One of the largest online retailers has selected Joliet as the site for a new facility expected to bring 1,000 full-time jobs to the area.

The Seattle-based company intends the 500,000-square-foot fulfillment center to serve as a hub where workers will process items such as books and electronics.

For more information, read more at Crain’s Chicago.

If you want to get the most out of your paycheck (and avoid any mishaps on the job), Illinois is one of the best states in the country to do so, according to a new study by MoneyRates.com.

Illinois ranked No. 5 in the nation based on factors like average wage, state tax rates, cost of living and occurrences of workplace injuries and fatalities. MoneyRates noted Illinois has relatively high wages while enjoying a relatively low tax rate and cost of living.

Chicago’s more affordable rents may be one factor as it adds jobs to the tech sector at a faster rate than California’s Silicon Valley.

In a report largely overlooked when it was published on December 30, a Vox.com story analyzed the U.S. Labor Department’s year-to-year unemployment rate changes for metro areas. The total U.S. unemployment rate shrank 1.1 percentage points. The ten metro areas with the fastest-shrinking unemployment rates ranged from 2.8 to 4.3 point improvements.

Illinois claims four of the top five spots. Decatur leads with 4.3, along with Danville’s 4.1, Kankakee-Bradley’s and Rockford’s tie at 3.3 point drops.

According to the Associated General Contractors of America, Illinois is second in the nation in construction job gains.