The Buffalo Niagara Falls area saw slight job growth in July, as the region added 2,400 jobs over the past 12 months, according   to figures released Thursday by the state labor department.

The department reported a total of 544,600 jobs in Buffalo Niagara Falls for July, down from 551,900 in June but .4 percent   higher than the 542,200 reported a year ago. The region added 2,900 private sector jobs over the past 12 months.

Labor market analyst John Slenker said the over-the-month loss was typical for the season. And while the growth wasn’t as   big as the rest of the country, which saw its job count grow 1.4 percent, the numbers were good for economy such as Western   New York.

“We continue to grow jobs,” he said. “It’d be better if it were stronger, but our population isn’t growing like the rest of   the country. It’s (the .4 percent) a positive sign.”

Statewide, since November 2009, New York has added 346,900 private sector jobs and regained all of the private sector jobs   it lost during the recession, the department reported. Overall, the state’s private sector job count now stands at 7.3 million.

But the state’s positive trend in private sector job growth came to an end in July. The labor department blamed a labor-management   dispute with Consolidated Edison in New York City, which has been resolved. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’   Employment Situation release on Aug. 3, the dispute affected 8,500 utility workers. These workers were not counted as employed   for the federal payroll survey, which determines the monthly job count.

So the state’s economy lost 4,100 private sector jobs over the past month, or 0.1 percent, due to the effect the dispute had   on the reported job count.

Over the past 12 months, professional and business services added the most jobs of any sector, bringing in 52,500. During   the same time, government lost more jobs than any other sector, losing 8,900.

Since July 2011, New York state’s labor force grew by more than 100,000 as people have more confidence in the economy, the   labor department reported. When more jobseekers enter or re-enter the labor market due to renewed confidence about finding   employment, an area’s unemployment rate temporarily rises.

For the 12-month period ending July, the number of discouraged workers (those not currently looking for work because they   believe no jobs are available) in New York State fell by 21.6 percent. The state’s unemployment rate was 9.1 percent in July,   up from June’s level of 8.9 percent.

“Growth in our statewide labor force in recent months has contributed to a higher state jobless rate, as more New Yorkers   have confidence in the job market,” said Bohdan M. Wynnyk, deputy director of the Division of Research and Statistics.