Unemployment rates across southeastern Illinois remained well above year-ago levels in May as the region continues to recover from the closure of Champion Laboratories in Albion.
According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, Edwards County recorded the highest unemployment rate in southern Illinois at 9.6 percent, up from 3.7 percent a year ago.
Other local rates included Wayne County at 4.9 percent, Wabash County at 4.8 percent, Lawrence County at 4.7 percent, and Richland County at 4.0 percent, which tied for the lowest rate in southern Illinois.
The Olney-Mount Carmel labor market lost 1,000 nonfarm jobs over the past year, with manufacturing accounting for 675 of those losses. Additional job declines were reported in education and health services, government, trade, transportation, leisure and hospitality.
State officials say the region’s higher unemployment rates continue to reflect the economic impact of the Champion Laboratories closure, which eliminated hundreds of manufacturing jobs earlier this year.