Indiana saw close to 30,000 more people file for unemployment benefits last week, which is just a small number in the amount of claims made in the past nine weeks within the Hoosier state which is almost 670,000 according to the U.S. Department of Labor statistics.

The number of initial unemployment applications submitted in Indiana last week was about the same as the week prior and well below the 100,000-plus the state received for three straight weeks in late March when the COVID-19 shutdown began.

At that time, Indiana was receiving fewer than 3,000 claims per week and had a 3.2% unemployment rate which was one of the lowest in the country. Indiana has also reported processing nearly 69,000 applications for a separate federal program set up for self-employed and gig workers.

The federal statistics show Indiana was paying unemployment benefits to about 285,000 people during the week ending on May 2nd, while only about 13,000 people received those payments a year earlier.