The weather may have been hot on Long Island in August, but the region lost thousands of jobs that month, after generating even more over the past year, according to the New York State Department of Labor.
Long Island is continuing to add jobs year over year, but at a slower rate than the state and the nation, and the region lost nearly 10,000 jobs from July to August, according to the latest data.
The number of private sector jobs on Long Island increased by 6,100, or 0.5 percent, over the past year to 1,170,500 as of August.
That was slower than the state’s 1.3 percent year-over-year private sector growth rate and the 1.5 percent national rate.
Long Island’s private sector job count decreased by 9,500 between July and August, “more than five times the average loss of 1,700,” according to Shital Patel, a regional economist covering Long Island for the New York State Department of Labor.
“On the heels of a strong spring and summer, the construction sector registered a surprising loss in August, losing 1,900 jobs when a gain of 300 is typical,” Patel added. “The retail industry also had a weak August, heading into the holiday hiring season.”
Local stores shed 1,600 jobs when she said they typically gain100 in a sign of a soft August.
Four of nine private industry sectors gained jobs in August compared to a year ago, a very different story than the July to August numbers.
The gains in August compared to a year ago were led by education and health services, which added 7,400 jobs.
The sector including construction was up 6,000 jobs year over year despite a weak August, and leisure and hospitality added 3,900 over the year.
Even manufacturing was up for the year, adding 1,000 jobs, despite losses in August, while the government sector lost 100 jobs over-the-year.
