Logging In to Your Illinois Unemployment Claim
Where to log in to your Illinois unemployment claim, file weekly or biweekly certifications, check payment status, and get help.
Short answer: 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. Illinois Department of Employment Security, Certify for Benefits
| 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 |
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| 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. |
| 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. |
Where to get help in Illinois
More Illinois unemployment benefits
- 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
- How to File for Unemployment in Illinois
- All Illinois unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
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.
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.
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.
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.