Illinois lawmakers miss chance to improve healthcare access by joining interstate compacts

By Riya Kapoor

06/24/2026

Licensed practical nurses and physician assistants remain held back by red tape, making it harder for them to work where they are needed.

TAGS: Nurse Licensure Compact

Illinois’ excessive job licensing keeps Chicagoans in poverty

By Joe Tabor

12/01/2023

Occupational licensing is more burdensome in Illinois than in neighboring states for many professions. Those barriers are unreasonably keeping poor Illinoisans and Chicagoans from finding work.

TAGS: occupational licensing

Illinois unemployment 4th worst in U.S., job growth slows in May

By Justin Carlson

06/16/2023

While government jobs outpaced the overall growth for the month, manufacturing and construction took the biggest losses as the unemployment rate remains among the worst in the nation.

How Illinois politicians allow government unions to rewrite state law

By Mailee Smith, Hannah Schmid

04/06/2023

No other state’s constitution or labor laws are like Illinois’ – broadly allowing government unions to override statutes simply by negotiating contrary provisions into collective bargaining agreements. Illinois may not be alone for long.

Outmigration caused Illinois’ population to decline again in 2022

By Bryce Hill

12/22/2022

New Census Bureau data shows people moving out of Illinois continues to drive the state’s population decline. So many moved away in the year before July 2022, it was almost like Rockford disappearing.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population

Illinois already has most extreme labor laws in U.S.

By Mailee Smith, Hannah Schmid

11/04/2022

Illinois law already allows some government union contracts to override state law. Amendment 1 would allow all government union contracts to do so.

TAGS: Amendment 1, labor, unions, workers rights amendment

Illinois to legalize internet gambling, executives predict

By Patrick Andriesen

09/27/2022

A new report predicts legalized internet gambling would generate $273.3 million a year in new revenue for Illinois. A safer bet for Illinois’ state workers would be constitutional pension reform.

TAGS: Chicago, gambling

Illinois job opening rate 4th-lowest in nation

By Bryce Hill

02/28/2022

Workers looking for a job find fewer opportunities in Illinois than in virtually any other state.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Illinois, jobs

Illinois Supreme Court denies Pritzker’s appeal of school mask mandate decisions, schools move to mask optional Feb. 28

By Amy Korte, Mailee Smith

02/25/2022

After the Illinois Supreme Court determined the state’s appeal of decisions regarding the governor’s school mask rules was moot, the governor declared schools can move to mask optional policies on Feb. 28.

TAGS: Illinois Supreme Court, JB Pritzker, mask mandate, public schools

Chicago, Cook County to lift mask mandates and vaccine requirement Feb. 28

By Patrick Andriesen

02/10/2022

Chicago and Cook County health officials announced plans to revoke pandemic masking and vaccination entry requirements by Feb. 28, the day Illinois’ statewide mask mandate will be lifted. Pritzker has warned Illinoisans to keep masks handy.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, COVID-19, mask mandate

Delaware

Illinois lawmakers miss chance to improve healthcare access by joining interstate compacts

Illinois’ excessive job licensing keeps Chicagoans in poverty

Illinois unemployment 4th worst in U.S., job growth slows in May

How Illinois politicians allow government unions to rewrite state law

Outmigration caused Illinois’ population to decline again in 2022

Illinois already has most extreme labor laws in U.S.

Illinois to legalize internet gambling, executives predict

Illinois job opening rate 4th-lowest in nation

Illinois Supreme Court denies Pritzker’s appeal of school mask mandate decisions, schools move to mask optional Feb. 28

Chicago, Cook County to lift mask mandates and vaccine requirement Feb. 28

Fighting poverty with employment: Chicago block clubs

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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