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.
Self-employed and gig workers were finally allowed to file for benefits last week, driving the total to nearly 1.1 million Illinoisans seeking help since COVID-19 hit the state’s economy.
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.
Illinois’ self-employed workers have been unable to receive assistance since the pandemic began. Now the state wants them to apply, be denied, and apply again for help.
Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.