The Illinois Department of Employment Security was ill-prepared to handle record numbers of unemployed workers when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, was slow to distribute federal help, exposed Illinoisans’ private information, then lefts thousands on hold awaiting answers. Here’s the latest.
476
Days since Illinois Department of Employment Security offices were open to the public.
20,845
Calls awaiting a response from IDES staff, as of June 25.
457,593
Illinoisans collecting unemployment benefits, as of June 12.
$22 million
Amount spent through a no-bid contract to fix Illinois’ obsolete unemployment system and establish a call center.
Illinois workers 26% less likely to find a job in May than other workers
6/23/21: Illinois lost jobs in May as the state’s workers found themselves facing a tougher job hunt than workers in other states.
Illinois unemployment fund faces potential $8 billion deficit
6/21/21: Historic unemployment payouts related to the COVID-19 shutdowns left Illinois’ fund billions in the hole. State leaders did nothing to fix it, meaning there could be reduced benefits for the unemployed or higher taxes on employers trying to recover.
Illinois ranks 7th worst in U.S. for pandemic unemployment assistance rollout
6/8/2021: Illinois was among the nation’s worst for delays in helping gig workers and the self-employed receive pandemic assistance unemployment payments, a federal audit found. Rampant fraud and inadequate reporting was also discovered nationwide.
Illinois recovery stalls as state sheds 4,000 private sector jobs in April
5/21/2021: While total payrolls were up 300, private sector jobs took a beating in April and lost 4,000 positions. Illinois’ labor market completely stalled as the national economic recovery slowed.
Thousands of Illinoisans await calls from state unemployment agency
5/7/2021: The Illinois Department of Employment Security had a backlog of 156K calls in February. Now, over a year into the pandemic, its offices remain closed to the public and 43K Illinoisans are awaiting a call from IDES.
School closures keep over 28,000 Illinois moms out of work
5/7/2021: States that have re-opened schools have also increased labor force participation of mothers, evidence suggests.
FOX 32 Chicago investigation with Illinois Policy Institute https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/929829
Illinois’ unemployment pain hits all regions as recovery lags Midwest
4/22/2021: Illinois’ unemployment rate remains the highest in the Midwest despite March jobs growth. Unemployment is high across the state compared to the region.
552K Illinoisans getting or seeking unemployment benefits a year into COVID-19
3/18/2021: A year into COVID-19 and 552,000 Illinois workers are still in need of jobs. Despite that, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is asking for as much as $2 billion in new taxes on the small businesses that create most Illinois jobs.
Illinois unemployment claims approaching COVID-19 lockdown levels
12/17/2020: New unemployment claims are rising in Illinois, hitting 142,745 last week as COVID-19 restrictions continue.
Brad Weisenstein
Managing Editor/ JOBS + GROWTHJULY 2, 2021
