Illinois Spent Over Six Million On Overtime At Unemployment Office

The spike in unemployment because of the coronavirus cost the state of Illinois an extra six-and-a-half million-dollars. The state’s Department of Employment Security yesterday said overtime costs for its workers from March through September is 12 hundred-percent higher than in January and February. IDES paid six-point-four million in overtime during those seven months. The jump in overtime came at the same time that many people who needed unemployment help said they couldn’t reach someone at IDES, or had to wait for their benefits to be certified.