Peoria IDES office feels pinch of Quinn cuts
As a result of staff reductions and closings of nearby offices, the IDES office in Peoria is understaffed and struggling to meet the needs of the jobless workers seeking to secure Unemployment Insurance benefits.
Proof of the devastating impact of cuts to IDES’ budget was on display this week at the department’s Peoria office, where, according to a WMBD-TV report, more than 100 people are lining up outside the office on most days. One person interviewed said he waited five hours at the office without speaking to anyone.
The Peoria office lost two-thirds of its staff thanks to the state’s decision to let go of part-time “intermittent” staff. That was followed by the decision to lay off 200 full-time employees and close seven offices, leaving the Peoria office to serve residents in 10 counties.
While IDES management claims the cuts were driven by reduced federal funding, an AFSCME analysis found the job cuts were much larger the reduction in federal funding would require.
Many IDES offices throughout the state are now just like the one in Peoria, short-staffed with long lines of people needing help.