Illinois unemployment in May was up -- way up -- compared with last year due to COVID-19. But the state reopening is bringing jobs back.
Non-seasonally adjusted unemployment statewide was 14.7% in May. That’s up more than 11 percentage points from last year. The Rockford area saw the biggest jump, rising from almost five to more than 19%. Sam Salustro is with the Illinois Department of Employment Security. He said Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan is bringing these numbers down.
“As industries have been returning, we’ve seen a lot of jobs return to manufacturing and construction, and we’re seeing it now within the leisure and hospitality business.”
Salustro says this trend has been seen throughout the phases of the state’s reopening and should continue for Phase 4.