New York State's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has declined for the first time in several months. However, the state also lost thousands of private sector jobs over that same time. According to preliminary statistics released Thursday by the State Department of Labor, the statewide jobless rate clocked in at 4.4% for July, which is down by two-tenths of a percent from June. The Labor Department adds that the number of private sector jobs decreased by 24,800. Also, the state's seasonally adjusted labor force went down by 26,200, and the labor force participation rate fell from 61.5% to 61.3%.
