Illinois’ Black unemployment rate No. 2 in U.S.

By Bryce Hill

05/22/2024

Black workers in Illinois face a tougher job market than peers nationally. Hispanic men, Asians face lower unemployment rates relative to peers in other states.

TAGS: unemployment

Illinois leaders who pushed pro-union amendment thwart their own staffers

By Dylan Sharkey

05/22/2024

Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch and Illinois Senate President Don Harmon are taking heat from staffers for killing legislation allowing the workers to unionize. Statehouse leaders are big on union rights, as long as it’s not in their offices.

Editorial: Illinois’ very slow COVID-19 recovery painted as a win by state leaders

By Hilary Gowins

05/20/2024

State leaders issued a report touting Illinois’ abandonment of representational government in favor of executive fiat during the pandemic as effective. They failed to take responsibility for job recovery lagging the nation by a year and seeing public schools suffer.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker

Illinois’ unemployment rate ties for 3rd-worst in the nation

By Jon Josko, Ravi Mishra

05/17/2024

Illinois’ unemployment rate for April was near the highest in the U.S. Its recovery lags the nation by nearly a full percentage point.

Illinois lawmakers plan to ban some food ingredients

By Dylan Sharkey

05/17/2024

The Illinois Senate approved legislation banning four food additives, sending it to the House. Manufacturers will need to sell an alternate recipe in Illinois if the bill becomes law.

Illinois lawmakers consider ‘Worker Freedom of Speech Act’ to restrict employers

By Dylan Sharkey

05/17/2024

A new bill in the Illinois General Assembly would ban employers from penalizing employees who do not show up to sponsored meetings. Employers could face $1,000 fines.

Did neighbors leave your town last year?

By Brad Weisenstein

05/16/2024

Illinois continued to lose population last year, with people leaving 75% of the communities in the state. But what about your town? Did it lose or gain, and by how much?

TAGS: outmigration, population

3 in 4 Illinois communities lost population in 2023

By Ravi Mishra

05/16/2024

Chicago lost the most, but communities across Illinois lost population in 2023. Three-fourths of the cities and towns lost people.

TAGS: outmigration, population

9 years of decline: Expect Chicago to be No. 4 behind Houston by 2035

By Bryce Hill

05/16/2024

Chicago lost 8,208 residents in 2023, the third-largest decline of any city in the nation. At this rate, the Second City will drop from No. 3 to No. 4 by 2035

TAGS: Chicago, population

Chicago Teachers Union in Springfield seeking more cash when they already get a lot

By Hannah Schmid

05/15/2024

Chicago Public Schools teachers traveled May 15 to Springfield for a “day of action” to ask for $1.1 billion in additional state funding. CPS already spends the second-most per student of Illinois’ 10 largest school districts.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Illinois

Illinois’ Black unemployment rate No. 2 in U.S.

Illinois leaders who pushed pro-union amendment thwart their own staffers

Editorial: Illinois’ very slow COVID-19 recovery painted as a win by state leaders

Illinois’ unemployment rate ties for 3rd-worst in the nation

Illinois lawmakers plan to ban some food ingredients

Illinois lawmakers consider ‘Worker Freedom of Speech Act’ to restrict employers

Did neighbors leave your town last year?

3 in 4 Illinois communities lost population in 2023

9 years of decline: Expect Chicago to be No. 4 behind Houston by 2035

Chicago Teachers Union in Springfield seeking more cash when they already get a lot

Pathway to a Profession: How Apprenticeships Could Reshape Illinois’ Beauty Service Industry

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