How do I talk to a human at this Illinois Department of Employment Security number?
A:Press 2
Q:
Does this phone number work 24/7?
A:No. Hours for this phone number are Mon-Fri 5am-7:30pm EST.The least busy day is Tuesday, and the most busy day is Friday.See below for more and to learn where this data comes from.
Q:
How long will I have to wait to speak to Illinois Department of Employment Security Claims Department?
A:The average hold time is 10 minutes.The longest hold times are on Monday, and the shortest are on Tuesday.
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
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.
If you received a letter from IDES and have a
the selection you have entered is invalid. If you received a letter from IDES and have a five digit the selection you have entered is invalid.
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
Monday, May 18, 2026 7:12 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 ET.The short answer is that you should call on a Tuesday.This observation and the following section are based on analysis of a sample set of 68 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 Tuesday.The most busy day to call is Friday.Again, this is based on a sample of 68 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 Tuesday.The longest wait in the queue on average occurs on Monday.
The best time to call
In summation, the best day to call Illinois Department of Employment Security is Tuesday.In this case, it's a no-brainer. Tuesday 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?
Update unemployment claim: "Yes. I just wanna update my unemployment claim today."
- From a call lasting 34m 22s , Jun 3, 2026 9:10 PM
Update on unemployment claim: "I'm calling to get some up update on my unemployment claim today."
- From a call lasting 31m 6s , Jun 3, 2026 8:37 PM
Update on claim status: "I just wanna know the date that I gonna receive a call."
- From a call lasting 25m 46s , Jun 2, 2026 8:45 PM
Update mailing address: "I just wanna know. I didn't receive my mail so I just wanna update my address."
- From a call lasting 18m 1s , May 29, 2026 8:42 PM
: ""
- From a call lasting 20m 3s , May 29, 2026 8:21 PM
Update address and UI letter: "I just wanna update my address."
- From a call lasting 23m 35s , May 29, 2026 7:56 PM
Update on UI claim: "I'm just calling to get some update on my claim because I didn't receive my UI letter yet."
- From a call lasting 47m 9s , May 28, 2026 6:28 PM
Claim status inquiry: "I sent them over on Monday."
- From a call lasting 26m 29s , May 28, 2026 5:50 PM
Update contact information: "I'm calling to update my phone number."
- From a call lasting 31m 35s , May 28, 2026 5:18 PM
Update contact information: "I was also want to update my number and also my mailing address."
- From a call lasting 23m 15s , May 28, 2026 4:50 PM