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In

Illinois, can I still collect unemployment insurance even if I quit my job?

The answer to your question is, “Maybe.”

The usual “rule of thumb” is that employees who quit are not eligible to collect unemployment benefits. Many people don’t even apply, and that’s a mistake…because under some circumstances, you can collect unemployment insurance even if you quit your job.

In Illinois, there are two situations where someone who quit can still collect unemployment benefits. Those are:

• If you quit for “good cause”

• If an exception applies

Generally, in Illinois as in many other states, “good cause” means for a good reason that the employer has control over. The legal test is if any reasonable person would decline to work under those circumstances.

Examples of valid reasons for quitting under “good cause” would include sexual harassment, abusive behavior by a boss or coworker, a dramatic reduction in your work hours, benefits or pay, or a change in shifts that results in childcare or transportation problems.  It’s also considered “good cause” if you quit because your boss breaks a law that directly affects you, or changes the working conditions to make the job unbearable.

Please note that if you have childcare or transportation problems that are NOT due to your employer changing your shift, that is generally NOT considered “good cause.”

In Illinois, even if you quit without good cause, there are a number of “exceptions” that will allow you to collect benefits. These exceptions include health problems, accepting another job, sexual harassment or unsuitable work.

It’s easier to understand the exceptions with some examples.  If you had to quit your job for health reasons, but you are currently healthy and available for work, you may well qualify for unemployment benefits.

There’s another situation that, unfortunately, has occurred to a number of people in the past. Suppose you quit your current job because you have found a better job. Suddenly, the day before you are supposed to start work at your new job, they call and tell you that they have changed their minds. Maybe they’ve decided to outsource the position, or give it to the boss’s nephew. Returning to your old job is no longer an option. Under those circumstances, you are eligible for unemployment payments in Illinois, even though technically you quit your old job.