Unemployment Inches Up to 11.4 Percent in Illinois

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by Lesley R. Chinn

The U.S. Labor Department just added 162,000 jobs in March but the national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 9.7 percent.

These numbers come right before the Illinois Department of Employment Security is scheduled to release its unemployment figures for March on April 15.

Illinois current unemployment rate from February stands at 11.4 percent, which is higher than the national average. The rate clearly reflects the national breath of the national recession, which has put a stubborn hold on unemployment, said IDES spokesman Greg Rivara.

The percentage was a slight increase from Januarys rate at 11.2 percent. However, Rivara said the monthly increases in Illinois appear to be slowing down. The slowing job loss is potentially a positive, but we need a few more months of data to [assess] where Illinois is in recovery, Rivara said.

Currently as of February 2010, the IDES reported that 758,100 unemployed people in Illinois. Data provided by the IDES showed that the state had a total of more than 5.6 million non-farm jobs, which was down from 192,200 from the same month a year ago. Nearly every sector experienced a hit, except for educational and health services, which showed a gain of 14,900 jobs from last year. Manufacturing jobs were down 55,300; professional and business services were down 36,300 and construction jobs were down 35,400 since February 2009. Since the recession began in December 2007, the nation has lost 8.4 million jobs. At that time, Illinois has lost 403,600 jobs.

Meanwhile, IDES data showed that Lake County had an unemployment rate of 13.4 percent in January; followed by Cook County with an unemployment rate of 11.7 percent in January; Kane County and Will County tied at 12.3 percent; and DuPage with an unemployment rate of 9.3 percent.

The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment, regardless if they are eligible for unemployment insurance. If an individual has not taken the steps to improve their skills since 2007 they are going to be ill-prepared to re-enter the workforce in 2010, Rivera contends.

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