Illinois is getting $2.7 million to strengthen its efforts to fight waste and fraud in unemployment claims.
The grant from the U.S. Labor Department will help beef up anti-fraud programs launched in the past year.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security says it has begun garnishing tax returns of unemployment cheats, working more closely with the attorney general and holding business leaders personally liable for misstating company obligations.
The department said Monday that those efforts have saved taxpayers more than $120 million.
Rising unemployment claims take money from a trust fund supported by business taxes. When the fund gets too low, business taxes go up. Preventing false claims will take some of the pressure off the unemployment trust fund.
