Illinois marks 10th month of job gains, but still missing 1-in-5 jobs

By Bryce Hill

05/12/2022

Illinois is steadily adding jobs lost during the COVID-19 economic downturn, but despite 10 months of gains the state recovery lags the nation. Some metropolitan areas are far behind where they were.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, jobs, unemployment

Union power vote, population loss threaten Illinois’ labor market recovery

By Bryce Hill

04/28/2022

Key indicators show Illinois’ labor market could begin adding jobs faster than the national economy if population decline and Amendment 1 don’t derail the state’s trajectory.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

Illinois adds 18,300 jobs in March, still missing 154,500 from pandemic

By Bryce Hill

04/15/2022

Illinois’ employment recovery continued in March, but the state is still missing one in five jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic downturn and state restrictions.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

Champaign-Urbana loses 5,300 jobs in February as most Illinois metros gain

By Bryce Hill

04/01/2022

Illinois posted job growth of 19,600 in February, with bigger payrolls in 10 of 14 Illinois-based metropolitan areas.

TAGS: Champaign, economic recovery, Illinois, jobs, unemployment, Urbana

Illinois’ leisure, hospitality industry suffering 3rd-worst recovery in U.S.

By Bryce Hill

03/30/2022

Illinois is still missing 77,000 jobs from its restaurants, bars, hotels and other leisure industries since COVID-19 shutdowns. That Illinois jobs sector has recovered only 72% of what it lost in the pandemic – one of the nation’s worst recoveries.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

Illinois adds 19,600 jobs in February, still missing 178,300 jobs from pandemic

By Bryce Hill

03/29/2022

Illinois’ employment recovery continued in February, but the state is still missing 21% of the jobs it lost in early 2020

TAGS: economic recovery, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

Only 1 Illinois metro area fully recovered its pandemic-related job losses

By Bryce Hill

03/24/2022

Bloomington is the only metro area to recover jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic and statewide mandated shutdowns. Illinois is still missing 200,100 jobs as of January 2020.

TAGS: Bloomington, COVID-19, economic recovery, jobs, unemployment

Hispanic Illinoisans only group to fully recover from COVID-19 job losses

By Ann Miller

03/22/2022

Although Hispanics were one of the groups hardest hit by pandemic-related job losses, 85,000 more Hispanic Illinoisans were employed in December 2021 compared to December 2019. Hispanic women are driving their recovery.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

Illinois adds 8,600 jobs in January, but still missing 200,100 from pandemic

By Bryce Hill

03/18/2022

Illinois’ employment recovery continued in January, but the state remains far from a full recovery and still lags the nation.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, jobs, unemployment

Illinois missing nearly twice as many jobs as U.S.

By Bryce Hill

03/14/2022

Revisions show Illinois added 17,400 more jobs in 2021 than previously thought, but the state’s recovery still significantly lags the U.S. recovery rate.

TAGS: COVID-19, Illinois, jobs, unemployment