Slaughter Supports Legislation in Response to IDES Overpayment Issue

CHICAGO – To ensure that individuals who are already struggling during the pandemic are not faced with further hardship, state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, recently supported legislation that will limit the Illinois Department of Employment Security’s (IDES) ability to force residents to give back unemployment benefits they have already received.

“If someone is already experiencing unemployment, they should not be burdened with having to repay the state when they have been accidentally overpaid through no fault of their own,” said Slaughter. “It just doesn’t make sense to further penalize those who are already struggling to make ends meet.”

Slaughter recently voted in favor of House Bill 2643, which passed both Houses with overwhelming bipartisan support and has been sent to the governor for approval. This legislation limits IDES’s ability to order recipients to repay funds that were the result of an overpayment from the agency. In addition, IDES will limit its use of recipients’ Social Security numbers in an effort to fight fraud that has affected millions of Americans since the start of the pandemic. 

“I am proud to be able to work with my colleagues in the General Assembly who are willing to do what is necessary to make sure that working families can bounce back from this pandemic,” said Slaughter. “I urge the governor to sign this legislation into law so residents are no longer saddled with these repayments.”