Legal Services Program

Legal Services Program

Frequently Asked Questions

IDES contracts with private law firms to provide limited free legal services (consultation and/or representation at IDES administrative hearings) to claimants and small employers who are eligible for this service. These are independent law firms and are not part of IDES. Representation at your hearing is not automatic and depends, in part, upon the facts in your case.

Below are the IDES Legal Services Program (LSP) facts and frequently asked questions

What is the IDES Legal Services Program (LSP)?

• It’s a program that provides free legal services to eligible claimants and small employers, regarding an Appeal hearing or Board of Review matter concerning a decision, determination, order or ruling by IDES. Typically, the decisions and orders that are appealed relate to eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits as well as unemployment insurance tax matters.

• IDES currently contracts with four independent law firms to provide this service---two to provide free legal services to claimants and two for small employers. The lawyers are not IDES employees.

• If you are interested in this legal service, call whichever of the following toll-free phone numbers applies to you immediately after receiving a ruling against you or after receiving a notice of appeal. (Keep in mind that the opposing party may file an appeal of an initial decision in your favor.) One requirement for participation in this program is that you contact the appropriate law firm no less than three business days before your hearing.

I’m a claimant. How do I know which of the two “claimant” law firms to contact?

• If your Social Security number ends in a 0 through 4, call toll-free (800) 884-6591. If you’re calling from out of state, call (847) 991-9240, although this is not a toll-free number. The toll-free TTY number is (866) 848-5609.

• If your Social Security number ends in a 5 through 9, call toll-free (888) 430-1776. If you’re calling from out of state, call (312) 640-1776, although this is not a toll-free number. The TTY number (not toll-free) is (312) 640-1264.

I’m a small employer. How do I know which of the two “small employer” law firms to contact?

• If your Unemployment Insurance Account Number ends in a 0 through 4, call toll-free (866) 641-4288. The TTY number (not toll-free) is (312) 641-6403.

• If your Unemployment Insurance Account Number ends in a 5 through 9, call toll-free (877) 849-2007. The toll-free TTY number is (866) 802-8732.

What does “small employer” mean?

“Small employer” means an employer that has reported wages for less than 20 employees, either full- or part-time, during each of any two of the four calendar quarters preceding the quarter in which the employer is requesting to participate in the LSP.

What exactly does “free legal services” mean?

An eligible claimant or small employer is entitled to receive up to one hour of free consultation with an LSP attorney regarding his/her case (think of this as the first level of free legal service), and, if the attorney determines that the claimant or small employer has a valid claim or defense, the LSP attorney will also represent the claimant or small employer in an appeal hearing and/or at the Board of Review (think of this as the second level of free legal service).