How to File An Unemployment Claim For Illinois Unemployment
If you've recently lost your job to a lay-off in the state of Illinois, you're likely to be eligible for Illinois unemployment benefits. Even if you believe you might not quality for Illinois unemployment, you should still file an unemployment claim regardless.
If you qualify for Illinois unemployment, you can collect up to 23 weeks of unemployment benefits in Illinois. The weekly amount of your unemployment benefits will be based on the wages from your last job and your marital status. Illinois unemployment benefits range from $385 - $450 weekly and it's paid every two weeks.
After the Illinois unemployment benefits expire, you're likely to be placed on the Federal emergency plan where you can collect additional unemployment benefits.
Here are some helpful steps for filing an unemployment claim for Illinois unemployment.
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Things You'll Need
- Pay stubs
- Personal contact information
- Social security card
- Gross weekly wages
Instructions
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Determine if you are eligible for Illinois unemployment. You need to have been employed by a company in Illinois in the first four of the last five calendar quarters. You must actively be seeking employment and be able to work, should the opportunity arise. You are unlikely to be eligible for Illinois unemployment if you quit your job, but you should still file an unemployment claim anyway and speak with someone from your local Illinois unemployment office. If you quit your job, your employer is likely to report it to the Illinois unemployment office and you're likely to be denied unemployment benefits.
In addition to unemployment benefits, you can use the FREE website in the resources section below to make money online. When you go there, sign in near the bottom of the page to get started.
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File an unemployment claim quickly, so you can begin collecting unemployment benefits as soon as possible. It can take up to three weeks, after filing an unemployment claim, for the Illinois unemployment benefits to start, so you should file for it right away.
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Gather personal information and work records. You will need this information when you file for Illinois unemployment benefits. You will probably need your social security card, mailing address, the employment dates from the beginning to the end, and the reason for job loss. If you're not a US citizen, you will need to provide your alien registration number for Illinois unemployment. In addition, you will also need to report the gross wages that you earned in a week at your last job, so bring pay stubs when filing for Illinois unemployment.
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File for Illinois unemployment benefits either online, or at your local unemployment office. You can do a google search to locate the phone number and address of the Illinois unemployment office in your area. If you have questions and concerns about collecting unemployment then it might be a good idea to go to your local office and speak with someone in person. Be prepared to wait in line though, because there will be a lot of folks filing unemployment claims. If you don't want to file in person, visit the Illinois unemployment website and file your unemployment claim online. If it's your first time applying for unemployment benefits, you might be required to do it in person.
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Answer all the questions truthfully when filing for Illinois unemployment benefits, whether it's online or in person. Unemployment benefits will be suspended or denied if the state office discovers you're lying or providing untruthful information.
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Elect to either have federal taxes taken out of your unemployment benefits now, or pay them later when you do your taxes. Either way it has to be paid, so it really doesn't make a difference.
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Register for either direct deposit or apply for the debit card to receive unemployment benefits. The Illinois unemployment office no longer pays people with a check.
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Use the toll free tele-serve number for collecting unemployment every two weeks. After filing for unemployment benefits and being approved, your local office will mail a statement to you. The statement will indicate your weekly Illinois unemployment benefit amount and it will tell you the date in which you will need to call the tele-serve number to request unemployment benefits.
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Do not collect Illinois unemployment benefits if you return to work. You can either simply avoid calling the tele-serve number on your scheduled date, or contact your local office.
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Tips & Warnings
File for Illinois unemployment quickly because it takes 3 weeks for unemployment benefits to start
Do not collect unemployment benefits after you return to work - you will either be fined, or have to pay back all the benefits you collected
If you quit your job and then try and collect unemployment benefits, you might not qualify
