UNEMPLOYMENT INFORMATION FOR OPENING NEW OR RE-OPENING CLAIMS

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND RETAIN FOR FURTHER REFERENCE

YOU MUST RE-OPEN YOUR CLAIM VIA TELE-SERVE OR ON THE INTERNET FOR THE BENEFIT WEEK OF MARCH 10 THROUGH MARCH 14. THERE WILL BE NO SIGN-UP AT THE HALL THIS TIME, NOR AT THE UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE, BECAUSE ALMOST EVERYONE TO BE LAID OFF HAS ALREADY OPENED A BENEFIT YEAR AND THEY ARE SHORT ON STAFF AT THE OFFICE. USE OF TELE-SERVE WILL SAVE YOU BOTH TIME AND GAS AND ELIMINATE THE NEED TO STAND IN LONG LINES TO FILE. IF, BY CHANCE, YOU ARE OPENING A NEW BENEFIT YEAR YOU MAY FILE ON-LINE, (www.ides.state.il.us) OR FILE IN PERSON. YOU CANNOT USE THE TELE-SERVE TO OPEN A NEW BENEFIT YEAR. REMEMBER YOU MUST HAVE TWO FORMS OF ID WITH YOU AND A RESIDENT ALIEN REGISTRATION CARD IF APPLICABLE. ONE ID MUST BE A PICTURE ID AND HAVE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER ON IT. THE VAST MAJORITY WILL NOT BE OPENING NEW CLAIMS DURING THIS LAYOFF. NOTE: DO NOT USE A CELL PHONE OR CORDLESS BECAUSE IN MOST INSTANCES THESE DEVICES WILL NOT RECORD INTO THE SYSTEM AND THERE WILL BE NO RECORD OF YOU BEING IN THERE IF PROBLEMS ARISE ABOUT YOUR CLAIM. THE PHONE HAS TO BE A TOUCH-TONE AND MUST BE LANDLINE BASED.

BE VERY SURE TO SIGN UP DURING THE FIRST WEEK OFF, EVEN IF LEAVING TOWN. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL COST YOU THE WEEK.

 IF YOU ARE GOING OUT OF TOWN AND ARE OPENING A NEW BENEFIT YEAR YOU WILL HAVE TO FILE ON-LINE DURING THE WEEK AND BE VERY SURE TO PRINT ANY RESULTS, EVEN IF YOUR ATTEMPT FAILS, SO WE CAN PROVE YOU TRIED TO FILE ON-LINE DURING THE WEEK OF LAYOFF. THEY ACCEPT NO EXCUSES, SUCH AS NOT HAVING A PRINTER AVAILABLE OR, BASICALLY, ANYTHING ELSE. ILLINOIS IS REAL TOUGH ON CLAIMANTS WHO DO NOT ABIDE STRICTLY BY THE RULES AND WILL DEFINITELY PUNISH YOU IF YOU ARE NOT TIMELY. THE WEB SITE ADDRESS IS; (WWW.IDES.STATE.IL.US). IF YOU ARE RE-OPENING A CLAIM (HAVING OPENED A CLAIM IN JULY, OCTOBER OR JANUARY) AND ARE LEAVING TOWN, YOU WILL HAVE TO USE THE TELE-SERVE OR THE INTERNET. TELE-SERVE ONLY WORKS FROM 7:00 A.M. TO 7:00 P.M. MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AND CAN ONLY BE ACCESSED AND RELIED UPON VIA A TOUCH-TONE, LAND-BASED TELEPHONE. IT ALSO WILL ONLY WORK IN THE CONTIGUOUS FORTY-EIGHT STATES, NOT FROM ALASKA, HAWAII OR OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES. IF YOU FAIL TO FILE DURING THE FIRST WEEK OR FAIL TO CERTIFY FOR THE WEEK TWO WEEKS AFTER FILING, YOU WILL LOSE CREDIT FOR THE WEEK. NO EXCEPTIONS!

 IF YOU EXPERIENCE TROUBLE RE-OPENING YOUR CLAIM, CONTACT THE UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE OR MYSELF IMMEDIATELY.  

The number to call for Tele-Serve is 1-888-337-7234. The option number to select to re-open a claim is number 2. You will need to have your Social Security number and PIN ready in order to access the system. If you do not remember your PIN, call the Rockford Office at (815) 395-6600, hit “2” on the first menu and “2” on the second menu to put you on hold (probably a long hold) for someone who can reset your PIN to allow you to enter a new one. (This is the same number to call for help) You may call Tele-Serve any weekday during the week between 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. to re-open your claim, BUT REMEMBER, IT MUST BE DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF LAYOFF. THERE ARE NO ASSIGNED DAYS FOR RE-OPENING A CLAIM, SO ANY DAY BETWEEN MONDAY AND FRIDAY WILL WORK.

After selecting option “#2” and entering your Social Security number and PIN: It should ask, “Are you still working?” You will respond by pressing “#3” for “no”. You will be told to enter your last day worked, which will be to press in the two-digit month, two-digit date and four-digit year, in this case, 03-07-2008. You will be asked if this is the same employer as the one from which you were last working as of a previous date.  You will answer by pressing “#1” for “yes”. It will ask, “Have you had any other employers during this period?” For almost everyone with the exception of those with part-time employment elsewhere, the response to this will be “#3” for “no”. It will ask, “Were you laid off by the employer you were working for as of the Friday of the week of your last day of work?” You should press “1” for “yes”. It will ask, “Has your name or address changed?” Unless either has changed, you will press “3” for “no”. BE SURE IT TELLS YOU THAT YOUR CLAIM HAS BEEN RE-OPENED AS OF THE SUNDAY DATE BEGINNING THE WEEK FOR WHICH YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR CLAIM RE-OPENED (March 9, 2008) AND ASSIGNS YOU A DATE FOR YOUR NEXT CALL-IN TO CERTIFY. IF IT DOES NOT TELL YOU THIS, CONTACT ME, OR THE UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE AT ONCE. If it starts you through the certification procedure for previous weeks and you do not understand how to get your claim re-opened, contact the unemployment office or myself for assistance. AGAIN, THEIR NUMBER IS (815) 395-6600, HIT “2” ON THE FIRST MENU AND THEN “2” ON THE SECOND MENU. THE NUMBER AT THE HALL IS (815) 544-2111.

Due to the advent of the new National Agreement, for those members in Unit 1there will be no one who is job bank eligible. However, if you are an individual who was not able to get the waiting week done in July, October or January because you were working or out on S&A or workers’ compensation and will be due to open a new benefit year at this time, you must either make application in person or go on-line to do it during the first week off. Before or after will result in you not receiving credit for the waiting week. The same will be true if you fail to certify two weeks later for the week. Individuals opening a new benefit year are eligible for full SUB pay in Unit 1.  You will have to report to personnel at Chrysler with your “findings sheet” (the one with your quarterly earnings and weekly benefit amount, etc. on it) to file for the SUB pay.

This information will be posted on the UAW Local 1268 web site at (www.uaw1268.com)

VERY IMPORTANT: EVERYONE being laid off as of March 7, 2008 or after due to the elimination of the third shift must  register with the Job Service during the first week of the layoff. You may register on-line (WWW.ILLINOISSKILLSMATCH.COM) or report to the unemployment office to register. In addition, a reasonable sustained and efficient job search must be conducted by everyone beginning the first week of layoff except those who will be laid off but retiring as of the end of March. Those retiring do not have to conduct a work search. Remember, you must be willing to accept any reasonable offer of employment at what may be substantially less than you have been accustomed to making, you must be willing to drive in a thirty or forty mile radius and you must be willing to accept any shift unless there are compelling reasons for not doing so. This will apply to those who may be relocating as well. I have our State CAP Coordinator petitioning the Director of I.D.E.S. to allow for waivers of the job search for those being laid off from the trades due to them being used as vacation replacement personnel after being laid off. The Local Office has told me that individuals taking the VTEP will be adjudicated on an individual basis. It seems to me that if one were not taking the VTEP, then someone else would end up being laid off. Therefore, I feel the eligibility should be allowed. Everyone else definitely must abide by the job search requirements, including those who accepted the VTEP package if they are deemed eligible for benefits.

PLEASE BE AWARE:  There are Peer Counselors available at the UAW Local 1268 Union Hall daily between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. There is one who will be working out of the Sycamore Unemployment office, two at the Rockford Office and one at the WorkPlace Connection in Belvidere. These individuals have been trained to assist dislocated workers by providing references to the various governmental agencies that can be accessed and community and group services that are available. In some instances, if you enroll in an eligible program, the job search may be waived while you are in training or furthering your education. All members from all units are welcome to check into anything they may find of interest.

BE VERY SURE TO FOLLOW ALL THE RULES FOR TIMELINESS AND JOB SEARCH REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE YOUR BENEFITS REMAIN INTACT!!

Printer friendly version here