A new report released Monday by City Comptroller Bill Thompson predicts about 400,000 New Yorkers will be out of work by next year.

It’s the largest number in more than 15 years.

Thompson says by 2010 the unemployment rate will likely be 9.5 percent. He also says African Americans will be among the groups hardest hit, having already seen the unemployment rate grow four times faster than other ethnic groups.

“It clearly is a disaster, particularly in the African American community,” Thompson said. “What it also means is we need to create focus in this city and understand what’s going on around us. Some of the job training programs that are disjoined and not tied together, they need to tie together.”

In response to the report’s findings, Reverend Al Sharpton says he is particularly disturbed by the unemployment rate among African Americans.

During a press conference outside City Hall Monday, he urged Mayor Michael Bloomberg to step up and fix the problem.

“The report by the Comptroller’s Office about how blacks or African Americans have lost jobs at 14.7 percent higher rate than whites in the city is indicative of the racial imbalance in the economic downcurve that is happening all over the country,” Sharpton said.

To view Thompson’s complete study, visit comptroller.nyc.gov.

Source: NY1