A Guide to Unemployment Benefits in Illinois

Illinois Unemployment Insurance Benefits

My grandfather had a mug that he took to work with him when he started a new job and it stayed at his desk each day. Unfortunately, when he brought the mug home that meant he’d been let go, and that mug became something my grandmother dreaded seeing since my grandfather was in and out of jobs throughout his whole working life.

Facing unemployment can be scary, especially when you have dependents to provide for as an employee. Whether someone you love is facing issues with employment security, or you’ve recently found yourself without sufficient income, consider applying for the unemployment benefits Illinois has to offer. Trajector specializes in helping people claim the benefits they qualify for, especially Illinois residents, and created this Illinois unemployment benefits application guide to walk you through the process.

Understanding Illinois Unemployment Benefits 

Unemployment benefits are amounts of money you can apply for to help float you between jobs—as long as you meet eligibility requirements which we’ll discuss shortly. Though each state has its various limits and regulations for the benefit payment an individual can receive, the program is possible through a partnership between both state and federal governments in the United States. The Illinois Department of Unemployment is called the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), and it’s in charge of the unemployment benefits Illinois offers to its residents, people looking to apply should visit their website to get started.

So, where does this money come from? Unemployment benefits are funded by employer payroll taxes in the United States(not employee taxes), which means employers pay into a fund as a sort of insurance for their employees on behalf of their unemployment. In fact, unemployment benefits are typically referred to as “unemployment insurance,” so you can think of it as a fund to ensure these regular unemployment benefits if there’s a possibility of becoming unemployed. If you find yourself unemployed and you meet the Illinois unemployment eligibility criteria for Illinois residents, then you’ll get to pull on that insurance money until you find something else.

Illinois Unemployment Services

Eligibility Criteria for Unemployment Benefits in Illinois:

So what are the specifics for qualifying for these unemployment benefits? Take a look.

1. You must have earned a minimum of $1,600 in the last 12 months (also known as your base period). However, it must be broken up. When the government looks at your base period, they break it up into quarters, or 3-month increments. Of the $1,600+ you must have earned during your base period, $440 of that must have been earned in a different quarter than the quarter in which you earned the most.
   1. For example, if you made $500 in the first quarter, $600 in the second, $300 in the third, and $200 in the fourth ($1,600 total), then you’d see that your most profitable quarter was the second when you earned $600. To be eligible, you must make $440 during a quarter that was not your most profitable, so in this example, you’d need to make at least $440 in the first, third, or fourth quarters.
2. Your previous employer must be subject to Illinois’ unemployment laws (see pages 28-29). This means that you were working in a job covered by Illinois unemployment insurance (which your employer would have been paying). An example of a job that is not covered by Illinois unemployment insurance is an elected official in your town. You can’t receive unemployment benefits just because your term ended.
3. You must be entirely out of work or be working part-time because full-time work is not available. Also, your earnings from your base period must be below a set threshold which will be determined when you first file your claim.
   1. Note: Receiving other benefits like Social Security disability could hurt your chances of qualifying for unemployment and vice versa.
4. You must be unemployed due to no fault of your own. This means that you cannot have:
   1. voluntarily quit your job without good cause attributable to your employer;
   2. been discharged for misconduct in connection with your work;
   3. been discharged for a felony or theft in connection with your work; or 
   4. are out of work because of a labor dispute.
5. You must be able and available to work. You cannot receive benefits if you are a student and, because of that, you aren’t available to work certain days or times. You also cannot receive benefits for days you are on vacation, are sick, or are otherwise unable to work due to disability, family responsibilities, lack of transportation, etc.
6. You must be actively seeking a job and be willing to accept any suitable job offered. You’ll need to keep track of your job search activity (resumes submitted, interviews completed, etc.) for every week that you claim benefits. You’ll need to be ready to produce that document at any time to continue receiving your regular unemployment benefits.

Benefit Payments and Duration

How to Apply for Unemployment Benefits in Illinois: 

Now we’ll cover the nitty-gritty details of actually applying for unemployment benefits in Illinois.

1. Once you meet the eligibility items we discussed above, you can file your Illinois unemployment claim here by clicking the “File a Claim” button near the top of the page.
2. You’ll be taken to a page that lists 10 things you should know about filing a claim. Read it, then near the bottom click the “File an Unemployment Insurance Claim” button.
3. Create an ILogin account and follow the instructions sent to your email to create a password, then revisit the 10 Things You Should Know page and click the “File an Unemployment Insurance Claim” button again. This time instead of registering, click “Sign In.”
4. Once you’re logged in you’ll see “My Apps” near the top of your screen. You’ll also see three “State of Illinois” apps underneath that. Click on the IDES app, then click the “Click Here” button. Fill out the information needed to register for benefits and submit it.
   1. Note: You’ll need personal documentation such as your social security number and driver’s license as well as the social security numbers and birth certificates of any dependents you are claiming.
5. After 7-10 days you’ll receive a UI Finding letter in the mail that will tell you your benefit amount and the day you should “certify,” or report any wages and other earned, social security disability benefits information about money received and any relevant changes, every two weeks. This certification determines your eligibility on an ongoing basis.
6. Read the well-written “I Filed My Claim, What Happens Now?” document on the Unemployment Benefits Illinois website to learn about your Illinois unemployment claim status and what to expect during the certification process. 

Calculating Unemployment Benefits in Illinois: 

• If you’d like to try and calculate your unemployment benefits before going through the process of submitting a claim, or if you’d like to get a general idea of what to expect before your UI Finding letter arrives, claimants should take a look at Illinois’ Weekly Benefit Table that breaks everything down for you. You’ll need to know the wages you earned in the highest two quarters of your base period or your average wage during your base period per week, and the number of dependents you claimed.

Appealing Denied Unemployment Claims in Illinois: 

The Illinois unemployment appeals process doesn’t have to be complicated. There are two ways to appeal a denied unemployment compensation claim. The first is in regard to your UI Finding letter. If your UI Finding letter says your benefit amount is $0, then that means there’s no record of you receiving enough funds during your base period to qualify. If you did work and earn enough to qualify, you’ll need to upload appropriate documentation as soon as possible.

The second way to appeal is to fill out a Request for Reconsideration of Claims Adjudicator’s Determination document with your reasons and any proof you have. If the reconsideration is denied, an appeal is automatically sent to an IDES administrative law judge (“Referee”). You’ll receive a date and time for you to have a recorded hearing via phone with the Referee in which you can present your case.

If you feel the Referee also made an incorrect decision in denying you unemployment benefits in Illinois, then you can appeal to the Board of Review within 30 days by filling out the Notice of Appeal / Board of Review document.

Illinois Unemployment Office Locations