Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) has reported a decrease in the state's unemployment rate to 5.2% for December, alongside an increase in nonfarm payrolls by 8,800 jobs. This data is based on preliminary figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and reflects economic activity during the week including December 12th.

Revisions were made to November's figures, with payrolls adjusted from a decline of 3,400 to a more significant drop of 5,400 jobs. The unemployment rate for November remained unchanged at 5.3%.

Several industry sectors saw job growth over the month, notably Financial Activities with an increase of 2,900 jobs, Private Education and Health Services up by 2,600 jobs, and Government adding 2,000 positions. Conversely, Professional and Business Services experienced a reduction of 2,100 jobs and Other Services decreased by 1,000 jobs.

Deputy Governor Andy Manar emphasized the commitment to workforce development: “IDES and its workforce development partners are committed to ensuring everyone has the tools and resources they need to find professional opportunities to participate in and benefit from the stability of the state’s economic activity.” Kristin Richards, Director of DCEO added: "Our commitment to strategically investing in the state's workforce is essential to ensuring all Illinoisans have access to good-paying jobs."

The state's unemployment rate remains higher than the national average by 1.1 percentage points; nationally it was recorded at 4.1% for December. Over the past year, Illinois' unemployment rate has increased by half a percentage point from last year's figure of 4.7%.

Year-on-year comparisons show total nonfarm payrolls in Illinois rose by 56,000 jobs. Significant increases were noted in Government (+32,100), Private Education and Health Services (+26,600), while Professional and Business Services saw a substantial decrease (-16,200).

The number of unemployed individuals stood at approximately 340,400 for December—a decrease from November but an increase compared to last year.

IDES continues its efforts connecting jobseekers with employers through various initiatives such as job fairs and hiring events across Illinois. The department also maintains Illinois JobLink (IJL), which currently lists over 75 thousand available positions.