Chicago Construction News staff writer
Illinois has recorded record low unemployment claims for the past six months. The most recent data shows the state has remained below the 70,000 claims threshold for 26 consecutive weeks, with little more than 57,000 continued claims recorded last week. The decrease in reflects pandemic-related economic recovery.
Also, recent data shows Illinois has seen payroll job growth for 16 consecutive months.
“This latest data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security shows great promise: our unemployment insurance claims are down and Illinoisans are getting back to work,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “As we continue to bounce back from the economic impacts of the pandemic, we are putting Illinois workers first. From our ‘Get Hired Illinois’ website to IDES’ resume and interview skill building workshops, we are mobilizing our resources to help our residents find good-paying jobs and advance their careers.”
In 2020, working with IDES and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Governor Pritzker launched Get Hired Illinois, a one-stop-shop website to help connect job seekers with hiring employers in real time. The site features virtual job fairs, no-cost virtual training, and includes IllinoisJobLink.com (IJL), the state’s largest job search engine. There are currently more than 162,000 jobs posted on IJL from registered employers, including hundreds in the construction industry. There are also over 48,000 resumes posted from people searching for jobs.
