Every course of Job Ready Illinois is worth 20 hours towards work requirements. If you are working towards SNAP work hours, you must start with the "First Month Courses". After your first month in Job Ready, you can take any other courses that interest you.
At the end of each course you earn a certificate, which shows the number of hours gained. 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 and submit a 40 hour certificate. If you need 60 hours, take the first 3 courses and submit a 60 hour certificate. And if you need the whole 80 Hours, take all 4 First Month Courses 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 First Month Courses you enroll in will go away at the end of the calendar month. New First Month Courses (with the same content in them) will open on the 1st of the next month. The new First Month Courses will not have saved your progress, so try and complete everything you need in one calendar month.
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)
