Gov. Mike Braun signed two executive orders to reduce fraud and encourage Hoosiers on unemployment to search for work.
Executive Order 25-33 directs the Department of Workforce Development to take the following measures to identify fraud and abuse in the unemployment system:
- Verifying eligibility through federal and state new hire directories.
- Cross-checking applicants through state and federal incarceration records and death records.
- Reviewing applications filed from the same IP address, mailing address or bank account.
- Verifying out-of-state claims more thoroughly before payment.
The Department of Workforce Development will provide progress reports to Braun every quarter on their findings.
“We need to crack down on fraud in unemployment insurance to protect the integrity of the program and the taxpayer dollars that fund it,” Braun said.
Executive Order 25-32 requires Hoosiers receiving unemployment insurance to contact a Work One office about looking for a job in the first week of unemployment.
The order also tasks the Department of Workforce Development to ensure compliance and targets recipients most at risk of exhausting their unemployment insurance to find a job.
“Unemployment insurance is an important temporary safety net, but it should be exactly that: temporary assistance while searching for a new job,” Braun said. “Research shows more rigorous work search requirements lead to unemployment recipients finding work faster; even just sending notices reminding beneficiaries of work search requirements led to fewer weeks on unemployment.”
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
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Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
