Jobless rate 5.5 percent

The Illinois Department of Employment Security, IDES, reports that the unemployment rate in September held at 5.5 percent.

Nonfarm payrolls increased by 7,400 jobs over the month, based on preliminary data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and IDES. 

Job growth is still below the national average, with Illinois 38,800 jobs short of its peak employment level reached in September 2000. 

“Job growth has been uneven over the past several months,” IDES director Jeff Mays said in a news release. “Even with net job growth this year, Illinois still lags the nation in its recovery from the recession.” 

The state’s unemployment rate is higher than the national unemployment rate reported for September, which inched up to 5.0 percent. 

The Illinois unemployment rate was down 0.4 of a percentage point from a year ago, when it was 5.9 percent. The unemployment rate stood at its lowest (for the second straight month) since January 2008.