July 17--The Illinois jobs report was a mixed picture in June, as the unemployment rate fell below 6 percent for the first time in more than seven years but the state lost 7,500 jobs, according to the state Department of Employment Security.
The department reported that Illinois' unemployment rate dropped to 5.9 percent, from 6 percent, in June, according to preliminary figures. It had not been that low since April 2008.
The state has been recovering from the recession and financial crisis for more than five years, but the number of people employed has not hit the pre-recession peak of 6.34 million.
In addition, the state's labor force, which includes people seeking work, continues to shrink. The state said 33,600 people have left the labor force since January.
"The drop in the number of unemployed Illinois residents since the beginning of this year is not entirely attributable to people finding jobs, rather to people leaving Illinois' workforce altogether," IDES Director Jeff Mays said in a statement. "This factor must be considered when highlighting lower unemployment numbers."
The state's unemployment rate remains higher than the national rate of 5.3 percent for June, in part because the state's job growth has lagged the national recovery.
The industries with the largest employment declines from May to June were construction (-4,700), other services (-3,200), and leisure and hospitality (-3,100).
The biggest gainers were trade, transportation and utilities (+4,500), financial activities (+2,200), and education and health services (+1,000).
The state also said that employment growth in May was smaller than first reported, up 7,400 jobs instead of 9,200.
asachdev@tribpub.com
