Rest of the nation sees 31 percent faster jobs growth vs. Illinois in 2018

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

08/17/2018

Illinois experienced its sixth consecutive month of jobs growth in July, yet continues to trail the pace of growth in the rest of the nation for 2018.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, income tax, jobs, manufacturing, progressive income tax, taxes, unemployment

Illinois jobs growth spikes in June, double the growth of the rest of the U.S.

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

07/20/2018

Illinois added 18,100 new jobs in June, the highest monthly increase since summer 2017, but the Prairie State still lags behind the rest of the nation for the post-recession period.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, credit rating, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, income tax, jobs, spending cap, taxes, unemployment

Illinois sees fourth straight month of jobs growth in May

By Bryce Hill

06/19/2018

Illinois’ jobs situation improved in May, but the state needs long-term solutions such as a spending cap to get on a path to fiscal health and assure investors more tax hikes are not on the horizon.

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

Illinois’ metro areas shed 3,600 jobs in March

By Bryce Hill

04/30/2018

Seven metro areas across the state lost jobs over the month.

TAGS: Bloomington, Champaign, decatur, Elgin, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs, labor force participation rate, peoria, quad cities, rockford, Springfield, unemployment

Illinois shed 2,100 jobs in March

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

04/20/2018

The state also saw a drop in the unemployment rate, but it wasn’t because people found jobs.

TAGS: IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs, labor force participation rate, unemployment

Illinois February jobs growth driven by surging local government payrolls

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

03/23/2018

While Illinois outperformed the nation in terms of monthly employment growth for the first time since September 2017, Illinois payrolls have only increased half as fast as the rest of the nation in the past year.

TAGS: IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs

Illinois sees stagnant jobs growth, declining labor force in January

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

03/13/2018

Despite healthy jobs growth nationally, Illinoisans are desperate for work.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, income tax, jobs, labor force participation rate, progressive income tax, spending cap

3 Illinois metros saw jobs loss, most saw labor force decline in 2017

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

01/26/2018

New state data shed a light on weak economic growth in metro areas across Illinois.

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

Decatur jobs loss in 2017 among the worst in Illinois

By Austin Berg

01/26/2018

Decatur is the fastest-shrinking city in the state since 2010, and saw some of the heaviest jobs losses among metro areas in 2017.

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

Illinois lost 1,100 jobs in November, continues to lag national economy

By Orphe Divounguy, Austin Berg

12/22/2017

The Land of Lincoln is experiencing weak employment growth and a workforce dropout problem.

TAGS: IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, labor force participation rate, unemployment