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Statewide Unemployment Rate Reaches Lowest Point Since Pandemic’s Start, Payroll Jobs Up in June

Announcement – Thursday, July 21, 2022

Contact: Rebecca Cisco | 217.524.1219
PDF version

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate fell -0.1 percentage point to 4.5 percent, the lowest the rate has been since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, and nonfarm payrolls increased by +18,800 in June, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The May monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +12,800 to +13,400 jobs. The May unemployment rate was unchanged from the preliminary report, remaining at 4.6 percent.  The June payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th. 

In June, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month gains in employment included: Leisure and Hospitality (+9,900), Professional and Business Services (+3,100), Construction (+2,000) and Educational and Health Services (+2,000). The industry sectors that reported monthly payroll declines included: Financial Activities (-1,700) and Other Services (-800). 

“With the statewide unemployment rate at its lowest since the onset of the pandemic, the data released today is a further reflection of continued economic recovery and evidence of a strengthening Illinois labor market,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “As continued claims volumes reach record lows, the Pritzker Administration and IDES, working with local partners, are committed to providing employment and training resources to ensure a competitive labor force while assisting employers in finding versatile workers.”

“Illinois has made tremendous strides in the labor market, adding nearly 250,000 jobs over the past year and reaching the lowest unemployment rate since the onset of the pandemic,” said DCEO Director Sylvia I. Garcia. “Illinois remains laser-focused on supporting the state’s positive gains by expanding workforce training opportunities, attracting job creators and making resources available for priority industries, such as tourism and hospitality and small businesses.”

The state’s unemployment rate was +0.9 percentage point higher than the national unemployment rate reported for June, which was 3.6 percent, unchanged from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was down -2.0 percentage points from a year ago when it was at 6.5 percent. 

Compared to a year ago, nonfarm payroll employment increased by +245,700 jobs, with gains across nearly all major industries. The industry groups with the largest jobs increases include: Leisure and Hospitality (+79,900), Professional and Business Services (+51,100), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+40,900). The Mining sector (-100) was the only industry sector that reported an over-the-year decline in payroll employment.  In June, total nonfarm payrolls were up +4.2 percent over-the-year in Illinois and up +4.3 percent in the nation. 

The number of unemployed workers was down from the prior month, a -2.3 percent decrease to 290,600 and was down -28.8 percent over the same month one year ago.  The labor force was almost unchanged (0.0 percent) over-the-month and up +2.2 percent over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work. 

In partnership with IDES and DCEO, Governor Pritzker launched Get Hired Illinois, a one-stop-shop website to help connect job seekers with hiring employers in real time. The site features virtual job fairs, no-cost virtual training, and includes IllinoisJobLink.com (IJL), the state’s largest job search engine, which recently showed 46,350 posted resumes with 164,137 available jobs.

Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates - see PDF-

Illinois Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Jobs – by Major Industry -see PDF-

  • Monthly 2017-2021 seasonally adjusted labor force data for Illinois, and all other states, have been revised as required by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  The monthly historical revisions to state labor force estimates reflect new national benchmark controls, state working-age population controls, outlier specifications, seasonal factors, as well as updated total nonfarm jobs and unemployment benefits claims inputs.  Illinois labor force data were also smoothed to eliminate large monthly changes as a result of volatility in the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS) and national benchmarking. For these reasons, the comments and tables citing unemployment rates in previous news releases/materials may no longer be valid.

  • Monthly seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for Illinois and the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division are available here.

  • Monthly 2017-2021 seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment data for Illinois have been revised. To control for potential survey error, the estimates are benchmarked annually to universal counts derived primarily from unemployment insurance tax reports.

  • Not seasonally adjusted jobs data with industry detail are available here. “Other Services” include activities in three broad categories: personal and laundry; repair and maintenance; and religious, grant making, civic and professional organizations.  Seasonally adjusted data for subsectors within industries are not available.

About the Department of Employment Security

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) provides vital employment services to Illinois workers, employers, and job seekers with resources including Job Fairs and IllinoisJobLink.com, analyzes and disseminates actionable Labor Market Information, and administers the Unemployment Insurance Program.  To see the full range of services provided by IDES, and for the latest news concerning the department, visit IDES.Illinois.gov.