Illinois Loses Jobs While Unemployment Is Flat

The state of Illinois had the second-largest decrease in employment in the nation last month. The U.S. Labor Department reports Illinois lost 17-thousand-800 jobs, second only to Ohio's 20-thousand-400.

Despite the job loss, the state's unemployment rate held steady at nine-point-five-percent in March. That's significantly higher than the national unemployment rate of seven-point-six-percent.