Jobless Rate Drops Slightly in Hempstead Town

Long Island and Nassau County residents are finding jobs, just not all that fast according to statistics released Thursday by New York State's Department of Labor. 

Nassau saw a small decline in unemployment, from November to December 2010, falling from 6.9 percent to 6.7 — with a little less than 2,000 residents gaining employment. When compared to county statistics from December 2009, unemployment rates actually stayed the same at 6.7 percent.

In the Town of Hempstead, unemployment also decreased from November to December of last year, falling from 7.3 to 7 percent. A little more than 1,100 residents gained employment during that time frame. When comparing December 2009 stats to last December's numbers, unemployment dropped slightly in the 12-month span, from 7.1 to 7 percent.

Michael Crowell, a senior economist for the state labor department, noted that Long Island has fared better when compared to state and national unemployment rates. "The data lists the local unemployment rate at 7 percent, the state rate at 8 percent and the national rate at 9.1 percent," he said.

He added though, that local numbers have basically remained the same. "The thing that jumped out is that 2010 and 2009 tied for the highest unemployment rate in December in this data series, which started in 1990." Asked why, Crowell said, "the recession is the short answer."

Crowell noted that in 2009, Long Island lost 40,000 jobs over the year. Now there are gains in the private sector.

"Just as that's happening, government is losing jobs, putting a damper on (the gains made in) the private sector," he said. "Those job losses are mainly in the local school districts. We lost 4,500 jobs in government as a whole compared to the year prior." The cuts, he said, were "due largely to cuts in state aid."

According to the latest data, job gains were made in state government education – state universities and colleges and community colleges, where jobs jumped 13.2 percent, and food services and drinking places, up 7.5 percent.

"Things are getting better but not very fast," Crowell said.