NY Jobless Rate Ticked Up Slightly In August To 4.8 Percent

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York's private sector unemployment rate edged up slightly in August to 4.8 percent from 4.7 percent a month earlier.

The state Department of Labor says that compares to a national rate of 4.9 percent.

After steadily gaining jobs since the recession, the state's private sector lost 12,400 jobs in August.

The department says the fastest growth in jobs over the past over the past year has been in Kingston, Dutchess and Putnam counties, the Watertown/Fort Drum area, New York City and Ithaca. Job losses were most pronounced in Elmira (el-MY'-ruh), Binghamton, Glens Fall, Syracuse, the Capital Region and Rochester.

Most of the gains have been in health care, education, leisure and hospitality while the state lost 2,900 manufacturing jobs over the year.

[STORY BY: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS]