Gov. Eric Holcomb said he will require out-of-work Hoosiers to actively search for jobs to remain on unemployment benefits.
He plans to issue an executive order early next week. The work search requirement was waived during the pandemic.
In a statement, Holcomb also said he’s directed the Department of Workforce Development to review the demographics of unemployed Hoosiers over the last 16 months. He wants to determine if Indiana should follow other conservative states in opting out of federal unemployment programs as a way of forcing more people back into the workforce.
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Holcomb said he thinks the unemployment rate and labor force are comparable to pre-pandemic levels. The unemployment rate is currently about half a percentage point higher than March 2020 and there are about 10,000 fewer people in the labor force.
He said the state needs to concentrate on getting people skilled to match employers’ needs.
Contact reporter Justin at jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @Hicks_JustinM.