New figures from the Illinois Department of Employment Security and U.S. Bureau of Labor show the number of jobs decreased in March in twelve Illinois metropolitan areas. Vermilion County is among them as total non-farm jobs fell by 400 compared to a year ago.
The new data shows unemployment rates temporarily decreased over the year. The decrease, though, was caused by a shrinking labor force as businesses began to close and workers transitioned due to COVID-19.
Vermilion County’s March unemployment rate of 3.8 percent is down from 5.7 percent a year ago. It had been 4.1 percent in February of this year. The March 2020 unemployment rate for Vermilion County is the lowest March jobless rate on record for the county.
Danville’s unemployment rate for March was 4.0 percent – down from 4.3 percent in February.
The new figures show Champaign County’s unemployment rate last month fell to 2.5 percent compared with 4.2 percent a year ago. The figures have not been seasonally adjusted.
The report shows Vermilion County gained 100 jobs since March of last year in the Manufacturing category. But the county lost 100 jobs in each of five other categories – including Wholesale Trade, Professional-Business Services, Educational-Health Services, Other Services, and Government.
