Illinois Unemployment Login: How To Manage Your Benefits Online
Claimants use the Illinois Unemployment Login at IllinoisJobLink.com to check their unemployment status in Illinois, file a claim or job search by state residents who have experienced a loss of full time work. All users of IDES online services are now required to create an account with the state of Illinois.
This is addition to any IDES account you may have previously established. If you have not yet established an ILogin account you will need to register with the state if Illinois. However, If you have established an ILogin account you will need your username and password to log in.
Read our downloadable guide carefully and completely. It contains important information that should answer most of your questions about managing your Illinois Unemployment Insurance benefits. Keep in mind, though, that like this website, it only gives general information. It is not the law. It is not a regulation. It is not legal advice.
What is ILogin?
ILogin is an identity verification process that is integrated with the Illinois Department of Employment Security’s (IDES) unemployment benefits application (IBIS), creating a secure and simple login process.
How Does ILogin Help?
ILogin uses the latest security tools to protect user data including identity proofing, strong authentication, fraud analytics and threat monitoring. ILogin is required to access your IDES account, where you can update your payment methods, get your tax documents, and more.
Unemployment Logins:
Illinois Unemployment Login Steps
The first time you enter ILogin, you will complete a short registration. Everyone needs to create an ILogin account, even if you are an existing claimant. When registering for the first time, you will follow a few additional steps to validate your identity. Once you have an ILogin account created, you can easily access it for other State of Illinois sites, as well.
You will be required to submit an access code in addition to your ILogin credentials when you sign into your account. You can choose to receive this verification code via text message, phone call, or an app verification.
Please do not create a new ILogin account if you already have one to access the following State of Illinois online services: IDES UI Online Account, HFS Impact, DPH Immunization Portal. Please use your existing user ID and password from those systems to login to the ILogin portal. Your ID / username will be the email address you provide during registration. Duplicate usernames / email accounts are not allowed.
If you are a first-time user and have not setup an account yet, you should go to the proper application’s web link to register for an ILogin account.
It will be required you provide a unique and verifiable email address during the sign-up process. The email address will be verified by an activation email for completion of your account setup. You will have to click the activation link sent to the email address; please ensure you have access to the email address you provide.
- IDES Unemployment Benefits system Home Page: https://benefits.ides.illinois.gov/Benefits
- IDPH Immunization Portal (Vax Verify) Home Page: https://idphportal.illinois.gov
Forgot Your Password?
When signing into ILogin, expand the “Need Help?” and click on the “Forgot your password?” link to initiate the password reset. You will be asked to enter in your current email address or username, and select a security option to verify your identity (SMS, Voice Call, or Email). You will be required to provide your security question answer during the reset password process. It will then prompt you for your new password. Once it has accepted your new password it will require your multi-factor authentication method of choice and then will allow you to login.
If you do not remember the answer for your security question, please contact support. Use the information below in the Contact Us section.
Account Locked?
If your account has been locked, it will automatically unlock after 60 minutes. To unlock your account before 60 minutes, when signing into ILogin, expand the “Need Help?” and click on the “Unlock account?” link to initiate the account unlock.
You will be asked to enter in your current email address or username, and select a security option to verify your identity (SMS, Voice Call, or Email). You will be required to provide your security question answer during the reset password process. Once you have unlocked your account, you may then need to initiate the Forgot Your Password process.
If you are still unable to unlock your account, please use the information below to contact customer support.
Filling an Unemployment Claim
Read this page for important information to help process your claim without delay, then follow the link below to file a claim.
10 things you should know before you apply for benefits:
Failure to provide all the requested information means your claim will have to be manually reviewed and corrected by IDES staff. If IDES is unable to make the corrections, prior to when you certify (request payment), your benefits will be delayed or the amount you receive will be less than it should be.
1:Accurately report the reason you are unemployed: Accurately report your reason for separation from your job when you initially file your claim for benefits.
2: Report any wages earned and list all your employers from the last 18 months: You must report your gross wages for each week you work. Report all earnings, including part-time or temporary work. You must report all employers you worked for in the last 18 months. If an employer name is unfamiliar, please review your check stub or W2 to confirm the employer name reported on your claim application before reporting you did not work for that employer. If you worked in another state, make sure you tell us what state you worked in.
3: Be available for work: You must be available for work each week or benefits may be denied.
4: Actively search for work: You must search for work each week or benefits may be denied.
5: Develop and document an effective work search plan: An organized and documented job search improves your chances of employment. All claimants are required by law to document work search activities.
6: Use IllinoisJobLink.com to search for a job: IllinoisJobLink.com is IDES’s online database that helps connect job seekers to employers in Illinois.
7: Do not pay an agent to file your claim: The use of paid third-parties to file your claim and/or communicate with IDES is very risky and discouraged. Do not share your personal information with anyone.
8: Do not commit fraud: Follow the rules to prevent yourself from committing fraud. Failure to follow legal requirements has serious consequences.
9: Know your responsibilities and ask for help: If you have questions, please call (800) 244-5631. In advance, we thank you for your patience and understanding as we experience an extremely high call volume. To quickly find answers to your unemployment insurance questions, visit Frequently Asked Questions.
10: Don’t delay: as soon as you begin working again, report your return to work: Notify IDES as soon as you begin working. Avoid committing fraud; do not wait until you receive your first paycheck.
Note: Any information submitted by you to IDES may be verified through computer matching programs in order to determine your eligibility for Unemployment Insurance benefits.
Payment Methods
Unemployment insurance benefits are paid either via paper check or direct deposit. IDES recommends claimants use direct deposit as the fastest and most convenient method. View the payment methods page for more information.
Information Needed to File Online
Below are the basic information required to fill an Unemployment Claim online:
- 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.
How To File A Claim
By clicking the File an Unemployment Insurance Claim button below, you will be taken to the Illinois Benefits Information System (IBIS) system, where you can set up an account to apply for and manage your claim.
Eligibility & Next Steps
Within 7-10 days of filing your claim, you will receive a UI Finding letter in the mail.
The UI Finding letter will tell you whether you are monetarily eligible for benefits, meaning you have earned sufficient wages in your base period. In general, you are monetarily eligible for benefits if you earned at least $1,600 in covered employment in the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters, including $440 outside the quarter in which wages were highest.
For example, if you earned $1,100 in January 2019 and $500 in July 2019, you earned sufficient wages in your base period to be monetarily eligible.
If you filed a claim for benefits and were determined monetarily eligible, read their “What Every Worker Should Know About Unemployment Insurance” brochure to find out what comes next.
If your UI Finding says you are not monetarily eligible (weekly benefit amount shows $0), this means that according to reports employers are required to provide IDES of wages paid for services in employment, their records indicate that you were not paid enough wages during your base period to qualify for regular unemployment benefits.
If their records are not correct, and you did perform services for a business or another individual and were paid for those services during your base period, please send documentation of the services that you performed and the payments you received to the Department as soon as possible.
Remember to certify on your assigned day.
How To Contact Customer Support
In the event you are still having issues creating your account or have login issues, please contact the appropriate agency help desk for the application or online service you are trying to access. See below.
When communicating with the customer support, please indicate the issue and at what step in the process you are having the problem with your ILogin account access (Activation email, password, MFA methods, Experian ID proofing, Application-related issues). Also state what application you are trying to access with your ILogin.
- For the IDES Unemployment Benefits system please review the Contact IDES page.
- For IDPH Immunization Portal (VAX Verify) issues please review the VAX Verify Support/FAQ page.