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Report: 155,765 Illinoisans waiting for an IDES callback as of late February

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Illinois

* Tara Molina at CBS 2…

— The Illinois Department of Employment Security is finally admitting that callback times are getting worse, not better. […]

How many phone numbers are sitting in the IDES callback queue? The total is 155,765 as of our last filled public records request from late February. […]

Acting Director Kristin Richards has insisted for weeks callback times have been cut to one to two weeks. But facing pressure from Illinois state representatives, she admitted in a hearing on employment security that the worst off are waiting much longer.

“The current response time is upwards of four weeks,” Richards said.

Sheesh. It’s been a year, for crying out loud.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 10:22 am

Comments

Not sure what the issue is here.. I have seen the Gov’s top staff continually post on social media how the members of the G A are wrong for going after IDES.. it must be true they TWEETED it.

Comment by NotRich Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 10:25 am
What do they propose to do about it is the obvious question.

Comment by Just a Citizen Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 10:28 am
What I’d want to know is how our situation compares to other large states on this issue. I suspect we’re all struggling.

Comment by Southern Skeptic Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 10:31 am
Where is the efficiency? Need to work overtime and weekends? Please do so! Use the Fed’s previous and upcoming stimulus’ funds to hire more staff statewide I would think, Ms. Richards???

I’m pretty sure the guv wouldn’t mind your proactiveness and fewer headaches from legislators and the citizenry.

Comment by Pizza Man Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 10:36 am
Unfortunately I had to call yesterday. The automated system states they will call back but no time-frame is provided.

Comment by James the Intolerant Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 10:43 am
The “new” director, who isn’t all that new now, who obviously replaced a director, who replaced another director…

At some point… the administration needs to make it about Illinoisans struggling and doing what needs to be done… instead of finding someone able to fulfill the leadership.

Between IDES and IDVA… the likelihood of Illinoisans feeling those failures continues to be a reality.

My hope is the administration sees this at IDES more about service than managing the failures.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 10:49 am
I was at a St Patrick’s dinner (for seven people) over the weekend. (3 unrelated households). Of the seven of us present, two people have had bogus unemployment claims made in our names since January. Fluke? I don’t think so and 2 out of seven is 29%. If the new unemployment claims the IDES is contending with are even close to 29% fraud rate that is a really big problem. Whether the claims are real or fraud, those needing to reach IDES deserve a call back response in days not weeks or months.

Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 10:57 am
Why is this a surprise?
We have some 5000 open state worker positions.
During the Rauner years we were the smallest state workforce per capita.
I don’t even want to know where we are with that now.
When you continually go after the workforce
When you continually threaten pensions
When you continually degrade us

This is what you get
Nobody answering the phones
Because nobody wants to start a job with the state as an employer.

I’ve just had it with folks complaining about state agencies and only doing something about the leadership.

Willy Wonka didn’t make the chocolate folks
the Oompa Loompas did.

So you know what?
If you want things to get better
Make a push for hiring
Fund our agencies
Support and encourage state employees
and figure out how to keep us.

Lets realize that it’s not the top leader who makes the system run. They are just part of it.
It’s the frontline worker who is busting their butts day in and day out that need support.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 11:03 am
==“The current response time is upwards of four weeks,” Richards said.==

Conservative estimate. I’m still waiting for a call back from 3 months ago.

Comment by SAP Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 11:09 am
I’ve been trying to help my mom with her PUA claims. IDES stopped paying her in July and only asked for further evidence of ID in December. Because of the delays, it seems to have triggered an ineligibility determination and is asking her to pay it all back.

Her service business was decimated by the state shutdowns and pandemic impact. I told her to just sit on it until IDES communicates again. I’m in their callback again awaiting news/resolution/1099G. No feedback for her in her online account, her emails, or snail mail. I don’t know how others are managing through this mess.

Comment by Midwest Mom Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 11:18 am
>Where is the efficiency? Need to work overtime and weekends?

Two things:

1. They are working a lot of hours: https://capitolfax.com/2020/10/28/todays-number-124000-hours-of-ides-overtime/

2. Tell me your zen master technique for getting an exclamation point in your post.

Comment by Earnest Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 11:35 am
Still have my free debit card courtesy of IDES. Been over three months. No callback. Nothing. JB can’t blame this one on Trump nor keep pointing the finger at Bruce the former. Hire and train some people or is that not the politically “correct” thing to do?

Comment by Joe Schmoe Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 11:51 am
Hope JB isn’t counting on all those impacted by this fiasco to forget about it when it’s time to vote. This kind of frustration can stick with a person.

Comment by SSL Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 12:08 pm
—make a push for hiring—
Agree, but isn’t that what AFSCME should be doing? The Governor has been heavily criticized for his agency’s failures, but AFSCME has been silent since he took office.

Comment by Southern Dude Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 12:09 pm
Marine Basic Course lasts 13 weeks. Must be easier to train IDES call center staff. Hire, train, and deploy.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 12:44 pm
=I’ve just had it with folks complaining about state agencies and only doing something about the leadership.=

So let me get this straight, JB in office for over two years and he gets a pass, but Rauner is fair-game?

Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 12:45 pm
I’m still waiting on a call back for a fraud issue in October, a second fraud issue in January, and a third one in February. Still crickets from IDES. It’s absolutely ridiculous and only going to get worse as more people continue filing their 2020 taxes. How many thousands are unaware they are victims? We know it’s over 100,000 waiting for a call back.

Comment by Shane Falco Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 1:18 pm
@Last Bull Moose
I was watching that hearing from last week, they said that there are govt hiring restrictions that cause the process to be 5 months.

Comment by Commisar Gritty Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 1:18 pm
Southern Dude, what? AFSCME isn’t the employer. The union has absolutely no say in who they do or do not hire. Yes, AFSCME has been silent because it’s not the unions place to hire.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 1:21 pm
==they said that there are govt hiring restrictions that cause the process to be 5 months.==

Maybe some of the people who were hired to work part time on the census (now done) and have already passed security background checks could be pressed into service for the IDES emergency. The stonewalling and excuses offered by spokesmen do not pass even the most elementary of smell tests.

Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 1:27 pm
== Must be easier to train IDES call center staff. Hire, train, and deploy. ==

I can’t speak to the unemployment staff, but it takes a minimum of 6 months or more to get new staff up to speed on the basics in the disability office. And another year or two to be able to handle the complex cases.

That said, IDES could at least hire people to return the pending calls, collect the basic data, and triage the cases that needed to be handed over to more experienced existing staff.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 1:31 pm
—Yes, AFSCME has been silent because it is not the Unions place to hire—

Please, if the Union didn’t back this guy, AFSCME would send press releases weekly bringing attention to these critical issues due to staff shortages. Instead they are silent. What is the public supposed to think?

Comment by Southern Dude Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 2:06 pm
Southern Dude do you really have so little understanding of how state government works?
Hiring is not what AFSCME does.
I don’t speak for AFSCME but Pritzker has done far far more for the union than Rauner did.
I don’t seem to remember AFSCME suggesting hiring with Rauner.
You seem to remember differently
So go ahead. Show me the press release from AFSCME.
If you have the reciepts, show me.
Even if you did, does the union hire?
No the Administration hires.
You’re just trying to get yet another dig into state employees by attacking their union.
Exactly what in part keeps people from wanting to work for the state.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 2:50 pm
Someone robbed my identity and filed for benefits. I received a letter checking for authenticity. I filled it out and returned it, indicating it was fraud. I kept getting letters indicating the next step in getting these benefits. I went online and twice filed (by number, indicated on the notice) that the benefits requested were fraudulent, and I did not apply. I then got notices confirming my money was sent via wire - where, I have no clue. I sat on the phone for hours to report the fraud, and in the end had to leave a message that has yet to be returned. I wonder how many of me there are in that total of people waiting for call backs.

Comment by allknowingmasterofraccoodom Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 2:56 pm
—Do you have so little understanding how state government works?—

Well, I have worked for the State for over 25 years, so I think I have a pretty good idea. I never said AFSCME hired. You say there are staff shortages that are causing the delays. I believe you. We have a lot of people pretty mad about their services they are getting from IDES. AFSCME, who represents the employees, should be explaining to the public they serve that the agency is understaffed, therefore applying pressure on management to hire. Don’t you think the Union should be advocating for more staff for IDES? Like Rich said, this has been going on for over a year now. Instead, AFSCME is silent. If the Union is silent, how can it be a understaffing issue?

Comment by Southern Dude Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 3:16 pm
Southern dude that makes no sense.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 6:55 am
== Instead, AFSCME is silent. If the Union is silent, how can it be a understaffing issue?==
Because as Honeybear patiently explained there is a wall of separation between the jobs of management and the job of a union. The union’s job is to bargain for their workers.

Comment by Mr. Green Genes Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 8:45 am