Illinois Unemployment Rate Falls to 4.7% in August Amid Payroll Decline

Illinois' unemployment rate fell to 4.7% in August, down two-tenths of a percentage point from July but four-tenths higher than a year earlier.

The state's jobless rate remains above the national rate, which held steady at 4.1% in August, according to federal labor data.

Despite the decrease in unemployment rate, the state's total nonfarm payrolls shrank slightly in August, down 4,400 jobs, or 0.1%, to 6,175,600.

Deputy Gov. Andy Manar attributed some of the labor market's unevenness to federal trade policy, saying inconsistency out of Washington is complicating planning for businesses and workers alike.