Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Bazzi Pleads Guilty to Sanctions Evasion

 

Lebanese national Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi, 60, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to conduct and to cause U.S. persons to conduct unlawful transactions with a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

In May 2018, the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Bazzi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for assisting in, sponsoring and providing financial, material and technological support and financial services to Hizballah. Hizballah is a foreign terrorist organization that, since the 1980s, engaged in numerous terrorist activities, including attacks against American military members, government employees and civilians abroad.

According to the OFAC designation, Bazzi is a key Hizballah financier who has provided millions of dollars to Hizballah over the years, generated from his business activities in Belgium, Lebanon, Iraq and throughout West Africa. As a result of the designation, Bazzi’s interest in any property in the United States were blocked, and all U.S. persons were generally prohibited from transacting business with, or for the benefit of, Bazzi.

Following Bazzi’s designation and according to the court documents, Bazzi and his co-defendant, Talal Chanine, who remains at large in Lebanon, conspired to force or induce an individual located in the United States (U.S. Person) to liquidate their interests in certain real estate assets located in Michigan and covertly transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of the liquidation out of the United States to Bazzi and Chahine in Lebanon without the required OFAC licenses, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

During recorded communications, Bazzi and Chahine proposed numerous methods to conceal from OFAC and law enforcement officials that Bazzi was both the source and destination of the proceeds of the sale and to create the false appearance that the U.S. Person was conducting legitimate arms-length transactions unrelated to Bazzi and Chahine. For example, Bazzi and Chahine proposed that the funds be transferred through:

• A third party in China as part of a fictitious purchase of restaurant equipment from a Chinese manufacturer;
• A third party in Lebanon as part of a fictitious real estate purchase;
• Chahine’s family members in Kuwait as part of fictitious intra-family loans; and
• As part of a fictitious franchising agreement as payment for the rights to operate a Lebanese-based restaurant chain throughout the United States.

Bazzi was arrested in February 2023 by Romanian law enforcement authorities and subsequently extradited to the Eastern District of New York. The Justice Department thanks the Romanian authorities for their assistance in this matter.

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Bazzi faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He has also agreed to forfeit the nearly $830,000 that was involved in the illegal transaction, and to be removed from the United States upon completion of his sentence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Jonathan P. Lax, Nomi D. Berenson, Claire Kedeshian and Robert M. Pollack for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition in this case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Attorney General James Recovers $750,000 in Stolen Wages for Cell Phone Company Employees

Best Wireless Stole Hundreds of Employees’ Wages and Retaliated Against Employees at Stores in New York City, Long Island, and Rockland County  

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that she is delivering $750,000 in stolen wages to employees of Best Wireless, a retail cell phone company, that stole employees’ wages and retaliated against employees who complained. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) discovered that Best Wireless, a former certified Verizon retailer that had 29 stores and approximately 450 employees across New York City, Long Island, and Rockland County, engaged in numerous labor violations over several years. The company illegally deducted wages for lost, stolen, and missing merchandise, refused to pay overtime or provide breaks, and charged employees for their uniforms and background checks. As a result of OAG’s investigation, Best Wireless will return $750,000 to current and former employees who were victims of wage theft. Verizon has terminated its relationship with Best Wireless and the owner, Nishant Garg, sold the business, but he will be required to report to OAG if he ever serves in a senior management or ownership role for a new company.

“Every worker should receive the fair treatment and full compensation they have earned and deserve,” said Attorney General James. “Best Wireless refused to provide to this hundreds of employees, threatening their livelihoods and flagrantly violating the laws designed to keep New York workers safe. With today’s agreement, we are returning this money to the employees who earned it. I will always stand up to greedy employers who cheat workers out of their hard-earned money.”

In 2022, a district manager at Best Wireless in TriBeCa filed a complaint with Verizon’s corporate office related to unfair pay deductions and a lack of breaks or overtime pay. He also discussed his concerns with his fellow employees. The day after he filed the complaint, the district manager was fired and threatened with legal action through a cease-and-desist letter from Best Wireless. Over the next five months, he received two additional cease-and-desist letters threatening further legal action. Best Wireless also denied the former employee’s application for unemployment benefits, claiming that he had resigned instead of being fired. The former employee brought his case to The Legal Aid Society, which then referred the matter to OAG.

Attorney General James launched an investigation into Best Wireless for potential retaliation against the district manager. The investigation confirmed the suspected retaliation and revealed several additional cases of retaliation against employees who had previously complained about unfair labor practices.

One employee shared that after complaining to Human Resources about pay and sick time violations, as well as a lack of commission pay, Best Wireless management began harassing her, later cutting her scheduled hours without warning. When she called Best Wireless management about this, she was told that management can do whatever they want.

Another employee was fired after notifying management that New York City labor law requires 72 hours’ notice for schedule changes. This was in response to last-minute schedule changes that conflicted with the employee’s school schedule.

Two individuals reported fellow employees stealing money from the cash register – one was cut off from communication and excluded from commission opportunities; the other was told that because the individual who was stealing had been with the company longer, the employee reporting the theft would either be fired or transferred. The employee was transferred to a store location over an hour away from the original store. He was later fired.

When a new employee reported concerns, including the lack of a silent alarm or armored truck, scheduling that left employees working alone most days, prohibition on lunch breaks when working alone, weekly meetings on her days off, and no managers in-store, she was told “you will either quit or you will get fired.” She was then fired.

The OAG investigation also uncovered a wide range of violations impacting approximately 450 employees, including:

• Charging employees for lost or stolen merchandise, uniform purchases, and background check fees;
• Failing to provide overtime pay;
• Failing to pay overtime to employees that Best Wireless misclassified as overtime-exempt;
• Failing to provide employees with regular paystubs and hiring notices;
• Failing to pay commissions and setting up a fraudulent commission structure;
• Failing to provide paid breaks of short duration;
• Refusing to allow employees to take lunch breaks while still deducting employees’ pay as if the breaks had been taken; and
• Firing or reducing scheduled hours of employees who complained about these practices.

These actions are illegal under the New York Labor Law and/or the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Best Wireless had 29 New York stores including five in Brooklyn, six in Manhattan, 11 in Queens, three on Staten Island, one in Patchogue, one in Wading River, one in New Hyde Park, and one in Orangeburg. There are also six stores in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

Best Wireless will pay $750,000 directly to OAG to be distributed to current and former employees impacted by the company’s wrongdoing. Best Wireless is no longer operating as an authorized Verizon retailer. If the company’s owner, Nishant Garg, ever becomes involved as an owner or a senior manager in another company, he must provide notice to the OAG within 30 days of assuming the role. If he ever becomes involved as an owner or as a senior manager in another New York company, he is required to provide an OAG-approved training for all managers and employees on workers’ rights under local, state, and federal law.

Attorney General James has made it a priority to combat wage theft, especially in industries employing low-wage workers. In April 2024, Attorney General James secured nearly $230,000 for building employees cheated out of fair pay. In November 2023, Attorney General James recovered $328 million for Uber and Lyft drivers whose earnings were shortchanged for years. In August 2023, Attorney General James recovered $300,000 in unpaid wages for New York City nail salon workers. In March 2023, Attorney General James recovered $24,000 in stolen wages for former employees of a worker cooperative. In October 2022, Attorney General James secured $90,000 in stolen and unpaid wages for more than a dozen former employees of a commercial dry cleaner in Queens. In July 2022, Attorney General James delivered $500,000 to current and former employees of a Manhattan bar for enduring sexual harassment, discrimination, and wage theft. In May 2022, Attorney General James recovered more than $2.9 million for hundreds of New York City Marriott workers who were denied full severance pay.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE’S STATEMENT ON RELEASE OF NYPD BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE IN SUTTER AVENUE SUBWAY SHOOTING

 

"This horrifying video, which took a week to release, was years of failure in the making. Years of inadequate resources for mental health support. Years of building systems and responses that criminalize issues of poverty and mental health. Years of flooding the subway with wave after wave of law enforcement and setting their focus on fare evasion. 

 

“Leadership from our mayor was needed to address this tragedy and instead, he commended these officers for showing 'restraint.' He continues to fail when leadership is desperately needed and should be utterly ashamed of those comments. Our police are often asked to do too much in difficult conditions. They need leaders who will be clear when something clearly went wrong. This was blatant disregard for the life of this community, and officers growing ‘impatient’ is not a valid reason to use deadly force. 

 

“Four people shot, one a fellow officer, one an innocent bystander who may never recover. Not a single shot needed to be fired at the moment officers fired into a train with people in it. I can only think of what our collective horror would be in a wealthier, whiter population and call us to that same outrage and purpose – to not only improve our tools and trainings for de-escalation, but fundamentally examine and shift the public safety approach that led to preventable violence.  

“Lastly, if the mayor and NYPD officials are willing to deliberately misinform New Yorkers about body camera footage before it's made public, how can we ask New Yorkers to trust this administration now that the video is released, and truth is exposed.” 

MAYOR ADAMS’ STATEMENT ON RELEASE OF NYPD BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE IN SUTTER AVENUE SUBWAY SHOOTING

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams tonight released the following statement following the release of New York City Police Department (NYPD) body camera footage in the Sutter Avenue subway shooting that occurred on Sunday, September 15, 2024:

“Our condolences go out to the innocent bystanders involved in this incident and their families, and like all New Yorkers, we’re praying for their immediate recovery. No one wants to see innocent people get hurt because anytime an a New Yorker is injured during a crime, we all, collectively, share the profound pain.

“We all agree that public safety and justice are the prerequisites to prosperity and they must go hand-in-hand. Every day, we are fighting to reduce crime on our streets and in our subways, and our administration remains committed to keeping New Yorkers safe.

“While this matter remains under investigation, the NYPD’s initial review found that this shooting took place after the suspect involved brandished a dangerous weapon and put officers’ lives at risk. While the formal review continues, and out of respect for that process, I will avoid commenting any further.

“As a young man, and throughout my career as a former police officer and as an elected official, I’ve spent my career fighting for both public safety and police reform, and I have been clear that I expect a Police Department that is professional, impartial, and just. The NYPD continues to work diligently to ensure New Yorkers are both safe and policed fairly.”

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES KEY MILESTONES AND STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE CRUCIAL 911 MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE INITIATIVE

 

Mental Health Emergency B-HEARD Teams Responded to 73 Percent of All Eligible 911 Calls in Pilot Area, Total of 14,900 Calls Over Last Fiscal Year, Doubling Prior Year

43 Percent of Individuals Who Received Behavioral Health Assessments Were Provided with Connections to Community-Based Behavioral Health Services Instead of Being Brought to Hospital

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released new data showing the milestone achievements of the Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD), New York City’s health-centered response to 911 mental health calls. Over Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, B-HEARD teams responded to 14,900 calls, which accounts for 73 percent of all eligible mental health calls in the pilot area during the program’s operation hours. The FY24 figure is more than double the previous fiscal year’s responses when teams responded to almost 7,200 calls, which comprised approximately 55 percent of eligible calls. In total, B-HEARD teams have responded to over 24,000 mental health 911 calls since launching in spring of 2021.

Additionally, the Adams administration announced two new policy strategies to strengthen its ability to provide as many New Yorkers as possible with a health-centered crisis response. Both strategies went into effect in June 2024. The first is to prioritize deploying B-HEARD teams to calls that have been fully triaged by the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) Emergency Medical Services 911 call-takers where the teams are more likely to have the patient on-scene where they arrive, maximizing the time B-HEARD teams spend serving individuals in need. The second is to eliminate police precinct boundaries within the existing pilot area, which covers 31 police precincts. This significant program modification will allow existing teams to be nimble in their ability to respond to nearby calls outside a precinct boundary once they have completed a call. 

“Responding to New Yorkers’ mental health needs of all kinds is a priority for our administration,” said Mayor Adams. “That is why we have established ‘Teenspace,’ a free telehealth service for youth, which has already provided services to over 16,000 young people; launched the Subway Co-Response Outreach Team alongside the MTA to help New Yorkers affected by severe mental illness in our subway system; and sued the owners of five major social media companies for their role in contributing to the mental health crisis of our young people. For too long, our systems were not equipped to respond to people in mental health crisis. I am proud that under our leadership, we have responded to New Yorkers on over 24,000 mental health 911 calls through the groundbreaking B-HEARD program and have expanded this crucial emergency service to ensure even more New Yorkers get the support they need, especially when they need it most.”

“B-HEARD is another tool to reach New Yorkers in most need and help them get the care they require,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “Roughly four in 10 folks engaged by a B-HEARD mental health clinician have been connected to community mental health supports and B-HEARD teams have reached out to more than 70 percent of eligible calls overall. We will continue to build on these efforts and give every New Yorker in need access to mental health support.”

“As we continue to refine the B-HEARD program, the Adams administration is committed to ensuring that every New Yorker experiencing a mental health crisis receives the compassionate, appropriate care they deserve,” said Mayors Office of Community Mental Health (OCMH) Executive Director Eva Wong. “The latest data highlights significant progress of the B-HEARD program, and the positive impact of New York City’s first-ever health-centered response to mental health emergencies. Through ongoing innovation and collaboration to prioritize fully triaged calls and eliminate precinct boundaries, we are taking significant steps to enhance our response capabilities and better serve our communities.” 

“The B-HEARD program is a valuable resource for New Yorkers experiencing mental health crises,” said FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker. “As a pilot program, it is a patient-driven, health-centered response that has allowed New Yorkers to get the help they need, and we are constantly working to refine the program to ensure we continue to meet the needs of those who need our help the most.”

“B-HEARD continues to enhance the ways NYC Health + Hospitals serves high-needs communities across the city,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Deputy Chief Medical Officer and System Chief of Behavioral Health Omar Fattal, MD, MPH. “The B-HEARD teams are in communities engaging individuals on a daily basis, ensuring that New Yorkers in crisis are provided the recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and person-centered support they need to stay in the community. B-HEARD’s success as a health-led response is evident by the fact that nearly half of its patients who receive an assessment are assisted in their community instead of making an unnecessary trip to the emergency room.”

B-HEARD is an interagency collaboration between the FDNY and NYC Health + Hospitals with oversight from OCMH. B-HEARD partners with emergency medical technicians (EMTs)/paramedics and mental health clinicians to respond as a team to 911 mental health calls that do not have violence or weapons as the primary concern. The goal of the program is to connect individuals to the best level of care for their needs and reduce unnecessary use of the emergency department and police resources. The teams work with individuals to understand their needs, de-escalate, and, whenever possible, speak with their family members and the individual’s current clinician to determine the best path forward. Each B-HEARD response reflects New York City’s commitment to providing people who are experiencing a mental health crisis with the most appropriate care by pairing mental health clinicians with EMTs for the first-time ever.

The latest data brief shows that the program has made steady progress in responding to a higher percentage of total mental health 911 calls since launch. There has also been an increase in the number of calls that are eligible for a B-HEARD response and the city is responding to more eligible calls. During the 16 hours a day when the program was operational from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, there were 20,541 eligible 911 mental health calls in the pilot area and an overwhelming majority of those calls received a B-HEARD response, with teams responding to 73 percent of all eligible calls. This is a significant increase from the previous fiscal year when B-HEARD teams responded to 55 percent of all eligible calls. Approximately 50 percent of all B-HEARD responses, or 7,417 B-HEARD patients, engaged with a B-HEARD team. Of those instances where the B-HEARD teams made contact with a patient, in FY24, about 50 percent, or 3,691 B-HEARD patients, received a behavioral health assessment.

The data also shows that B-HEARD is helping New Yorkers access community-based options for mental health care through the 911 system — which was not possible prior to B-HEARD — as individuals can be treated by a mental health professional within minutes. In FY24, of the 3,691 individuals that received a behavioral health assessment by a B-HEARD team, 43 percent of them were able to remain in the community, potentially reducing the number of unnecessary transports to hospital emergency rooms. Before B-HEARD, transportation to an emergency department was the only option for mental health treatment available through the 911 system.

The strategies announced today build on previous modifications made by the Adams administration to strengthen mental health operations over the last three years. Since launching B-HEARD in 2021, the city’s approach has always been to learn as much as possible to refine the program to best meet the unique needs of New Yorkers. Accordingly, the city has implemented modifications over the last three years to strengthen operations, such as developing and implementing a new algorithm to automate call triaging to more effectively identify calls that are appropriate for a B-HEARD response; hiring more EMS 911 call-takers in FY24; and conducting a B-HEARD satisfaction survey that showed overwhelmingly positive feedback.

In 2023, Mayor Adams announced a sweeping mental health agenda, “Care, Community, Action: A Mental Health Plan for New York City,” with $20 million in new commitments that invested in, among other initiatives, an online hub to connect New Yorkers with serious mental illness to care and a substantial expansion of the clubhouse program. 

 

Alongside the Adams administration’s focus on mental health, Mayor Adams also launched “HealthyNYC” last November, an ambitious plan to extend the average lifespan of all New Yorkers by reducing the impact of mental health related deaths like overdoses, suicide, and homicides by 2030. Additionally, HealthyNYC expands access to culturally-responsive mental health care and social support services, including early intervention for communities of color and LGBTQIA+ youth, and helps address the impact of social media on youth mental health and suicidal ideation to reduce suicide deaths. 

Later that month, Mayor Adams announced “Teenspace” — the city's tele-mental health service available to all New York City teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 years old at no cost. In the first six months of the program, the service — created in partnership with online therapy platform Talkspace — allowed more than 6,800 New York City teenagers connect with a licensed therapist through phone, video, and text. In the four months since that announcement — and less than a year after the launch of the program — have benefitted from Teenspace.  

“My district’s 104th Precinct has been a part of the B-HEARD pilot program. This has proven to be a life-saving initiative that we must expand citywide,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “B-HEARD demonstrates our City’s commitment to a public safety response that fits the needs of every situation. Indeed, mental health crises require first responders trained to address these issues and de-escalate the situation. The numbers show that B-HEARD has been a success, responding to 14,900 calls in the last fiscal year—a 50 percent increase from the year before—comprising 73 percent of all eligible calls. I am proud to partner with the mayor to expand this life-saving program across all five boroughs.”

NYS Private Sector Employment Down 8,100 Jobs in August 2024

 

Statewide Labor Force Participation Rate Unchanged Over the Month

According to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures released today by the New York State Department of Labor, the number of private sector jobs in New York State decreased over the month by 8,100, or 0.1%, to 8,393,400 in August 2024. The number of private sector jobs in the U.S. increased by 0.1% in August 2024.

New York State's private sector jobs (not seasonally adjusted) increased by 147,500, or 1.8%, over the year in August 2024, which was greater than the 1.4% increase in the number of private sector jobs in the U.S.

New York State's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased from 4.3% to 4.4% in August 2024. At the same time, New York State's labor force (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 8,500. As a result, the statewide labor force participation rate held constant at 61.3% in August 2024.

The number of private sector jobs in New York State is based on a payroll survey of New York businesses conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Monthly payroll employment estimates are preliminary and subject to revision as more complete data become available the following month. The BLS calculates New York State’s unemployment rate based partly upon the results of the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS) of approximately 3,100 households in the State.

Note: Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. Non-seasonally adjusted data are valuable in year-to-year comparisons of the same month – for example, August 2023 versus August 2024.

Statewide Industry Employment

August 2024 – Seasonally Adjusted

• On a net basis, the total number of nonfarm jobs in the state decreased by 7,400 over the month, while private sector jobs decreased by 8,100 in August 2024.
• At the same time, the total number of nonfarm jobs in the nation increased by 142,000, while private sector jobs increased by 118,000.

NYS Trailed Nation in Nonfarm Job Growth

Over-the-Month % Change in Total Nonfarm & Private Sector Jobs, July 2024 – August 2024

Total Nonfarm and Private Sector Jobs Decreased in August 2024

Total Nonfarm and Private Sector Jobs (in 1000s), January 1990 – August 2024

Statewide Unemployment

August 2024 – Seasonally Adjusted

• The statewide unemployment rate increased from 4.3% to 4.4% in August 2024.
• New York City’s unemployment rate increased from 5.0% to 5.2%.
• In the rest of the state, the unemployment rate increased from 3.7% to 3.8% in August 2024.
• The number of unemployed New Yorkers increased over the month by 7,900 from 417,900 in July to 425,800 in August 2024.

NYS Unemployment Rate Increased Over the Month

Labor Force Statistics, August 2023, July 2024 – August 2024

Labor Force Decreased and Number of Unemployed Increased in August Total Labor Force & Number of Unemployed, January 2009 – August 2024 Unemployment Rate Increased in NYS, Decreased in US Unemployment Rate, NYS & US, January 2009 – August 2024 Unemployment Rate Increased in NYC and Balance of State Unemployment Rate, NYC & BOS, January 2009 – August 2024 Substate and Industry Employment  August 2024 – Not Seasonally Adjusted New York State Gained Private Sector Jobs Over the Year Over-the-Year Change in Total Nonfarm & Private Sector Jobs, August 2023 – August 2024 Note: The sum of sub-state area job estimates will usually differ from the New York State total. This is because the State total is calculated separately from the sub-state areas and is estimated based on an independent sample. Private Education and Health Services Jobs Increased by 6.3% Over the Year Over-the-Year Change in Jobs by Major Industry Sector, August 2023 – August 2024 *Government includes public education and public health services. Note: The responsibility for the production of monthly estimates of state and metro area nonfarm employment by industry moved from the NYS Department of Labor’s Division of Research and Statistics to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), starting with the March 2011 estimates. More detailed information on the change is available on the BLS web site. Many economic data series have a seasonal pattern, which means they tend to occur at the same time each year (e.g., retail jobs usually increase in December). Seasonal adjustment is the process of removing seasonal effects from a data series. This is done to simplify the data so that they may be more easily interpreted and help to reveal true underlying trends. Seasonal adjustment permits comparisons of data from one month to data from any other month. In New York State, payroll jobs data by industry come from a monthly survey of business establishments conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data are preliminary and subject to revision. Jobs data by industry do not include agricultural workers, the self-employed, unpaid family workers, or domestic workers in private households. Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, for New York and every other state are based on statistical regression models specified by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s unemployment rate is based partly upon the results of the Current Population Survey, which contacts approximately 3,100 households in New York each month. Jobs and Unemployment Fact Sheet This fact sheet conveys important technical information that will contribute to a better understanding of labor force data (“household survey”), including resident employment/unemployment rates, and jobs by industry data (“business survey”), which are presented in the New York State Department of Labor’s monthly press release. State Unemployment Rates Based on Regression Model Beginning with data for January 1996, unemployment rates for New York State and all other states (as well as New York City and the City of Los Angeles) have been estimated using time-series regression statistical models developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Advantage of Regression Model Use of a time-series regression model reduces the month-to-month variation in unemployment rates and resident employment by reducing variation caused by sampling errors and other components of statistical noise (irregularities). Benchmarking of Estimates Once each year, labor force estimates, such as civilian labor force and the unemployment rate, are revised to reflect updated input data including new Census Bureau populations controls, newly revised establishment jobs data and new state-level annual average data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). As part of this procedure, all state figures are reviewed, revised as necessary and then re-estimated. This process is commonly referred to as “benchmarking.” Changes in Methodology Labor force estimates are now produced with an improved time-series regression model, which utilizes “real-time” benchmarking. “Real-time” benchmarking reduces end-of-year revisions, which also means that major economic events will be reflected in a more timely manner in state labor force estimates. In addition, the new methodology includes an updated way of estimating for sub-state areas (e.g. counties, metro areas) the number of unemployed who are new entrants or re-entrants into the labor force. This change in methodology will result in lower unemployment rates in some areas and increased rates in others. Unemployed and UI Beneficiaries The estimate of the number of unemployed includes all persons who had no employment during the reference week (the week including the 12th of the month), were available for work, except for temporary illness, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the reference week. Unemployment insurance (UI) beneficiaries include those who apply for and qualify for UI benefits. Consequently, the estimate of the number of unemployed and the number of UI beneficiaries do not necessarily move in tandem. Jobs Data Jobs data are obtained from a separate joint federal-state survey of business establishments. The survey, called the Current Employment Statistics of Establishments, has a sample size of 18,000 establishments in New York State. It excludes self-employed workers, agricultural workers, unpaid family workers and domestic workers employed by private households. This data represents a count of jobs by place of work. Data for each month is revised the following month as more complete information becomes available. The New York State Department of Labor is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program.