Illinois' Unemployment Rose in December

Illinois' unemployment rate rose in December, to 5.9%.

According to Illinois Department of Employment Security figures, Illinois' average job growth since the employment recovery began in January 2010 remains well below the national average, and employment will not recover from the 2007-2009 recession until September 2017. The nation is currently 3.5% above its prior peak level of employment.

The state's nonfarm payroll employment lost 16,300 jobs in December. IDES Director Jeff Mays said, "For the first time since 2009, Illinois ended a year with fewer jobs than when we started. Even as the nation gained more than 2.6 million jobs in 2015, Illinois lost 3,000."

The national jobless rate for December held at 5.0%.

"Even as people return to the labor force, Illinois continues to lose jobs at a staggering rate, and statewide unemployment continues to creep up," Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Jim Schultz said. "We must make fundamental changes to our state's business climate to promote growth and job creation if Illinois is going to become competitive and start sharing in the growth the rest of the country is enjoying."