Number of Illinois unemployed tops 600,000 again in June

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, reported Thursday that Illinois’ unemployment rate rose to 9.2 percent in June from 9.1 percent in May. Illinois still has the nation’s second-highest unemployment rate, a ranking it has held since March. Only Nevada has a higher unemployment rate at 9.6 percent. BLS also reported Illinois’ nonfarm payrolls increased by...

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, reported Thursday that Illinois’ unemployment rate rose to 9.2 percent in June from 9.1 percent in May. Illinois still has the nation’s second-highest unemployment rate, a ranking it has held since March. Only Nevada has a higher unemployment rate at 9.6 percent.

BLS also reported Illinois’ nonfarm payrolls increased by 5,400 over the month.

However, the number of unemployed in Illinois increased to more than 600,000, after having fallen below that number in May.

But there are many other Illinoisans who have given up looking for employment because they don’t believe there are jobs available for them. Many others involuntarily work part time because their hours have been cut back.

That’s why the BLS tracks several unemployment figures, including the broadest measure of worker unemployment called U-6. The U-6 rate includes not just the unemployed, but also people working part time while seeking full-time work, as well as unemployed people who haven’t looked for work in the past four months but have sought employment in the past year. Illinois’ most recent U-6 unemployment rate is 16.1 percent, meaning more than 1 million Illinoisans are unemployed or underemployed.

A year-to-year comparison shows more Illinoisans are out of work. More than 11,000 additional Illinoisans were unemployed compared to June 2012. Illinois’ labor force also saw a decline of 17,000 over the same period.

When compared to the rest of the nation, Illinois’ employment situation looks even more discouraging. The state’s unemployment rate now stands 1.6 percentage points higher than the 7.6 percent national average.

If Illinois matched the current national unemployment rate, more than 100,000 additional Illinoisans would be employed today.

Illinois needs to change its irresponsible policies of more spending, more debt and higher taxes.

The best way to bring jobs back is to foster a pro-business environment. Illinois can do that by lowering itscorporate income tax rate to encourage business investment, reducing onerous and costly regulations that stifle entrepreneurship and passing labor reforms to make Illinois a more attractive businesses destination.

Enacting these polices would go a long way toward putting Illinoisans back to work.