Numbers from the Illinois Department of Employment Security report that Morgan County increased from 6.0 percent in January of 2015 to 6.7 percent in January of this year. Scott County rose from 7.8 percent to 8.4 percent, Greene from 6.8 percent to 7.9 percent and Cass County went from 6.4 percent to 7.2 percent.
IDES spokesman Ron Payne says the rise in unemployment is attributable to individuals from the labor force being unable to find jobs this year.
Payne says the four-county-area saw an increase of 650 jobs over the year.
“The largest increases came from the business services sector, leisure and hospitality, retail trade, financial activities, education and healthcare and the construction sector.”
The only loss in jobs over the year came from the government sector.
Payne expects to see an increase of outdoor jobs when the March numbers come in.