The number of people filing unemployment claims increased nearly half-a-percent from January to February. The Illinois Department of Employment Security reports the unemployment rate at 10.4 percent in the Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area.
That’s up from 9 percent unemployment the same time last year.
400 fewer jobs were added last month compared to February last year. That’s mainly due to a temporary layoff in area manufacturing jobs. However job gains were reported in Educational-health services and trade.