Buffalo Niagara region posts 2.1% employment increase

The region saw an increase of 11,400 jobs from last year, according to the state Department of Labor. This represents an increase of 2.1% from a year ago.

“This is a steady increase, like we’ve seen in recent months,” said Timothy Glass, regional economist for the state Department of Labor in Buffalo.

The region’s winning percentage was third best among the state’s major metropolitan areas and higher than the statewide average gain of 1.8%. Its employment count increased by 2,800 from March.

The region’s construction sector continued to improve. Jobs in this sector increased 4% from last year, to 21,900, the best total for the sector since last October. The state report did not specify what caused the increase, but the Buffalo Bills’ new stadium in Orchard Park has been a major source of construction jobs in recent months.

The Buffalo Niagara region’s manufacturing sector saw an increase of 300 jobs over last year, to 54,500. The sector expects some local layoffs, with Tesla announcing more than 340 job cuts across its South Buffalo plant, but those reductions aren’t expected to take effect until August.

The leisure and hospitality sector, particularly affected by the pandemic, continued to find jobs, up 6% compared to last year. The sector’s employment count, at 56,600, is the highest since October and is nearly double its total at the height of the pandemic.

Employment in the region’s professional and business services sector declined slightly from last year, which could be the result of fewer hirings for temporary jobs, which are included in the state’s statistics. sector. And fewer temporary jobs could lead to more permanent hires.

The region’s total employment of 559,600 is the highest total on record since last December.

The state Department of Labor is expected to release unemployment numbers for April next week. In March, the size of the region’s labor force declined and the unemployment rate increased compared to last year, from 3.8% to 4.5%.