Voices
Illinois jobs picture brightens; unemployment down in June
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- Published on Thursday, 17 July 2014 19:23
- Written by Paul Gordon
The Illinois unemployment rate fell in June for the fourth consecutive month to 7.1 percent, its lowest in nearly six years, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
Aided by the creation of approximately 6,000 jobs in June, the rate has dropped a combined 1.3 points in April, May and June, the largest three-month drop since that type of data started being measured in 1976, the IDES said.
The last time the rate was lower than the June rate was October 2008 when it was 7.0 percent.
“Today’s numbers remind us that as our economy improves, more still needs to be done,” said IDES Director Jay Rowell. “We need to continue to create job-training opportunities for the unemployed and underemployed so they can share in our growing economy.”
The significant drop in the unemployment rate so far this year reflects Illinois’ historical role of following the nation into and out of economic cycles. This pattern generally is expected to continue until global demand lifts Illinois’ manufacturing sector, which in turn would help housing and the construction industry, the report said.
The unemployment rate also is in line with other economic indicators. First time jobless claims have been trending lower for the past four years and in June were 6 percent lower than one year earlier. First time claims in June also were at the lowest monthly level since 2007. Numbers from the independent Conference Board’s Help Wanted OnLine Survey show Illinois employers in June advertised for more than 212,800 jobs (203,500 seasonally adjusted) and 86 percent sought full-time work.
In June, the number of unemployed individuals fell by 30,600 (6.2 percent) to 461,700. Total unemployed has fallen 291,800 (38.7 percent) since the rate peaked at 11.4 percent.
The Illinois unemployment rate was 7.5 percent in May and was 9.2 percent in June 2013, the IDES said.
Nationally, the U.S. unemployment rate fell from 6.3 percent in Mary to 6.1 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national rate was 7.5 percent in June 2013.
The number of non-agricultural jobs grew by 6,000 during June and now are up more than 20,000 over the past year, the IDES said. Sectors leading that growth included construction, financial activities and professional and business services.
Industries who lost jobs in Illinois during June included manufacturing ̶ which is down 11,500 jobs over the past year ̶ and leisure and hospitality, the report said.
The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment. A person who exhausts benefits, or is ineligible, still will be reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work. Historically, the national unemployment rate is lower than the state rate. The state rate has been lower than the national rate only six times since January 2000. This includes periods of economic expansion and contraction.
On the tail of the positive unemployment report, Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday announced a program called “Employ Illinois,” described by his office as an expansion of the governor’s efforts to provide diverse residents with training for jobs in the construction industry.
“Offered through the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Illinois Tollway, Employ Illinois links job seekers with training and also increases the incentive paid to contractors from $10 to $15 an hour for each program graduate they put to work,” Quinn’s announcement said.
