The Illinois unemployment rate dipped slightly to 10 percent in August, but the state's three-month average unemployment of 10.2 percent remained the highest in a quarter-century.
Figures released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security showed a drop of 0.4 percentage points in the seasonally adjusted August rate.
The agency reported the state lost 19,200 jobs in August. Officials say that pace has slowed but jobs lost have totaled at least 15,000 for four consecutive months.
Manufacturing posted a gain of 2,100 jobs -- in part because of the federal "cash for clunkers" auto trade-in program.
Nationally, the unemployment rate climbed 0.3 points to 9.7 percent. That's the highest since 1983.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
