Ind. Code ch. 22-4-1

in effect

Ind. Code § 22-4-1-1 Police power

Sec. 1. As a guide to the interpretation and application of this article, the public policy of this state is declared to be as follows: Economic insecurity due to unemployment is declared hereby to be a serious menace to the health, morale, and welfare of the people of this state and to the maintenance of public order within this state. Protection against this great hazard of our economic life can be provided in some measure by the required and systematic accumulation of funds during periods of employment to provide benefits to the unemployed during periods of unemployment and by encouragement of desirable stable employment. The enactment of this article to provide for payment of benefits to persons unemployed through no fault of their own, to encourage stabilization in employment, and to provide for integrated employment and training services in support of state economic development programs, and to provide maximum job training and employment opportunities for the unemployed, underemployed, the economically disadvantaged, dislocated workers, and others with substantial barriers to employment, is, therefore, essential to public welfare; and the same is declared to be a proper exercise of the police powers of the state. To further this public policy, the state, through its department of workforce development, will maintain close coordination among all federal, state, and local agencies whose mission affects the employment or employability of the unemployed and underemployed. Formerly: Acts 1947, c.208, s.101. As amended by P.L.144-1986, SEC.86; P.L.18-1987, SEC.16; P.L.21-1995, SEC.61.

Ind. Code § 22-4-1-2 Unemployment application considered request for benefits from unemployment insurance benefit trust fund; commissioner responsible for proper payment of unemployment benefits; no burden of proof for entitlement to unemployment benefits; no presumption of entitlement or nonentitlement to unemployment benefits

Sec. 2. (a) Unemployment benefits are paid from state funds and are not considered paid from any special insurance plan or by an employer. An application for unemployment benefits is not considered a claim against an employer, but is considered a request for unemployment benefits from the unemployment insurance benefit trust fund. (b) The commissioner is responsible for the proper payment of unemployment benefits without regard to the level of interest or participation in any determination or appeal by an applicant or an employer. (c) An applicant's entitlement to unemployment benefits is determined based on the information that is available without regard to a burden of proof. An agreement between an applicant and an employer is not binding on the commissioner in determining an applicant's entitlement to unemployment benefits. (d) There is no presumption of entitlement or nonentitlement to unemployment benefits. There is no equitable or common law allowance for or denial of unemployment benefits. As added by P.L.121-2014, SEC.5.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/22Fetched: 10/17/2026