* No help from a flailing, dysfunctional federal government and analysts are somehow surprised by this report? Seriously?…

Applications for U.S. state unemployment benefits unexpectedly jumped to the highest level in three months, suggesting the labor market’s recovery is faltering amid the surge in Covid-19 cases and widening business restrictions.

Initial jobless claims in regular state programs rose by 23,000 to 885,000 in the week ended Dec. 12, Labor Department data showed Thursday. On an unadjusted basis, the figure fell by about 21,000.

* CBS 2…

The state unemployment office says 138,359 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of Dec. 6 in Illinois, according to the weekly report released Thursday.

For comparison, during the same timeframe last year, 15,076 people filed claims in Illinois. That’s an 818% increase. Since early March, CBS 2 has tracked more than 2.4 million total claims in the state. […]

Illinois numbers have not been this high since April 6, when there were over 201,000 new claims filed during the week of March 30.

There were 107,616 new unemployment claims filed in Illinois the week of Nov. 29.

* IDES…

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate fell -0.5 percentage point to 6.9 percent, while nonfarm payrolls lost -20,000 jobs in November, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The October monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from -1,100 to +7,000 jobs. The October unemployment rate was revised upward from the preliminary report, from 6.8 percent to 7.4 percent.

The November payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflects activity for the week including the 12th. The BLS has published FAQs for the November payroll jobs and the unemployment rate.

The state’s unemployment rate was +0.2 percentage point higher than the national unemployment rate reported for November, which was 6.7 percent, down -0.2 percentage point from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was up +3.2 percentage points from a year ago when it was 3.7 percent.

In November, the three industry sectors with the largest over-the-month gains in employment were: Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+6,500), Professional and Business Services (+5,300) and Construction (+2,300). The industry sectors that reported the largest payroll declines were: Leisure and Hospitality (-27,400), Manufacturing (-2,900) and Educational and Health Services (-2,000).

“IDES and the Governor’s Office remain dedicated to supporting claimants and their families, as we continue working to strengthen the state’s economy,” said Deputy Governor Dan Hynes. “With critical federal programs set to expire after the week ending December 26th, IDES is working quickly to inform claimants about these impending changes. The department and the Pritzker administration are advocating for continuity at the federal level to support claimants, as we work towards a full recovery from the pandemic’s economic impact on Illinois workers.”

“While the latest unemployment data continue to show the significant challenges COVID-19 places upon workers and businesses throughout our state, we are resolute in our commitment to overcoming the virus, and helping get the economy back on track,” said Erin Guthrie, Director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). “From day one, our administration has led with a comprehensive response to protect Illinois communities and to address economic hardship created during this crisis - with over $1 billion launched since March to assist small businesses and communities in need. With the arrival of a vaccine in Illinois this week, and with continued adherence to public health guidelines, we are confident that in the months ahead we’ll continue to progress in reopening major industries, restoring our communities and reviving our Illinois economy.”

Compared to a year ago, nonfarm payroll employment decreased by -412,600 jobs, with losses across all major industries. The industry groups with the largest jobs decreases were: Leisure and Hospitality (-153,900), Educational and Health Services (-57,100) and Government (-51,200). Illinois nonfarm payrolls were down -6.8 percent over-the-year as compared to the nation’s -6.1 percent over-the-year decline in November.

The number of unemployed workers decreased from the prior month, a -8.7 percent decline to 425,900 but was up +80.8 percent over the same month for the prior year. The labor force was down -2.4 percent over-the-month and down -4.6 percent over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.

In May, Governor Pritzker launched Get Hired Illinois, a new one-stop-shop website to help connect job seekers with hiring employers in real time. The site features virtual job fairs, no-cost virtual training, and includes Illinois Job Link (IJL), the state’s largest job search engine, which recently showed 49,114 posted resumes with 87,490 available jobs.