1,190 Illinois jobs shed in July, with Deere leading for 2nd month

By Patrick Andriesen, Jon Josko

09/04/2024

The Quad Cities will experience a combined 319 job cuts after John Deere announced layoffs at both its World Headquarters in Moline and Harvester Works factory in East Moline. Romeoville saw more than 1-in-4 of the mass layoffs statewide.

TAGS: jobs

Unemployment rates remain high across Illinois metro areas

By Ravi Mishra, Jon Josko

08/29/2024

Despite Illinois’ job market outpacing the national average, all 15 metro areas continue to have higher unemployment rates than the national average.

TAGS: jobs, unemployment

Illinoisans face 1,026 job cuts in June, with 27% at John Deere

By Patrick Andriesen, Jon Josko

08/02/2024

Illinoisans faced 1,026 mass layoffs in June 2024, with manufacturing and transportation sectors hit hardest. John Deere in East Moline accounted for about 1-in-4 of the layoffs announced statewide.

TAGS: jobs, unemployment

Unemployment tops U.S. average in all but 2 Illinois areas during June

By Ravi Mishra, Jon Josko

07/30/2024

Despite some growth, high unemployment remains a persistent issue in Illinois with 13 of 15 metropolitan areas showing higher rates of unemployment than the national average.

TAGS: jobs

New John Deere layoffs follow Illinois losing 1,124 jobs in May

By Patrick Andriesen, Jon Josko

07/02/2024

Declining demand has John Deere planning 600 layoffs, including 280 in Illinois, by the end of August. Illinois already had companies planning to cut 1,124 jobs in May, hitting janitorial services providers, collection agencies and packaging industries.

TAGS: jobs

Oppressive regulations leave thousands of jobs unfilled

By Larry Han

06/17/2024

The jobs are there. The people to fill them are there. The only thing standing in the way is Illinois’ overreaching state regulations and job licensing.

TAGS: jobs, unemployment

Workers penalized just for living in Illinois

By Kurtis Karg, Dylan Sharkey

05/31/2024

Illinois workers are at a disadvantage compared to people in other states with the same job. Illinois’ 4.8% unemployment rate is third-highest in the nation.

TAGS: jobs

Chicago lags as 8 of 13 Illinois metro areas add jobs in April

By Ravi Mishra, Jon Josko

05/23/2024

Illinois grew jobs in eight of its 13 metropolitan areas during April, but the Chicago area’s sluggish growth and a stubbornly high unemployment rate tempered any gains.

TAGS: jobs, metro areas, unemployment

6 Illinois metro areas await pandemic recovery, just 6 add jobs in January

By Patrick Andriesen, Jon Josko

03/11/2024

Six of the 13 Illinois metro areas still reported fewer jobs than prior to the pandemic. Six metros added jobs from December 2023 to January 2024, led by the Champaign-Urbana area.

TAGS: jobs, unemployment

Fed: Illinois unemployment rate 2nd-highest in nation

By Justin Carlson

12/23/2022

Analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia indicates Illinois lost jobs during Q2 rather than gaining, as previously reported. It may still be losing jobs. Illinois ranked No. 2 for highest unemployment in November.

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

Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

Illinois finds itself at a crossroads: will it empower minorities and poor people to unleash their potential, or will it perpetuate an inequitable status quo? For far too many Illinoisans, opportunity is unfairly and unnecessarily out of reach. Illinois ranks in the bottom ten among all states in social mobility and last among Midwest states...

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Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

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Sam Goldman

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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