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Welcome to the IDES website! How do I know this is official?

Although IDES offices will be closed on Monday, May 29th for Memorial’ Day holiday, you can still certify and apply for benefits and access other online resources! Please also note that benefit payments may take longer to process during this time. Offices will reopen for regular business hours on Tuesday, May 30th.

About IDES

The Illinois Department of Employment Security is the code department of the Illinois state government that administers state unemployment benefits, runs the employment service and Illinois Job Bank, and publishes labor market information.

Our Mission

The Illinois Department of Employment Security will encourage economic growth and stability in Illinois by providing vital employment services to Illinois residents and employers, analyzing and disseminating actionable labor market information, and administering unemployment insurance programs.​

Our Vision

The Illinois Department of Employment Security focuses on assisting those unemployed at no fault of their own with access to unemployment compensation and employment services, connecting with employers seeking to expand their workforce, and sharing data with policymakers looking to make informed, fact-based decisions that impact Illinois’ economy. 

What We Do

  • ​IDES administers the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, collecting roughly $2 billion in employer taxes and disbursing roughly $2 billion to unemployed claimants each year.
  • IDES provides employment services to employers and job seekers throughout Illinois.​
  • IDES provides employment and wage data for research and the development of sound public workforce policy.​

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