How to file for unemployment in Ohio?

Unemployment Insurance is a government-funded insurance policy that assists workers who have lost their jobs due to no fault of their own. It gives qualified individuals temporary financial assistance based on their previous wages while they hunt for other work. The Bureau of Unemployment Compensation (UC) Benefits is in charge of developing policies and procedures for the UC Benefits Program’s statewide administration. The Unemployment Trust Fund is supported through employer taxes and reimbursements. Employers are not permitted to remove any funds from employees’ paychecks to cover the costs of this program. The program’s key goals are as follows:

• To give temporary and partial salary replacement to recently employed involuntarily unemployed workers, and
• To aid in the stabilization of the economy during recessions.

Who is eligible for unemployment benefits in Ohio?

You must be a resident of Ohio and meet all of the following requirements to be eligible for this benefit program:

• Unemployed
• Worked in Ohio during the last 12 months (or longer in some situations), and
• Earned a set amount of money based on Ohio criteria, and
• You are collecting benefits by actively seeking a job each week.

How to Appeal a Denial of Unemployment Benefits in Ohio

You have 21 days to file an appeal if your unemployment claim is denied. The ODJFS will decide whether to amend its determination or refer your appeal to the Unemployment Compensation Review Commission after receiving your appeal request (UCRC). If you disagree with the redetermination or the decision of the UCRC hearing officer, you have 21 days to request that the Commission review the decision. If you are still unhappy, you have 30 days to submit an appeal with the Common Pleas Court in the county where you live or last worked.

Visit the Ohio Office of Unemployment Compensation’s website for more information on the unemployment process, including current eligibility requirements and benefit amounts.

Are you unemployed due to no fault of your own?

To be eligible for unemployment benefits in Ohio, you must be unemployed due to no fault of your own.

Getting Unemployment Benefits After a Layoff

You will meet this condition if you were laid off, lost your work in a reduction-in-force (RIF), or were “downsized” for economic reasons.

Receiving Unemployment Benefits After Being Fired

If you were fired merely because you weren’t a good fit, you won’t necessarily be denied benefits. If you were fired for good reason, though, you may be ineligible for benefits. You might not be entitled for benefits if you were fired for failing to execute your job duties or knowingly breaching business policies about which you were aware.

After you’ve quit your job, you’ll be able to collect unemployment benefits.

You won’t be eligible for unemployment benefits if you quit your work unless you had good reason to do so. In general, just cause means that you had a compelling, job-related reason to leave the position, and that a reasonably careful individual in your situation would have done the same. You may be eligible for benefits if you left your work due to sexual harassment that your employer refused to protect you from after being put on notice. You may also be eligible if you were forced to labour in hazardous conditions or if your employer did not fully compensate you for your work.

Are you looking for work and are you available?

You must be able to work, available to work, and seeking for work in order to continue receiving unemployment benefits. (See Nolo’s article Collecting Unemployment: Are You Able, Available, and Actively Seeking Work?) for more information. You must take an appropriate position if it is offered to you.

The suitability of a position is determined by a variety of aspects, including how similar it is to your previous job, how much you will be paid, the working circumstances, and the skills, experience, and training required for the role. The longer you are unemployed, the more likely you will be forced to examine employment that are different from your previous one, pay less, or involve a substantially longer commute.

Looking for Work Actively

Being unemployed isn’t enough. To be eligible for unemployment benefits, you must also be looking for work and conducting an active job search. Depending on your sector, what makes a sufficient job search varies. If you were laid off from a minimum-wage job at a fast-food franchise, for example, an active job search might include visiting similar businesses, inquiring about job opportunities, and filling out job applications. You might react to job postings, send out cover letters and applications, and attend any interviews you land for potential employment if you were laid off from a professional career.