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The deluge into unemployment offices is beginning to strain systems. In Ohio, the Department of Job and Family Services said 36,645 claims were filed Monday. That’s typically what the department receives each month, The Columbus Dispatch noted.
Pennsylvania saw more than 50,000 on Monday and more than that on Tuesday, according to a tally from economist Jacob Robbins and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Minnesota officials saw more than 31,000 applications on Monday and Tuesday, the Star Tribune reported. In New Jersey, 15,000 applications arrived on Monday, causing the state’s website to crash, local affiliate WHYY reported.
* I asked the Illinois Department of Employment Security about the situation here…
Hi Rich –
Over the last two days, IDES has received over 41,000 unemployment benefit claims, compared to the same two days during the corresponding week last year, when IDES received 4,445 unemployment benefit claims.
All IDES offices are closed, by the way. You have to call or file online.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 1:33 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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Yes, but how much longer will the Uihleins have to go without the Opera?
Comment by Excitable Boy Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 1:48 pm
My intel says applicants are having a very difficult time reaching anyone from IDES by phone. Claims should be done online whenever possible.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 1:49 pm
I was talking to a consultant in my State office the other day about getting laid off. I told her that if her company lays her of to go directly to the unemployment office. Do not pass go, go directly to IDES.
Been there, done that. Know what it feels like to try and live on $394 per week. What bills gets paid? Mortgage? Health insurance? Utilities? Groceries?
Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 1:50 pm
Does anyone have enough experience with this to explain what will happen to an employers unemployment rates with the new covid guidelines from IDES? My very limited understanding is that their ‘rates’ go up when an employee collects unemployment, but will this still happen when all their employees get temporarily cut due to no business? I don’t want to hurt the employer, but I also have bills to pay
Comment by jimbo Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 2:22 pm
@jimbo
I highly doubt employers’ rates will go up due to this. I mean, in some cases the government is mandating the shut down. I’m 99% certain rates won’t increase if the employment separation is COVID-19 related.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 2:27 pm
Employer rates will go up, and the smaller the size of the company, the more reactive contribution rates are to benefit charges that accrue to the employer.
There are a couple of ways that employers can be protected from individual rate increases: 1) legislation could be enacted that shifts the benefit charges for claims files solely due to a separation related to COVID-19 to the State Experience Factor, a component of the contribution formula that acts to socialize costs across all employers; or, 2) the federal government could use federal FUTA funds in its Extended Unemployment Compensation Account (EUCA) or the Federal Unemployment Account (FUA) to offset the increase costs to individual employers.
Either way, without a formal action, employers will be on the hook for increase benefit charges that escalate their contribution rate.
You’re welcome…
Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 2:36 pm
== Know what it feels like to try and live on $394 per week. ==
My son and his family live on about that amount before taxes every week.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 2:48 pm
Will the requirement that unemployment recipients be actively searching for work be waived during this time, I hope?
Comment by Cheswick Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 4:13 pm
- Cubs in ‘16 - Thank you
- Commonsense in Illinois - Thank you very much. I had tried to find answers elsewhere to no avail.
~~Will the requirement that unemployment recipients be actively searching for work be waived during this time~~
According to the IDES website:
What if I’m temporarily laid off because the place where I work is temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 virus?
An individual temporarily laid off in this situation could qualify for benefits as long as he or she was able and available for and actively seeking work. Under emergency rules IDES recently adopted, the individual would not have to register with the employment service. He or she would be considered to be actively seeking work as long as the individual was prepared to return to his or her job as soon the employer reopened.
Comment by jimbo Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 5:23 pm
Looking for unemployment
Comment by John Hamm Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 5:33 pm
Thank you, jimbo.
Comment by Cheswick Wednesday, Mar 18, 20 @ 6:29 pm
I filed a claim on the IDES website and received a notice with my username for a JobLink account but cannot log into it. I tried the reset my password link and it doesn’t recognize my email address or birthdate. It’s an endless loop and vicious cycle. The phone line is busy saying try your call later. It’s so frustrating.
Comment by Felicia Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 11:16 am
My girlfriend is stuck in the same boat. She was laid off bc of the virus. she’s been trying to file for days and all she can get is a busy signal on the phone or an endless loop of trying to login online to no avail because it won’t accept her security questions. Fail. Let me know if there’s anything she can do to get through
Comment by Adam Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 2:24 pm
I am also laid off because of the virus. Having the same problem with trying to login and the system is not accepting my security questions- Error 500. I have called 1,368 times today and get a busy signal or a voicemail that says to try again later. Super frustrated, does anyone have any other information on how to contact someone? Much appreciated.
Comment by Christina Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 4:03 pm
Filed on Monday and was awarded $0. I’ve worked for the same company for 5 years but just transferred to Chicago officially this past Monday. Can’t get through to anyone on the phone either. What did I do wrong?
Comment by IISALOBO Wednesday, Mar 25, 20 @ 11:14 am
I have tried filing through IDES the past 5 days but I keep getting a message saying my username has been taken by someone else. I have tried every username I can think of. There’s no way they have all been taken. The website is clearly glitching and I can’t even get through to the application without a username.
Comment by Lauren Wednesday, Mar 25, 20 @ 12:46 pm
having trouble filling out UI online or by phone am I doing something wrong? Or is there another way?
Comment by Antonette Garstang Wednesday, Mar 25, 20 @ 7:38 pm
Lauren, I have had the same issue in trying to create a username and it saying the name has already been taken. The suggested usernames don’t work either. I used some wacky usernames too that no one would use and still said it was taken. I mean I used Dumbledoofus and it said it was taken. Something is clearly wrong.
Comment by Dennis Friday, Mar 27, 20 @ 3:33 pm