Indiana Unemployment Extension

Indiana Extended Benefits (EB)

Extended Benefits (EB) in Indiana are activated during periods of high unemployment. These benefits serve as an additional financial safety net for those who have exhausted their regular unemployment insurance.

Once activated, the EB program can provide up to 13-20 additional weeks of financial assistance, depending on the severity of the unemployment situation. This extra support helps Indiana workers maintain financial stability while they continue to look for new employment opportunities.

Please note: Currently, Extended Benefits are not available in Indiana.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance

The Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program is designed to support Indiana residents who lose their employment due to a significant disaster declared by the president and who don’t qualify for standard state unemployment insurance. The Department of Labor coordinates this program alongside FEMA.

After a presidential disaster declaration, FEMA allocates funds to the Department of Labor to cover both DUA benefits and administrative expenses. The Secretary of the Department of Labor is in charge of overseeing the program and ensuring benefit payments.

At the local level, the program is managed by the state of Indiana. Once funds are secured, the agency makes a public announcement in the affected areas. Payments are then distributed to those who qualify, for a duration of up to 26 weeks, as long as the individual’s unemployment is directly linked to the disaster.

To qualify for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), you need to meet two key conditions:

• You lost your job or can’t work because of a disaster declared by the president.
• You don’t qualify for a normal unemployment benefit.

You might get help if you fit any of these situations and you lived or worked in the affected area:

• You no longer have a job or a place to work.
• You’ve become the primary source of income for your family because the main earner died in the disaster.
• You can’t get to your workplace.
• You can’t work due to a disaster-related injury.
• Your workplace is damaged and you can’t work there.
• You were about to start a new job, but the disaster made that job disappear.

You also must be ready and able to work, unless you’re injured due to the disaster, or you’re running your own business.

Currently, DUA is not available in the state of Indiana.

CARES Act Programs

The CARES Act was a federal law that helped people and businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. For Indiana residents, this was especially important as many lost jobs during this time. The CARES Act offered a range of federal benefits, including a boost in Indiana unemployment benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for those who usually wouldn’t qualify for regular unemployment.

The CARES Act played a significant role in helping Indiana residents manage economic challenges brought on by the pandemic.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

In Indiana, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program was for people who didn’t qualify for regular unemployment benefits, such as gig workers, freelancers, and part-time employees.

The program gave people a chance to get unemployment benefits, especially when regular jobs were hard to find. Benefits lasted for several weeks until Indiana ended the program in June 2021. While it was active, it served as an important financial cushion for those who otherwise would have had no support at all.

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) extended UI benefits for those who had used up their standard unemployment benefit.

Funded by the federal government, PEUC offered many extra weeks of unemployment compensation, calculated at the same weekly rate as the individual’s regular benefits. The goal was to extend relief to people who were struggling to find new employment due to the pandemic’s impact on the job market.

The PEUC program concluded in June 2021.

FPUC

The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program in Indiana was a key element of the financial support system for residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, the FPUC added an extra $600 per week to the unemployment checks of those eligible. This payment was provided in addition to the claimant’s weekly benefit amount. Later, through legislative updates like the American Rescue Plan Act, the extra weekly amount was reduced to $300.

FPUC benefits ended in June 2021.

Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation

Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) was a temporary program that added $100 per week to the unemployment payments of people who had both a regular job and self-employment income. The program helped those who didn’t fully benefit from regular unemployment programs.

MEUC benefits were for those who were already receiving partial unemployment benefits. Eligible recipients must have made $5,000 from their business in the previous year. Benefits lasted up to 36 weeks.

Please note that all CARES Act programs are expired.