Illinois' unemployment rate is at its highest level in almost 20 years.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security Tuesday sent out its latest dismal report. The department says the state lost 37,000 jobs last month. That includes about 16,000 manufacturing jobs, the biggest dip for that sector since 1992. Overall, Illinois' unemployment rate rose to 8.6 percent - well above the national figure.

The state's employment security director, Maureen O'Donnell, used the release of the numbers to push the need for a statewide construction program. In a statement, O'Donnell said that would put the state's residents "back to work and inject money into the economy." Governor Pat Quinn recently made that same argument, urging the legislature to work fast on a $26-billion capital plan.