Illinois Skills Match » illinois unemployment benefits

Illinois Unemployment: Illinois Unemployment Programs

Andrew — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:27:00 +0000

The Illinois Department of Employment Security, IDES, provides unemployed workers and young residents the opportunity of finding a job through one of its employment programs. This article is the second article in a two-article series on the main employment programs available to Illinois unemployed workers. In the first article we discussed programs centered especially on young workers, such as the apprenticeship program and the Hire the Future program. We also discussed the opportunities available through Illinois’ Skills Match database and the IDES Job Fairs and Special Events and provided links and details on how to register for these valuable resources. In this article we will continue our review of Illinois’ employment programs and discuss the last five programs we set out to evaluate. These are the Re-Entry Employment Service the People with Disabilities program and the Veterans program.

Re-Entry Program

The Re-Entry Employment Service is a program offered to employers rather than workers. However, it benefits both employers and employees by providing employers with additional incentives to employ ex-offenders who have completed their sentence and wish to return to the workplace. The program allows employers to receive tax incentives for each re-entry worker they employ. If you are interested in finding a job through the re-entry program click here for more information. Finding work in Illinois in the current economy is not easy, but it is even harder if you were formerly incarcerated or have a criminal conviction. If you are a veteran who also has a criminal conviction you may find assistance through the Incarcerated Veteran’s Transition Program, IVTP, for help finding a new job.

The Re-Entry Employment Service Program offers ex-offenders with a free individual assessment, access to the Illinois Skills Match database, special job referrals, job readiness workshops and help preparing a resume. If you would like a quick summary of what this program is about click here to watch a brief video.

People with Disabilities

The People with Disabilities program is managed by the Division of Rehabilitation Services, which works with people with disabilities and their families to provide them with the help they need. If you are a resident of Illinois and have some type of disability this program can help you find a job and help you access any of the following state and federal programs for disabled people.

Veteran Services

The state of Illinois wants to thank veterans for their services and help them find a new job. This program offers special job offers, employment workshops and access to the Illinois Skills Match database. It will also provide you the information and knowhow required to join any of the following state and federal programs for veterans.

Possibly Related Posts:

Illinois Unemployment: IDES Illinois Employment Programs

Andrew — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:53:00 +0000

The Illinois Department of Employment Security, IDES, is the agency in charge of providing employment services to unemployed workers in Illinois. There are many programs you can enroll and benefit from. Which one is best for you will depend on your personal circumstances. This two-article series will provide detailed information on nine of the main employment programs in Illinois. We will analyze each employment program in detail and provide links and details on who it is for and how you can apply.

In this article we will discuss information about the following Illinois Department of Employment Security programs: Apprenticeship, Hire the Future, Illinois Skills Match, Job Fairs & Special Events. Any of these programs could provide you the opportunity of find the job you need.

Apprenticeship

Apprentices under the Illinois Department of Employment Security have the opportunity of enrolling as a paid worker in a special training program managed by a labor organization or trade association. If you choose to become an apprenticeship it is likely you will work in the construction industry. The benefits of the apprenticeship program is you will be joining a growing industry, with good wages opportunities, a long-term employment expectancy and instead of getting into debt to get the education you need, you will be paid during your training. Click here for access to an application form. Print it and send it to your closest Illinois Department of Employment Security, IDES, office. If you need help finding your closest office, click here.

There are a wide variety of trades you can train for. Through this program you could become an architectural iron worker, a boilermaker, a carpenter, a bricklayer, a ceramic tile layer or a cement mason, to mention a few. For a complete list of available trades click here.

Hire the Future

The Hire the Future program assists young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 to find work and to provide them with the work experience they need to work. To join you must visit the Illinois Skills Match Enrollment page and complete the form. Click here to access your personal form.

Illinois Skills Match

The Illinois Skills Match is a database designed to help employers find the workers they need. To join you must register yourself by visiting Illinois Skills Match website. Your information will be entered into the program and designed to help employers and the skilled workers they need meet.

Events and Workshops

The Illinois Department of Employment Security also offers Illinois special events and workshops on the search for employment. The events are organized by government and community agencies. The IDES keeps an up-to-date calender of the important dates for each race and culture.

Possibly Related Posts:

Illinois Unemployment: Three Tools You Should Not Miss When Searching For Work in Illinois.

Andrew — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:42:57 +0000

Finding work in a state with 9.1 percent unemployment is not easy. The Illinois Department of Employment Security knows this and is providing a variety of tools and programs to help unemployed workers find a job.

If you are unemployed and have been so for a while, it is easy to get disappointed and stop searching for work. This is a bad idea for two reasons. First, you are even less likely to find a job, and once your benefits run out you will be in a even worse situation to find work. As you know to well, searching for work costs money. Just transportation is a serious expense when you are unemployed and need to get to interviews and distribute resumes.

Second, if you are not actively searching for work, you could lose your benefits. Looking for work and providing the evidence to support your claim is a requirement to receive benefits in the State of Illinois.

Spice up your employment search with these efficient tools the Illinois Department of Employment Security provides. Remember to keep a record of every job search activity in a weekly log. You must log at least three different search activities, such as assisting an interview, sending your resume or jointing a work database to qualify for benefits. These requirements are even more stringent when you are on extended benefits.

Illinois Skills Match

Illinois Skill Match is an online database managed by the Illinois Department of Employment Security and should be your first stop when looking for work.

Illinois WorkNet

This job search engine allows you to provide specific employment specifications to hone your search to your specific qualifications and target job.

Job Fairs

The Illinois Department of Employment Security organizes job fairs throughout the state to help workers get in touch with employees. Please find below the list of job fairs scheduled for the rest of the year.

Genesis Career Network Job Fair

Friday, July 8, 2011

Orr High School, 730 N Pulaski, Chicago 60624

On-Site Recruitment for Staff Management

Friday, July 8, 2011

1700 West 18th St., Chicago, IL 606082nd Floor

Staffing Network Recruiting Event

Monday, July 11, 2011

IDES office, 321 Ouadrangle Drive

Guardian Security Recruiting

Tuesdays, Jul 12, 19 & 26, 2011

IDES office, 321 Quadrangle Drive, Bolingbrook, IL 60440

IDOT Veterans Fair

Thursday, July 14, 2011

East St. Louis City Hall Rotunda, East St. Louis, IL 62201

Family Christian Center Job Fair

Friday, July 15, 2011

Family Christian Center 340 W 40th , Munster, IN46321

IDES Job/Health/Services Fair

Friday, July 15, 2011

Lisieux Pastoral Center, 371 N. St. Joseph, Kankakee, IL 60901

Summer Job Fair at St. Augustine College

Friday, July 22, 2011

St. Augustine College, 1345 W. Argyle St. Chicago, IL 60640

Veterans Job Fair

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Wheeling AmVets Post #66, 700 McHenry Road, Wheeling, IL 60090

Illinois Department of Transportation Highway Maintainer Resource Fair

Thursday July 28, 2011

Laura Lee Fellowship House, 212 E. Williams, Danville, IL 61832

On-Site Recruitment for Westway Coach

Monday, July 18 and 25, 2011

IDES office, 321 Ouadrangle Drive, Bolingbrook, IL 60440

Veterans Outreach 2011 – Richton Park Illinois

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Benjamin O’ Davis VFW Post 311 Hall/22341 South Governors Hwy., Richton Park, IL 60471

Madison County Veteran’s Fair

Thursday, August 28th, 2011

Southwestern Illinois College, Granite City, IL62040

Jobs Plus

Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011

Gateway Center, Collinsville, IL 62234

On-site Recruitment for Furst Staffing

Every Tuesday

IDES Office, 1826 S. West Ave., Freeport IL 61032

On-site Recruitment for Staff Management

Every Wednesday

Workforce Center at Daley College, 7500 S Pulaski Bldg-100, Chicago IL 60653

Training Provider Onsite–MicroTrain

2nd and 4th Tuesdays of Every Month

IDES Office, 800 Lancer Lane, Grayslake IL 60030

On-site Recruitment for Staff Management

2nd Friday of Every Month in 2011

IDES Office, 1700 W. 18th Street, Chicago 60608

Possibly Related Posts:

Illinois Unemployment: Illinois Youth Services Invest In The Future

Andrew — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:40:00 +0000

In May 2011, Illinois unemployment rate was the same as the national average, that is to say 9.1 percent. However, if you are unemployed and young, your chances of finding employment in Illinois are much slimmer. The Illinois unemployment rate for teenagers is 25.8, 1.6 percent higher than the national average 24.2 percent. The situation is even worse for Illinois black teenagers, which have an unemployment rate of 47.7 percent and Illinois Hispanic teenagers, which have an unemployment rate of 26 percent. White teenagers had an unemployment rate of 24.7 percent.

What is the cause of this rise in teen unemployment? Unfortunately the situation in Illinois mirrors the situation in the nation as a whole. According to Greg Rivara, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Employment Security, the reason is adults are being forced by into jobs they would have previously not accepted and that would have been open to teenagers in a better economy.

The good news is the Illinois Department of Employment Security has created a program for teens looking to start work. The program is called Illinois Hire the Future. It started as a summer program for teens looking for a summer job and has now evolved in a year-round program for students.

Benefits

The Illinois Hire the Future program provides incentives to employers who give students a chance to start work. It provides employers with low cost workers while giving students a chance to develop their skills and get a feel of what the workforce requires from them.

Requirements

To qualify for Illinois Hire the Future you must be between 16 and 21, be attending school, have an 8^th grade level in Math and reading, a tardy rate of 10 percent or lower and an attendance rate of 90 percent or higher. Openings are limited in the program, so participants will be elected based on their academic performance, attendance records and the recommendation of principals and counselors.

Employers are required to pay minimum wage. How long they decide to employ you or if they decide to pay your more than minimum wage is up to each employer.

Other opportunities for young Illinois workers are the Illinois Department of Employment Security Apprenticeship Training program and the Illinois WorkNet Centers. For more information on these programs click on this link.

Possibly Related Posts:

Unemployment Resources: Check the Benefits of Illinois Skills Match

Andrew — Sun, 29 May 2011 12:11:00 +0000

When you have a difficult task in front of you, it pays to have the right tools to get the job done. Having the tools is, of course, not enough. You need to know how to use them. Finding work in an economy like Illinois’, with an unemployment rate of 8.6 percent, is not an easy task. Illinois Skills Match provides the help, direction and resources you need to improve your chances of finding a new job.

So, What Is Illinois Skills Match?

Illinois Skills Match is a free (but powerful) job search and matching system that runs on the internet. It is designed to match job offers with applicants registered in the system. One of the beauties of Illinois Skills Match is that in never stops working. You can use it to search for work any day of the week, any time, regardless of if it’s a holiday or a weekend.

Okay, But How Does It Work?

The first step is for employers to register the job opening they need to cover. They must specify with skills each job posting requires.

The second step is for unemployed workers, you must introduce you skills set, the wages you require and what distances you are willing to travel.

Step three, Illinois Skills Match will link job openings to employees by their skills, availability and salary requirements.

Step four. You must check your Illinois Skills Match profile regularly and see what job matches are available to you. You can then apply for job matches.

Alternatively, the employer may express an interest in your profile and the Illinois Department of Employment Security will send you a message either by phone, email or mail.

Notice you must make sure your profile is accurate, up-to-date and well written. This is your advert to the employment market. It pays to get it right. Note also you must check Illinois Skills Match’s website regularly, at least once every 45 days, or your account will become inactive.

Benefits:

Free Service. This premium job search engine is provided at no cost to employers and employees.

You have complete control over the information you store on your profile and is available to employers.

You can use it to search for work anywhere with an internet connection at anytime of the day or night.

You may print a job seeker profile which you can use to create an effective resume.

Saves you time by matching you with suitable jobs while ignoring posts you are not interested in or not qualified for.

Possibly Related Posts:

Illinois Unemployment Benefits: Certify Your Benefits Using Tele-Serve

Andrew — Tue, 10 May 2011 13:01:00 +0000

The first thing you need to do if you become unemployed in Illinois is ensure you have an alternative income source. If you have savings, a real estate portfolio or have a rich uncle, this may not be a problem. Unfortunately, most of us are rather lacking in the rich relatives and real estate portfolio department. A more common method of ensuring a steady income during periods of financial instability is filing for unemployment benefits. You can do this online or over the phone. If you meet the requirements of the Illinois Department of Employment Security, you will receive a monetary disclosure letter detailing what weekly benefits you will receive and for how long. However, this is only the start. To begin receiving unemployment benefits you must file for your weekly benefits on a bi-weekly basis.

Illinois Tele-Serve System

The Illinois Department of Employment Security uses Tele-Serve as its automatic telephone certification system. This process of certification begins only after you prove you are eligible for benefits. After your application has been approved you must certify your weekly benefits either online or over the phone.

How Do I Call?

There are two numbers available to Illinois unemployed workers: the Statewide number for all Illinois workers: 888.337.7234 and the number for the hearing impaired (available from 8:30 to 5:00 pm on weekdays): 800.662.3943

What Will I Be Asked?

If this is your first time applying for unemployment benefits, you are probably wondering what is the purpose of this certifying process? After all, hasn’t my application being approved? Why do I need to certify every other week. The certification process determines you are still eligible for unemployment benefits. It also determines if you are receiving income from another source that should be deducted from your unemployment compensation. Answering specific questions about your personal and financial life can be difficult, especially if you do not have the information at hand. We have therefore included a list of the questions you will be asked by the Tele-Serve or online certification systems.

You will also be asked to provide personal details to confirm who you are. Documents requested include your SSN, the PIN provided by the Employment Security Department, your earnings before taxes for the weeks you are certifying and you last certification statement.

Have you received or will you receive holiday pay? (Have holiday pay amount available)
Did you work? (Have earnings before taxes available)
Has your dependency status changed?
Were you able to work and available for work?
Did you actively look for work?
Are you receiving or have you applied for a Social Security pension?
Other than Social Security, are you receiving or have you applied for a retirement or disability pension?
Are you attending school or receiving training?
Have you claimed or will you receive workers’ compensation for a temporary disability

Possibly Related Posts:

Illinois Department of Employment Security: An Overview

Andrew — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:31:00 +0000

The Illinois Department of Employment Security, or IDES, is mostly known for managing the state’s unemployment compensation program, but it provides many more services you can benefit from. This article will provide a brief overview of the services the department provides and what you must do to benefit from them.

Unemployment Compensation

Applying for unemployment benefits is usually the first reason workers deal with the IDES. The IDES provides temporary financial assistance during periods of unemployment to insured workers. The program is paid for by employers who must pay an employment insurance tax for all their employees.

The first step if you need unemployment benefits is to register with IDES and file a new claim. You can choose to do this online, over the phone or face to face with a customer service officer at one of IDES’ offices or Work Centers. Click here for a searchable database of IDES offices and Work Centers. Once you register with IDES you will be assigned to a particular office, but you are free to visit other offices if your wish.

If you are an employer and would like to understand how to comply with employment law in Illinois, click here for an in-depth description of your rights and responsibilities.

In 2011 the maximum rate employers must pay in employment insurance tax is 8.4 percent, while the minimum is 0.7 percent. The taxable wage base these rates are base on is $12,740. The rate paid for each employee is dependent on several factors, such as the experience of employers.

Job Search

The second aspect of the IDES workers will usually bump into is its Job Search service. The IDES manages Illinois Skills Match, a powerful job search engine designed, would you believe it, to match job seekers with employers.

The IDES also sponsors job fairs, resume and employment events and job hunting workshops for unemployed workers. It also provides special programs focused on veterans and re-entry to the workforce programs.

These programs include special allowances and tax credits for companies which hire disadvantaged workers and the use of IDES buildings for recruiting.

If you are just out of high school or college the IDES provides specialized Career Information events which provide you with the information you need to make sound career decisions. Interested in knowing which jobs are in-demand in your areal, what their pay scale is and what opportunities of advancement you can expect? Click here for access to IDES’ workforce and career information.

Possibly Related Posts:

Illinois Career Resource Network: Illinois Skills Job Search Help

Andrew — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:54:00 +0000

Have you heard the unemployment rate in Illinois is dropping and the number of new job openings is increasing? You may be wondering where those new openings are, because finding work is not getting any easier for your.

If that is your situation, this post will help you find out where you should be searching for work and what industries have the highest demand for workers, as well as the highest salaries and opportunities for professional growth.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) helps unemployed workers and recently graduated students to focus their energies and time on the industries and job openings that offer the best chances of success. We will discuss in this series of articles four of the main career and training resources available to Illinois residents. These are the Career Information System, the Career Click, the CIS Junior and the Illinois Skills Match Database.

Career Information System

The Career Information System offers unemployed workers the opportunity of planning their training and courses to match the employment opportunities with the best chances of success. It also offers valuable information on occupations, education and financial aid available to Illinois workers. For instance, CIS offers 530 descriptions of professions and occupations including new and emerging occupations you may not know about.

This also includes a Reality Check tool which help you match available occupations with the type of lifestyle you want to live. CIS also helps you write an effective resume and provides an online portfolio you can use to store your training and education results. Another great feature of CIS is it provides links to employers nationwide, not only in Illinois. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, CIS can still be useful to you, as it provides the know-how you need to start your own business.

Interested? Find more information on CIS’s information, training and job search tools by clicking here.

Career Click

Career Click offers Illinois residents with a quick and useful guide to the jobs and training programs with the highest demand. It also allows you to search for your dream job and see how likely you are to find an opening in your home county. You can also use Career Click to determine what skills you will need to qualify for your target job and where you can get the training you need. Although there are no job listings in Career Click it will provide you a guide of all the main occupations divided into 16 career clusters so you can determine what industry sector is the best for you.

Click here if you are interested in learning what Career Click has to offer.

Possibly Related Posts:

Illinois Skills Match: Illinois Job Search Tools

Andrew — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 20:25:00 +0000

Are you an Illinois resident? Are you looking for employment? Knowing where to find job openings and what job search tools to use is often as important as your education and work experience. This website provides Illinois residents with the tools they need to find a new job with the best job search and placement programs available.

Illinois Skills Match

The main source of work opportunities for Illinois residents is Illinois Skills Match. This nonprofit government-sponsored online database is designed to connect workers with employers in the State of Illinois.

To enroll in Illinois Skills Match database you must register here. This will require providing basic personal information such as your address, name and social security number. You can choose how much or how little information you share with potential employers. You will also need to provide information on how much distance you are willing to travel to work and what your minimum salary and benefits requirements are. Don’t forget to insert your main marketable skills, such as driving a car, language skills, typing and computer skills.

Illinois Work Net Center

You can search for a new job posting based on carefully chosen information at Illinois Work Net Job search. This website enables workers to search for work by specific zip codes, keywords and industries. This allows you to spend less time searching for a suitable employment openings and more time applying for them.

Job Central National Labor Exchange

This nonprofit organization is made up of leading United States companies working in conjunction with the J IDES. The platform will allow you to search, compare and download all the information you need to find a new job. You can also use it to find federal contractor listings and federal government job opportunities.

America’s Job Exchange

This website is a pioneer in the search of employment in the United States. It is made up of a consortium of American companies which have partnered with the Illinois Department of Employment Security to help you find the job you need in your industry. This free access job search provider and career management service provider was designed by the same team which created the first online job search portal.

Job Fairs and Special Events

The Illinois Department of Employment Security sponsors job fairs and training opportunities throughout the year to help unemployed workers find employment and improve their marketable skills. This includes events such as the Careers 2011 Career Fair, the Greene County Health Fair, the Annual Carl Sandburg College Career and Job Fair and the Greater Springfield Job and Career Fair. The IDES provides an up-to-date website with the latest job fairs available.

Possibly Related Posts:

Illinois UI Benefits: Protect Your Benefits

Andrew — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:04:00 +0000

Sadly, many unemployed workers in Illinois lose their unemployment benefits because they do not follow the guidelines set by the Illinois UI Agency. Protect your UI benefits by learning what requirements you must follow according to Illinois Department of Employment Security guidelines.

These guidelines are described in the State of Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES) Unemployment Insurance Benefits Handbook. This handbook provides detailed instructions on how to apply for UI benefits and protect your benefits. This article will summarize some of the main points of the handbook.

First, it is worth noting that in Illinois, unemployment benefits are paid entirely by employers. Unlike social security benefits, which are funded from deductions off your wages, you do not pay any part of your UI benefits.

Eligibility Requirements:

To receive unemployment insurance benefits in Illinois you must:

- Have earned $1,600 or more during your base period, of which at least $440 were earned on another quarter besides your highest earning quarter.

NOTE: Your base period includes the first four calendar quarters of the last five quarters since you filed your initial UI claim. Your highest earning quarter is the calendar quarter when you received the highest income.

- You must have lost your job due to no fault of your own. If you quit your job voluntarily, retired or were fired with cause (e.g. committing a felony or gross misconduct), you may be disqualified from receiving UI payments.

- You must register for work with the Illinois Department of Employment Security and actively search for work during every week you claim for UI benefits.

- You must certify your weekly benefits. If you do not certify for a weekly benefit, IDES may understand you have found work and cancel your claim.

- You must serve a waiting week before UI payments start. Your waiting week is the first week you certify your weekly benefits for. During this waiting week you do not receive payment. If you follow IDES requirements, you can receive credit for the waiting week in future weeks.

- Report any income you earn while receiving UI benefits. This includes tips, commissions, board and lodging and other benefits you might receive for your work.

- Only claim for UI payments if you are willing and able to work. If you are not able to work due to illness, vacation or some other problem, you should not claim for UI payments. Unemployed workers who fall sick or suffer some kind of disability can apply for special benefits.

If you claim for UI benefits without meeting these requirements your claim could be canceled and your future eligibility for benefits may be jeopardized.

Possibly Related Posts: