INDIANAPOLIS (WOWO): Unemployment insurance programs created by the CARES Act will expire on Dec. 26 if Congress doesn’t intervene.

Indiana has two programs that will be affected: the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).

PUA gives benefits to people who would not normally qualify for unemployment, including those who are self-employed, gig workers and part-time workers. It also gives benefits to individuals who have exhausted other unemployment programs but are still unemployed due to the pandemic.

PEUC gives a 13-week extension to regular unemployment compensation recipients.

Claims can end before Dec. 26 if people receive the maximum number of weeks of benefits or if they run out of money on the claim. All payment types will stop after Dec. 26.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has partnered with WorkOne centers, with free job services including resume assistance, educational and vocation training assistance and more. For locations click here. For job listings, click here.