McHenry Times

Illinois residents continue to report frustration with the callback system the state Department Of Employment Security (IDES) set up to handle unemployment claims. 

IDES offices remain closed, and the agency implemented the callback system to help decrease lengthy wait times as thousands of people seek much-needed unemployment benefits during the pandemic. Frustrated residents, however, are reporting being disconnected or hung up on by IDES call takers, ABC 7 News reported May 6. 

Illinois State Rep. Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa) took to Facebook to call out IDES for what he feels are unnecessary closures.

"Private businesses and other agency offices, like the Secretary of State’s office have been open for months," Weber wrote in a May 7 Facebook post. "Throughout the pandemic, these offices have done their best to stay open, only closing during the worst of the pandemic, and opening as soon as possible. I don’t understand why the agency isn’t doing everything in their power to get back to serving the people of Illinois at their full capacity." 

State lawmakers have been urging IDES to implement a virtual appointment system for residents to meet with agents, but so far nothing has been decided.

IDES told the ABC 7 I-Team that calls are monitored to ensure quality and said that there are no channels for callers to file a complaint about how their call was handled.

The agency also reported that there are currently no plans to reopen offices for in-person service.