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According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, the
unemployment rate increased 0.3 of a percentage point to 4.4%.
While nonfarm payrolls increased by 9,500 in September to a
record high and surpassing the pre-pandemic total, there were
2,600 jobs lost in professional and business services,
construction and mining.
Only Nevada, Washington D.C., New Jersey and California had
higher unemployment rates than Illinois during the month of
September. Illinois' rate of 4.4% lags the national average of
3.8%.
Chris Davis of the National Federation of Independent Business
said small businesses throughout the state still need to find
workers.
"Small businesses in September were still reporting extreme
difficulties in hiring with labor availability, and labor
quality is still their number one issue," Davis told The Center
Square. "Forty-three percent of owners reported job openings
that were hard to fill and that's still up from August."
A statement from IDES views the numbers as an improvement.
"The Illinois labor market continues to benefit from
significant, steady long-term job growth throughout the state,
motivating and mobilizing jobseekers eager to reconnect with the
workforce," Deputy Governor Andy Manar said. "IDES and its local
workforce partners are at the ready to provide workers and
employers with the services they need to find their next career
and fill open positions in this prime job market."
However, many small businesses have tried several tactics to
find workers but have yet to be successful, which Davis said
could be a sign of things to come.
"I don't know if there is a silver bullet to this issue, but the
fact that the unemployment rate in Illinois increased is not
surprising," Davis said. "What small businesses have been
telling us is that a recession is coming, and I think it is at
the door."
According to Davis, higher costs, increased rents, increased
input costs and supply chain issues have hindered the ability of
these businesses to raise wages to attract workers.
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