According to the latest polls, New York State’s private sector grew to an all-time high, and the unemployment rate fell, but locally the numbers aren’t as promising. During the month of January, private sector jobs rose to over 7.5 million, the most ever, and statewide unemployment fell to 6.8 percent, slightly higher than the national rate of 6.6 percent. But from January of 2013 to January of this year, the total amount of private sector jobs in our area fell by about 500, and non-farm jobs fell by 1,700. According to the study, the harsh winter has also hurt local retailers.
