Important Update The federal Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program was recently created to provide temporary additional benefits to unemployed American workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) funding will only cover the six-week period from the week ending Aug. 1 to the week ending Sept. 5. No LWA funding will be available to states beyond that time period. Indiana will make payments the week of Sept. 21, covering the period of Aug. 1 to Sept. 5, for those eligible. For those claimants with issues holding payment, DWD will make payments, pending funding availability, once eligibility is established. Read more ×

The CARES Act Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) creates a temporary federal unemployment insurance program for individuals not otherwise eligible for UI benefits, including the self-employed, independent contractors, gig economy workers, those seeking part-time employment, and individuals lacking sufficient work history but who would be able to work and looking for work were it not due to COVID-19.

PUA is not payable to individuals who have the ability to telework with pay or who are receiving paid sick leave or other paid leave benefits.

The new federal program requires an entire new system to be designed and built from the ground up. DWD is integrating the new system into Uplink so that these benefits can be provided as quickly and efficiently as possible to impacted Hoosiers. PUA applications will be available in Uplink on April 24 to those who have already applied for and been denied regular UI benefits. PUA applications will be available to others as soon as they apply for and are denied regular UI. DWD will be able to begin making PUA payments in May. To see answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about PUA, click here.