Illinois Unemployment Contact Information

Illinois Unemployment Phone Numbers

For jobless residents of Illinois, unemployment benefits can provide a welcome relief. These benefits are issued by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). With IDES, you can apply for benefits, sign in to request benefits, upload documents, and even start browsing for jobs by clicking through to the Illinois Job Link page. There is also a claimant services phone number which is 800-244-5631. You can apply for UI benefits over the phone if using the online portal is difficult.

Find answers to questions on Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim, address change, appeal, Direct Deposit, expired password, Extended Benefits, tax form 1099, unemployment appeal or other IDES services for individuals.

Additional Illinois Unemployment Phone Numbers

Unemployment Insurance

Contact IDES if you have questions about an unemployment insurance (UI) claims, certification and payment, ILogin, appeals, and more:
Phone Number: (800) 244-5631

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Unemployment Certification

Tele-Serve Phone Number: (312) 338-4337
Hours: 3:00AM – 7:30PM, Monday – Friday

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Illinois Relay and TTY Numbers

Individuals with a hearing impairment who would like to speak with someone in the Claimant Services Center should dial 711 for the Illinois Relay System. After you are connected, request staff to call IDES at 800.244.5631.

Illinois Relay: (800) 526-0844 TTY or 711

Illinois Relay: (800) 526-0857 Voice or 711

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IllinoisJobLink.com Help Desk

Need help with your login information?
Phone Number: (877) 342-7533

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Fraud and Identity Theft Phone Numbers

Report fraud and identity theft:
Phone Number: (800) 814-0513

Fax Number: (312) 793-5151

 

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Illinois Unemployment Office Locations

If you want to go to an IDES office in person, scroll down to find the closest IDES office location. There are many unemployment offices throughout the state, and over half a dozen around the greater urban area of Chicago and suburbs like Naperville. However, you need to make an appointment before visiting.

Illinois Office Locations

In-Person Appointments

Many individuals collecting Illinois unemployment benefits will navigate the entire process remotely, including filing their initial Illinois unemployment claims and maintaining eligibility requirements like their job search. But some individuals making an unemployment claim might feel a benefit from visiting an unemployment office in person, either to get help in person entering the unemployment system (e.g. applying for benefits) or by leveraging a claimant services center into something more than customer service: that is, as a tool for getting a new job.

To schedule an in-person appointment, call 217-558-0401. You must have an appointment as walk-ins are not allowed. There are no appointments required to use the drop boxes to drop off documents.

Services provided at IDES locations include:

• Logging on to the unemployment compensation system and/or Job Link
• Responding to a request to verify ID or other additional information in order to collect benefits (if, for instance, there is suspicion of fraudulent activity)
• Assistance documenting job search activities, and requests to use the resource room. Locations also have a drop box for dropping off documents

Appointment times will be booked between Monday and Friday, anywhere from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Depending on the nature of the appointment, time slots run between 20 to 50 minutes. You cannot arrive at an IDES office as a walk-in, and if you attempt to do so you will be directed to call the appointment hotline and schedule an appointment. You must bring a photo ID to your appointment (which protects everyone from unemployment fraud).

If your meeting about your Illinois unemployment requires some additional documentation to be furnished (e.g. details of your previous work history or a record of your current job search while you are collecting benefits), you must bring that with you as well.

Employment Security Offices, State of Illinois

There is a 10 minute grace period that allows you to be late, but if you arrive beyond that, you will need to schedule another appointment. Although the COVID pandemic seems to be over, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) still recommends wearing masks in public locations. If you have been experiencing Covid-19 symptoms or been exposed to someone with COVID-19 up to 14 days prior to your appointment, you will need to reschedule.

Information To Have When Contacting IDES

If you are contacting IDES to start your Illinois unemployment application, you should have some information ready:

• You will need your Social Security number and must provide your name as it appears on your Social Security card
• You will need a driver’s license or a state ID card.
• If you are going to claim a spouse or child as a dependent, you will also need their Social Security number, birthday, and name.
• If you are not a U.S. citizen, you will need to provide your Alien Registration Information
• If you recently became a Veteran, a Member 4 Copy of the DD form 214/215.
• If you were a civilian employee of the federal government, you will need Standard Form 8 and Personnel Action Form 50.

In order to collect UI benefits, you will also need to provide information about your work history and earnings. More specifically, you will need the business name, mailing address, phone number, and employment dates for every employer you worked for in the past 18 months.

You will also need to provide a reason for termination or separation for each employer, not just the most recent place at which you were an employee. Income information is needed to determine your weekly benefit amount when you file your bi-weekly certification. That said, you should also have wage records like paycheck stubs or payroll information such as a W-2.

If you are already collecting unemployment insurance benefits and contacting IDES to file your biweekly certification, you will need to provide information about any income you have earned during the weeks in which you file for benefits. IDES requests that you report your gross wages, not your take-home pay. Additionally, you are technically supposed to report “wages” paid in the form of lodging, meals, or merchandise.

You are also supposed to report any pensions you are receiving, but you are not required to report income from Social Security.