There is good and bad news when it comes to the latest job figures released by the state Labor Department.
First, the bad news. The unemployment rate in Chautauqua County increased by .3 percent, from 8.1 percent in April to 8.4 percent in May. The unemployment rate is now .8 percent higher than it was in May 2011.
Now, for the good news. Even though the unemployment rate rose, the number of county residents with a job also increased. In May, 57,200 people were employed, which is 500 greater than April's total of 56,700.
Several job sectors in the county increased in employees in May. First, with the start of the summer season, leisure and hospitality increased by 500 jobs, which was a 11 percent increase.
Even non-seasonal related job sectors went up in employees in May. Manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; and natural resources, mining and construction all increased by 200 jobs. The number of non-farm jobs increased by 1,000, which was a 2 percent increase.
Job sectors in the county that decreased employment included government and professional and business services, with both decreasing by 100 jobs.
Fact Box
Chautauqua County Unemployment Stats For May 2012
Unemployment Rate
May 2012April 2012May 2011
8.4%8.1%7.6%
Unemployed
May 2012April 2012May 2011
5,2005,0004,700
Employed
May 2012April 2012May 2011
57,20056,70057,600
* Information according to the state Labor Department
New York state's private sector continues steady growth while the labor force expands. The state's economy added 6,100 private-sector jobs, which was a .1 percent increase.
In May, New York state's labor force increased by 28,200, the largest jump in monthly employment levels since late 2001. Even with an increase in jobs, the state's unemployment rate also rose from 8.5 percent in April to 8.6 percent in May.
''The latest statistics show that New York's private-sector employers continued to add jobs, while more than 28,000 job seekers re-entered the labor force,'' said Bohdan M. Wynnyk, state Division of Research and Statistics deputy director. ''As the economy continues to improve, more people tend to enter the labor force. As a result, the increase in the number of job seekers pushed up the state's jobless rate in May.''
Highlights among state job sectors with job gains since May 2011 include professional and business services, which added the most with 58,500. Private educational and health services rose by 33,800.
The state job sector with the largest decrease in employment includes construction, which lost 9,300 jobs. The information sector lost 5,500 employees during the past year.