Politics & Government

38,000 Cook Co. Residents to Lose Jobless Benefits in Coming Days

Almost 82,000 Illinois residents will lose their benefits on Dec. 28 unless the Congress extends the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program for the long-term unemployed.

In Cook County, 38,260 residents will lose their federal unemployment benefits on Dec. 28, according to numbers released earlier this month by the United States Congress. 

Almost 82,000 Illinois residents will lose their benefits unless the Congress extends the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program in the coming days for the long-term unemployed, which covers those collecting benefits for longer than 26 weeks, according to a Illinois Department of Employment Security news release. 

Those affected will receive their last payment when they certify for benefits in the first or second week of January, according to the IDES press release. Although Emergency Unemployment Compensation lasts 47 weeks, the program's expiration means everyone will stop receiving benefits regardless of how long they have been collecting EUC, according to the IDES. 

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An additional 89,000 people in Illinois will lose their coverage in the first six months of 2014 if an extension to the program is not passed by Congress, according to the news release from the United States Congress.  

"While today's job growth allows most newly unemployed individuals to find work after a several weeks, the long-term unemployed face additional hurdles," IDES Director Jay Rowell said. "Ending this modest program based on a calendar date rather than economic principles and job skills could slow economic growth."

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In November, the unemployment rate fell to 8.7 percent in Illinois. The September to November three-month gain of +36,900 in total jobs is the largest since October 2010.

The local county-by-county breakdown, based on the total number of people in Illinois currently receiving federal unemployment insurance and information was provided by the Illinois Department of Employment Security, is below: 

  • Lake County: 3,546
  • McHenry County: 1,642
  • DeKalb County: 538
  • DuPage County: 4,965      
  • Kane County: 3,086
  • Kendall County: 717
  • Will County: 4,474
  • Boone County: 328
  • Grundy County: 320
  • Kankakee County: 838


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