State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said metro Albany’s jobs, employment and labor force numbers grew in November.

At the same time, unemployment claims increased.

“This is a very good jobs report,” Butler said. “The number of jobs continues to increase and people are getting those jobs. A temporary increase in claims doesn’t change our growing, dynamic economy. The long-term trends are good.”

Metro Albany posted 63,300 jobs in November, up by 300 since October. Most of the job growth came in trade, transportation and warehousing. However, since November 2016, metro Albany has lost 200 jobs. The job loss has come in local government.

The number of employed residents rose by 110 to 64,319. From November a year ago, the number of employed residents was up by 259 from 64,060.   

The area’s labor force, which includes the total number of residents with jobs and those unemployed but looking for work, rose to 67,831, up by 136 in November. The labor force is down by 189 since November 2016.

Unemployment claims were up by 61 percent to 619. Claims were up in manufacturing. When compared to last November, claims were up by 59 percent from 389.

The November unemployment rate, at 5.2 percent, was down from 5.1 percent in October. The November rate compares favorably to last November when the rate was 5.8 percent.