According to data released Thursday, Indiana had, by far, the largest spike in new claims for unemployment assistance in the country last week. The state says most of them are coming from foreign identity thieves trying to steal money.

Indianas unemployment rate fell more than 5 percent in May according to data released from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Friday. However, the same report revised Aprils rate upwards from what was already a record high.

Those who lost their jobs or had hours significantly cut back can receive up to $350 in a one-time benefit to pay their utility bills.

Months into the pandemic, many desperate workers say they still havent received unemployment benefits. And as many WorkOne re-employment offices reopen by appointment this week, staff fear theyll be caught in the middle between those people and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Ivy Tech Community College is making online job training modules free for 10,000 Hoosiers. Its aimed at helping workers who have been furloughed or laid off permanently get skills before heading back into the workforce.

The number of Hoosiers filing new applications for unemployment benefits dropped slightly last week, to 26,000. But since mid-March, over 700,000 workers have now applied for unemployment.

More than 1 in 4 workers experienced unemployment last month in several Indiana counties. Data released Tuesday from the Department of Workforce Development shows which areas of the state were hit hardest.

The Indiana jobless rate was higher than the 14.7 percent national rate. April's mark was much worse than the state's peak unemployment rate of 11 percent in 2010 during the last recession, according to federal statistics released Friday.

A diverse group of community members spoke at a digital town hall Thursday night, held by Faith in Indiana. Much of the discussion was focused on a need for more government assistance in the face of COVID-19.

The agency says it has greatly increased its capacity to resolve more issues through automation and increased staffing. However, a single claim could have multiple issues that prevent it from being resolved.