Unemployment rate in Illinois stays at 8.8 percent in Oct.
BY FRANCINE KNOWLES Business Reporter fknowles@suntimes.com November 16, 2012 12:13PM
Updated: November 16, 2012 12:56PM
The unemployment rate in Illinois remained at 8.8 percent in October for the second straight month and was down from 10 percent in October 2011, the Illinois Department of Employment Security said Thursday.
But the state added fewer jobs last month, 4,800, down from 13,800 added in September from August, the agency said.
Year-over-year, however, the state added 37,800 jobs.
“Job growth and an unemployment rate significantly lower than one year ago shows steady economic progress,” IDES Director Jay Rowell said in a statement.
As has typically been the case, the state’s jobless rate was above the national rate of 7.9 percent.
The biggest job gains since September in Illinois were in leisure and hospitality, up 2,700; educational and health services, up 2,600; and construction, up 1,000.
Declines since September occurred in professional and business services, down, 1,000; trade, transportation and utilities, down 700; and other services down 100.
Year-over-year, the biggest gains were in manufacturing, up 21,200; professional and business services, up 19,700; leisure and hospitality, up 17,600.
The biggest job losses were in other services, down 7,800; trade, transportation and utilities, down 7,500; and government, down 6,200.
