Illinois adds 9,000 Private Sector Jobs in June

CHICAGO – Illinois added 9,000 private sector jobs in June and the unemployment rate inched upward to 9.2 percent, according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Illinois added 57,700 private sector jobs compared to June 2012. The data is seasonally adjusted.

“Continued private sector job growth suggests business leaders expect that consumers will feel better about spending money and they must prepare for that increase in demand,” IDES Director Jay Rowell said. “The unemployment rate is not surprising given the volatility of that measurement and that the same summertime movement occurred in 2012 and 2011.”

Illinois has added +237,900 private sector jobs since January 2010 when job growth returned following nearly two years of consecutive monthly declines. Leading growth sectors are Professional and Business Services (+101,600); Education and Health Services (+60,400); and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+39,300). Government has lost the most jobs since January 2010, down -36,300.

Volatility has been the hallmark of this economic cycle. When compared to the previous month, Illinois recorded job growth in 30 months and job loss in 12. Unemployment fell in 24 months, increased in nine and was unchanged in nine. Sustained consumer confidence would reduce volatility.

The rate’s three-month moving average, which smoothes volatility, fell -0.1 to 9.2 percent in June. In June 2013, the number of unemployed increased slightly for the first time since March, up +1,600 (+0.3 percent) to 600,700. Total unemployed has fallen -151,500 ( 20.1 percent) since early 2010 when the state unemployment rate peaked at 11.3 percent for the months of January and February.

The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment. A person who exhausts benefits, or is ineligible, still will be reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work. Historically, the Illinois unemployment rate is higher than the national rate. Only six times since January 2000 has the state rate been lower than the national rate. This includes times of economic expansion and contraction. Generally, this trend holds for the country’s 10 largest industrial states.

Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Illinois Seasonally Adjusted Non-farm Jobs – by Major Industry

Notes:

• Illinois monthly labor force, unemployed and unemployment rates for years 2008-2012 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 sum-of-states controls, Census population controls, seasonal factors, non-farm jobs and unemployment insurance claims inputs. Data were also smoothed to eliminate large monthly changes as a result of volatility in the monthly household (CPS) survey. Comments and tables distributed in prior Illinois unemployment rate news release materials should be discarded because any analysis, including records, previously cited might no longer be valid.
• Seasonally adjusted employment data for subsectors within industries are not available.  For not seasonally adjusted jobs data with greater industry detail, go to http://www.ides.illinois.gov/Custom/Library/Statistic/CES/I_NSA_CES_Illinois_MSAs_Jobs_2000_to_Current.XLS .
• “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.
• Monthly seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for Illinois and the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet Metropolitan Division are available at: http://www.ides.illinois.gov/page.aspx?item=2509 .