Illinois unemployment benefits stolen as state fails to implement basic security

By Joe Barnas

08/21/2020

The Illinois Department of Employment Security troubles included scores of unemployed unable to get benefits, nearly 32,500 Social Security numbers exposed and now benefits theft. A simple fix used by many online retailers could have prevented the thefts.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, recession

Monthly jobs report fails to show depth of Illinois job losses

By Bryce Hill

08/20/2020

IDES estimated unemployment rate remains artificially low because it fails to count nearly 238,000 Illinoisans who have given up trying to find a job.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs

Pritzker could have saved nearly 32,000 jobs during COVID-19 downturn

By Bryce Hill

08/13/2020

Illinois is the largest state without a short-time compensation plan, increasing the chances nearly 32,000 job losses will be permanent.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, recession

Illinois’ economy likely shrank by $86 billion during Q2, national data suggests

By Bryce Hill

08/06/2020

Data published last week by the Bureau of Economic Analysis revealed that U.S. gross domestic product shrank at an annualized rate of -32.9% during the second quarter.

TAGS: COVID-19, executive order, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, jobs, recession

Illinois’ COVID-19 jobs rebound is among nation’s weakest

By Bryce Hill

08/01/2020

Most other states have recouped more of their February-April job losses from the pandemic shutdowns than Illinois.

TAGS: COVID-19, executive order, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, recession

Illinois worst among Midwest, neighbor states for unemployed staying idle

By Bryce Hill

07/20/2020

Continued unemployment claims in Illinois remain virtually unchanged since mid-April. Other states are getting back to work.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs

Illinois still logs nearly 38,000 unemployment claims as Pritzker replaces employment chief

By Ben Szalinski

07/16/2020

The Illinois Department of Employment Security has been under fire throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as millions waited for unemployment relief.

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

As many as 21,700 restaurants could close permanently from COVID-19 economic fallout

By Bryce Hill

07/02/2020

The most optimistic forecast shows 20% of Illinois’ food service business closures will be permanent. But up to 85% of restaurants expect to close permanently.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, small business

Illinois restaurants, bars take brunt of job losses amid harsh lockdown

By Bryce Hill

06/25/2020

Unemployment claims remain five times higher than normal, but the nation’s second-harshest restaurant restrictions have hit that job sector hardest.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs

Illinois unemployment data breach leads to ID theft, class-action lawsuit claims

By Ben Szalinski

06/18/2020

The contractor who revamped Illinois’ unemployment system to handle self-employed workers is being sued. One of the nearly 32,500 applicants who had private information exposed said it was used to access her bank account.

TAGS: identity theft, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, unemployment