SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced today that the unemployment rate held steady at around 4 percent in June and nonfarm payrolls increased by over 18,000 jobs over-the-month, based on data by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. LaSalle, Putnam and Grundy County still had the highest area unemployment at over 5%, however, Lee, DeKalb, Bureau and Livingston all were under 4.5%. Job growth accelerated in the April to June period posting average monthly gains of +9,500 jobs over this three-month period, more than the 6-month average monthly gain of +7,500 jobs between January and June 2018.
“This positive trend of 12-year lows and new job growth is encouraging,” said Illinois Department of Commerce Director Sean McCarthy. “Our commitment to the people of Illinois remains building a competitive economy that attracts opportunity and allows our hard-working citizens to thrive.”
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