Published: August 23, 2009 06:45 pm      

County jobless rates see increase

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Unemployment rates in Jefferson County showed a slight increase in June over those in May, with only Hamilton and Washington Counties having better rates than Jefferson in the surrounding county area.

Washington County remains one of the state’s lowest unemployment counties at 7.6 percent. In June, Hamilton County reported an 8.6 percent unemployment rate, while Jefferson County claimed an 8.9 percent rate. Franklin County has topped the 13 percent unemployment rate mark, with Perry county following with an increase to 11.8 percent and Marion County at 10.8 percent. Wayne County reported a 9.7 percent unemployment rate for the month.

Jefferson County is staying close to its previous rankings of unemployment rates of the state’s 102 counties, coming in at 57th highest in June compared to 58th highest for May. Washington County is ranked at 86; Hamilton County at 65; Marion County at 22; Perry County at 8; and Franklin County at fourth highest.

The highest unemployment rates for the state were found in Boone County, at 14.1 percent; Winnebago County at 14 percent; Grundy County at 13.7 percent; Franklin County at 13 percent; and Putnam County at 12.8 percent.

The lowest unemployment rates for June were found in Brown County at 4 percent; Schuyler County at 5.7 percent; Cass County at 6.2 percent; Scott County at 6.5 percent and Menard County at 6.6 percent.

The unemployment rates in each of the individual counties in Illinois for the month of June are the most current, although the Illinois Department of Employment Security has received July statewide figures from the United States Department of Labor. The Illinois statewide unemployment rate for July is at 10.4 percent, an increase of .1 percent over June.

“Slight up or down movement in the unemployment rate at the state and national level are not uncommon in recession,” IDES Director Maureen O’Donnell stated. “This economy must push through several phases that include a slower pace of job loss, stagnant job growth and persistent unemployment.”

According to information from IDES, the payroll unemployment showed a decline of 13,000 jobs in July, but the rate of job loss has decelerated over the last four months. Unemployed individuals reached 692,500 for the month, the highest level since April 1983.

“The manufacturing sector contracted for the 18th consecutive month in July, but the loss of 2,000 jobs was the smallest decline in the last nine months,” IDES reported. “Professional and business services lost 600 jobs in July and 1,400 in the last three months, as compared to 31,100 in the preceding three month period. Employment in the construction sector remained unchanged, its second stable employment month this year. Jobs declined 5,400 in the trade, transportation and utilities sector, it’s largest drop in four months.”