Unemployment has increased across South Central Illinois during the past month.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security reports in Marion County unemployment jumped nine-tenths of a percent to 4.9-percent in July but is still nine-tenths of a percent lower than last July. The numbers translate into 799 on the unemployment rolls, up 147 from June. The county’s workforce is now placed at 16,319, down 59 from June.
The lowest unemployment rate in the region is now in Clinton County at 3.4 percent, which is up seven-tenths of a percent from June. Washington County’s unemployment rate is up seven tenths of a percent to 3.7-percent. Jefferson County’s rate increased eight-tenths of a percent to 5-percent. Fayette County’s rate increased nine-tenths of a percent to 4.7-percent. Clay County’s rate jumped 1.1-percent to 5.4-percent.
Overall non-farm employment fell 225 jobs in the Centralia-Mt. Vernon labor market since July of last year. The biggest increases in employment were private education-health services up 325 jobs and government jobs up 150. The biggest declines were in trade-transportation-utilities down 325 jobs, manufacturing down 150 jobs and leisure-hospitality down 100 jobs.
