The number of people filing initial applications for unemployment benefits in New York state fell more than 6 percent to 16,145 in the week ending Aug. 2, from 17,208 the week before.
Fewer layoffs in the state’s transportation and warehousing, food service, and educational service industries led the decline, according to a U.S. Department of Labor news release issued Thursday.
New York posted the third-largest decrease in first-time unemployment claims among all states, behind only California and Tennessee, according to the Labor Department data.
It’s the third straight week that initial jobless claims have declined in the Empire State, a sign that employers have been handing out fewer pink slips.
The number of people continuing to receive unemployment-insurance benefits in New York also fell in the most-recent week to 187,398, from 189,245 in the prior week, according to the Labor Department data. It’s also the third weekly decrease in a row for that measure.
The state data is not seasonally adjusted.
Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com