More Illinoisans Aren't Receiving Debit Cards With Unemployment Benefits, Call On Gov. Pritzker To Take Action
They expected to wait a few weeks for unemployment benefits, but now it has been two months.
Watch CBS News
They expected to wait a few weeks for unemployment benefits, but now it has been two months.
On Monday, members of the so-called gig economy were finally able to file for unemployment benefits.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday admitted that the Illinois unemployment system is "unfit to handle surge."
"I have a life. I have bills to pay. I'm stuck. I'm really stuck."
They've waited weeks and weeks for help, but starting Monday, Illinois gig workers should start receiving unemployment benefits.
Through CBS 2's commitment to Working for Chicago, we dig into problems Illinoisans face when applying for and receiving unemployment benefits.
Gov. JB Pritzker has said there is no real backlog on jobless claims in Illinois. But on Monday night, our sources said the backlog is real, and getting longer by the day.
The money is still there, but unemployed Illinoisans still can't access it -and bills are piling up.
As we've reported in recent days, penalty weeks have been forcing people to go for months without unemployment benefits – and the matter has become urgent for thousands of people.
When we continued to hear from people who have received unemployment benefits, but no way to access them, our Tara Molina started digging.
In response to multiple complaints, an Illinois state senator is calling for a discussion on penalty weeks preventing people from receiving unemployment benefits.
We exposed Wednesday night how few people are working the phones in Illinois to help those struggling to get through to finish filing for unemployment. On Thursday night, we were happy to report that number is getting a much needed boost.
As CBS 2 Investigator Pam Zekman found out, a simple mistake could mean you can't collect your cash.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) estimates 102,736 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of April 13 in Illinois
People in need of unemployment benefits and their situations are growing direr by the day. We have uncovered what is behind some of the madness, and it's simple.
Workers lose jobs when businesses can't keep their doors open, and the Illinois unemployment system is having a hard time keeping up with claims.
For weeks, we've heard the money coming for unemployment benefits in Illinois and will be there. But that is little consolation to the tens of thousands of jobless in Illinois who still can't file.
The number of people out of work continues to climb amid the coronavirus crisis, and the new numbers issued Thursday reflect that.
With unemployment numbers at an all-time high, the federal government is helping some states process claims faster.
CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov on Tuesday uncovered the reason why one woman is not getting any unemployment money, and on Wednesday, others reached out.
A struggling single mom told us Tuesday night that she is out of cash - but the state is putting her money on hold for months.
Since day one, we have been pushing for answers about the State of Illinois' overwhelmed computer system.
"So many families are hurting at a scale that this country hasn't seen ever in our lifetime, and our state unemployment filing systems – which were built a decade ago for a much lower number of claims – simply haven't kept pace," Pritzker said Monday at his daily COVID-19 briefing.
More than 200,000 people filed first-time unemployment claims in Illinois this week, breaking the record set last week. All those claims in the system also complicates what matters for people already approved.
CBS 2 continues to track issues with the state's unemployment system, which is still overwhelmed by requests amid the coronavirus crash.
It's been three days since an ICE agent shot and killed Good, sparking waves of protests.
The Bulls put seven players in double figures, outscored the Mavericks 38-8 in fast-break points and never trailed.
Bregman, who turns 32 in March, was back on the market for a second straight offseason.
They bounced back after being down during the first half but woke up in the second half, securing their win 31-27.
Bedard played his second game after missing 12 because of a shoulder injury.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked HHS from halting $10 billion in social services funding to five states, a move the agency argued was necessary to crack down on fraud — but the states called unconstitutional.
Saying "Chicago is in crisis," U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley said he plans to run for mayor in 2027, even as he is in the midst of a congressional re-election campaign.
The White House shared video showing a different angle of Renee Nicole Good's shooting by an ICE agent in Minneapolis and the moments that led up to it, as the investigation continues.
California, Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois and New York called the move an unconstitutional abuse of power.
The White House ballroom architect said a new second story on the West Wing colonnade would help make the building more uniform with the ballroom.
Protesters on Tuesday were cranking up the heat on Peoples Gas over a recently proposed rate hike that would add an additional $10 to $11 a month to utility bills.
A lawsuit filed late last month took Chicago-based McDonald's to task over the McRib sandwich, calling its name a form of false advertising.
As this holiday season nears its end, Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias issued a warning Tuesday about text scams.
A new report shines a light on electricity shortages that Illinois could face in less than 10 years.
With less than two weeks until Christmas, if you're sending gifts to people far from home, the deadlines to get them there on time are fast approaching.
Severe flu season is sending many people to hospital emergency rooms across the country, including in the Chicago area.
Unionized health care workers this week took aim at Northwestern Medicine, saying the health care system needs to hire more people before expanding the emergency room at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Tuesday that its recommendations for childhood vaccines will not be affected by a change in federal guidelines.
The first pediatric flu death for this year's flu season has been reported, Illinois health officials said, as flu cases across the state continue to rise.
Millions of people with an Affordable Care Act health plan face a massive jump in premiums next year — this chart shows just how much.
The Piggery, a popular barbecue restaurant and bar in the northwest corner of Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, announced Thursday that it is going out of business.
The Lincolnwood Town Center mall in the north Chicago suburb of Lincolnwood has been sold to a developer, the village announced Wednesday.
They do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but a longtime Chicago fried chicken institution said imitation went too far after a new business opened with a very similar name.
A lawsuit filed late last month took Chicago-based McDonald's to task over the McRib sandwich, calling its name a form of false advertising.
American Airlines announced Monday that it is adding 100 more departures from Chicago early next year as it continues its expansion at O'Hare International Airport.
Chicago Theatre Week brings value-priced tickets for shows from Feb. 5 until Feb. 15 at Chicago's stage venues. Tickets can sell for $30, $15, or even less.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. is perhaps best known for his role as state Sen. R. Clayton "Clay" Davis on HBO's "The Wire."
It marks the second lawsuit in recent months accusing the filmmaker and studio mogul of leveraging his power in Hollywood to make sexual advances.
The band announced Perry Bamonte's death on their official website on Friday.
The message, aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Day, reflected on the impact of President Trump's second term in office thus far.
Highs Sunday afternoon across Chicago will be in the upper 20s and lower 30s with flurries passing by.
This is tied to an ongoing retaliatory campaign they call "Operation Hawkeye Strike."
In a statement, his daughter said he beat the cancer but died of underlying lung issues.
Police said the pedestrian was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in unknown condition.
The officers rush in with bolt cutters and make their way to where the cows were trapped.
They bounced back after being down during the first half but woke up in the second half, securing their win 31-27.
Michael McKee is the ex-husband of Monique Tepe, according to court records obtained by CBS News. Tepe and her husband, Spencer, were shot and killed in Columbus on Dec. 30.
It's been three days since an ICE agent shot and killed Good, sparking waves of protests.
A man was found stabbed to death at a CTA Blue Line station in downtown Chicago early Saturday morning.
Nicor said the hike is needed to make necessary repairs to some of its pipelines.
Fire department officials in Chicago's western suburbs said drone technology has been helping keep firefighters safe and make a major impact on public safety.
With the stores becoming a common target for thieves, some of the stores in the Chicago area are taking new steps to fight back.
As thousands of people are expected downtown for New Year's Eve celebrations, Mayor Johnson, the Chicago police, and the Office of Emergency Management and Communications are trying to get out ahead of any safety concerns.
Cameras not working, video evidence missed by police and a psychic that leads a hit and run victim's son to a clue that changes the case
Some Chicago area hospitals are at risk of significant flooding both in and around the buildings, according to new KFF Health News/Fathom models.
The Bulls put seven players in double figures, outscored the Mavericks 38-8 in fast-break points and never trailed.
Bregman, who turns 32 in March, was back on the market for a second straight offseason.
They bounced back after being down during the first half but woke up in the second half, securing their win 31-27.
Bedard played his second game after missing 12 because of a shoulder injury.
Connor McMichael had a goal and an assist, and the Washington Capitals snapped Chicago's four-game win streak with a 5-1 over the depleted Blackhawks.
Michael McKee is the ex-husband of Monique Tepe, according to court records obtained by CBS News. Tepe and her husband, Spencer, were shot and killed in Columbus on Dec. 30.
The faceoff took place on a street in the capital after the suspect "and the dead man agreed to fight each other," police said.
Adam Beckerink, the man charged with murder in the death of his estranged wife, Caitlin Tracey, at his South Loop condo building in 2024, is expected to be extradited from Michigan back to Illinois next week.
A teenage boy was shot and killed in Cicero Thursday afternoon, shortly after the school day ended.
A man was shot multiple times and killed Thursday morning on Chicago's West Side.