Unemployment in Illinois jumps to 5 percent

Posted on September 15, 2017
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Illinois trails the national jobless rate average of 4.4 percent. (Photo courtesy Facebook/Illinois Department of Employment Security)

By RFD Radio

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois employment security officials report the jobless rate has hit the five-percent mark.

Unemployment inched up by two-tenths of a percentage point to five percent in August.

“The Illinois economy is stuck in neutral with hardly any growth over the past several months,” Illinois Department of Employment Security Director Jeff Mays said.

The biggest employment gains made during the month were in trade, transportation and utilities, education and health services and construction. Leisuire and hospitality saw the biggest job losses ahead of professional and business services and manufacturing.

The Illinois unemployment rate compares to a national mark of 4.4 percent. Unemployment is still down from a year ago, when the rate was 5.8 percent.

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