New York State added 5,600 private sector jobs in March, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures released by the Department of Labor, marking a modest 0.1% uptick from February and continuing a positive labor trend into the spring.
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate also dropped for a second straight month, falling from 4.3% in February to 4.2% in March. The labor force grew by 7,200 people over the same period, while the participation rate held steady at 60.9%.
Although the month-over-month job growth in New York trailed the national pace—where U.S. private sector employment rose by 0.2%—the state kept pace with the nation in overall nonfarm job growth. New York’s total nonfarm jobs increased by 6,300, matching national trends…