By Kerry Hyatt Bennett, Legal Counsel
It happens all the time. The most successful way to control another person is to prevent them from having their own resources. Survivors we work with often find their job prospects sabotaged by their abuser as a way of continuing to control them. Because of this, survivors often lose their jobs or have to leave their jobs, because of the control dynamic at home.
For this reason, it is important to know that survivors CAN consider filing for unemployment in Indiana. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development will not refuse unemployment benefits to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking if they become separated from their job as a result of DV. Even if the employee is fired for cause — if that cause is DV, they can help.
For more information about this, see this memo from ICADV Legal Counsel Kerry Hyatt Bennett, and check out the DWD website and their Unemployment Claimant Handbook. Applications are online, so it is a perfect option for advocates working with survivors.
