Everything you need to know about Illinois unemployment

By Brad Weisenstein

07/23/2021

The Illinois Department of Employment Security was ill-prepared to handle record numbers of unemployed workers when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, was slow to distribute federal help, exposed Illinoisans' private information, then lefts thousands on hold awaiting answers. Here's the latest.

TAGS: IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, jobs, labor, taxes, unemployment

Black workers suffer most from Illinois’ slow recovery from COVID-19

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

07/19/2021

Some parts of Illinois’ job markets are recovering, but not for Black Illinoisans. Many jobs are still missing from before COVID-19, including over one-third of the leisure and hospitality jobs.

TAGS: black community, COVID-19, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

Illinois home building lags virtually every other state during past decade

By Bryce Hill, Dom Moran

07/18/2021

New census data shows Illinois ranked 48th in the U.S. for new single-family home permits during the past decade.

TAGS: construction, homeownership, Illinois, real estate

Governor signs Hayli’s Law to protect lemonade stands from Illinois government

By Ann Miller

07/12/2021

When a child’s lemonade stand was targeted by government regulators, an 11-year-old entrepreneur fought back. Now Illinois law officially bars government from interfering with a child’s right to sell cold summer drinks.

TAGS: Hayli Martenez, Illinois, lemonade stand, regulations

Chicago’s unemployment recovery near dead last for big cities

By Patrick Andriesen

07/09/2021

A national study ranked Chicago’s unemployment recovery 172nd out of the 180 most-populous U.S. cities. Lawmakers didn’t help when they imposed $655 million in new taxes on the state’s job creators.

TAGS: Chicago, COVID-19, unemployment

Illinois may pay bonuses to get workers to take jobs again

By Noah Shaar

07/08/2021

To combat above-average unemployment, Illinois state leaders discussed a possible back-to-work bonus. The state would pay cash to those who go off unemployment.

TAGS: Illinois, JB Pritzker, jobs, unemployment

Illinois’ less-populated areas lead May jobs decline

By Bryce Hill

07/08/2021

Illinois shed 7,900 jobs in May but most of those losses were outside of urban areas.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs, unemployment

Illinois workers 26% less likely to find a job in May than other workers

By Orphe Divounguy, Jon Josko

06/23/2021

Illinois lost jobs in May as the state’s workers found themselves facing a tougher job hunt than workers in other states.

TAGS: COVID-19, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

Bill could help Illinois businesses recovering from pandemic restrictions

By Justin Carlson

06/22/2021

State lawmakers passed a bill allowing local governments to waive licensing fees and registration costs for businesses harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it won’t spare them from state taxes.

TAGS: COVID-19, fees, Illinois, permits, small business

Illinois unemployment fund faces potential $8 billion deficit

By Patrick Andriesen

06/21/2021

Historic unemployment payouts related to the COVID-19 shutdowns left Illinois’ fund billions in the hole. State leaders did nothing to fix it, meaning there could be reduced benefits for the unemployed or higher taxes on employers trying to recover.

TAGS: deficit, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security