The Empire State is not expected to recover all the jobs lost from the COVID pandemic until at least late 2026, according to a new analysis. The report by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, which cited a forecast by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office, expressed concern about New York’s slow jobs recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the rest of the country. “State employment growth is still forecasted to lag that of the nation,” DiNapoli’s analysis of Hochul’s executive budget plan said. “While the nation’s employment exceeds its pre-pandemic levels, New York has still not recovered all the jobs that were...