Federal unemployment program set to expire Sept. 6

INDIANA — The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday the state can stop participating in federal programs that have expanded unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision overturns a Marion County judge’s order telling the state to remain in the federal program providing an extra $300 weekly payments to unemployed workers despite Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb’s June decision to withdraw.

Those payments resumed in July but the appeals court said in a 3-0 ruling it disagreed with arguments that Indiana law requires the state to procure all available federal unemployment benefits for residents.

The court ruled that the federal pandemic unemployment programs were intended to be temporary and differed from the previously existing unemployment benefits system.

The federal unemployment programs are set to expire on Sept. 6.