Can I collect unemployment in Illinois?

If you were laid off in Florida can you still collect unemployment benefits if you move to Illinois?

• Answer:

  The Unemployment Compensation provisions have undergone many changes through the years; and, the procedures for qualifying for eligibility have been revised as well, varying in one manner or another from state to state. The best resource you have is the local unemployment office for the state in which you now reside. If it is different from that where you were laid-off, you are still considered unemployed until you attain employment status; and, if you expect to be considered eligible for benefits, you need to meet their criteria, the first part of which is registration. It is not customarily a mandatory provision for receiving unemployment benefits that you refrain from changing your residence to anywhere other than out-of-country or prison, in which case you would no longer qualify. Interstate Unemployment BenefitsYes, you can continue to collect benefits from the state in which you originally filed your claim. Unemployment benefits are not public assistance, you worked for it, it is your money. Your new state of residency does not pay the benefits, they will come from the state in which you were eligible, but you will still need to follow the requirements for eligibility. Contact the office of the state agency that handles unemployment benefits in the state where you relocate as soon as possible to avoid a delay in receiving your benefits.