The number of people filing unemployment claims increased a half-percent from June to July. The Illinois Department of Employment Security reports the unemployment rate at 9.4 percent in the Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area. That’s up nearly 1.5 percent from the same time last year.
Also, 3,800 fewer jobs were added last month compared to last July. That’s largely due to a temporary layoff in manufacturing jobs. But more than 1,500 jobs were added in educational-health services compared to the same time last year.