Du Quoin Jobless Rate Enters the Holidays at 10.7 Percent

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Joblessness continued to increase throughout Southern Illinois in November 2008 as all counties experiences significantly higher unemployment rates compared with November 2007.

Joblessness in the Du Quoin area hit 10.7 percent compared to 8.2 percent from November 2007.

Moderate payroll gains occurred in health care services during the past year. Employment declines were reported in financial activities, leisure-hospitality, professional-business services and manufacturing.

Layoffs in construction were also reported.

Fifteen counties in Southern Illinois had an unemployment rate greater than 8 percent and of those, four of the counties were greater than 10 percent in November 2008.

Unemployment increased from October to November in nearly all Southern Illinois counties. Moderate payroll gains were reported in retail trade and health care services. Seasonal layoffs took place in construction and seasonal hirings have taken place in retail because of the Christmas season.