As a reminder, for those who have filed an initial claim application for state unemployment insurance benefits (UI), a claimant MUST file the weekly vouchers even if they have not received a determination regarding eligibility for UI benefits. The weekly voucher must be filed through Uplink for every week for as long as the claimant remains unemployed. The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is taking up to 21 days to process state claims.

 

Self-employed individuals/independent contractors, who otherwise would not qualify for state UI benefits, will likely be eligible for the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). To be eligible for PUA, the claimant must file for regular state UI benefits and be denied. The application for PUA went live on 4/24. For those denied regular UI, log into the online filing system, Uplink. The claimant will have a “To Do” notification on the homepage to complete the PUA application. The claimant must file ALL past vouchers and weekly vouchers in order to move forward with their claim for PUA. Due to high volume of claims, approval is taking up to 21 days.

 

All claimants should regularly check the status of their claim on Uplink, as that is how DWD connects with claimants and shares next steps to process claims.

 

Additional information can be found at: https://www.in.gov/dwd/files/Indiana_Unemployment_FAQ.pdf

 

Your state legislator can contact the DWD on your behalf to inquire about a claimant’s state or federal unemployment benefits. The following information is needed in order to process a formal inquiry without delay:

 

  1. Full name
  2. Address
  3. Phone number
  4. Last four digits of SSN# (DO NOT e-mail full SSN)
  5. Brief summary explaining issue