IL HR0226

Calls upon the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) to immediately reopen public-access employment offices that closed in March 2020 due to COVID-19 and have remained closed as of March 2021.

Notes that Illinois unemployment reached 7.6% in December 2020 with over 468,300 residents actively seeking work, creating urgent need for in-person IDES assistance with benefit applications and job searches.

Identifies current IDES service failures including 155,765 unanswered calls in callback queue with wait times exceeding one month, and an automated chatbot that constituents report does not adequately answer questions.

Requests other state departments provide IDES with technical assistance and guidance on safely reopening office spaces under pandemic conditions, citing examples of Department of Driver Services and Family Community Resource Centers that have partially reopened.

Expresses support for both unemployed Illinois workers and IDES employees while acknowledging the stressful circumstances of operating public offices during a pandemic.