Reviewed by Amber Boyd Moorman
Losing your job is hard enough without wondering how you will pay the bills. The short answer: if you were laid off, you can usually get unemployment in Indiana. If you were fired, you may still qualify, unless your employer can show you were fired for “just cause.” This guide explains how that works, how severance affects your benefits, and what to do if your claim is denied. It includes Indiana’s rule changes that took effect July 1, 2026.
If you were part of a larger layoff, see our guide to your rights in an Indiana layoff.
Who qualifies for unemployment in Indiana?
In general, you must have lost your job through no disqualifying fault of your own, have earned enough wages, and be able, available, and looking for work.
Your wages are measured over a “base period,” usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. You generally need (Ind. Code § 22-4-14-5):
- total base-period wages of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter
- at least $2,500 in the last two quarters of the base period
- at least $4,200 in the whole base period
Can you get unemployment if you’re laid off?
Usually, yes. A layoff for lack of work is not your fault, so it should not disqualify you. File right away. Do not wait for your final paycheck or severance to arrive.
Can you get unemployment if you’re fired?
Often, yes. Being fired does not automatically disqualify you. The question is whether you were fired for just cause, a term Indiana defines by statute. A firing for poor fit, for not meeting expectations despite trying, or for no stated reason is not necessarily just cause.
Under Ind. Code § 22-4-15-1, just cause includes:
- lying on a job application
- knowingly violating a reasonable and uniformly enforced employer rule
- unsatisfactory attendance, if there is no attendance rule
- willfully damaging employer property
- refusing to obey instructions
- endangering safety at work
- going to jail after a conviction
- breaching a duty you reasonably owe your employer
The details matter. A rule must be reasonable and uniformly enforced. If your employer ignored the same conduct by others, or you did not know about the rule, say so. The 2026 changes added definitions of a “reasonable rule” and of a breach of duty, so an employer’s reasons will be tested against that language.
If you were forced to choose between resigning and being fired, Indiana law now treats that as a discharge, not a quit.
What if I quit?
Quitting generally disqualifies you unless you had good cause connected to the work. Indiana uses a reasonable-person test. There are special rules for harassment: the conduct generally has to be severe and pervasive, tied to a protected status or a danger to your safety or mental health, and reported internally first. Quitting ahead of an imminent firing that was not for just cause can count as good cause.
Talk to a lawyer before you quit if you can. It is often the most consequential decision in the process.
What happens if you are disqualified?
A just-cause finding does not bar you forever, but it hurts. You are ineligible until you have earned wages in at least eight weeks that total eight times your weekly benefit. Your maximum benefit is also reduced, to 75 percent for a first disqualification.
How much will I get?
- Weekly benefit: 47 percent of your average weekly wage in the base period, up to a maximum of $390 per week (Ind. Code § 22-4-12-2).
- Duration: up to 26 weeks, but your total is capped at the lesser of 26 times your weekly benefit or 28 percent of your base-period wages (Ind. Code § 22-4-12-4). Many people run out before 26 weeks.
- Waiting week: your first eligible week is unpaid.
Does severance affect unemployment in Indiana?
Yes. Severance, including pay under a separation agreement, counts as deductible income. It is allocated to the weeks after your job ends. In any week where the allocated amount equals or exceeds your weekly benefit, you are not considered unemployed. So a large severance can delay your benefits.
That does not mean you should wait to file. File anyway, report the severance accurately, and let DWD apply the rule. How severance is structured can also matter, so have it reviewed before you sign. See our guides to severance agreements and severance pay and taxes.
A 2026 change on vacation pay. Starting July 1, 2026, Indiana no longer treats vacation pay and sick pay as deductible income. Holiday pay and bonuses are also excluded.
How to file
- File through Uplink, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s claimant portal, at DWD’s unemployment page.
- Be accurate about why you left. Use your employer’s words if they were “position eliminated” or “lack of work.”
- Register with Indiana Career Connect within 10 days of filing.
- File your weekly voucher on time, every week. Late filings can be denied unless you have a verified medical emergency.
- Complete at least two work-search activities each week and keep records for six months.
Be careful with timing, too. Under the 2026 changes, a claim generally cannot be cancelled and refiled later, except in limited situations. Read the claimant handbook before you act.
Can my employer fight my claim?
Yes. Your employer has 10 days to respond with facts about your separation. A deputy at DWD then decides. Do not assume it will go your way just because you did nothing wrong. Employers sometimes describe a firing as misconduct to avoid a claim. Keep your separation letter, reviews, and any messages about why you were let go.
What if my claim is denied?
You must act fast. The deadlines are short:
- Appeal to an administrative law judge: within 15 days after the determination was sent (Ind. Code § 22-4-17-2). Include a copy of the determination or the information identifying it.
- Appeal to the Review Board: within 15 days of the judge’s decision.
- Appeal to the Indiana Court of Appeals: within 30 days of the Review Board’s decision.
The hearing is often your best chance to tell your side. Bring your documents and be ready to explain what happened. Keep filing your weekly vouchers while the appeal is pending.
When your firing may be more than an unemployment problem
If you were fired right after complaining, taking medical leave, or reporting something illegal, or because of a protected trait, you may also have a legal claim. Unemployment and a wrongful termination claim are separate, with separate deadlines. See can I sue for wrongful termination in Indiana? and Indiana claim deadlines.
Frequently asked questions
Does being fired disqualify me from unemployment in Indiana?
Not automatically. You are disqualified only if you were fired for just cause, as Indiana law defines it.
Can I get unemployment if I was fired for poor performance?
Often, yes, if you were trying and simply did not meet expectations. The answer depends on the facts and your employer’s explanation.
Does severance disqualify me?
It does not disqualify you outright, but it can delay benefits. It is allocated to the weeks after separation.
Does PTO payout reduce unemployment?
As of July 1, 2026, vacation and sick pay are no longer deductible income under Indiana law.
What is the most I can get?
The maximum is $390 per week for up to 26 weeks, subject to the 28 percent cap on total benefits.
How long do I have to appeal a denial?
15 days after the determination was sent. Do not wait.
Talk to an Indiana employment lawyer
If you lost your job and something does not feel right about how it happened, contact Amber Boyd Law for a free case evaluation.
This article provides general information about Indiana and federal employment law. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
