Unemployment was up across South Central Illinois in May.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security reports 4.9-percent of the Marion County’s workforce was on unemployment. That’s up four-tenths of a percent from both April and May a year ago. The numbers translate into 821 on the unemployment rolls, up 76 from April. The county’s workforce also grew by 284 persons to 16,809.
Washington County continues to have the lowest unemployment in the region at 2.8-percent. It’s up three tenths of a percent from April and four tenths of a percent from a year ago. Clinton County’s unemployment jumped four tenths of a percent to 3.3 percent. Jefferson County also saw a four tenths of a percent increase to 4.9-percent. Fayette County’s unemployment jumped a tenth of a percent to 4.7-percent. Clay County has the highest unemployment in the region at 5.2-percent. That’s up a tenth of a percent from April.
Total nonfarm employment increased by 125 jobs from May a year ago. The biggest increases were in leisure and hospitality up 150 jobs and Government jobs up 125. Financial activities and private education-health services were both up 50 jobs while construction and natural resources/mining both saw an increase of 25 jobs. Employment levels in manufacturing as well as information or other services sectors saw no change in employment levels over the past year. There were payroll declines in professional-business services, down 225 jobs, and trade-transportation-utilities, down 125 jobs.
