Illinois awarded additional $11.25M grant from U.S. Department of Labor

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) has been awarded an $11.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to support continued modernization, fraud defense, and equitable access to unemployment insurance systems nationwide.

Illinois is among 19 states and territories selected to receive more than $204 million in federal funds to help make unemployment insurance systems more reliable and accessible to users.

This is the sixth modernization award IDES has received from the Department of Labor totaling nearly $30 million. Previous grant awards have focused on fraud prevention and detection, using expanded data to identify potential inequities in the unemployment pipeline within underrepresented groups.

Using new demographic data and user insights, IDES intends to refine unemployment insurance service delivery technology, processes, and communications for more equitable access and experience. This includes making information easier to understand, translating it into multiple languages, expanded self-service digital options, and increased outreach to community organizations.