© 2024 Lakeshore Public Media
8625 Indiana Place
Merrillville, IN 46410
(219)756-5656
Public Broadcasting for Northwest Indiana & Chicagoland since 1987
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Get the latest on the global Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic as it impacts Northwest Indiana, the state, country, and globe. Bookmark this page as there will be several updates each day from Lakeshore Public Radio, IPB News, NPR, and the Associated Press.

New Unemployment Claims Trend Slightly Lower, But Many Still Wait For Payment

Justin Hicks
/
IPB News

The number of Hoosiers filing new applications for unemployment benefits dropped slightly last week, to 26,000. But since mid-March, over 700,000 workers have applied for unemployment.

Department of Workforce Development Commissioner Fred Payne says the department paid about $1 billion of unemployment benefits in May. He also estimates 80 to 85 percent of people applying for unemployment benefits are getting payment within a few weeks.

“Those claims that go beyond 21 days require more experienced adjudicators to work through the process,” he says. 

State workforce agencies are expected to present a Rapid Recovery Action Plan in early June for those who have lost their job permanently or want to change careers. Meanwhile, WorkOne reemployment service offices in three regions of the state reopened this week by appointment only. More are projected to open next week with additional safety precautions.

As Vice President of Radio Operations, Tom is responsible for overseeing Lakeshore Public Radio. He oversees the radio station’s programming, as well as news. He was instrumental in bringing several different genres of music to Lakeshore Public Radio.
Related Content