‘You need widespread testing’ to return to normalcy, governor says By BEN ORNERCapitol News Illinoisborner@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker hinted during his Monday briefing that he and his team are mulling a gradual return to normalcy, saying that “it’s likely that there will be adjustments to the orders that we’ve put […]
Economists forecast potential major hit on state’s economy revenues By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – More than half a million Illinois workers have filed first-time unemployment claims in the four weeks since the COVID-19 outbreak first hit the labor market. Economists at the University of Illinois are now forecasting […]
Pritzker: Organizers ‘need to think seriously’ about canceling summer events By REBECCA ANZELCapitol News Illinoisranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker said Thursday, one month since he issued a state of emergency, it is “unlikely” his stay-at-home order can be lifted safely before April 30 and organizers of large summer events […]
Nearly 300,000 Illinoisans filed first-time claims in past two weeks By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – First-time unemployment claims skyrocketed again in Illinois and throughout the nation in the last week of March as businesses closed their doors or scaled back operations in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
Designated times set to handle overwhelming surge in unemployment claims By REBECCA ANZELCapitol News Illinoisranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois department tasked with overseeing unemployment benefits is employing an alphabetized schedule to handle “an unprecedented volume” of claims. Claims now must be filed online and by phone on days and at […]
More than 114,000 Illinoisans file new claims in one week By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — More than 114,000 workers in Illinois filed first-time unemployment claims in the week ending March 21 as the United States saw its biggest one-week spike in recorded history. 3.2 million workers filing for […]
