What Does the Main Monthly Jobs Report Tell Us?
After Consistent Weakness, November Figures Better But Too Early to Draw Conclusions. According to the monthly business survey shown below, the state added 1,500 jobs in October and 32,500 jobs in November. The November report marks the first time since May that the statewide jobs tally has increased meaningfully. If confirmed by incoming data in the coming months, November's figure would represent a hopeful bright spot following a stagnant labor market during 2025.
What Does the Alternative Household Worker Survey Tell Us?
Noisier Household Survey Also Showed Some Improvement in November. Since May, the household survey has pointed to a softening in the labor market, including a net decline in statewide employment and a modest increase in the number of unemployed workers. In November, the survey reported roughly 45,000 additional employed workers in the labor force (relative to September), with no increase in reported unemployment. While a single month should not be over-interpreted, this improvement contributed to a slight decline in the state’s unemployment rate, from 5.6 percent in September to 5.5 percent in November.