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State Unemployment At 9.1%; Highest In 24 Years

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Apr 16, 2009 11:27 am US/Central

State Unemployment At 9.1%; Highest In 24 Years

CHICAGO (CBS) ―

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Illinois' unemployment rate hit 9.1 percent in March, the highest it's been in almost 24 years.

That compares to 8.6 percent last month and marks the sixth month in a row with an increase.

Gov. Pat Quinn today announced that unemployment benefits will in extended for an additional 13 weeks for workers who otherwise would have exhausted their insurance.

The Extended Benefits Program provides up to 13 additional weeks of unemployment insurance to workers who have exhausted their 26 weeks of benefits through the state and the additional 33 weeks provided through federal emergency extensions approved by Congress.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security says 27,400 more Illinoisans lost jobs in March. Almost half were in manufacturing.

The total number of unemployed now stands at 596,000, the most since September 1983.

The national unemployment rate was 8.5 percent in March.

IDES Director Maureen O'Donnell says her office is encouraging laid-off workers to use their time to learn new skills so they can get a better job once the economy improves.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.