Perhaps the Cayuga County job market dropped to its low point in March.

New state Department of Labor data for April showed a gain of 200 jobs in the county compared with a year ago, and an unemployment rate increase that was cut in half from March.

The Cayuga County April 2008 unemployment rate of 4.7 percent was up from 4.1 percent for the same month in 2007. In March 2008, however, the 5.9 percent unemployment rate had been 1.2 percentage points above the prior year level.

Statewide, the April unemployment rate was 4.6 percent, up from 4.1 percent a year earlier but down from the 5.1 percent March level.

Both the county and state figures were not adjusted for normal job market fluctuations caused by changing seasons. Typically, spring and summer months have lower unemployment rates in this region as construction and tourism-related jobs become more plentiful.

While the newest data shows a brighter picture compared with March, it still represents a continued downturn in the job market.

Until December, the county's monthly jobless rate had been at or below the previous year's rate for more than a year. The previous monthly increase was reported for August 2006.

But April represented the fifth consecutive month of unemployment rate increases.

Unlike past months, however, the April increase reflects an increase in the number of people who are actually looking for a job. People who are not active in the job market are not counted toward the unemployment rate.

The total number of people in the Cayuga County labor force, reflecting county residents who are either employed or seeking employment, reached 41,200 in April. That figure exceeded the 40,600 level reported a year ago.

For jobs existing within the county's borders, the manufacturing industry - often a source of decline in upstate New York counties - saw an increase of 200 jobs in Cayuga County in April.

There were 100 fewer construction jobs and 100 fewer financial activities jobs reported for the month, but the trade, transportation and utilities category saw a gain of 100.

Government jobs remained flat at 6,400.