FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Armed security guards will be on hand at 36 unemployment offices around Indiana in what a state agency says is a step to improve safety and make branch security more consistent.
No specific incidents prompted the action, Department of Workforce Development spokesman Marc Lotter told The Journal Gazette for a story Wednesday.
Lotter said the agency is merely being cautious with the approach of an early-December deadline when thousands of Indiana residents could see their unemployment benefits end after exhausting the maximum 99 weeks provided through multiple federal extension periods.
"Given the upcoming expiration of the federal extensions and the increased stress on some of the unemployed, we thought added security would provide an extra level of protection for our employees and clients," he said.
The overall cost for the security is $1 million, paid for with federal funds designated for administration of the unemployment system, Lotter said.
State employees in the affected offices have also recently gone through stress-management training in which they learn how to respond appropriately to angry clients, he said.
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