Iroquois-Ford down to 5.5%, Livingston at 5.9%

Illinois jobless numbers continued to improve in September.

Kankakee and other metro areas showed improvement for a sixth consecutive month, according to data released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

Vermilion County's jobless rate fell from 9.7 percent in August to 8.2 percent. In Danville the unemployment rate fell from 11.8 to 9.5 percent.

It was the fourth consecutive month that unemployment rates fell in each of Illinois' 102 counties. said IDES spokesman Greg Rivara.

"September was a good month for everyone," he said. "Most of the rates are at 2008 or before levels so that's very, very good news. We're at pre-recession levels."

Rivara said many employers don't have enough staff to meet demand and have tapped into overtime as much as they are able.

"Hiring's picked up ... They have confidence that demand is going to continue," he said.
Gains were reported in wholesale trade, which added 200 jobs; leisure and hospitality, which also added 200 jobs, and retail trade, which added 100 jobs.

There was no significant change in government employment.

Central Illinois counties and their figures from September (September 2013) include: DeWitt, 5.9 percent (8 percent); Ford, 5.5 percent (7.9 percent); Iroquois, 5.4 percent (7.6 percent); LaSalle, 7.6 percent (10.6 percent); Livingston, 5.9 percent (7.9 percent); Logan, 6.2 percent (8.3 percent); Tazewell 6.1 percent (9 percent); and Woodford, 5.5 percent (7.3 percent).

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