Macomb – Yesterday, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced changes to the Unemployment Insurance claims process after the Department faced an unprecedented volume of claims as a result of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak. State Representative Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) urged those filing claims to adhere to the new alphabetized claim schedule to ensure the Department is not overwhelmed with requests at any given time.
“The unfortunate reality of Governor Pritzker’s ‘Stay at Home’ order and other Coronavirus response measures is that local businesses are closing their doors and many are now out of work,” said Rep. Hammond. “Because of this, IDES has faced a record number of Unemployment Insurance claims, causing their phone lines to clog and website to crash. To address the enormous volume, IDES has announced a new alphabetized application schedule for those making claims. I urge everyone to follow this schedule to ensure those in need get benefits while they are looking for new work or waiting for employers to re-open their businesses.”
IDES is now asking individuals to adhere to an alphabetized schedule when filing an unemployment benefit claim online and over the phone. This process mirrors other states, such as Colorado and New York, who are experiencing increased web traffic and high call volumes with their unemployment benefit systems.
Online Filing Schedule:
- Those with last names beginning with letters A-M will be asked to file their claims on Sundays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays.
- Those with last names beginning with letters N-Z will be asked to file their claims on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays.
- Saturdays will be available for anyone to accommodate those who could not file during their allotted window.
Call Center Filing Schedule:
- Those with last names beginning with letters A-M will be asked to call on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7:30am – 6pm.
- Those with last names beginning with letters N-Z will be asked to call on Mondays and Wednesdays between 7:30am – 6pm.
- Fridays (7:30am – 6pm) will be available for anyone to accommodate those who could not file during their allotted window.
The IDES press release from yesterday can be found HERE. Those with questions or in need of assistance with unemployment benefit at this time are encouraged to visit IDES.Illinois.gov.
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