The unemployment rate in Illinois is now the lowest it's been since the start of the pandemic. Employment Security Director Kristen Richards said it's an economic milestone.
"What this tell us is that for the 11th consecutive week, the record low number of individuals collecting unemployment insurance in the state of Illinois continues to signal a very strong labor market," Richards said.
The jobless rate came in at 4.5% in June, which is down one tenth from May. That's still above the 3.6% rate nationwide, due in part to an ongoing shortage of workers.
