How to File for Unemployment in Illinois
How to apply for unemployment in Illinois, what you need, and what you must do each week to keep getting benefits.
Short answer: File during the first week after you become unemployed, online at IDES.Illinois.gov or at an IDES office, and register at IllinoisJobLink.com. Have records of pension payments and your work history ready. Illinois Department of Employment Security, Unemployment Insurance Benefits Handbook
| How to apply | File during the first week after you become unemployed, online at IDES.Illinois.gov or at an IDES office, and register at IllinoisJobLink.com. Have records of pension payments and your work history ready. After filing, certify every two weeks online or through the Tele-Serve phone system, answering questions about availability, earnings, vacation or holiday pay, and work search. IDES Claimant Services: (800) 244-5631. |
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| Earnings needed to qualify | You must have been paid at least $1,600 in insured wages during your base period, with at least $440 of it paid outside the calendar quarter in which your wages were highest. The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. You must also register for work with IDES. |
| Work search requirements | You must actively look for work on your own initiative and register with the Illinois Employment Service at IllinoisJobLink.com (or at an IDES office). Keep a record of when and where you apply; searches on IllinoisJobLink.com are recorded there, or you can use IDES's Work Search Record form. Keep written work search records for 53 weeks after each week claimed. IDES may ask what you are doing to find work and the kind of work you are seeking. |
| Logging in and filing weekly claims | Illinois unemployment claimants certify for benefits through their IDES online account (sign in with ILogin, which all new and existing claimants must create). Certify on your designated certification day, online 3 a.m.-7:30 p.m. including holidays, or by Tele-Serve at (312) 338-4337, Mon-Fri 3 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays are make-up days if you miss your day. IDES encourages direct deposit as the payment method, and a separate IDES page handles document uploads. Account sign-in linked from IDES: https://benefits.ides.illinois.gov |
Where to get help in Illinois
More Illinois unemployment benefits
- Logging In to Your Illinois Unemployment Claim
- Unemployment for Self-Employed and Gig Workers in Illinois
- Unemployment After Being Fired in Illinois
- Unemployment After Quitting in Illinois
- How Much Unemployment Pays in Illinois
- All Illinois unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
How do I apply for unemployment in Illinois?
File during the first week after you become unemployed, online at IDES.Illinois.gov or at an IDES office, and register at IllinoisJobLink.com. Have records of pension payments and your work history ready. After filing, certify every two weeks online or through the Tele-Serve phone system, answering questions about availability, earnings, vacation or holiday pay, and work search. IDES Claimant Services: (800) 244-5631.
How much do you need to have earned to get unemployment in Illinois?
You must have been paid at least $1,600 in insured wages during your base period, with at least $440 of it paid outside the calendar quarter in which your wages were highest. The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. You must also register for work with IDES.
What are the work search requirements for unemployment in Illinois?
You must actively look for work on your own initiative and register with the Illinois Employment Service at IllinoisJobLink.com (or at an IDES office). Keep a record of when and where you apply; searches on IllinoisJobLink.com are recorded there, or you can use IDES's Work Search Record form. Keep written work search records for 53 weeks after each week claimed. IDES may ask what you are doing to find work and the kind of work you are seeking.
Where do I log in to my unemployment claim in Illinois?
Illinois unemployment claimants certify for benefits through their IDES online account (sign in with ILogin, which all new and existing claimants must create). Certify on your designated certification day, online 3 a.m.-7:30 p.m. including holidays, or by Tele-Serve at (312) 338-4337, Mon-Fri 3 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays are make-up days if you miss your day. IDES encourages direct deposit as the payment method, and a separate IDES page handles document uploads.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.