Indiana Unemployment FAQ Sheet

1. What Is Unemployment Insurance?
2. What Are Unemployment Insurance Benefits?
3. How to Qualify for Unemployment Benefits
4. When to Apply for Unemployment
5. How to Apply for Indiana Unemployment Insurance
6. How Unemployment Insurance Benefit Amounts Are Calculated
7. I Just Applied for Unemployment Insurance. Now What?
8. What Happens After You Are Approved for Unemployment Benefits?
9. How to Appeal an Unemployment Insurance Denial
10. Need More Help?
11. View or Download Our Free Guide

What is Unemployment Insurance?

Unemployment Insurance is a benefit program designed to replace part of the income of recently unemployed or underemployed workers. Unemployment Insurance is available to workers who are out of work through no fault of their own.

Learn more about Unemployment on Indiana’s Unemployment Program Overview page here.

What are Unemployment Insurance Benefits?

Unemployment Insurance benefits are weekly payments that are given to eligible workers who apply to and are accepted into the program. These payments can be provided via a direct deposit to their bank account.

You can learn more about how Unemployment Insurance payments work here.

How to Qualify for Unemployment Benefits

To qualify for unemployment in Indiana, you must:

• Have lost your job due to no fault of your own.
• Be able to work.
• Be actively seeking work.
• Have earned a sufficient amount of money and worked/been paid for wages during the state’s base period.

You can learn more about Indiana requirements to qualify for Unemployment on page 7 of this handbook.

When to Apply for Unemployment

Apply for benefits online here during the week you are seeking payment, when your hours have been reduced or when you are no longer employed. Do NOT wait until the week is over.

Learn more information on when to apply for Unemployment Insurance on page 6 of this handbook.

How to Apply for Unemployment in Indiana

To apply for Unemployment Insurance in Indiana, complete the following three steps:

1. Gather the documentation related to your previous employment and information you will need for the application.

Learn what documents and information you need here.

2. Choose how you are going to apply, whether online or in person. 

The Indiana Unemployment Office does not accept claims over the telephone. To apply

for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access Indiana’s Unemployment claim portal. To apply for Unemployment Insurance in person, click here to find your nearest Indiana WorkOne Center location.

3. Submit the Unemployment application, which is also known as filing an initial claim. 

If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, you can contact the Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s customer service center Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, EST:

• Phone: (800) 891-6499
• TDD: (317) 232-7560
• Email: AskUIContactCenter@dwd.IN.gov

Include the following information in all email correspondents:

• Are you a claimant or employer?
• Your last name
• The last four digits of your Social Security number or employee account number
• Your zip code

How Unemployment Insurance Benefit Amounts Are Calculated

The amount of Unemployment Benefits you receive is based on your past reported earnings by employers that you have worked for in Indiana. To determine how much you will receive each week, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development determines your weekly benefit amount by dividing your total base period wages by 52. After, the resulting number is multiplied by 0.47 and rounded down to the nearest whole dollar amount, up to the maximum benefit amount is Indiana.

The maximum weekly benefit amount is $390.

Learn more about Indiana’s base period and how benefits are calculated here.

I Just Applied for Unemployment Insurance. Now What?

1. Report Your Waiting Week

The week after you file your unemployment claim is called the Waiting Week. During the Waiting Week, you must file a Weekly Certification Application through the claimant self service portal and the Unemployment Office will make sure you are still unemployed or underemployed, and meet all other eligibility requirements. You can find the claimant self service portal here.

If approved, you will begin receiving your weekly benefits the following week. You are not paid for the Waiting Week, but you do receive a Waiting Week credit.

Learn more about the Waiting Week on page 6 of this handbook. Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here.

2. Start Looking for Work 

Keep track of your work-search contacts. You are required to make at least two contacts per week to receive payments and waiting week credit.

3. Discuss Possible Issues 

If you were discharged or quit your last job, expect a call (or email if that is your preferred contact method) to determine if you are eligible for unemployment insurance.

You can learn more about what to expect after applying here.

What Happens After You Are Approved for Unemployment Benefits?

You must file a Weekly Certification Application every week you are receiving Unemployment Benefits until you are employed again. This weekly claim is like a follow-up application that certifies your continued eligibility for the program, and proves you are actively applying for new jobs.

Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here.  File your Weekly Certification Applications here.

It’s important to remember that you will not receive Unemployment Benefits for the preceding week if you do not file your weekly claim.

How to Appeal an Unemployment Insurance Denial

If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal.

Appeal requests must be submitted within ten days of the date your “Determination of Eligibility” was sent.

To appeal, you must type or write a letter explaining why you disagree with the Determination of Eligibility. Your letter must also contain:

• Your signature
• Whether you are a claimant or employer
• Your mailing address and telephone number
• The last four digits of your social security number (claimant only)
• A copy of the Determination of Eligibility you are appealing

You can submit your appeal request:

• By email: appealsdepartment@dwd.in.gov
• By fax: (317) 233-6888
• By mail to:

Department of Workforce Development
Attn: Appeals Division
10 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46204

• In person: 10 North Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Need More Help?

If you have general questions about Indiana Unemployment Benefits, can call the Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s customer service center at (800) 891-6499.

You may also email the Indiana Department of Workforce Development at AskUIContactCenter@dwd.IN.gov. Include the following information in all email correspondents:

• Are you a claimant or employer?
• Your last name
• The last four digits of your Social Security number or employee account number
• Your zip code

Additionally, you can contact your local office before visiting the location for service. Find the location nearest you as well as its contact information here.

View or Download Our Free Guide

While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Unemployment Insurance program and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.

Our free Unemployment Insurance Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility requirements and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view our free guide here.

1. Contact the Indiana Department of Workforce Development Unemployment Agency
2. Unemployment Offices in Indiana
3. Need More Help?
4. View or Download Our Free Guide

Contact the Indiana Department of Workforce Development Unemployment Agency

If you have general questions about Indiana Unemployment Benefits or an Unemployment Insurance claim, call the Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s benefit call center at (800) 891-6499.

You can also email the benefit call center at AskUIContactCenter@dwd.IN.gov. Include the following information in all email correspondents:

• Are you a claimant or employer?
• Your last name
• The last four digits of your Social Security number or employee account number
• Your zip code

Unemployment Offices in Indiana

In many cases, you may want to contact your local office before visiting the location for service. Find the location nearest you as well as its contact information below. Or, go to the Indiana WorkOne locations page here.

Region One - Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, Starke Counties 

Region Two - Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall, and St. Joseph counties. 

Region Three - Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Grant, Huntington, LaGrange, Nobe, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley counties. 

Region Four - Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Foundation, Howard, Miami, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Warren, and White counties. 

Region Five - Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Morgan, and Shelby counties. 

Region Six - Blackford, Delaware, Fayette, Henry, Jay, Randolph, Rush, Union, and Wayne counties. 

Region Seven - Clay, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion, and Vigo counties. 

Region Eight - Brown, Daviess, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, and Owen counties. 

Region Nine - Bartholomew, Dearborn, Decatur, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley, and Switzerland counties. 

Region Ten - Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington counties 

Region Eleven - Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick counties. 

Region Twelve - Marion county.

**Need More Help?

To find more information on Indiana Unemployment Benefits and Services, visit:

• The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) website here.
• The Indiana DWD Unemployment Frequently Asked Questions page here.

To file an Unemployment Insurance claim online:

Visit the Indiana Unemployment Insurance claimant portal here.

View or Download Our Free Guide

While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Unemployment Insurance program and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.

Our free Unemployment Insurance Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility requirements and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view our free guide here.

1. How to Apply for Indiana Unemployment Insurance
2. How to Check Your Application Status
3. The Unemployment Benefits Waiting Week
4. How to Appeal an Unemployment Insurance Denial
5. Need More Help?
6. View or Download Our Free Guide

How to Apply for Indiana Unemployment Insurance

To apply for Unemployment Insurance in Indiana, complete the following three steps:

1. Gather the documentation related to your previous employment and information you will need for the application.

Learn what documents and information you need here.

2. Choose how you are going to apply, whether online or in person. 

The Illinois Unemployment Office does not accept claims over the telephone. To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access Indiana’s Unemployment Claimant Self Service portal. To apply for Unemployment Insurance in person, click here to find your nearest Indiana Unemployment Office location.

3. Submit the Unemployment application, which is also known as filing an initial claim. 

If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, you can contact the Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s customer service center Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, EST:

• Phone: 1-800-891-6499
• TDD: (317) 232-7560
• Email: AskUIContactCenter@dwd.IN.gov

Include the following information in all email correspondents:

• Are you a claimant or employer?
• Your last name
• The last four digits of your Social Security number (SSN) or employee account number
• Your zip code

How to Check Your Application Status

If you have already applied for Unemployment Insurance online, you can check the status of your application by logging in to the claimant self service portal here.

You can also check the status of your application by calling the Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s benefit call center at (800) 891-649 or your local office. You can find a list of unemployment offices here.

Furthermore, you can email the Indiana Department of Workforce Development at AskUIContactCenter@dwd.IN.gov

Include the following information in all email correspondents:

• Are you a claimant or employer?
• Your last name
• The last four digits of your Social Security number (SSN) or employee account number
• Your zip code

The Unemployment Benefits Waiting Week

You will not begin receiving Unemployment Benefits immediately after submitting the application. By law, you must wait one week before finding out whether you will begin receiving benefits. This is called the Waiting Week.

The week after you file your unemployment claim is called the Waiting Week. During the Waiting Week, you must file a Weekly Certification Application through the claimant self service portal and the Unemployment Office will make sure you are still unemployed or underemployed, and meet all other eligibility requirements. You can find the claimant portal here.

If approved, you will begin receiving your weekly benefits the following week. You are not paid for the Waiting Week, but you do receive a Waiting Week credit.

Learn more about the Waiting Week on page 6 of this handbook. Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here.

How to File an Appeal If You Are Denied Unemployment Benefits

If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal.

Appeal requests must be submitted within 10 days of the date your “Determination of Eligibility” was sent.

To appeal, you must type or write a letter explaining why you disagree with the Determination of Eligibility. Your letter must also contain:

• Your name and social security number (SSN)
• Your signature
• An explanation of why you think the department’s decision is wrong
• Your mailing address and telephone number
• A copy of the Determination of Eligibility you are appealing

You can submit your appeal request:

• By email: appealsdepartment@dwd.in.gov
• By fax: (317) 233-6888
• By mail to:

Indiana Department of Workforce Development
Attn: Appeals Division
10 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46204

• In person: 10 North Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Need More Help?

If you have general questions about Indiana Unemployment Benefits, can call the Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s customer service center at 1-800-891-6499.

You may also email the Indiana DWD at AskUIContactCenter@dwd.IN.gov. Include the following information in all email correspondents:

• Are you a claimant or employer?
• Your last name
• The last four digits of your Social Security number or employee account number
• Your zip code

Additionally, you can contact your local office before visiting the location for service. Find the location nearest you as well as its contact information here.

View or Download Our Free Guide

While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Unemployment Insurance program and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.

Our free Unemployment Insurance Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility requirements and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view our free guide here.

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