Business & Tech
Islip’s Unemployment Rate Flat in August
The local jobless rate comes in at 7.5 percent, compared to 7.8 percent in July.
The Town of Islip's unemployment rate dropped slightly in August to 7.5 percent, down from 7.8 percent in July, as the area's labor market continued to show modest growth.
"The job market has been improving more gradually than we would like, but it has been improving," said Gary Huth, Long Island economist for the state labor department.
Long Island's jobless rate was 7 percent in August, down from 7.2 percent the month before, and in Suffolk County, 7.2 percent of residents were out of work last month.
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Lindenhurst Village posted the highest jobless rate in the county in August at 8.2 percent, followed closely by Babylon, with 8 percent of residents out of work.
Unemployment rates are based on where employees live, not where they work, and Huth said a concentration of financial workers or those that commute to Wall Street could drive up an area's jobless rate in the current environment.
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The Island as a whole added 11,300 private-sector jobs during the 12 months ending in August, according to the labor department.
"We got off to a fairly strong start early in the year and it's moderated some, but we're still showing growth," Huth said, adding that in August of last year, the Island was still losing jobs.
But uncertainty from employers is still moderating growth and preventing any real return to a pre-recession job market, when the Islip unemployment rate was around 4.1 percent.
"People were so scared that they laid off more than they needed to," Huth said. "But now that they see things getting better, they're still very reluctant to hire, and in some cases they have more productivity so they don't need to."
In Sayville, some local businesses are still hiring.
Butera's Italian Restaurant, which is opening in the location once occupied by CU29, is hiring all kitchen help.
Good Samaritan Nursing Home is hiring a few positions, including a certified nurse assistant, and an RN nursing supervisor.
For those looking for a career in a salon, there are openings at a few of Sayville's salons for stylists and a receptionist.
