Illinois unemployment benefits for self-employed workers through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA, program launched Monday, though issues with the IDES website continued to be reporter. Labor is also in the process of reassigning over 150 current state employees and hiring over 100 new unemployment insurance employees. These actions will more than double the staffing at claim centers located throughout the state. Individuals can apply for Labor’s 100 new unemployment insurance positions online. The recruitment process has ... If you have applied for Regular Unemployment Benefits and have been denied within twelve months of today’s date, you can now file for PUA. To learn the requirements and details regarding the PUA program please review our "Learn about PUA" website section which goes into details regarding the application process and potential benefits you may receive if found eligible for the program. Apr 03, 2020 · ODJFS says around 108,000 people have been paid so far, equating to $45 million in unemployment checks. Meanwhile, Hall says the average wait time has crept up to 21 days from 14 last week. A17: PUA applications will be available in the online filing system, Uplink, on April 24, 2020 for those that have filed for and been denied regular UI. A20: Unemployment benefits are typically available to eligible claimants for up to 26 weeks. With the federal CARES Act passage, unemployment benefits...