Qualifying and applying for unemployment

Qualifying and applying for unemployment

Friday, April 17, 2020

Many businesses across the country are struggling and have been forced to lay off employees, cut hours or reduce pay because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has led to an unprecedented increase in applications for unemployment benefits, and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is currently working hard to help all Hoosiers through this process.

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, you should be eligible for unemployment benefits if you are unable to work because you have been ordered quarantined by a doctor, because you need to care for your children while their school or daycare is closed, or because your employer has shut down or laid you off.

If you choose to stay home and not work during the pandemic, even though your employer is still operating, and you have not been told to stay home by a doctor, you will likely not be eligible for unemployment benefits.

If your hours have been reduced due to COVID-19, you may be eligible for benefits, but any benefits you receive will be reduced to reflect that you have earned partial income from your employer.

The DWD is reminding Hoosiers that applications for unemployment insurance benefits must be completed electronically at Unemployment.IN.gov.

In addition, the CARES Act, which was recently passed by Congress, allows unemployment claimants to get an extra $600 per week in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The DWD expects this extra money to start appearing in Hoosier benefit payments around April 20, and they will receive the extra pay retroactive to March 29.

The CARES Act also makes self-employed individuals and gig workers temporarily eligible for unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, states across the country have to change their application and approval processes to recognize these individuals in the unemployment insurance system. DWD has not yet officially determined when they will be able to start approving unemployment benefits for these individuals.

For more information, visit in.gov/dwd.