Long Island adds 500 jobs, but jobless rate up

Long Island posted its second consecutive month of private-sector job gains in May, according to state Labor Department data released this afternoon.

The Island had 500 more jobs last month than it had in May 2009. That follows a revised 5,000-job gain reported for April. The department had originally reported a 6,700-job gain. The April increase was the first in nearly two years.

The unemployment rate inched up to 6.7 percent in May, from 6.6 percent in April. That number often increases as the employment picture improves because more discouraged workers re-activate their job searches and are then included in the unemployment rate.

Private-sector employment grew the most in the educational and health-services category, which added 5,400 jobs. Manufacturing led the job losses, with a decline of 3,500 jobs.

Here's a link to the full Newsday unemployment story

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Above, participants at a job fair in April in Melville.