Unemployment Application Numbers Fall, But Agency Still Struggles With Phone Calls

Unable to load the audio player.
You could try direct download?

Original story from IPBS-RJC

Justin Hicks

Article origination IPBS-RJC

Initial unemployment claims filed in Indiana since the beginning of March.
*Hoosiers By The Numbers*

Nearly 44,000 Hoosiers filed initial claims for unemployment benefits last week. While that number declines, the Department of Workforce Development is still struggling to handle high call volumes.

Starting Friday, DWD Commissioner Fred Payne says, a new program will supply an extra 13 weeks of unemployment for those who have maxed out benefits. Also, self-employed workers who had unemployment applications approved should start receiving payments.

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana 2020 Two-Way. Text "elections" to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on COVID-19 and the 2020 election.

Despite the progress, Payne says the agency is still struggling to answer phone calls.

“Our wait time is still high and our call back efficiency is still – improving,” he says. “So we’re improving on both of those two fronts, but we’re still nowhere close to where we want to be.”

As of now, more than 600,000 Hoosiers have applied for unemployment insurance benefits since mid-March.

Contact Justin at jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @Hicks_JustinM.

This is a rapidly evolving story, and we are working hard to bring you the most up-to-date information. However, we recommend checking the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Indiana State Department of Health for the most recent numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Support independent journalism today. You rely on WFYI to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Donate to power our nonprofit reporting today. Give now.

The Secret Service is investigating how a gunman who shot and injured Trump was able to get so close

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating how a gunman armed with an AR-style rifle was able to get close enough to shoot and injure former President Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania.

Public Affairs / July 2, 2024

GOP US Rep. Spartz, of Indiana, charged with bringing gun through airport security, officials say

Authorities say Indiana Republican U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz has been charged with bringing a firearm through airport security. Airport officials said Monday she was charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor. Spartz's office says she was traveling to Europe and mistakenly carried an unloaded handgun in the pocket of her suitcase while going through security at Washington Dulles International Airport. Spartz is a staunch Second Amendment Republican representing central Indiana. She won her primary in May after saying last year that she would retire from congress. The charge carries up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine if convicted.