The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced that Illinois’ unemployment rate in March held steady at 6.0 percent.  The state’s unemployment rate is slightly higher than the national unemployment rate reported for March, which also was unchanged from the prior month at 5.5 percent.  Nonfarm payroll employment shed 1,800 jobs, based on preliminary data released by the Department and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  In March, a few industry sectors posted gains in employment and the two largest were Trade, Transportation and Utilities with 4,200 more jobs and Construction with 3,600 more.  Three industry sectors had large declines in employment led by Leisure and Hospitality with 4,900 fewer jobs.  Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 71,600 jobs.  In March, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.0 percent and stood 1.7 percentage points below the unemployment rate a year ago when it was 7.7 percent.  The number of unemployed workers remained virtually unchanged from the prior month at 391,200 and is down 22.2 percent over the same month for the prior year.  The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment.  A person who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits will still be reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.