Brad Weisenstein Managing Editor. Everything you need to know about Illinois unemployment The Illinois Department of Employment Security was ill-prepared to handle record numbers of unemployed workers when the COVID pandemic hit, was slow to distribute federal help, exposed Illinoisans' private information, then lefts thousands on hold awaiting answers.
Want more? Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. However, if you were temporarily laid off because of coronavirus Covid , you do not need to do this. You just need to be ready to return to your job when it reopens. You might still qualify. IDES has said they will consider applications from people in this situation.
If you are stuck at home because you were diagnosed with Covid, you are unemployed through no fault of your own. But you still need to meet all other requirements for benefits. This includes:. You are considered able and available for work if there is some work that you can perform from home e. Normally, if you leave work to address childcare needs it would be considered voluntary.
This would disqualify you from receiving benefits. But the statewide school closure in response to the pandemic creates a unique situation. If your children cannot stay home alone and you do not have an alternative, you may be unemployed through no fault of your own. You still need to meet all other requirements for benefits. Normally you would not qualify if you quit your job voluntarily.
But IDES considers the facts of each case, so you may qualify because of the unique coronavirus situation. It will depend on whether you had a good reason for quitting. The reason must be something the employer did. It is unclear. If you have an underlying condition that may seriously compromise your health, you may stay home. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA allows you to refuse to go to work and file a complaint if you believe you are in imminent danger.
This is a high standard, and you may still lose your job. If you are still working full-time, you will not be eligible for UI. If your employment is affected by the pandemic, you may qualify for PUA. As an at-will employee, you can be fired for any reason with a few exceptions. You cannot be fired for engaging in a protected activity, such as whistleblowing , or if you have legitimate health concerns.
You may still be eligible for unemployment benefits. If your employer will not let you miss work during the pandemic, you may refuse to return to work.
The IDES website has additional information about refusing to return to work. You must show you have a good reason for refusing a suitable work offer. The IDES will consider:. This depends on your employer and the industry in which you work. Face masks covering your nose and mouth are required in any public place where you are unable to maintain a distance of 6 feet from others.
It is recommended that you check with your employer about their safety policy. See our blog post on wearing a mask for more information. Even if your employer considers you a contractor, or you are a sole proprietor or employee, you should file.
The existing Illinois program covers some of these workers. The new federal PUA program covers the ones that the Illinois program does not. IDES has a portal for people to apply for help under the new law. You must first apply under the old law and be denied before you can apply under the new law.
It describes who is eligible for PUA, how to file, and how to avoid common application mistakes. If you are in the Illinois arts community, Lawyers for the Creative Arts might be able to give you free legal help.
You can apply on their website. They help people no matter if they are a W-2 employee, , freelancer, or gig economy worker. File in the state where you pay state income taxes.
You can still qualify even if:. Self-employment income does not count towards calculating your benefits. Benefits are based on your current and past income. See How much money do you get? If your gross wages are less than your weekly benefit amount, you may still be eligible to get a full or partial benefit payment. If your gross wages are more than your weekly benefit amount, you will not be eligible for a benefit payment.
You must notify IDES as soon as you are hired for any job, even if it is short-term. If you plan to continue to use your unemployment insurance benefits, you should continue to certify your income. If you stop working again, you need to notify the change to IDES. You will go back to getting the full weekly benefit amount. You have the right to appeal any determination that denies you benefits. You will receive a written notice of appeal and waiver recoupment if you received benefits, but were then ineligible.
You can learn more about how to appeal an IDES unemployment decision on our website. Illinois Unemployment Calculator Calculate your projected benefit by filling quarterly wages earned below: We created this calculator to aid you evaluate what you might obtain if you are entitled. Unemployment Benefits Calculator. Select Number of Dependents:. State: Illinois. Number of Dependents: 0. Apr - Jun Jan - Mar Oct - Dec Jul - Sep Calculating your Benefits Amount The calculator will auto-update as you enter information.
The calculator is for informational purposes only and cannot file any claim for benefits on your behalf. Furthermore, this calculator is not endorsed by any government agency and cannot guarantee eligibility or benefits. Illinois will usually consider your claim effective as of Sunday of the same week that you file. This affects which quarterly earnings are considered as your base period see below when calculating your weekly benefit amount.
Enter your total wage earnings for each of the four calendar quarters listed, which are the first four of the most recent five completed calendar quarters. If you do not qualify under the standard base period, you may be able to use the most recent four completed quarters as an alternate base period.
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