>> UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ARE
FALLING IN ILLINOIS.
THE LATEST FIGURES SHOW THE
STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WAS 7%
IN JULY MUCH IMPROVED FROM LAST
JULY WHEN IT TOPPED 12%.
STILL, ILLINOIS' UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE IS HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL
RATE OF 5.4%.
AMANDA VINICKY JOINS US WITH
PORE ON THIS.
WHAT IS THE LATEST?
>> WELL, UNEMPLOYMENT HAS BEEN A
MAJOR ISSUE THROUGHOUT THE
PANDEMIC.
YOU HAD STAY AT HOME ORDERS AND
OTHER FALLOUT FROM THE PANDEMIC,
SPRING LAYOFFS AND MANY WHO LOST
THEIR JOBS TROUBLE ACCESSING
BENEFITS AND IN PART BECAUSE OF
THAT, THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF
FRAUD.
NOW, FOR A LONGTIME ALSO PEOPLE
COULDN'T PHYSICALLY GO TO STATE
UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICES TO GET HELP
WITH THIS.
THEY WERE CLOSED BECAUSE OF
COVID.
CAUSING LONG FRUSTRATING CALLS
TO THE STATE'S OVERBURDENED
UNEMPLOYMENT HOTLINE.
NOW, THAT CLOSURE SET TO CHANGE
LAST WEEK, THREE STATE JOB
CENTERS REOPENED ON AN
APPOINTMENT ONLY BASIS INCLUDING
ONE IN JAVY AND YESTERDAY THE
STATE ANNOUNCED THREE MORE
INCLUDING ONE IN PILSEN AS MANY
BUSINESS OWNERS ARE DESPERATE
FOR EMPLOYEES, GROCERY STORES,
CLOTHING SHOPS, YOU NAME IT SAYS
ROB KARR WHO IS HEAD OF THE
ILLINOIS RETAIL MERCHANTS
ASSOCIATION.
>> WITH YOUR RESTAURANT, WE'RE
SEEING SIGNS EVERYWHERE
NARROWING HOURS OR CLOSING ON
DAYS BECAUSE OF LACK OF
AVAILABLE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING
TO SERVE THE TABLES AND DURING
THE HOURS AND THE RUSHES.
>> MIGHT THAT CHANGE?
EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
PUMPED UP BECAUSE OF THE
PANDEMIC WILL EXPIRE SEPTEMBER
4.
NELI VASQUEZ ROWLAND IS THE
DIRECTOR OF THE NONPROFIT A SAFE
HAVEN AND DEMAND FOR SERVICES
HAS BEEN UNPRECEDENTED NOW SHE
IS PREPARING FOR A RECKONING
WITH THE EVICTION MORATORIUM SET
TO EXPIRE, JOBLESSNESS IS
EXPENSIVE FOR THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
IT'S EXPENSIVE TO THE TAX BASE
THEY HAVE TO COVER THE COST
EXPENSES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
EMPLOYABLE IF ONLY MAYBE
INVESTMENT IN THEM TO GET THEM
EMPLOYED.
>> HER ORGANIZATION IS DOING
WHAT IT CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE DON'T FALL THROUGH THE
CRACKS.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO JOBS,
SERVING LIKE A MATCHMAKER FOR
THOSE WHO NEED WORK AND SKILLS
AND THOSE WHO NEED WORKERS.
>> THE EMPLOYERS ARE
AGGRESSIVELY TRYING TO HIRE
PEOPLE AND THEY ARE FINDING A
LACK OF APPLICANTS, WHO ARE
ACTUALLY HELPING PEOPLE THAT ARE
SEEKING YOU KNOW, CAREERS IN
THOSE JOBS.
>> CARA COLLECTIVE DOES THIS
WORK AND KATHLEEN CALIENTO SAYS
MATCH MAKE SOMETHING NOT AS
SIMPLE AS IT MAY SEEM.
THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS
ESPECIALLY NOW, THAT PEOPLE MAY
NOT BE PREPARED TO GO TO WORK.
>> WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS BECAUSE
OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE FACING
COMPLEX ISSUES BEYOND
UNEMPLOYMENT, INCLUDING
HEALTHCARE, CHILDCARE, PERHAPS
EVEN ISSUES IN CHALLENGES WITH
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
THOSE ISSUES CONTINUE TO POSE
BARRIERS FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS AS
THEY ARE TRYING TO ENTER INTO
THE WORKFORCE.
>> EMPLOYERS MAY BE PUTTING UP
BARRIERS THEMSELVES AS WELL.
FOR EXAMPLE, INCLUDING JOB
REQUIREMENTS IN A POSTING THAT
ARE NOT ACTUALLY NECESSARY.
>> YOU EXCLUDE ESSENTIALLY 68%
OF BLACK AND 79% OF LATINX
POPULATIONS WHEN YOU PUT MUST
HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE.
AND SO THAT IS A QUESTION WE ASK
DOES IT ACTUALLY REQUIRE A
COLLEGE DEGREE?
WHAT COLLEGE DEGREE IS REQUIRED
FOR AN EMPLOYEE TO BE SUCCESSFUL
IN THE SKILL SET?
COULD THE EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE
HAD UP UNTIL NOW, THE TRAINING,
THE SUPPORT, COULD THOSE PERHAPS
BE BETTER INDICATORS OF THEIR
ABILITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
>> A COALITION OF ILLINOIS' MOST
MAJOR BUSINESS GROUPS, HOWEVER,
SAY THAT ILLINOIS NEEDS TO DO
MORE ON THE UNEMPLOYMENT FRONT.
A SENT A LETTER TO GOVERNOR J.B.
PRITZKER IN JULY IN ONE OF THE
OUTSTANDING ASKS USING FEDERAL
PANDEMIC RELIEF MONEY ILLINOIS
HAS BILLIONS LEFT TO FILL A
DEFICIT IN THE STATE'S
UNEMPLOYMENT TRUST FUND AND THIS
IS THE FUND THAT PAYS FOR ALL OF
THOSE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
CARR SAYS THE FUND IS FACING THE
LARGEST DEFICIT MORE THAN
DOUBLING DURING THE PANDEMIC AS
THE BENEFIT DEMANDS WERE SOARING
AND DOUBLING TO MORE THAN $5
BILLION.
THE ONLY OTHER ON HONORS TO PAY
IT DOWN, REDUCING BENEFITS OR
RAISING TAXES ON BUSINESSES.
>> EMPLOYERS DID THEIR PART.
THEY SUFFERED SHUTTING DOWN AND
EMPLOYEES SUFFERED SHUTTING
DOWN.
EMPLOYEES SHOULD NOT BE CUT AND
EMPLOYERS SHOULD NOT HAVE
ADDITIONAL TAXES PLACED ON THEM
AS A RESULT OF THAT.
THEY DID THEIR PART IN THE
PANDEMIC IT IS NOT AS IF IT IS A
NORMAL RECESSION THAT WAS
BROUGHT ABOUT BY ECONOMIC
FACTORS.
>> MEANWHILE, A STATE AUDIT
FOUND THAT IDS DID NOT HAVE
PROPER CHECKS IN PLACE AS THAT
STATE AGENCY AWARDED PANDEMIC
UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
BENEFITS, FAILURE TO ACCURATELY
DOCUMENT ELIGIBILITY RESULTED IN
POTENTIALLY INELIGIBLE CLAIMANTS
RECEIVING BENEFITS TOTALING $160
MILLION THAT AUDIT FOUND.
YESTERDAY, A BIPARTISAN
LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION VOTED TO
CONDUCT A BIGGER AUDIT INTO
IDES.
>> WE ALL REALIZE THAT IN THE
FIRST FEW MONTHS OF THE PANDEMIC
EVERYONE WAS DRINKING WATER OUT
OF THE FIRE HOSE.
BUT THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS.
>> NOW, IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT
IMPACT ANY OF THE CHANGES
REOPENING OF JOB CENTERS AND THE
EXPIRATION OF THOSE BEEFED UP
PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
WHAT THAT IS GOING TO MEAN IN
TERMS OF CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN
EMPLOYERS AND THOSE LOOKING FOR
WORK.
CARA COLLECTIVES, KATHLEEN
CALIENTO YOU HAVE TO THINK OF A
NOBODY IT'S ABOUT HOUR AND
PURPOSE AND WHEN SOMEBODY HAS
THAT POWER AND PURPOSE THAT