Unemployment lowest in 7 years

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In June, New York state’s private sector job count climbed by 24,200, or 0.3 percent to 7.8 million, a new record high, according to preliminary figures released Thursday by the state Department of Labor.

Over the past two months, the state has added 67,800 private sector jobs. This is the state’s largest two-month jobs gain since February 1999. Since the beginning of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration, New York’s economy has added 693,900 private sector jobs and experienced employment growth in 47 of the past 54 months.

Also in June 2015, New York state’s unemployment rate decreased from 5.7 percent to 5.5 percent, the state’s lowest rate since July 2008.

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.

“New York state’s labor market continues to exhibit strength,” said Bohdan M. Wynnyk, deputy director of the Division of Research and Statistics.