The number of people applying for new unemployment-insurance benefits in New York state in the week ending Dec. 14 fell by 12,706, or 37 percent, to 21,708 from the week before.
Fewer layoffs in New York’s construction, transportation and warehousing, and food service industries led the decrease, according to a U.S. Department of Labor news release issued Thursday.
The Empire State’s decline in jobless claims came just one week after its claims had jumped by 14,322, or 70 percent. No other state posted a larger decrease than New York in new unemployment-benefit applications in the week ending Dec. 14, according to the release.
The number of New Yorkers continuing to receive unemployment benefits also fell in the latest week to 220,009 from 230,590 the week before.
The state data is not seasonally adjusted.
Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com