When and Where to File

• Information Needed to File for Benefits
• Claiming Children as Dependents
• Claiming a Spouse as a Dependent
• What Happens When You File Your New Claim for Benefits?
• Benefits Paid for Weeks
• Receiving Payments via Paper Check or Direct Deposit

File your claim for unemployment insurance benefits during the first week after you have become unemployed. File for benefits online at or at an IDES office. If you are uncertain about your eligibility for benefits, call IDES Claimant Services for further information.
You must also register with the Illinois Employment Service system at IllinoisJobLink.com, or you may register at an IDES office.

• Your Social Security Number and Name as it appears on your Social Security card;
• Your Driver License / State ID (this will provide your weight, which is required);
• If claiming your spouse or child as a dependent, the Social Security Number, date of birth and name(s) of dependent(s);
• Name, mailing address, phone number, employment dates, and separation reason for all the employers you worked for in the last 18 months;
  • Wage records (W-2 form, check stubs, etc.) from these employers may be necessary.

• If you worked since Sunday of this week, the gross wages earned this week;
  • You must report all gross wages for any work performed, full or part-time;
  • Gross means the total amount earned before deductions, not “take home pay”, including wages in the form of lodging, meals, merchandise or any other form;
  • Gross wages must be reported the week in which they are earned, not the week in which you receive the wages;
  • If your gross wages earned in any week are less than your weekly benefit amount, you still may be eligible to receive a full or partial benefit payment);
• Records of any pension payments you are receiving (not including Social Security);
• If you are not a United States citizen, your Alien Registration Information;
• If you are a recently separated veteran, the Member 4 Copy of the DD form 214 / 215;
  • Other copies of the DD Form 214 / 215 are acceptable, but the Member 4 copy is the most commonly available.
• If you are separated from work as a civilian employee of the federal government, copies of your Standard Form 8 and Personnel Action Form 50.

Note: The law provides jail sentences and fines if you attempt to obtain benefits fraudulently by withholding pertinent information or by making false statements to obtain benefits.

You may claim a child as a dependent if all the following conditions apply:

1. The child has not been claimed as a dependent by anyone else during the past year.
2. The child is not a member of the same family in which one child has been claimed as a dependent by the other parent.
3. The child is under 18 years of age, or, if older, has been unable to work because of illness or other disability during the 90 days prior to the first day of each week for which you file a claim for benefits.
4. The child is your natural child, your stepchild or your adopted child, or the child is in your custody by court order.
5. You provided more than one-half of the support for the child for the 90 days prior to the first day of each week for which you file a claim for benefits (or for the duration of the relationship if it existed for less than 90 days) or you provided at least one-quarter of the support if you and your spouse together provided more than one-half the support and were members of the same household. 

If you were prevented by illness or injury from supporting your child or children during the 90-day period but were legally obligated to support them, you are considered to have supported them.

You may claim your spouse as a dependent if they do not have enough wages of their own to qualify for benefits and you provided more than one-half of your spouse’s support for the 90 days prior to the first day of each week for which you file a claim for benefits.

However, if your marriage took place less than 90 days before the first day of the benefit week, you may claim your spouse as a dependent if they do not have enough wages to qualify for benefits and you have provided more than one-half of their support since the date of the marriage.

If you were prevented by illness or injury from supporting your spouse during the 90-day period but were legally obligated to provide support, you are considered to have supported them.

You cannot claim both a dependent spouse and a dependent child.

Benefits are paid bi-weekly (every other week) for two calendar weeks of unemployment. A calendar week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. Benefits are paid after the end of the weeks. Your assigned call day, certification day or appointment is always on a date after these weeks of unemployment. You cannot receive benefits until you have certified for the weeks by telephone or online, as directed, and have met all the eligibility requirements during those weeks.

You can receive benefits via paper check or direct deposit. You are strongly encouraged to choose direct deposit. You can enroll in direct deposit when you file your claim. If you do not sign up for direct deposit, you will receive your benefit payments via paper check. If you need help setting up direct deposit, see the step-by-step guide on the IDES website. The IDES website also has information about affordable and convenient bank account options.

After certifying, please allow for 8 days before receiving your payment via check, or 2-3 days for direct deposit.