DeKalb Times

The Illinois House of Representatives unanimously voted to pass legislation to help protect residents from unemployment claims fraud.

House Bill 3329 will limit Social Security numbers on correspondence from the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). It will require the branch to use other means of identity verification. The legislation was introduced and sponsored by Illinois State Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore).

"The Illinois House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass my legislation limiting the use of an applicant’s Social Security number on correspondence from the IL Department of Employment Security in order to protect Illinois residents from the rampant fraud and identity theft that has plagued the agency since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic," Keicher wrote in an April 27 Facebook post.

Social Security numbers may still be included in certain mail correspondence sent as part of an application or enrollment process or to establish, amend or terminate an account, contract, or policy or to confirm the accuracy of the social security number.

IDES has been flooded with a massive amount of unemployment insurance claims since the outbreak of the pandemic, which has led to rampant fraud and identity theft. Residents became concerned following reports that correspondence from IDES listed personal identifying information, including even entire Social Security numbers.

House Bill 3329 received bipartisan support and was approved 113-0 on April 22.