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NYS Hits Statewide High For Employment, But Not All Regions Benefit

 Downtown Rochester skyline view.
Max Schulte
/
WXXI News
Downtown Rochester skyline view.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP & WXXI News)  New York's comptroller says statewide employment reached a record nine million jobs last year, with 538,000 added since the recession.

The report Monday shows 143,000 jobs added in 2014, capping four years of steady gains. 

But growth was uneven statewide, with New York City gaining three-fourths of the total, while four upstate regions lost jobs, led by the Mohawk Valley and Southern Tier. 

Job growth in the Finger Lakes grew by 2.1 percent. Western NY job growth was up 1.5 percent.

Wages rose 14 percent statewide from 2009 to 2014, ahead of the 10.3 percent U.S. inflation rate for the period. 

Wage growth was up by more than the rate of inflation in five regions, including the Finger Lakes from 2009 to 2014. Wages were up in the Finger Lakes just over 10 percent, and they were up even a little higher in Western NY.

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In terms of the types of jobs that grew the most in the Finger Lakes, the comptroller’s report says professional and business services, and education and health services grew the most. Manufacturing and government jobs saw a decline.

While manufacturing employment statewide continued to decline during the five-year period, two regions – Western New York and the Capital Region – saw increases in manufacturing jobs.

Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says bright spots include ``fast-rising wages in the finance and information sectors'' and growth in western New York. 

At the same time, he says more New Yorkers are relying on part-time work or have dropped out of the labor force.  

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.