Unemployment in the Rochester area dropped in May compared to last year. The State Labor Department says that the jobless rate for the Rochester metro last month was 5.8 percent. That was down from seven percent a year ago at this time, although it was up slightly from April. The May jobless rate for that month was the lowest it's been since 2008.
State labor analyst Tammy Marino says typically during the months of March, April and May, the local job count can expand by more than 10,000. However this year, employers created more than 12,000 new jobs during that period.
"Spring and early summer are typically very good times to look for and secure a new job. The pace of hiring especially in some of the more seasonal industries tends to pick up. "
Last week the state labor department reported that the Rochester area gained about 3900 private sector jobs in May compared to last year. The strongest sectors for job growth included private education and healthcare.
