How do I talk to a human at this Illinois Department of Employment Security number?
Press 2
Does this phone number work 24/7?
No. Hours for this phone number are Mon-Fri 5am-7:30pm EST.The least busy day is Monday, and the most busy day is Thursday.See below for more and to learn where this data comes from.
How long will I have to wait to speak to Illinois Department of Employment Security Claims Department?
The average hold time is 10 minutes.The longest hold times are on Wednesday, and the shortest are on Monday.
This is the #2 most popular Illinois Department of Employment Security phone number out of 2. Click above to go back to the main customer service number and other contact information, including Illinois Department of Employment Security email addresses, twitter handles, and live chat options.
More Illinois Department of Employment Security Customer Phone Numbers
Calling this Illinois Department of Employment Security number should go right to a real human being
How do I get through the phone menu to a real live person?
GetHuman researchers routinely call this Illinois Department of Employment Security phone number to document the phone system.
Here is our latest tip for weaving through the phone menu to get to a real person the fastest: Press 2
Below are some clips we've found from Illinois Department of Employment Security's phone menus and tips that help give an idea of what you will encounter when you call. We've highlighted why they are important as well:
They may ask your reason for calling (instead of a menu)
"DES offices will be closed for the federal holiday on Monday, May twenty fifth.
The day you receive your benefit payment will be delayed due to the closure of banks, the US Postal Service, and the state of Illinois.
If you're an individual to ensure that you are connected with the appropriate unit, select the option that best describes the reason for your call."
Excerpt from a call with Illinois Department of Employment Security
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 8:12 PM
They may ask you to enter information with the dial pad
"Welcome to the Illinois Department of Employment Security claimant services call center.
Your call may be monitored for quality and training purposes.
For English, press one. For Spanish, press if you received a letter from IDES and have a five digit extension, please enter it now."
Excerpt from a call with Illinois Department of Employment Security
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 4:40 PM
What are the hours and when should I call?
Illinois Department of Employment Security operates the call center for this 800-244-5631 phone number Mon-Fri 5am-7:30pm EST. The short answer is that you should call on a Monday.This observation and the following section are based on analysis of a sample set of 132 calls made in the last 90 days using our free, web-based phone (see above).
An important note: busy times vs hold times vs best time to call
When we refer to busy or less busy times, we are talking about the volume of calls. The busiest times are when the most people are calling this Illinois Department of Employment Security phone number (least busy times have fewer people calling). This high call volume does not necessarily mean that you will have a long hold time when you call. Companies like Illinois Department of Employment Security staff their call centers differently based on the time of day and day of the week, so you may experience a shorter wait on hold at the busiest of times. When we refer to the best time to call, we are referring to the optimal combination of lower call volume and shorter wait times.
The least busy time to call
The least busy day to call Illinois Department of Employment Security is Monday.The most busy day to call Illinois Department of Employment Security is Thursday. Again, this is based on a sample of 132 calls made with our AI-powered, web-based phone in the last 90 days.
The shortest wait on hold
We measured the shortest hold times to be on Monday.The longest wait in the queue on average occurs on Wednesday.
The best time to call
In summation, the best day to call Illinois Department of Employment Security is Monday. In this case, it's a no-brainer. Monday is not only the least busy day for calling this Illinois Department of Employment Security number, but it is also the day with the shortest hold times.
Why call this Illinois Department of Employment Security number?
Below is a sample of recent calls to Illinois Department of Employment Security, and their purpose. Are any of these similar to the reason you are trying to call?
Employment check update: I'm calling to get some update on my own employment checks here I was supposed to receive a call yesterday.
Taken from a call on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 9:28 PM
Update on unemployment benefits: I'm calling to get some update on my unemployment benefit.
Taken from a call on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 9:19 PM
Update on unemployment benefits: I'm calling to get some update on my unemployment benefits.
Taken from a call on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 7:56 PM
Inquiry about tax updates: I'm calling to get some update on my taxes.
Taken from a call on Thursday, July 23, 2026 8:07 PM
Unemployment status update: I'm calling to get an update on my unemployment status.
Taken from a call on Thursday, July 23, 2026 7:53 PM
Inquiry about unemployment checks: I just asked him about my unemployment checks because I didn't receive my checks.
Taken from a call on Thursday, July 23, 2026 7:43 PM
Update on unemployment benefits: I'm calling to get some update on my unemployment benefits.
Taken from a call on Thursday, July 23, 2026 7:25 PM
Inquiring about unemployment checks: So I can get my checks, because I really in some really debts right now.
Taken from a call on Thursday, July 23, 2026 6:24 PM
Unemployment check inquiry: I'm calling about my unemployment check.
Taken from a call on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 8:56 PM
Inquiry about payment status: I should receive a pending card last week Friday, and I didn't receive that.
Taken from a call on Tuesday, July 21, 2026 6:47 PM