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COVID-19 Update
Monday, November 23, 2020
State of Illinois
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
PANDEMIC-RELATED UNEMPLOYMENT EXCEEDS PREVIOUS RECESSIONS
0
400,000
800,000
1,200,000
1,600,000
2,000,000
2,400,000
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81Weeks Since Beginning of Recession
Cumulative Regular UI Initial ClaimsComparison to Recent Recessions
2001 Recession 2008 Recession 2020 Recession
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
ILLINOIS RESPONDS TO SUPPORT WORKERS IDES efforts to increase access to benefits and support employers
Easing Certification Requirements • Assisting individuals laid off due to a temporary closing
of a business to continue to qualify for benefits. • Expanding the definition of “able and available to work”
to help claimants certify.
Non-Instructional Academic Employees
• With legislature’s support, accommodated a change in eligibility for non-instructional academic employees.
Statements of Benefit Charges • With legislature’s support, adjusted employer reporting
system to ensure employer tax rates and reimbursable wouldn’t rise due to pandemic-induced claims.
Waiving the Waiting Week • With support from Governor and legislature, waived UI
waiting week, granting claimants an extra week of benefits during their first payment.
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
SUPPORTING CLAIMANTS IN RECORD NUMBERS IDES has paid out over 16x more benefits compared to 2019,
assisting 1.3 million people statewide.
Benefits Paid (March through October)
Program 2019 2020
Regular UI $1.056 billion $5.422 billion
FPUC $0 $8.914 billion
PEUC $0 $514 million
PUA $0 $1.574 billion
EB (CARES) $0 $109 million
LWA $0 $1.127 billion
Total Benefits Paid $1.056 billion $17.659 billion
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
CONTINUED CLAIMS SHOW PERSISTENCE OF DOWNTURN
Continued claims counts hover around 700,000 to 800,000 since August
• Fewer Illinoisans are claiming regular UI benefits. However, they are not reconnecting with the labor force.
• Instead, claimants are transitioning to extended benefits (e.g. PEUC and EB).
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
8/1 8/16 8/31 9/15 9/30 10/15 10/30 11/14
Weekly Continued Claims: All ProgramsAugust 1, 2020 to November 14, 2020
Regular UI PUA PEUC EB
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
Congressional action needed to replace these benefits for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans and 12 million Americans.
Pandemic unemployment relief programs expire December 26.
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
IDES HEADCOUNT CUT IN HALF OVER THE DECADE 226-person headcount increase to 1,377 total authorized for FY21
Authorized Headcount FY21: 1,377
Actual Headcount FY10: 1,961
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
FY06FY07
FY08FY09
FY10 FY11FY12
FY13FY14
FY15FY16
FY17FY18
FY19FY20
FY21
IDES Headcount
Authorized Headcount Actual Headcount
Recession
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
NEW UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS SHATTER RECORDS No comparable time frame has produced even half as many claims
-
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Initial Regular UI ClaimsMarch to October
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
INCREASING ACCESS TO IDES CALL CENTER
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
Jan-
19Fe
b-19
Mar
-19
Apr-
19M
ay-1
9Ju
n-19
Jul-1
9Au
g-19
Sep-
19O
ct-1
9N
ov-1
9D
ec-1
9Ja
n-20
Feb-
20M
ar-2
0Ap
r-20
May
-20
Jun-
20Ju
l-20
Aug-
20
Average Daily Agents•IDES has added hundreds of permanent and contractual agents
•Call center hours extended to reach more claimants
•Callers can enter callback queues 24/7
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
IDES CALL CENTER: PRIOR TO CALLBACK SYSTEM Over 1 million calls per week; claimants forced to call dozens of times per day
Peak week (ending May 23): 1,823,093 calls received
-
400,000
800,000
1,200,000
1,600,000
2,000,0003/
7
3/14
3/21
3/28 4/
4
4/11
4/18
4/25 5/2
5/9
5/16
5/23
5/30 6/
6
6/13
6/20
Total Calls Per WeekPrior to Callback System
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
CALLBACK SYSTEM PRIORITIZES EFFICIENCY AND FAIRNESS
Over 1.1 million callbacks completed to date
Efficient • Outstanding calls cut in half since August • Answering 2.5x more calls than before
callback system • Claimants queue based on specific issue
to connect with an expert • Callback times down to 7-10 days
Fair • First-in, first-out system • All claimants guaranteed to speak with
an agent • Claimants no longer must call dozens of
times in a day to “win the lottery”
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
CALLBACK WAIT TIMES DECLINING CONSISTENTLY
•IDES is continuously reallocating call center agents to address our 20+ queues
•For example, claimants seeking help with certification have seen wait times drop sharply
•The vast majority of claimants will receive a callback within 7-10 days
-
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
7/9 7/29 8/18 9/7 9/27 10/17 11/6
Outstanding Calls: Certification Queue Only with callback system
State of Illinois COVID-19 Update
Nov. 23, 2020
FRAUD IMPACTING UNEMPLOYMENT AGENCIES NATIONWIDE
Taking steps to protect against bad actors
•IDES is generally informed about fraud in two ways:
1. Victims of identity theft receive a UI Finding and/or KeyBank debit card in the mail. The victim contacts IDES to shut down the fraudulent claim
2. Employers protest a claim from a current or former employee
•Claimants, victims, and employers can help fight fraud
•IDES is working with state & federal partners to investigate and pursue fraudsters
COVID-19 Update
Monday, November 23, 2020
State of Illinois
