s growth was far weaker than the year-over gain of 6,800 jobs in April 2005 and 4,100 jobs a year later. But it was similar to April 2007, when the region added only 1,400 jobs, according to Labor Department Market Analyst James Ross. The government, technology, education and health services sectors drove much of the job growth last month. The region’s private work force grew by 400 or 0.1 percent to 337,300. Reflecting softer consumer spending, retail trade last month shrunk by 300 jobs to 47,900 and leisure and hospitality declined by 400 to 31,300. After months of declines, the construction sector also showed a slight uptick of 100 jobs to 16,900. Ross attributed that gain to road work at the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Malta, where chip manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices has proposed building a $3.2 billion chip plant. Schoharie County last month maintained the state’s highest unemployment rate of 6.6 percent, down from 8.2 percent in March. But the county now shares the distinction, as Niagara County reported the same unemployment rate.
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