Every course of Job Ready Illinois is worth 20 hours towards work requirements. The first four Courses are connected in a "Starting Bundle" that everyone seeking SNAP Work Hours should start with.
At the end of each Course you earn a Certificate, which shows the number of hours gained as you completed the Starting Bundle that month. Different people need different amounts of hours because they may be getting hours in other ways like Volunteering.
If you only need 20 hours then you can stop after taking the first Course (Workforce 101), and submit your 20 Hour Certificate to the State. If you need 40 hours, take the first 2 courses in the Bundle and submit a 40 Hour Certificate. If you need 60 hours, take the first 3 courses in the Bundle and submit a 60 Hour Certificate. And if you need the whole 80 Hours, take all 4 Courses in the Bundle and submit the 80 Hour Certificate you will get at the end.
Fortunately, once you have submitted your Job Ready Illinois Certificate during or after your first month of enrollment, you DO NOT have to submit documentation in subsequent months. Only when your re-determination for SNAP comes around would you need to re-submit enrollment verification.
Keep in mind, Hours DO NOT carry over from month to month, this is a SNAP rule, not a Job Ready Illinois rule. The Starting Bundle you enroll in will go away at the end of the calendar month. A new Starting Bundle (of the same content) will open on the 1st of the next month. The new Starting Bundle will not have saved your progress, so try and complete everything you need from a Starting Bundle in the month you start it.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATE
1. When you are in a Course and you have completed it, the "GET YOUR CERTIFICATE" button in the upper left becomes available. You can always come back to a course you have completed and click that button if you need access to your Certificate. If you are in the Course on a phone, you need to tap the three horizontal bars first.
2. Clicking the "GET YOUR CERTIFICATE" button opens your Certificate in a new Tab. Click the "Download PDF" button at the bottom to Save the Certificate to your computer or phone. Remember where you save it.
3. Upload your certificate to Manage My Case. Note, this is the same as logging into ABE, or the Application for Benefits Enrollment. If you have any questions or trouble with ABE or Manage My Case, visit the ABE Customer Support Center.
ALTERNATIVE - If you do not upload the Certificate to Manage My Case, you need to print it and get it to your local Family Community Resource Center Office (FCRC).
After you Print the Certificate. WRITE YOUR DATE OF BIRTH ON IT.
You can either drop it off in person or send by mail. If you are not sure how to find your local FCRC, use the IDHS Office Locator (select Office Type: Family Community Resource Center)
