Sangamon Sun

State Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) is disappointed with the state’s department of employment assistance, specifically on delayed callbacks, to which IDES has recently admitted.

Acting Director Kristin Richards said callback times have been cut to one to two weeks, according to CBS 2.

“I think it’s much longer than four weeks in many cases,” Elik said. “I’m embarrassed that our Department of Employment Security cannot do the job that they are there to do.”

Richards also acknowledged that people with complex issues are waiting much longer.

“The number of outstanding tasks fluctuates based on a number of factors, such as incoming calls,” an IDES spokesman told CBS 2. “IDES continues to monitor call center queues in real time to allocate resources to those areas that may experience elevated volume in a given week.”

Elik has presented two solutions.

One, she suggests an appointment model instead of a callback method.

“Sitting around and waiting weeks and weeks for a callback is a problem,” she said.

Second, Elik has offered to utilize her office for complicated concerns that would require more than one call.

“Maybe those people could come into my office and wait for a callback here, and make that appointment time here,” she said. “We could sit with them so that maybe we could be a go-between with the agent from IDES and our constituent.”

Elik said she has followed-up with IDES and the governor.