Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) has reported a slight decline in nonfarm payrolls for November, with a decrease of 3,400 jobs. The state's unemployment rate remained steady at 5.3 percent, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Revisions to October's figures showed an increase in payrolls from an initial estimate of -2,400 to +8,400 jobs. The unemployment rate for October was confirmed at 5.3 percent.

Several industry sectors experienced job losses over the month. Construction saw a reduction of 2,700 positions, Professional and Business Services lost 2,400 jobs, while Manufacturing and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities each decreased by 1,400 jobs. Conversely, Leisure and Hospitality added 2,000 jobs; Other Services increased by 1,100; and Private Education and Health Services gained 1,000 positions.

Deputy Governor Andy Manar emphasized the state's commitment to workforce development: “Illinois remains committed and focused on investing in continued workforce development, job expansion, and engaging both jobseekers and employers.” DCEO Director Kristin Richards echoed this sentiment: “DCEO is committed to ensuring Illinois remains an epicenter for employment and economic opportunity.”

In comparison to national figures for November where the unemployment rate was reported at 4.2 percent—a slight increase from the previous month—Illinois' rate stood higher by +1.1 percentage points.

Over the past year, Illinois has seen an increase of 42,600 nonfarm payroll jobs. Significant growth occurred in Government (+27,100), Private Education and Health Services (+25,100), and Other Services (+10,900). However, declines were noted in Professional and Business Services (-12,400), Financial Activities (-7,400), and Manufacturing (-6,100).

The number of unemployed individuals in Illinois remained unchanged from October at 346,400 but marked a rise of +13.1 percent compared to last year.

IDES continues its efforts to connect jobseekers with potential employers through various initiatives such as job fairs and hiring events alongside maintaining Illinois JobLink (IJL), which recently listed over 64 thousand resumes against nearly 74 thousand available positions.