By Kathy Bergen | The Illinois unemployment rate edged up to 11.5 percent in March, the
highest level since July 1983, the Illinois Department of Employment
Security reported today. The seasonally adjusted rate was one-tenth of a percentage point higher
than in February, and continued to outstrip the national rate, which
was 9.7 percent in March.
While the state’s rate worsened slightly, the department of employment security said there was reason for cautious optimism that the effects of the recession may be easing.
Illinois gained 3,000 jobs in March, the third consecutive month of job growth, the department said. Revised figures show a gain of 400 jobs in February and 23,300 in January.
“It is not surprising that Illinois simultaneously would experience job creation and slight increases in the unemployment rate,” said Maureen O’Donnell, the department director. “As jobs are created, people become more encouraged about their ability to find and job and therefore re-enter the workforce.”
The unemployment rate counts individuals who are out of work and seeking employment.
There were 765,000 unemployed Illinois residents in March.
Looks like obama will exceed the incompetence of jimmy carter. Maybe it’s time for another celebration at the white house. More and more taxpayers are leaving this welfare
state, I hope you people enjoy the change!
higher taxes and higher unemployment, a weaker nation on it’s way to bancruptcy.
way to go obama!
It’s a shame that a person of color gets elected and turns
out to be your typical incompetent, racist, community organizer!
wait, i thought this wasn’t supposed to happen. what happened to the billions billions of handouts? $100 this idiot goes back in office 2012. any takers?
“As jobs are created, people become more encouraged about their ability to find and job and therefore re-enter the workforce.”
So the REAL unemployment rate is still higher? Terrific.
the unemployment rate now matches the sales tax rate in downtown Chicago. Nice symmetry.
Unemployment keeps rising, and the idiots on the Chicago City Council keep refusing to let Wal-mart expand in the city. There isn’t the probability that Chicago and Illinois will become the next Detroit and Michigan, you can BET ON IT being a certainty. I voted for Mr. Obama; but the Democrats have destroyed Michigan and they are totally destroying CHICAGO and ILLINOIS.
Not on the front page interesting huh? Let’s see just saw an announcement by the labor dept that they have saved/created 3.6 million jobs but that was quickly swept under the rug since we all know it is a lie. Foreclosures up 35% first quarter even after the two home saving programs.
Quinn pushing tax increases, HCR costing billions in tax charges by ATT, Deere, Caterpillar and other fortune 500 companies.
EPIC FAILURE!!!!!!!!!
Regardless of what some of the politicians and the Obama fan club in the news media says the job market out there is bad.
Billions and billions in handouts went to banks who caused the problem in the first place. And now they’re making huge profits again.
Unfortunately, it will take time to come back from the worst financial disaster in decades.
If Obama is an ‘idiot’ then the what would you call McCain / Palin?
keep buying outsourced products, encourage more bosses to ship work overseas. capitalism works people…… this number probably doesn’t include the people who no longer qualify for unemployment. our country is SCREWED…….
“Illinois gained 3,000 jobs in March, the third consecutive month of job growth, the department said. Revised figures show a gain of 400 jobs in February and 23,300 in January.”
How many of these jobs are related to the 2010 census? Temporary jobs that will disappear in a matter of weeks?
“The unemployment rate counts individuals who are out of work and seeking employment.”
So this doesn’t take into account of people who out of work but have given up? The “real” unemployment is a lot higher then.
It’s time to remove Quinn and the Democrats from state government.
You know what this means…………….Quinn’s solution is going to be to raise taxes to cover shortfall for the high unemployment rate.
This unemployment rate does not include government union employees since the accidental Governor Quinn REFUSED to layoff ANY state union employees.
No Dems in 2010!
Remember…. This is all Geo. Bush’s fault. Has nothing to do with 10.25% sales tax. Nothing to do with a state which doesn’t pay its obligations. Nothing to do with state pensions which are only 40% funded. It is all Geo’s fault. Remember that!
Well, President LIAR is really taking care of his “home” state. And on top of that the ILLINAUSEA politicians are making ILLINAUSEA on of the most unfriendly states in which to do business.
With all that going for the ILLINAUSEA citizens, how can you people not feel that you are really important to the bozos that you keep electing?
I bet this number no longer calculates those who have fallen off of unemployment benefits!!
This number they throw out there is definitely not reality for the number of unemployed still seeking a job.
Unemployment running out will now cause foreclosure and possibly bankruptcy in our household. Perhaps even a nervous breakdown just around the corner also!
Well, what do you expect? This state does not promote business. It does a great job with welfare and keeping people on the dole. They also need to cut back unemployment time, a lot of people won’t go get a job until they have to. Cut the government and school pensions – put that money into the state and job creation.
In the other article it said that Obama is in full 100% support of the NASA program. This is at a time when unemployemnt in Illinois continues to rise and forclosures continue to plaugue the American family. When is he going to be concerned about the American people. The people who pay taxes, the people he continues to burden with every poor decision he makes?
How can this be??? Barry said unemployment would NOT reach 8%. So he is spending money on problems he does not understand. Some “Change”.
And our idiot Democrat Governor wants to raise the income tax and kill more jobs!
That puts Illinois’ misery rate at 13.81 for March – a number not seen since March 1983 as Reagan was pulling us out of the Carter malaise. Carter’s average, btw, was 16.26.
Misery index is unemployment + inflation. And inflation has just started heating up.
Stop blaming Obama, he inherited this mess from Bush (arguably the worst President ever) and it will take a couple years to undo. Bush and the sub-prime lending banks got us into this, and Obama is starting to get us out as GDP is growing again and the banks are paying back their bailout loans.
what one of my professors told us a long time ago – racism is a form of self hatred – an unless that is addressed those who are racist will be miserable- and disappointment and failure will follow them throught their life. as evidenced by the comments on this board.
11.5% unemployment in Illinois. Another great result brought to you by the Illinois Democratic Party!
How’s that hopey changy thang working out for you?
Keep in mind that jobless recent high school, trade school, college and professional school grads are not included in the totals. The real jobless rate is so much higher than 11.5%.
Oh yes. Keep believing it’s President Bush’s fault and that Obama just inherited it. Again, the subprime mess was the result of DEMOCRAT legislation and mandates to give home loans to people who couldn’t afford them. A law passed by in Carter Days and reinforced by Clinton. And it was all of the DEMS, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelick, et all who made a killing off Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that started the mess and refused to admit they were in trouble or allow anyone to question the two organizations. Please become informed and stop just spouting the old tired Democrat talking points. Things under President Bush were good until the Dems got in Congress. Anyone remember 4% GDP growth and 4.8 and less unemployment rates for the entire Bush Presidency until the last year after the Dems got in and all the Dem Schemes from years back started to crash in? yeah, those were the worst economy of all times, the Dems and the media told us. What a joke. Now they’ve truly brought to pass what they demagogued then.
Inherited? HAHAHAHAHA. Was he not in state politics for years? Was he not supposedly a senator for 3 years? If anything he helped create the fnin problems, especially he and his corrupt cronies, including Jones, Madigan, Tillman, Stroger 1 & 2, Daley, Jarette the list is endless.
Inherited BWAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!
And the one candidate who held job fairs to try to find people jobs , was kicked off the ballot by the Democrats
Stick a fork in us all, we’re done.
TIER V Tier V Tier TIER V
Here is the last message i left for NANCY PELOSI
Ii have been calling and emailing her and the house senate and president for two months now:
Please clone this and do the same with calls and letters.
call 7 times instead of 1
email 7 times instead of 1
Dear Nancy,
Has your staff told you or showed you the thousands upon thousands of calls and letters in regards to TIER V UNEMPLOYMENT EXTENSIONS for the 2 million who have used 99 weeks and need a lifeline emergency extension?
All house and senate are getting them in volume. Democrats and republicans.
But the silence on TIER V is amazing!!!
It seems to be falling upon deaf ears in congress!!
A march on Washington is being planned now.
Lives are in the balance on this!!!
These Americans by no fault of their own
Cannot find work after nearly two years!!!
We are in an economic depression not seen since the 1930’s.
An economic tsunami is coming to every shore in America soon.
Economist will call it a double dip recession That was unexpected.
I will call it a part 2 depression.
The jobs that were added in March were federal census jobs that last only a few weeks so please for your own credibility do not play that card.
This economic crisis was caused by the republicans and some democrats as well.
Also the banks wall street and the rich are to blame.
They were to big to fail and we bailed then out instead of the working class and unemployed! shame shame shame.
Please inform your fellow congressmen on both sides this TIER V greater than 99 weeks unemployment extension issue WILL cost them the election.
Not health care not the rest. This TIER V will.
do you have hearts?. Pay for this anyway you have to but pass it now.
PLease wake your friends in WAshington.
THis is not going away it will get louder and louder until TIER V is passed!!!
This is the worst job market in history!!!!!
The future is now TIER V TIER V TIER V
godbless you and godbless america!!!
Well, what do you expect? This state does not promote business … HEY QUINNY wanted a Canoe Czar 85K and do nothing! Good for the state good for the unemployment figures.