How to file for unemployment in Illinois
The online claim is usually the fastest way. Here is what to have ready, when your claim starts and what comes after you file.
All about unemployment in Illinois
Checked against official sources: October 31, 2026.
Filing, step by step
File online through your IDES account. If you cannot file online, call 1-217-558-0401 to make an appointment to file in person or by phone at an IDES office. You can also get help at IDES offices and Illinois workNet Centers.
When to file and when your claim starts
File during the first week after you lose your job, or as soon as you can. If you wait, you may lose benefits. Your benefit year usually starts on the Sunday of the week you first file.
What to have ready
- Your Social Security number and your name as it appears on your Social Security card
- Your driver's license or state ID
- If you claim a spouse or child as a dependent: their names, Social Security numbers and birth dates
- Name, mailing address, phone number, dates worked and reason for leaving for every employer in the last 18 months
- Wage records such as W-2 forms or check stubs, if needed
- Gross wages for any work since Sunday of this week
- Records of any pension payments (not Social Security)
- If you are not a U.S. citizen: your Alien Registration information
- Recent veterans: DD Form 214/215 (Member 4 copy). Federal civilian workers: Standard Form 8 and Form 50
Certify (claim your weeks)
How often: Every two weeks. Certify every two weeks on your assigned day online or by Tele-Serve at 1-312-338-4337. Thursday and Friday are make-up days. Report all gross wages for the week you earned them, not the week you were paid.
Your first payment
About 7 to 10 business days after you file, IDES mails a UI Finding letter with your weekly benefit amount and your certification day. The first week is an unpaid waiting week. After you certify, allow about 2 to 3 days for direct deposit or 8 days for a paper check.
Register for work
Most people must register on IllinoisJobLink.com by creating or uploading at least one resume. If you do not register by the due date IDES gives you, you cannot get benefits for any week before the week you finish registering.
Law: 820 ILCS 405/500
Official source: Source page
What applies in every state
- File with the unemployment program of the state where you worked. If you worked in another state or in several states, the agency in the state where you live now can tell you how to file with other states.
- It generally takes two to three weeks after you file to get your first payment. Some states require a one-week waiting period, so the second week you claim is the first week paid.
Free help
Call 1-800-244-5631. Legal aid and other free help in Illinois → Official sources →
More questions about unemployment in Illinois
Is there a waiting week in Illinois?
Yes. You must serve one unpaid waiting week. It is usually the first week you claim.