Unemployment in Illinois: Workers experience issues filing for benefits, website flooded with claimants
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A record 3,283,000 Americans filed for unemployment this week amid the coronavirus crisis, U.S. Department of Labor figures released Thursday show. That number shatters the record that was set back in 1982, and economist say were heading to an unemployment rate that could be worse than the Great Depression.
As layoff are surging because so many businesses are closed due to COVID-19, many people who say they can't work are claiming they are unable to file for unemployment.
Several people have called the ABC 7 I-Team claiming the state's unemployment website isn't working. I-Team Consumer Investigative Reporter Samantha Chatman spoke to several people who say they have been calling for days to apply but have only seemed to get an error message and busy signals.
Jenny Formanski works at a popular learning center in Tinley Park where she and her team work with dozens of students after school. However, because she is considered a non-essential worker during the coronavirus crisis, the mother of three is faced with a harsh reality.
She said she went online to the Illinois Department of Employment Security website and tried to file for unemployment benefits, but after several attempts she was unsuccessful.
RELATED: US unemployment claims reach record 3.28M this week amid coronavirus crisis
"I went online, registered and I would get an error code every time," Formanski said. "I tried every avenue I could online to try to reset, or do anything I could to continue the process to no avail."
Danielle Maggiore, who is a local hairstylist, said she also hasn't been able to apply for unemployment online. She said she has tried several times and has called the department dozens of times.
"Every time I go through on their website I'm getting this message saying that I cannot be validated and it says call the 1-800 number, and I get the busy signal," Maggiore said. "Every 50 calls I get this automated message, and it takes me all the way through and it says they're too busy, please try again later."
The ABC7 I-Team has received several calls from consumers who are faced with the same dilemma. They can't work and earn money due to COVID-19, but also can't seem to reach the state of Illinois for help.
"It's frustrating because the longer I wait to file unemployment, the longer my check is going to be delayed," Maggiore said.
A spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Employment Security released a statement that read:
Jake Lewis with the Chicago Federation of Labor said these are unprecedented times.
"Workers are hurting right now, workers are sacrificing, they are sacrificing either because they are out of work," he said, "they've lost hours, they've been laid off, or they are sacrificing because they are still at work but they are putting their health and safety at risk"
Lewis said that may not be enough, some workers have much more to worry about:
"If your hours have been slashed because of this outbreak then you may not work enough hours to qualify for healthcare, and if you don't qualify for healthcare than you have to pay COBRA in order to keep your healthcare, and obviously that puts an additional financial strain on workers," Lewis said.
Both Formanski and Maggiore said they still haven't had luck getting through to the IDES, but they have no choice but to keep trying.
"Put me on hold. I'll sit on hold for four hours," Maggiore said, "but don't just keep giving me the busy signal."
"I've looked at message boards and there's many, many people out there and there's no answer right now to where those people go," she said.
The IDES strongly encourages anyone wishing to file a claim to do so through the online portal. The department said they've taken steps to improve its performance, and the online portal is the safest, easiest and fastest route to filling out and submitting a claim.
The agency asked residents on Thursday to adhere to an alphabetized schedule when filing for unemployment online or over the phone.
For online filing, those with last names beginning with letters A-M are asked to file their claims on Sundays, Tuesdays or Thursdays. Those with last names beginning with letters N-Z are asked to file their claims on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Saturdays will be available for anyone to accommodate those who couldn't file on their allotted days.
For filing by phone, those with last names beginning with letters A-M are asked to call on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Those with last names beginning with letters N-Z will be asked to call on Mondays and Wednesdays between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Fridays will be available for anyone.
