House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, criticizes Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget proposal after the Democratic governor presented it to a joint session of the General Assembly on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo by John O’Connor)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — House Republicans are complaining that Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker hasn’t done enough to fix a state unemployment system overwhelmed by 500,000 first-time claims in the past six weeks because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
House Minority Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs says Pritzker has not responded to his requests and suggestions. He says that thousands of people who are jobless since non-essential businesses are closed to slow the virus’ spread are still waiting for unemployment checks and are struggling to pay rent and feed their families.
Pritzker says he’s aggressively worked to expand the system, speed up computer systems and untie phone lines.
