Black, Hispanic women hit hardest after Illinois decreed which jobs were ‘nonessential’

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill, Jon Josko

06/03/2020

More than 1 in 5 black and Hispanic female workers in Illinois lost their jobs during the first month of the COVID-19 lockdown.

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

Unemployment mess leads lawmaker to push for Pritzker’s recall

By Joe Barnas

05/27/2020

Citing the lack of action on the state unemployment claims system overwhelmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, a state lawmaker begins the process to remove Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker from office.

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

Illinois shed 762,200 jobs in April, 12.5 times greater than worst month on record

By Bryce Hill

05/22/2020

Record job losses hit the state during the first full month of COVID-19 economic fallout.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, jobs

State agency published private data of nearly 32,500 unemployed Illinoisans

By Joe Barnas

05/21/2020

Just as Illinois opened its unemployment system to self-employed workers, the new system exposed Social Security numbers and other private information of 32,483 applicants, according to a Freedom of Information Act response.

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

Illinois’ struggling unemployment program to run out of money in May

By Adam Schuster

05/19/2020

As new claims overwhelm an unprepared and inefficient system, the state has been pre-approved for a $5 billion loan from the federal government to ensure benefits continue to be paid.

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

Illinois payrolls see largest monthly drop since Great Recession

By Bryce Hill

04/22/2020

State sheds 34,100 jobs during early stages of COVID-19 economic fallout.

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

Pritzker failing to help out-of-work Illinoisans as other states adapt

By Austin Berg

04/21/2020

Illinoisans shoulder among the highest tax burdens of any state, and that should come with robust services. But soaring debt and pension costs have left too little room for the things residents need most from government.

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

Illinois unemployment requests top 200K as state tells independent contractors, freelancers not to apply

By Brad Weisenstein

04/09/2020

Unemployment is hitting record levels in Illinois with weeks to go until the COVID-19 stay-at-home order expires. Federal action made self-employed workers eligible, but Illinois could be months away from handling their claims.

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

Illinois unemployment claims jump by 64K as COVID-19 closes businesses

By Brad Weisenstein

03/20/2020

Unemployment claims spiked this week as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered bars and restaurants to halt dine-in service, the service industry took major hits and large gatherings were banned to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

State of the state: Pritzker saw worst first-year jobs numbers since Blagojevich

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

01/27/2020

Illinois job creation lagged the national median in nearly every sector.

TAGS: 401(k), BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Chicago, constitutional amendment, economic competitiveness, economic growth, fair tax, government spending, graduated income tax, housing, housing market, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, income, income growth, JB Pritzker, job creation, jobs, labor, labor force participation rate, outmigration, pensions, personal income, population, private sector, progressive income tax, public sector, retirement age, spending, spending cap, Springfield, tax burden, tax hikes, tax increase, U.S. Census Bureau, unemployment