Illinois was among the nation’s worst for delays in helping gig workers and the self-employed receive pandemic assistance unemployment payments, a federal audit found. Rampant fraud and inadequate reporting was also discovered nationwide.

Illinois lost 12,000 jobs in September and is home to the highest unemployment rate in the Midwest. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “fair tax” proposal would worsen the state’s jobs climate even more.

Initial unemployment claims in Illinois increased by more than 9,800 last week, the worst spike in the country.

Illinois is the largest state without a short-time compensation plan, increasing the chances nearly 32,000 job losses will be permanent.