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Rebound Indiana: More than 200,000 Hoosiers receiving unemployment benefits

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Posted at 5:59 PM, Apr 22, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-22 17:59:23-04

INDIANAPOLIS — More than 200,000 Hoosiers are receiving unemployment benefits from the state.

People have received at least $276 million in unemployment benefits from Friday through Sunday. An extra $600 million in federal relief is included in this total.

In 2019, the state paid about $230 million in unemployment benefits.

On Friday, the state says independent contractors, gig workers and self-employed Hoosiers will be able to apply for $600 in benefits as part of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program included in the federal CARES Act. Payments to these workers are expected to start after May 9.

Hoosiers applying for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program so far have had their claims rejected. Since the CARES Act was approved, The Department of Workforce Development has been working to create a new system for these benefits.