Unemployment Numbers Stay Flat in Oyster Bay

Fewer Long Islanders filed for in November, compared to a year ago. At the same time the overall number of private sector jobs on Long Island dipped, though some sectors showed growth.

That’s according to recent  reports, the latest of which were released Tuesday.

The unemployment pattern “is similar to what we’ve seen in recent months,” said , an economist with the Labor Department in Hicksville.

“It’s a sign that there is a number of discouraged workers,” he said, adding that those finding work did so outside of Long Island.

And while the job count fell, Crowell pointed out that four sectors added jobs in November whereas only one sector did so in October.

Unemployment in Nassau County in November, though, crept up slightly.

In , the unemployment rate for November was 6 percent, up slightly from last month's figure of 5.9 percent. There were 142,800 Oyster Bay residents listed as unemployed last month, 400 more than last month The number of unemployed last year at this time was 10,200 in Oyster Bay, or 6.6 percent.

Without job creation, many long term unemployed simply fall off the statistical radar, experts say.

In Nassau, the unemployment rate was 6.4 percent in November, just as it was in October. It was at 7 percent in November 2010.  There were 43,300 Nassau County residents listed as unemployed in November, up from 42,900 in October, and 48,000 a year ago.

Meanwhile, the private sector job count across Long Island fell over the year by 4,400. manufacturing, other services, information, and financial activities all took hits. fell by 4,200.

Industries with job gains included health care and social assistance, retail trade; and administrative, support and waste management.

And though Long Island lost jobs, Crowell said “the decline is a good deal smaller than it was a month ago" when there was only one sector adding jobs.

Crowell said that the gains could mean that Long Island is heading in the same direction as other parts of the state that added jobs in October.

“I continue to be hopeful,” he said. “There is variability in the numbers. To the extent that the numbers can tell us anything, I guess this is good news.”--