Unemployment Compensation

Policy Number: HR-4105-002

Policy Title: Unemployment Compensation

Vice Chancellor/Associate Chancellor: Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services

Unit Responsible for Policy: UIC Human Resources

 Effective Date: February 9, 2017

Contact: Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources

Policy Statement: All employees of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) are eligible for unemployment compensation in accordance with the Illinois Unemployment Compensation Act. Unemployment compensation is funded directly by the State of Illinois. The employee is required to apply at the State Unemployment Compensation Office nearest to the employee's home to determine eligibility for unemployment compensation. UIC HR will verify information requested for verification by the Unemployment Compensation office. Employees should consider the following criteria:

1. To be eligible for benefits, an employee must:

• be ready, willing, and able to work full-time and must actively be looking for work and willing to accept any suitable job offered;
• have been entirely out of work, or if working less than full-time because of lack of work, have earned less than the weekly benefit amount; and
• file a claim for Unemployment Compensation at the local Unemployment Compensation Office serving the area in which the individual lives and must register for work with the State Unemployment Service. This should be done the first working day after becoming unemployed.

2. An employee may be ineligible for benefits if he or she:

• voluntarily quits a job without good cause;
• is discharged for justifiable cause;
• fails to apply for or accept suitable work without good cause;
• is out of work because of a strike; or
• is a participant in a seasonal lay-off with a posted date of return.

3. Vacation pay-out will extend the “termination date” by the number of business/work days for which the employee is paid.

Reasons for Policy: To provide employees with the criteria for determining eligibility of UIC employees for receipt of unemployment compensation and to insure compliance with the Illinois Unemployment Compensation Act.

Minority Impact Statement:  The policy does not have a disproportionate or unique effect on UIC’s minority students, faculty, or staff.

Who Should Read the Policy:  All UIC employees.

Procedures: View UIC HR procedures.

Forms: View UIC HR forms.

Related Laws, Regulations, Statutes, and Policies:

• University of Illinois Policy and Rules for Civil Service Staff
• Illinois Unemployment Compensation Act

Document History:  Updated version of UIC HR #504, effective 4/1/1997; revised 09/01/2013.

Approved by: Committee on Policy
Approval date: February 9, 2017
Approved as: Updated Policy (supersedes Policy UIC HR #504)