Many Illinoisans could lose over half of their unemployment income as $600 benefit is expiring

CHICAGO - More than 700,000 Illinoisans could lose an estimated 63 percent of their unemployment income, as the $600 a week federal unemployment stipend is expiring.

With the start of the school year looming, Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Jan Schakowsky are calling on Congress to pass several relief measures for schools, and those who've lost their jobs.    

“It's important that our children go back to school. But it's even more important that our children are safe,” said Durbin.

Sen. Durbin joined CPS CEO Janice Jackson in front of Little Village Academy to push the next coronavirus relief package, which they hope will provide $430 billion to school districts across the country, and make sure schools have the resources necessary to keep students and teachers safe during the pandemic.

“I want parents and students to know that any plan that we put in place will be guided by the science and that we will not make a decision to have students return to school if we don't believe it's safe 5752 and if we don't have the resources to ensure that our schools are safe,” said Jackson.

The package would also provide remote-learning technology to low-income house-holds.

“For districts like CPS this will give us the ability to purchase more computers for our students and continue to expand our efforts to provide at-home internet service for our students who cannot afford that,” said Jackson.  

Durbin and Schakowsky are also both calling on the senate to extend the "$600 per week" federal unemployment insurance, before it runs out next Friday.

“We're at the edge right now. And when I say "We" for Illinois, that's over 700,000 people,” said Schakowsky

The weekly federal unemployment payments will expire if congress doesn't take action by July 30.