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			 The department has now processed 1,302,154 claims 
			for unemployment benefits from March 1 through May 23. This amount 
			is nearly 12 times the number of claims the department processed 
			over the same period last year, when IDES processed just 102,000 
			claims for regular unemployment benefits. 
 The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program has processed 
			88,965 initial claims in its two weeks. PUA provides 100% 
			federally-funded unemployment benefits for individuals who are 
			unemployed for specified COVID-19-related reasons and are not 
			eligible for the state’s regular unemployment insurance program, the 
			extended benefit (EB) program under Illinois law, or the Pandemic 
			Emergency Unemployment Compensation program (PEUC), including 
			independent contractors and sole-proprietors. Up to 39 weeks’ worth 
			of benefits are potentially available under the program for 
			COVID-19-related unemployment claims.
 
			
			 
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            IDES processed 39,414 Pandemic Emergency Unemployment 
			Compensation claims (PEUC), which provides up to 13 weeks’ worth of 
			100% federally funded benefits to individuals who have exhausted 
			their regular state unemployment benefits. PEUC is potentially 
			available for weeks beginning on or after March 29, 2020 and 
			continuing through the week ending December 26, 2020.
 Statewide unemployment claims data, which reflects activity for the 
			week prior, is made available on the IDES website every Thursday 
			afternoon. Previous initial claims data has undergone a revision to 
			properly account for the number of successfully processed claims.
 
 Those with questions or in need of assistance with unemployment 
			benefits at this time are encouraged to visit IDES.Illinois.gov.
 
            [Illinois Office of Communication and 
			Information] |