Indiana to reinstate work requirement for unemployment benefits

INDIANAPOLIS, In. (FOX19) - Gov. Eric Holcomb says he will issue an executive order that will reinstate the work requirement for those seeking state-level unemployment insurance benefits.

The order will come early next week, Holcomb said in a statement Friday evening.

Claimants seeking benefits must demonstrate they are actively seeking employment and be available for work, a showing the state waived at the beginning of the pandemic.

Ohio reinstated its work requirement in December of last year, according to the Columbus Dispatch. Kentucky followed suit in April.

Holcomb says he is considering withdrawing Indiana from participation in the federal pandemic unemployment programs as well.

The governor is seeking a demographic-based jobs analysis from Indiana’s Department of Workforce Development to make an informed decision on the issue. The analysis will compare workforce participation now to figures from the beginning of the pandemic.

“Our unemployment rate stands at 3.9 percent, which is near pre-pandemic levels, and our labor force mirrors pre-pandemic levels, when we also had worker shortages,” Holcomb said. “We must concentrate on building the right pathways to match people with the skill sets employers need and to attract more people to join our workforce.”

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