The Empire State is not expected to recover all the jobs lost from the COVID pandemic until at least late 2026, according to a new analysis.
The report by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, which cited a forecast by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office, expressed concern about New York’s slow jobs recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the rest of the country.
“State employment growth is still forecasted to lag that of the nation,” DiNapoli’s analysis of Hochul’s executive budget plan said.
“While the nation’s employment exceeds its pre-pandemic levels, New York has still not recovered all the jobs that were lost … DOB (NYS Division of the Budget) does not expect a return to pre-pandemic employment levels until the second half of 2026,” it added.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics show that New York ranks near the bottom of the pack in terms of jobs recovering from the pandemic through 2023 — 47th out of 50 states.
DiNapoli’s report said New York State had recovered 94.7% of the jobs lost since April of 2020.