After Receiving Rude, Garbled Call From One IDES Worker, Woman Says Another Worker Solved Her Problem

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Earlier this week, we reported on a woman who received a garbled call from an Illinois Department of Employment Security worker who rudely yawned as he spoke.

The IDES employee appeared to be struggling to stay awake during a callback to 30-year-old Leah Chiestder – who waited to weeks to get the call.

"Like what? What? What's that about?" Chiestder said. "I was livid."

In a message that difficult to understand, he is heard saying what sounds like: "Yeah, I don't know what you're calling about. (Garbled) once we resolved your issues. Ehhhhhh."

"It made me very livid," Chiestder said.

Chiestder got the voicemail last week, four months into her efforts to work out an unemployment benefit issue she has been having with IDES. It is a back pay issue that has left her with $102 a week to care for herself and her 2-year-old daughter.

 

On Thursday, Chiestder told CBS 2 she got a call from another IDES worker, who resolved her issue in less than a minute.

She said this new call came from the 217 area code, which includes the state capital of Springfield.
However, Chiestder said the IDES worker who called most recently never mentioned the other caller or his questionable phone manner.

CBS 2 is committing to Working For Chicago, connecting you every day with the information you or a loved one might need about the jobs market, and helping you remove roadblocks to getting back to work.

We'll keep uncovering information every day to help this community get back to work, until the job crisis passes. CBS 2 has several helpful items right here on our website, including a look at specific companies that are hiring, and information from the state about the best way to get through to file for unemployment benefits in the meantime.

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