NORWICH – The New York State Department of Labor recently released year-end statistics that showed while the county’s 8.8 unemployment rate remained unchanged from November to December, employment picked up from a low of 9.2 percent in December of ‘09.

Chenango County saw 100 non-farm jobs gained last year, mostly in the construction and manufacturing sectors. Approximately 16,800 people in the county were employed, a DOL spokesman for the region said.

Both construction and manufacturing were up over 100 jobs this past year, with Raymond Corp. in Greene, Agro Farma in Columbus and Unison Industries in Norwich leading the way.

But the number was offset by losses in the government sector, a trend that is expected to continue in 2011.