The November unemployment rate in Illinois remained stable at 5.3% but was higher than the national average. Nonfarm jobs also fell by -3,400 over the month, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) said in a Thursday, Dec. 19, news release.
Those and other numbers released by IDES are based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Illinois’ November unemployment rate also was +1.1 percentage points higher than the national unemployment rate reported for the month. The national rate was 4.2% in November, up +0.1 percentage point from the previous month.
In Illinois, the October monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from -2,400 to +8,400. Meanwhile, the revised unemployment rate was 5.3%, unchanged from the preliminary October unemployment rate.
The November payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.
The industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job losses in November included: Construction -2,700, Professional and Business Services -2,400, Manufacturing -1,400, and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities -1,400. The industry sectors with the largest monthly payroll job increases included: Leisure and Hospitality +2,000, Other Services +1,100, and Private Education and Health Services +1,000.
State invests in workforce
“Illinois remains committed and focused on investing in continued workforce development, job expansion, and engaging both jobseekers and employers,” Illinois Deputy Gov. Andy Manar said in the IDES release. “As workers and employers remain active in the labor market, IDES and its partners continue to serve as a tool in the workforce ecosystem to bridge the two together and provide critical assistance.”
Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity Director Kristin Richards added “DCEO is committed to ensuring Illinois remains an epicenter for employment and economic opportunity. Together with our workforce partners at IDES and other state and local agencies, we are working to support a variety of sectors that create good-paying jobs for Illinoisans.”
The Illinois unemployment rate was up +0.6 percentage point from a year ago when it was 4.7%. Compared to a year ago, total nonfarm payroll jobs increased by +42,600 jobs.
The industry groups with the largest job increases included: Government (+27,100), Private Education and Health Services (+25,100), and Other Services (+10,900).
The industry groups with the largest job decreases included: Professional and Business Services (-12,400), Financial Activities (-7,400), and Manufacturing (-6,100). In November, total nonfarm payrolls were up +0.7% over-the-year in Illinois and up +1.4% in the nation.
The number of unemployed workers was 346,400. That was unchanged from the prior month and up +13.1% over the same month one year ago. The labor force was up +0.1% over-the-month and up +1.2% over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment.
Tools that can help
An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work, IDES said. The agency helps connect jobseekers to employers who are hiring. That includes hosting and co-hosting job fairs and hiring events with statewide workforce partners. IDES also maintains the Illinois JobLink (IJL). It’s the state’s largest job-search engine.
IJL is a tool used by jobseekers to look for work. Employers use it to post open and available positions for hire and browse resumes. Recently, IJL showed 64,412 posted resumes with 73,689 jobs available.
Access resources available at Job Fairs, IllinoisJobLink.com, and WorkShare IL, Labor Market Information, and the Unemployment Insurance Program. To see the full range of services provided by IDES, and for the latest news concerning the department, visit IDES.Illinois.gov.
