By: Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
Illinois’ jobs malaise continues. The latest release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the state’s unemployment rate increased to 4.7 percent in November, up from 4.6 percent the month before.
Illinois’ unemployment-rate ranking fell to 2nd-highest in the nation. Nevada experienced a 0.3 percentage point jump in its unemployment rate, to 4.9 percent, overtaking Illinois’ nation-worst position in October.
Illinois’ unemployment rate rose in November because the number of employed workers dropped by 17,800 in November. More than 5,200 of them joined the unemployment rolls, while the other 12,600 dropped out of the work force altogether.
More unemployed workers within a shrinking labor force means a higher unemployment rate. Illinois reported 303,309 unemployed workers in November and a slightly diminished labor force of 6.42 million.
All of Illinois’ neighboring states have far better job climates. Their unemployment numbers are significantly below those in Illinois, most notably in Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri, where unemployment rates are 1 to 2 percentage points lower.
The difference between Illinois and Missouri is particularly stark. If Illinois had Missouri’s 2.7 percent unemployment rate, 130,000 additional Illinoisans would be back at work – equivalent to the entire population of Springfield and then some.
The analysis presented above stands in stark contrast to the rosy picture being presented by the Illinois Department of Employment Security and parroted by most of Illinois’ mainstream media without question.
Wirepoints will take on those false narratives in an upcoming piece.
Read more from Wirepoints:
- An Illustration Of What Businesses And GOP Can Expect From Illinois’ Expanded Supermajority: Crumbs.
- Belvidere auto plant closing is another blow to Illinois’ electric vehicles industrial policy
- 1,000 days: Pritzker’s Emergency Declarations kill jobs, increase Illinoisans’ dependence on government
- Illinois pension debts jump back up to $140 billion, state shortchanges its annual contribution by $4.4 billion
- Changes to Illinois’ SAFE-T Act a vindication for opponents of the law, but the Act remains dangerous to Illinoisans
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
More and more businesses are fleeing Illinois to greener pastures in other states. Illinois is its own worst enemy. No business would want to do business in Illinois. It is a crying shame as at one point Illinois was one of the best states to be in. Now it is one of the worst, greedy government employees with huge pensions have destroyed the state. No one can afford to the cost of this greed. It is not only in Illinois but other states as well, and people are fleeing them also. Second highest taxes int the country and still broke… Read more »
Unless you’re enjoying all the benefits of a Union and Pritzker keeps declaring covid emergencies why would you get a job? By the way, I used to support Illinois unions until they physically threatened my father who was the president of a Union. He had to quit to protect his family.
Look at that map again. Illinois and Michigan, whose unemployment rates are significantly higher than their neighboring states, also, by far, have the largest percentage of union members among their working population. The neighboring states have union membership at only 50-60% of the rates for Illinois and Michigan. If unions are so pro-worker, why is there such a dichotomy? Could it be right to work? Those employees don’t see the benefits of unions? Or are unions really not serious about workers’ gainful employment, but rather union ideology and political gain?
Gotta love the Pritzker Democratic leadership. They praise themselves for good work while their State burns, much like President Biden. Kinda reminds me of Rome and Nero, especially with the nexus of gender ambiguity and perversions insidiously normalized by these same leaders.
A bigger issue nationally is the labor participation rate (vrs unemployment rate) at an all time low of 62.1%, especially for working age males. Illinois labor participation rate is a little above national average @ 64.3% as are neighboring states. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?rid=446&eid=784070
This Youtube is frightening–62 million working age males who have given up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFb4rXMADvg
There’s a theory, not sure if it’s discussed in the 1:11:00 long video you linked, that many of the working age males don’t want to work and just playing video games instead.
Yup, thats what that youtubes about. Also so may of those folks on some type of assistance directly or indirectly. And also medicating–legaly or otherwise..tons of other articales & YouTubes
Spot on Where’s Mine. We’ve become a nation of loafers and couch potatoes dependant on Uncle Sugar.
The low male prime age participation rate (combined with aborting 52 million potential workers) is one of the reasons there are “shortages” of once common items and businesses not being able to hire workers. I haven’t been to a restaurant yet that returned to normal.
New York Post : It pays not to work in Biden’s America — and here’s the proof.
https://nypost.com/2022/12/18/it-pays-not-to-work-in-bidens-america-thanks-to-welfare-benefits/
Too many Illinois residents are watching a fire start in their home, and slowly spread, but haven’t concluded the home could collapse on them. In the meantime, they complain about the heat while standing a few paces away from an open outside door. Too many are trying to time their exit to one second before the roof falls in on them. Many are going to bet burned.
Even worse, some still expect the fire department will arrive at the last second to save them from their own stupidity. With future taxes being rerouted to public pensions, the fire department might be downsized to a homeless guy with full bladder.