More than 50 municipalities have opted out of Cook County’s minimum wage hike, sick days mandate

By Amy Korte

06/26/2017

Municipal leaders have expressed concerns about the anti-competitive, job-killing effects of Cook County’s minimum wage increases and new sick leave law and are using home rule authority to exempt their communities from the requirements.

TAGS: Cook County, jobs, minimum wage, unemployment

Cook County black population falls by 12,000 from 2015-2016

By Michael Lucci

06/24/2017

Cook County has lost nearly 50,000 black residents since the 2010 census, and the rate is accelerating.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, employment, outmigration, population, prevailing wage, unemployment, workers compensation

Cook County population declines by 2,000 over 5 years, out-migration doubles

By Kevin Angell

06/24/2017

Cook County’s population has dropped by 2,030 since 2011, driven by the out-migration of over 230,000 residents, on net.

TAGS: Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kendall County, Lake County, McHenry County, outmigration, population, Will County

Forget the unemployment rate, Illinois is in a depression

By Michael Lucci

06/21/2017

Illinois is tied for the worst income growth in the entire U.S.

TAGS: GDP, housing, jobs, personal income, unemployment

BLS data show Illinois would have 250,000 more people working if it kept up with surrounding states

By Michael Lucci

06/21/2017

Illinois has been lagging behind the rest of the region over the last decade, and will continue to do so if the state doesn’t enact necessary economic reforms.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs, unemployment

Amazon may employ 8,000 people in Illinois by end of 2018

By Brendan Bakala

06/16/2017

The Romeoville fulfillment center is one of several Illinois facilities Amazon has opened or plans to open in the coming years. For some of those locations, Amazon has signed deals with the state of Illinois worth tens of millions in potential tax credits.

TAGS: Amazon, jobs, tax credits

Illinois lawmakers pass legislation to create state-based workers’ compensation insurance company

By Madelyn Harwood

06/16/2017

House Bill 2622 would create a state-run workers’ compensation insurance company using a $10M loan from the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission Operations Fund.

TAGS: Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission Operations Fund, workers compensation

Workforce dropout causes Illinois unemployment to fall slightly

By Michael Lucci

06/15/2017

A new report from the Illinois Department of Employment Security shows Illinois had a modest net gain of 2,400 jobs in May, but still has fewer jobs today than before the Great Recession began.

TAGS: IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs, unemployment

Illinois companies announce more than 2,100 mass layoffs in May

By Brendan Bakala

06/15/2017

1,120 of the jobs lost were in manufacturing and food processing.

TAGS: Aurora, jobs, manufacturing

Where have all the new homes gone?

By Austin Berg

06/15/2017

Compared with Illinois’ pre-recession average, permits for new single-family and multiunit housing are down more than 60 percent.

TAGS: construction, housing, local government, prevailing wage, property taxes, workers compensation