SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – You might have your doubts, but state officials apparently don’t.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security says the state has recorded what they call a “new, unprecedented number of consecutive weeks below historic continued claims levels for regular unemployment insurance benefits.”
In other words, they claim, record low unemployment claims for six months now.
“This, in fact, is an indication of a strong labor market,” said Kristin Richards, Director, Illinois Department of Employment Security. “When unemployment claims are at reported lows like we’ve seen here for six months consecutively in the State of Illinois, it’s an indication that people are back to work and they’re not experiencing any type of layoff.”
57,000 continued claims were recorded last week. IDES says any number below 70,000 is a sign of recovery.
“Recent data shows that payrolls in Illinois have grown for sixteen consecutive months,” said Richards. “This is an indication of strength in our labor market. It’s an indication that Illinoisans are working.”
What’s not usually known or announced in employment numbers is how many people simply stop looking for work, and end up off the unemployment rolls for that reason.
