Jobless Numbers in Illinois Unchanged

The Illinois Department of Employment Security said nonfarm payrolls were down 2,400 over the month. Average payroll employment growth in Illinois during the March-to-May three-month period, was up 3,300 jobs, with the largest gains in Leisure and Hospitality (1,800), Education and Health Services (1,300) and Construction (1,200).

The state's unemployment rate was 0.8% higher than the national unemployment rate reported for May, which remained at 3.6%. The stat jobless rate in May was up 0.1% from a year ago, when it was 4.3%. 

The number of unemployed workers decreased from the prior month, but was up from the same month in 2018.