Glen Cove Unemployment Rises

Almost the same amount of Glen Cove residents filed for unemployment benefits in December than they did a year ago.

That’s according to recent Labor Department reports, the latest of which were released Tuesday, which also shows a decrease in jobs across Long Island.

To Shital Patel, an analyst for the Labor Department in Hicksville, the latest reports “suggest a decline in the labor force.” Reasons include discouraged workers who are no longer seeking jobs as well as people retiring or moving out of the region, she said.

The continuing trend, she added, indicates that “we’re in the midst of a recession.”

Unemployment in Glen Cove in December reflected these sentiments; the rate was 6.9 percent, up from 6.2 percent in November. In December 2010, it was slightly higher at 7.1 percent. There were 900 Glen Cove residents listed as unemployed in December, unchanged from a year ago.

In Nassau County, the unemployment rate was 6.6 percent in December, up from 6.4 percent in November. It was at 6.6 percent in December 2010. There were 43,900 Nassau County residents listed as unemployed in December, up from 43,300 in November, and 45,200 a year ago.

Meanwhile, the region saw job losses in such sectors as leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, information, and construction. Government employment also took a hit, losing 3,100 jobs. 

Sectors adding jobs included health services, professional and business services, financial activities, and trade, transportation and utilities.

However, Patel said, the reports did not indicate whether those jobs were high- or low-paying jobs. 

Still, there was a bit more good news: Long Island retailers “had a pretty healthy season for the month of December,” adding 3,100 jobs from the prior year, the highest year-over-year growth since 2000, Patel said.

That growth, she said, suggests “confidence for the retailers.”