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Drop in state unemployment rate leaves some PUA benefit recipients in the lurch

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I’ve been on PUA unemployment since July (it was backdated to March and suddenly and unexpectedly last night my unemployment seems to have stopped. Apparently, this happened to thousands of others as well.

As you can see from screenshots below of my account, I was not paid this week and given no correspondence as to why even though my claim should have seven more weeks thanks to the covid relief Congress passed before Trump left office. Other people with the same issue did receive an email from IDES explaining why they were cut short and I’ve included a screenshot of that as well. Unfortunately, IDES never made any of this clear from the onset.

In a Facebook group specifically for PUA Unemployment in Illinois, many other people are reporting this problem. It seems as though IDES is claiming either due to a metric or configuration in the CARES Act, PUA claims were exhausted at 50 weeks even though congress extended the federal benefit through March (11 weeks). Everyone was completely blindsided. The bigger issue is that in order to get extended unemployment in President Biden’s bill in the senate you have to receive at least $1 WBA from your state. If IDES kicks so many of us off now, I’m pretty sure we won’t qualify for that new extension.

I’m self-employed with children at home whose schools still have not fully reopened. One daughter is remote hybrid and the other daughter I’m personally homeschooling fulltime because remote learning doesn’t work for her. I haven’t been able to receive any self-employment income since this pandemic and unemployment has helped keep my family afloat.

I called constituent services for Senator Duckworth and Durbin and emailed Stephanie Kifowit and Linda Holmes but no response yet.

I know IDES has had a lot of issues and I’m hoping this is newsworthy.

I thought it was quite newsworthy and reached out to the governor’s office right after I read the email. I was told that the state’s unemployment rate had dropped below the threshold where the state was allowed by the federal government to make those payments. That doesn’t excuse the fact that people believed they were left in the dark, though.

* An IDES press release was issued today…

Because Illinois’ unemployment rate has dropped, federal rules now prohibit individuals from seeking seven additional weeks of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), a new federal effort to cover individuals who did not qualify for regular unemployment and which largely covers those who are self-employed.

“This is precisely why I’ve encouraged Congress to set out long-term rules that help the people most hurt by this pandemic, and why it’s imperative that they pass something immediately that corrects this gap,” Governor JB Pritzker said. “Our federal leaders must come together around a solution, and we will be ready to help people get the benefits they need to get through this pandemic.”

According to unemployment data published by the federal government, Illinois’ unemployment rate is now below the threshold for the state’s High Unemployment Period (HUP) to be active, and individuals no longer qualify for additional weeks of benefits provided during HUP. Under federal law, when a state is in the HUP, there are seven additional weeks added to PUA eligibility, as well as seven additional weeks added to Extended Benefits (EB) eligibility under state law. As a result of Illinois’ unemployment rate dropping, under state and federal law, the seven additional weeks for both programs are no longer available.

The maximum number of weeks available to PUA claimants has reduced from 57 weeks to 50 weeks. Additionally, extended benefits (EB) for regular state unemployment insurance benefits reduced from 20 weeks to 13 weeks. Federal law provides regular unemployment insurance benefit recipients with a transition to added weeks of Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) benefits but is currently silent with regard to extra assistance for PUA claimants.

PUA claimants who have exhausted the 50th week or more have been, or will be, notified they will have reached the maximum number of weeks allowable under federal law. Barring additional federal action or extensions to federal unemployment programs, PUA claimants who have exhausted the maximum number of weeks will no longer be eligible to collect unemployment insurance benefits.

The Department is closely monitoring any action from the federal government to extend PUA benefits, in addition to the other federal unemployment benefits programs, set to expire on March 13, 2021. As was done with the CARES Act and the Continued Assistance Act, IDES will publicly provide individuals with programmatic updates, changes, and information pertaining to unemployment programs as they are made available by the federal government and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Those with questions or in need of assistance with unemployment benefits at this time are encouraged to visit IDES.Illinois.gov.

…Adding… From Rep. Kifowit…

Hi Rich, In regards to your post. That concern came into my office just before 1pm yesterday and it was sent over to the IDES Liaison. This morning at 11:15am we got a response from the IDES Liaison and responded to the person at 11:21am. Our office, as I’m sure all our offices, is working very hard to reply to our residents within 24 hours with an initial response. Thank you for bringing to light the struggles of many families.

…Adding… From Sen. Holmes…

Hi Rich, I want to thank you for bringing attention to this issue and to this constituent for reaching out to my office late yesterday afternoon. We are doing everything we can to get them the assistance they need. I have facilitated multiple conversations with my colleagues and IDES on the many unemployment issues we’ve seen over the past year, with a focus on getting help to constituents across the state. This pandemic has turned so many families upside-down. There is still work to be done, and I will continue to work with and put pressure on IDES to get people the benefits they need.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 12:36 pm

Comments

They are “encouraging” people in need of assistance to contact IDES.Illinois.gov? LOL. The press release feels like a bad joke after all the IDES complaints that have surfaced in recent months from affected people who get no response to their inquiries or fraud reports.

Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 1:00 pm
== Those with questions or in need of assistance with unemployment benefits at this time are encouraged to visit IDES.Illinois.gov ==

Not that there is anything on that massively confusing, often crashed website to help anyone. But go there because there is no one in the IDES offices to visit, the phones aren’t being answered and there is no voicemail on which to leave a message. This is reprehensible.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 1:15 pm
Anonymous at 115 was me. Sorry. Got excited and hit the Say It too quickly.

Comment by SouthSide Markie Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 1:18 pm
The fact they used that metric, a statewide one, to determine eligibility for an individual is bad policy and outright cruel. Only in America …

Comment by low level Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 1:33 pm
The true unemployment rate right now is much higher and does not include those who have given up on looking for work.

Comment by TwilightZone Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 1:55 pm
Readers (especially lawmakers and executive staff) visit the IDES website and navigate around…see what you think? Could you get an answer to a question? Good luck.

Comment by Southsider Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 3:13 pm
I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of District Office Staff voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.

This is why we’ve been getting all these calls from constituents who suddenly got cut off. Oh my dog this is bad news. This is going to hurt so many people.

Comment by Commisar Gritty Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 4:13 pm
Any word on whether or not something is or even can be done to fix this? I’m still freaking out about this.

Comment by Commisar Gritty Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 9:15 pm
Is this happening to just self employed?

Comment by Adam Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 9:36 pm
Illinois needs to realize the HUP (High Unemployment Period) was already exercised and expired on December 26th, after the new bill was Signed on December 28th that added 11 weeks…. Very incorrect for Illinois to retake the 7 weeks back at this point, and reeks of corruption. The bill Trump signed has no unemployment rate stipulations, don’t let the government get away with this, it’s plain and blatant manipulation. How can they now stop a program that has since been already been exercised and is now nulled.

Comment by Kyle Thursday, Mar 4, 21 @ 10:38 am
Did any of your certify Monday and still hasn’t got a deposit?

Comment by ST Thursday, Mar 4, 21 @ 5:52 pm
If you want a glimpse into what’s happening (or not happening) at IDES, just take a gander at the comments on their Facebook page. They are seemingly oblivious to the cries for help and post almost nothing but virtual job fairs. The page has run so amok that scammers are pretending to be IDES and are responding to people asking for help. It’s beyond ridiculous.

Comment by PT Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 1:02 pm