PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — An Illinois Department of Employment Security report shows unemployment rates are up statewide in December.
The number of jobs is also down in all 14 metros areas in the state.
From December 2020 to December 2019, there was a 2.1% increase in unemployment in the Peoria metro area. There are also more than 16,000 fewer non-farm jobs in the area. It is a 9.6% decrease, the largest change in the state.
“It’s always concerning when we’ve had a job loss and we know that some of the businesses likely are not going to be reopening but we always hope that others will be opening in their place,” said Greater Peoria Economic Development CEO Chris Setti.
Setti said the largest impact is on the leisure and hospitality industry.
“I do think that a lot of these jobs will come back as restaurants reopen or have reopened and people are going back out and dining. A little more weakness on the hotel side until people really feel comfortable traveling again,” said Setti.
Setti said the restriction on indoor dining from November through January impacted the number of jobs available. He said the January jobs report could show better numbers since restaurants reopened.
