Illinois’ jobs malaise continues. The latest release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the state’s unemployment rate increased to 4.7 percent in November, up from 4.6 percent the month before.
Illinois’ unemployment-rate ranking fell to 2nd-highest in the nation. Nevada experienced a 0.3 percentage point jump in its unemployment rate, to 4.9 percent, overtaking Illinois’ nation-worst position in October.
Illinois’ unemployment rate rose in November because the number of employed workers dropped by 17,800 in November. More than 5,200 of them joined the unemployment rolls, while the other 12,600 dropped out of the work force altogether.
More unemployed workers within a shrinking labor force means a higher unemployment rate. Illinois reported 303,309 unemployed workers in November and a slightly diminished labor force of 6.42 million.
All of Illinois’ neighboring states have far better job climates. Their unemployment numbers are significantly below those in Illinois, most notably in Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri, where unemployment rates are 1 to 2 percentage points lower.
The difference between Illinois and Missouri is particularly stark. If Illinois had Missouri’s 2.7 percent unemployment rate, 130,000 additional Illinoisans would be back at work – equivalent to the entire population of Springfield and then some.
The analysis presented above stands in stark contrast to the rosy picture being presented by the Illinois Department of Employment Security and parroted by most of Illinois’ mainstream media without question.
Wirepoints will take on those false narratives in an upcoming piece.
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