Illinois Unemployment Rate Holds Steady In November

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in November, unchanged from September and down half a percentage point from a year earlier, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while October data was unavailable because labor force information could not be collected during a 43 day federal government shutdown. Total nonfarm payrolls were nearly unchanged in November, falling by 9,700 jobs to 6,145,600, with monthly job losses led by transportation and utilities, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing, while construction and private education and health services posted gains. Compared with a year earlier, Illinois had 3,200 fewer nonfarm jobs, with declines in trade transportation and utilities, leisure and hospitality, and professional and business services, while private education and health services, construction, and information saw increases. The number of unemployed people totaled 288,600 in November, up slightly from September but down from a year ago, as the state labor force declined both over the month and over the year.