CBS4 RTV4 WHBF Quad Cities, IL / IA News Weather SportsIllinois Unemployment Rate Sees Slight Decline
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Unemployment in Illinois fell slightly last month as the state added 16,700 jobs in May. May's jobless rate of 10.8 percent was four-tenths of a point lower than in April.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security says figures it released Thursday reflect five consecutive months of job growth.
There were 721,000 unemployed Illinoisans during May compared with 752,000 in April. That's the largest monthly decrease on record. The department attributed much of the job growth to Census 2010 hiring, but said other sectors also saw growth, such as manufacturing and educational and health services.
The Illinois construction sector lost 6,500 jobs. IDES Director Maureen O'Donnell says the positive job growth and decline in unemployment make her cautiously optimistic.
