Do I lose my (Illinois) unemployment benefits if I get married?

by N. Drewry
(Chicago)

My future spouse works full time. I just qualified for the Illinois unemployment extension. Do my unemployment benefits get lessened or taken away if I get married?



Hi,

No, receipt of unemployment benefits are not gauged or household income. Unemployment benefits are partial wage replacement when you have lost a job through no fault of your own per the statutes.

This is because unemployment benefits are not an "entitlement" or a charity for financial hardship.

Benefits are the result of a legal claim. The only part of a weekly benefit amount that might be affected by a household is if a state also pays dependent allowances.

The marriage itself is irrelevant to continuing benefits.