Illinois November unemployment rate slips slightly

[December 18, 2009]  CHICAGO -- The Illinois seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November is 10.9 percent, down 0.1 percent from October, according to figures released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. The three-month moving average increased 0.3 percent, to 10.8 percent. Slight increases and decreases in the unemployment rate are to be expected in a national recession.

"Today's preliminary report reflects the slight-up-and-down movement common in a national recession and should not be used to predict the future," said Maureen O'Donnell, IDES director. "Past experience in Illinois suggests that signs of an economic recovery first will be felt elsewhere in the nation before significant job growth appears here at home."

Illinois non-farm payroll reported 6,300 fewer jobs in November than in October, the 22nd consecutive monthly loss. The pace of job loss has slowed in recent months. During the last three months, job loss in Illinois has averaged 6,167 each month, compared with an average monthly job loss of 25,075 during the first eight months of this year. Compared with October, employment continued to fall in three sectors: leisure and hospitality, down 4,900; construction, down 3,900; and trade and transportation, down 1,700. The manufacturing sector showed little change by dropping 200 positions. The educational and health services and professional and business services sectors gained employment. Education and health services added 6,000 positions, and professional and business services added 1,100.

(See tables below.)

Nationally, the November unemployment rate declined 0.2 percent to reach 10.0 percent. The three-month moving average increased 0.1 percent to 10.0 percent. Nationally, non-farm payroll employment decreased 11,000. It is the 23rd consecutive month to report a loss. Total national job loss since the onset of the recession in December 2007 is 7.2 million. In Illinois, it is 360,800. National and state unemployment rates reflect 1983 levels.

The unemployment rate is not the same measurement as those collecting unemployment benefits. The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment, regardless if they are eligible for unemployment insurance. Workers collecting benefits are counted separately. Therefore, a person who exhausts or is ineligible for unemployment insurance would still be reflected in the unemployment rate if they are seeking employment.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security administers federally funded employment services and unemployment insurance through its nearly 60 offices, including the Illinois workNet Centers. IDES also receives federal grants to provide and analyze labor market statistics and information.

[Text from Illinois Department of Employment Security file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]

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Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

	November 2009	October 2009	November 2008
Illinois	10.9%	11.0%	6.9%*
U.S.	10.0%	10.2%	6.8%
*  Revised

Illinois Seasonally Adjusted Non-Farm Jobs – by Major Industry

Industry Title	November* 2009	October** 2009	November** 2008	Over the Month Change	Over the Year Change
Total Non-Farm	5,630,400	5,636,700	5,880,800	-6,300	-250,400
Mining	10,500	10,400	10,200	100	300
Construction	217,900	221,800	249,100	-3,900	-31,200
Manufacturing	574,500	574,700	647,800	-200	-73,300
Trade, Transportation, & Utilities	1,137,000	1,138,800	1,187,200	-1,800	-50,200
Information	105,700	106,400	113,900	-700	-8,200
Financial Activities	368,200	368,900	388,200	-700	-20,000
Professional and Business Services	790,900	789,800	840,700	1,100	-49,800
Educational and Health Services	802,800	796,800	803,800	6,000	-1,000
Leisure and Hospitality	511,300	516,200	521,400	-4,900	-10,100
Other Services	255,900	257,600	263,000	-1,700	-7,100
Government	855,700	855,300	855,500	400	200
	*Preliminary      **Revised

Notes:

• Seasonally adjusted employment data for subsectors within industries are not available.

• "Other Services" includes a wide range of activities in three broad categories:  Personal and laundry; repair and maintenance; and religious, grant making, civic and professional organizations. For a list of all activities under Other Services and all other industry sectors, go to http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/naico602.htm.

• For not-seasonally-adjusted jobs data showing greater industry detail, go to http://lmi.ides.state.il.us/cesfiles/cescurrent.htm.

• Monthly seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for Illinois and the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet Metropolitan Division are available at:  http://lmi.ides.state.il.us/laus/icmaur.htm.

• Illinois monthly labor force, unemployed and unemployment rates for years 2004-2008 have been revised as required by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In February of each year, monthly labor force data for all states are revised to reflect updated Census population controls, seasonal factors and state supplied non-farm jobs and UI claims inputs. The revised monthly data are also smoothed to eliminate large changes as a result of volatility in the monthly household (CPS) survey. Comments and tables distributed for prior monthly Illinois unemployment rate news releases should be discarded. Any records and other historical analysis previously cited for Illinois labor force, number of unemployed and unemployment rates may no longer be valid under the revised monthly time series.

[Text from Illinois Department of Employment Security file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]