State unemployment rate drops to 5.9 percent

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The statewide unemployment rate in New York declined slightly in November from 6 percent to 5.9 percent, reaching its lowest level since September 2008, according to preliminary figures released Thursday by the state Department of Labor.

In addition, New York City’s unemployment rate fell from 6.4 percent to 6.3 percent, reaching its lowest level since October 2008.

New York state’s private sector job count remained near its record-high level, falling by only 100 jobs out of more than 7.6 million, or less than 0.1 percent, in November. Since the beginning of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration, the state’s economy has added 506,100 private sector jobs and experienced employment growth in 40 of the past 47 months. The period included 22 consecutive months of private sector job growth, the state’s longest streak on record, dating back to 1990.

The state’s private sector job count is based on a payroll survey of 18,000 New York employers conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Monthly payroll employment estimates are preliminary and subject to revision as more data becomes available the following month.