Department of Employment Security Archives

Illinois jobless rate falls to 5.7 percent

— December 16, 2021

SPRINGFIELD – The unemployment rate in Illinois fell three-tenths of a point in November to 5.7 percent as employers added 19,500 payroll jobs to the economy. Preliminary data released…

Pritzker’s $41.6 billion budget relies heavily on federal funds, corporate tax changes
— February 17, 2021

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. J.B. Pritzker outlined a $41.6 billion budget proposal Wednesday, Feb. 17 that would hold most state agencies at flat funding levels but which relies heavily…
State sees surge in new jobless claims
— December 11, 2020

SPRINGFIELD – More than 107,000 Illinois workers filed first-time unemployment claims last week, a 45-percent increase over the week before as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to wreak…
New state unemployment claims rise 23 percent
— October 8, 2020

SPRINGFIELD – New unemployment claims jumped by 23 percent in the state for the week ending Oct. 3, with 36,267 filing initial claims, according to the Illinois Department of Employment…
Senate GOP demands governor open IDES offices
— August 24, 2020

SPRINGFIELD — Ten “frustrated” Republican senators demanded Gov. J.B. Pritzker allow state offices tasked with processing unemployment claims to reopen in a letter sent exactly…

New jobless claims continue to fall; ACA enrollment to reopen
— February 11, 2021

SPRINGFIELD – New claims for unemployment benefits continued to fall last week while overall unemployment remained at historically high levels. The Illinois Department of Employment…
GOP House members urge special session for jobless claim delays, fraud
— December 4, 2020

SPRINGFIELD — Three Republican lawmakers on Friday, Dec. 4, put pressure on Illinois Department of Employment Security officials to answer for the backlog in unemployment claims and…
Illinois among last states to apply, be approved for added unemployment benefit
— September 4, 2020

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois is one of the last states to apply and be approved for a federal program providing an additional $300 in unemployment assistance per week to qualifying residents….