Gov. Holcomb has announced that Indiana’s participation in all federally funded pandemic unemployment insurance programs will end by mid-June. Holcomb made this announcement in the wake of 100,000+ available positions in Indiana that are needing to be filled.
Indiana has chosen to opt out of the four different programs listed below effective June 19, 2021:
- Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). This benefit provided an additional $300 weekly benefit to those receiving unemployment benefits.
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC). This benefit extends eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits after the traditional 26 weeks has been exhausted.
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PAU). This extends unemployment benefits to those who do not normally qualify, such as self-employment, gig workers, and independent contractors.
- Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC). This benefit provides an additional $100 weekly benefit for individuals who are eligible for regular unemployment but also earned at least $5,000 in self-employment income.
With the influx of candidates entering the applicant pool, companies may need to look at improving their recruitment practices to hire the best candidate for their company. To hire the right candidates, the company must first attract the best candidates. Listed below are small items that make a big impact on the hiring process.
- Build a strong employer brand. Many applicants research the company via social media platforms, review sites and the company website before applying to get a better understanding of who the company is and what they do. Being responsive to reviews, having an active social media platform and maintaining an easy-to-use company website are the best ways of building a strong brand.
- Move as quickly and efficiently as possible with candidates. The average best candidate is only on the market for 10 days according to an Officevibe report. This means reviewing resumes every day and being very responsive and engaging with all candidates.
- Have a clear and concise job title. Many applicants will look over a job title if it does not correlate with the position the candidate is looking for.
- Review and write better job descriptions. Job descriptions should always start with a short overview of how the position contributes to large company objectives. Another important part of the job description is writing out the responsibilities. It is suggested to keep the responsibilities to around 8-10 of the most important functions of the position.
- Interview for personality. During the interview, focus more on the candidate’s personality and how it would align with the company rather than their current skill set. The right skill set may seem like the most important factor when deciding if a candidate is right, however, skills can be acquired while personalities can not be.
For additional resources on recruiting and hiring, see here.
