Area office closing because of state cuts
Updated: February 28, 2013
COLES COUNTY -- A government office which helped thousands of people find jobs is closing. The Illinois Department of Employment Security Office in Mattoon has been open for decades. Friday, its doors, along with six other offices in the state, will close for good. 192 people will be laid off because of federal cuts.
While only a handful are at this office, their absence will definitely have an impact. Mattoon's IDES office is part of the Illinois Work Net Center. It's a place where people can come, use computers to look for work, fill out applications, then use Lakeland College's resources for training.
Some of Lakeland's employees who've worked side-by-side with state workers for many years say it's hard to see them go. The cuts were announced in January. Since then, hundreds of community members signed petitions to try to stop them.
The Mattoon office will lose about six staff members. Illinois Work Net Center will still be open.
IDES employees have the option of moving to Champaign or Effingham branches. It means people in the Mattoon area looking for help finding a job will also have to drive to those offices as well.
While only a handful are at this office, their absence will definitely have an impact. Mattoon's IDES office is part of the Illinois Work Net Center. It's a place where people can come, use computers to look for work, fill out applications, then use Lakeland College's resources for training.
Some of Lakeland's employees who've worked side-by-side with state workers for many years say it's hard to see them go. The cuts were announced in January. Since then, hundreds of community members signed petitions to try to stop them.
The Mattoon office will lose about six staff members. Illinois Work Net Center will still be open.
IDES employees have the option of moving to Champaign or Effingham branches. It means people in the Mattoon area looking for help finding a job will also have to drive to those offices as well.
