Illinoisans 51% more likely to be laid off, 21% less likely to be hired than U.S. average

By Bryce Hill

09/17/2020

While Illinois claws back jobs from the COVID-19 associated downturn, in-depth analysis shows why the state is struggling more than most other states’ economies.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, jobs, recession, unemployment

Monthly jobs report fails to show depth of Illinois job losses

By Bryce Hill

08/20/2020

IDES estimated unemployment rate remains artificially low because it fails to count nearly 238,000 Illinoisans who have given up trying to find a job.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs

Illinois’ economy likely shrank by $86 billion during Q2, national data suggests

By Bryce Hill

08/06/2020

Data published last week by the Bureau of Economic Analysis revealed that U.S. gross domestic product shrank at an annualized rate of -32.9% during the second quarter.

TAGS: COVID-19, executive order, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, jobs, recession

Illinois moms take brunt of COVID-19 unemployment

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

07/30/2020

COVID-19 and associated government lockdowns disproportionately harmed women with children at home.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, JB Pritzker, jobs, unemployment

Illinois workers remain idle despite national rebound

By Bryce Hill

07/28/2020

The state and most of its urban areas are failing to get residents back to work at rates matching the national average.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, jobs, unemployment

Illinois worst among Midwest, neighbor states for unemployed staying idle

By Bryce Hill

07/20/2020

Continued unemployment claims in Illinois remain virtually unchanged since mid-April. Other states are getting back to work.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs

Illinois still logs nearly 38,000 unemployment claims as Pritzker replaces employment chief

By Ben Szalinski

07/16/2020

The Illinois Department of Employment Security has been under fire throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as millions waited for unemployment relief.

TAGS: IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, jobs

Who in Illinois received PPP loans?

By Brad Weisenstein

07/08/2020

27,412 loans for at least $150K were made in Illinois through the Payroll Protection Program. See who got what.

TAGS: coronavirus, corruption, COVID-19, jobs, PPP: Paycheck Protection Program

Blame Illinois exodus on jobs, housing, tax policy

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

06/25/2020

Census data shows who is fleeing Illinoisans and why. Here’s why you should care.

TAGS: jobs, outmigration, population, tax burden

Illinois restaurants, bars take brunt of job losses amid harsh lockdown

By Bryce Hill

06/25/2020

Unemployment claims remain five times higher than normal, but the nation’s second-harshest restaurant restrictions have hit that job sector hardest.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs

Pension apocalypse? COVID-19 exposes long-running fragility of Illinois public pensions

Illinois’ pension crisis has been a growing problem for decades, and its negative effects on state residents are well documented.1 Economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and related government shutdown orders threaten to bring that long-running crisis closer to its breaking point. The state’s five pension systems collectively held nearly $139 billion of debt at...

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Pension apocalypse? COVID-19 exposes long-running fragility of Illinois public pensions

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Joanne Troesch

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students