The State of Illinois is taking additional steps to address the unprecedented volume of unemployment benefit claims the department has fielded as a result of COVID-19.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security has taken several steps to improve the unemployment benefit claims process via the online portal and the call center.
Web, storage, and processing capacity has been increased to meet the needs of increased traffic, methods have been implemented to track COVID-19-related claims and the call center's capacity and staff has been increased.
The State is now asking individuals to follow an alphabetized schedule when filing an unemployment benefit claim online and over the phone. For details on the new schedule, click here.
Claims will be back-dated to reflect the date in which a claimant was laid-off or let go from their job due to COVID-19.
