Ohio Unemployment Benefits

Are you physically able to work?

Are you willing to actively look for a job?

Did your employer pay unemployment taxes ("Covered Employment")?

Did you earn at least $4400 in the base period in Ohio?

Base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. If you are filing today, base period is Jan 2012 - Mar 2012 to Oct 2012 - Dec 2012

How did you lose your job?

Did you quit your last job due to unsafe working conditions, not being paid, discrimination and / or health and safety risks?

Were you fired for no fault of your own?

Were you laid off for no fault of your own?

Your State : Ohio

   Wages Earned:

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Apply Online:
Applying online is the easiest and fastest way to claim benefits. Check for more specific details such as timings and requirements to claim benefits in your state.
CALL: 1-877- (644-6562). Telephone hours are 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday (except holidays). Peak call times are Monday and Friday. For faster service call on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, or file online. When you call, please be sure to have paper and a pencil ready. For TTY service dial toll free: 1-888-642-8203
Visit UC Center:
You can’t seem to find assistance on call? No worries. Visit one of the UC center and let the specialist help you out. Please note that wait times can be longer but assistance is guaranteed.

you are not eligible

Disclaimer: The estimates are given in good faith and accuracy is not guaranteed. We are not liable for loss or damage caused by the tools on our website.

    State: Ohio (OH)
    Phone Number: 1-877- (644-6562). Telephone hours are 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday (except holidays). Peak call times are Monday and Friday. For faster service call on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, or file online. When you call, please be sure to have paper and a pencil ready. For TTY service dial toll free: 1-888-642-8203
    File Online: http://unemployment.ohio.gov/
    Major Towns: Columbus, Cleveland , Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron, Dayton, Canton, Parma, Youngstown, and Lorain

    Current Unemploymnet Rate in Ohio

    What is the Eligibility Criteria in Ohio?

    There are some basic rules for eligibility. Even if you meet some of these rules partially, you should still apply for unemployment because state offices make a reasonable attempt to process your claim, as long as you provide a good justification.

    1. Must have lost job with no fault of his theirs
    2. Must be totally or partially unemployed.
    3. Must have received enough wages during the base period to establish a claim
    4. Must be physically able to work, available for work, and actively seeking suitable work.
    5. Meet eligibility requirements each week benefits are claimed.

    To learn more check unemployment eligibility article

    A "base period" is four consecutive calendar quarters that fall within the 18 month period before establishing a new benefit year.

    Claim your benefits

    How to File Your Initial Claim in Ohio?

    1. If you have been separated from work, you can file your initial claim during your first week of total or partial unemployment.
    2. You can file your first claim in one of the two ways: by calling the TeleClaim Center or visiting a One-Stop Career Center close to you. Unluckily, you cannot file an initial claim online at this time.
    3. Have your entire information ready before filing your claim.
    4. If you have received severance pay upon your separation from work, you may still be eligible for unemployment benefits, so it is still important to call to file your initial claim during your first week of total or partial unemployment.
    5. If eligible for unemployment benefits, you can expect to receive your first payment in 3-4 weeks if there are no issues with your claim.
    6. In general, it takes approximately 3 weeks to process a claim; however, you will still need to claim benefits every week.

    Information needed is as follows:

    1. Your Social Security Number
    2. The year you were born
    3. Your home address and telephone number
    4. Whether you have filed an unemployment insurance claim in your state or in any other state during the past 12 months
    5. Your last day of employment
    6. The names and addresses of all of the employers you have worked for during the 15 months prior to filing your claim and the dates you worked for each of these employers. If you are reopening a claim, be ready with the same information for the past 8 weeks
    7. The reason that you are no longer working or that your hours have been reduced The names, dates of birth and social security numbers for any dependent children, if you are going to apply for dependency allowance
    8. Your alien registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen

    If You Are Not a United States Citizen

    You must give verification that you were legally eligible to work in your state and that you are presently eligible to begin a new job.

    How to File Your Weekly Claim?

    After you file your application for unemployment benefits, you must start filing your weekly claims. You require filing each week, even though you are:

    1. Waiting for a verdict about benefits,
    2. Waiting for your claim to become valid, or
    3. Appealing a denial of benefits

    You can file your weekly claim:

    1. Through the Internet - You can file your weekly claim online. You must have a User ID and PIN in order to file your weekly claim online.
    2. By phone – You must call the number given to you during the registration process.

    File every week that you want to claim benefits and keep on filing until you go back to work, run out of benefits or stop seeking work. You should claim at least one week before we can make a decision on your eligibility.

    How to Claim for an Extension?

    If you are presently filing weekly claims for unemployment benefits; carry on filing your weekly claim if you are jobless or working reduced hours. You will be informed by mail of your eligibility for the added benefits.

    In case you have been filing weekly claims and are still laid off or working reduced hours, you will have to file an application for these extra benefits online or by telephone. You will be alerted by mail of your eligibility for the additional benefits.

    To be eligible for EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits you must:

    1. Have an unemployment claim that began on or after May 07, 2006
    2. Have base period wages in the base period of this claim that is equal to at least 40 times your usual benefit rate
    3. Tired your usual benefits or your benefit year has ended and not be eligible for a new claim in any state
    4. Be unemployed or working reduced hours
    5. Be able and available for work and looking for work

    To be eligible for EB benefits you must:

    1. Qualify for EUC and then
    2. Exhaust all customary UI benefits and all available EUC Tiers
    3. Be out of a job or working reduced hours
    4. Be seeking work and submitting evidence of work search to DWD

    Ohio Unemployment Questions


    How to file an appeal
    If you disagree with an initial decision, you may file a written appeal with ODJFS within 21 calendar days of the date the determination was issued. Include your social security number, the date and determination identification number with which you disagree, and the reason(s) for your disagreement.

    You may file your appeal online at http://unemployment.Ohio.gov between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. daily, by mail or fax with the ODJFS processing center identified on your determination, or with any ODJFS claims processing center.

    If you disagree with the redetermination, you may file a written appeal to the UCRC within 21 calendar days of the date the redetermination was issued. Include your social security number, the date of the determination with which you disagree, the reason(s) for your disagreement, and, if you are employed during the day and desire a telephone hearing during nonworking hours, the hours you are available for a hearing.

    If you disagree with the commission-level decision, you may file a notice of appeal with the common pleas court of the Ohio county where you reside or were last employed. Appeals must be filed within 30 calendar days of the mailing date of the commissionlevel decision. If your appeal is filed after 30 days, the court of common pleas will determine the timeliness of your appeal in accordance with Ohio Revised Code, Section 4141.282 (l). In your notice of appeal, you must include all interested parties listed on the commission-level decision(s), including the director of ODJFS. Be sure to identify the decision being appealed.

    If you disagree with the decision of the common pleas court, you may appeal your case further, as in civil cases.
    What are some reason that you might need to file an unemployment appeal?
    1. You feel like you did not receive the full amount of your unemployment benefits.
    2. You feel like you were treated unfairly or discriminated against. You feel like you were denied for unemployment benefits inappropriately.
    3. You feel like your employer is trying to block you from receiving unemployment benefits when you are legitimately entitled and eligible to receive them.
    4. You think that your unemployment benefits ran out too soon.
    5. You believe that your unemployment application was incorrectly or unfairly judged or handled.

    The staff of the Ohio unemployment offices are very diligent and professional counselors who genuinely want to help you, but sometimes mistakes are made. If you feel like something has gone wrong during your unemployment case that has affected the benefits that you receive, you can file a Ohio unemployment appeal in order to have your case reviewed. Do this as soon as possible. Do not let too much time pass, or it may be too late.



    How to Report Ohio Unemployment Fraud?
    IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO WORK WHILE YOU ARE COLLECTING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

    If you want to know how to report unemployment fraud, you must first be sure that someone is committing unemployment fraud. In the state of Ohio it is a crime to knowingly collect unemployment benefits that you are not eligible to receive, and this is considered unemployment fraud. BUT, it is very important to note that IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO WORK WHILE YOU ARE COLLECTING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

    You are able to work at a job and make a certain amount of money while still collecting unemployment benefits. When you apply for unemployment, this amount will be determined, and how this works will be explained to you by your unemployment counselor.

    If you suspect someone of committing unemployment fraud, think long and hard before you report them. Unless you are 100% certain, you may be wrong, and you may end up reporting someone who is not committing a crime. If you falsely report someone for committing unemployment fraud, you yourself could possibly be committing a crime called 'Falsely Reporting a Crime'.

    If you are 100% sure that someone is committing unemployment fraud, you can report them by contacting your local unemployment office - but make sure you are 100% correct.



    How to Reopen an Existing Ohio Unemployment Claim

    It may become necessary for you to reopen an existing Ohio unemployment claim if you suspend or cancel your unemployment because you found a job, and then later became unemployed again.

    Generally, you can reopen an existing unemployment claim by simply filing a weekly certifcation online or by phone -- just like you did every week when you receiving unemployment previously.

    In some cases, it may be necessary to speak to an unemployment counselor or start the process all over again in order to reopen an existing unemployment claim in Ohio. If this is the case, contact your unemployment counselor to get exact instructions on how to proceed.



    How to Cancel Ohio Unemployment

    When you find a new job you can no longer receive Ohio unemployment benefits and may need to officially cancel your Ohio unemployment.

    In order to cancel your unemployment claim, you can:

    1. Call, send a letter, or email to your unemployment counselor letting them know that you have found a new job.
    2. Stop filing your weekly certification.

    If you happen to receive an unemployment check while you are working, make sure to call your unemployment counselor to let them know. You may need to return the check - but this will be better than any possible penalties that you could be responsible for if you are found to be recieving unemployment benefits while working.




    Federal income tax withholding
    When you file for benefits, you are asked if you would like taxes withheld from your unemployment compensation check at the rate of 10 percent for federal income taxes only. ODJFS will send you a 1099 form by January 31 of the year after you were paid benefits.

    Receiving unemployment insurance payment
    It may take up to four weeks from the date you file your initial claim to receive the first payment. The earliest your payment may be issued is during the third week. Once payment starts, your payments are normally made every two weeks. If you have chosen to receive correspondence electronically, payments are made weekly.

    Part-time jobs pay and unemployment benefits
    If you work part-time or perform odd jobs during weeks for which you file for unemployment benefits, you may still be paid unemployment benefits if your gross earnings are less than your weekly benefit amount. You must report gross earnings for the week (Suday through Saturday) in which they are earned, even if you have not yet been paid. If your earnings are less than your weekly benefit amount, Ohio law allows you an exemption of 20 percent of your weekly benefit amount before a deduction is made. An example of how this is computed appears below.
    calculator

    How Benefits are calculated?

    To calculate your weekly benefits amount click here

    1. Work out your base period for calculating unemployment.
    2. Take a look at the base period where you received the highest pay.
    3. Calculate the highest quarter earnings with a calculator.
    4. Calculate what your weekly benefits would be if you have another job.
    5. Calculate your unemployment benefits for every week if the partial gross income is different.

    The minimum benefits amount in Ohio is $111.

    The maximum benefits amount in Ohio is $400

    A "base period" is four consecutive calendar quarters that fall within the 18 month period before establishing a new benefit year.

    To learn more Unemployment benefits article

Questions & Answers

19 Responses to “Ohio Unemployment Benefits”

  1. [...] the jobless rate continuing to climb. Other states are also facing such problems. For instance, Ohio unemployment rate reached 10.5% last week and in some places people are filing unemployment through fraudulent [...]

  2. Labor Laws says:

    [...] (unemployment must be through no fault of the applicant). A more detailed list is here: Ohio Unemployment Claims – Complete Guide | File Unemployment 1. You must have lost your job through no fault of your own. That means if you have quit job [...]

  3. [...] looks for unemployment extension for the states that need it much more than others. For example, unemployment in Ohio still high and it  has nearly 787,000 unemployed. Ohio would have seen its benefits fall to 23 [...]

  4. [...] sharply to levels not seen since the end of 2008.To learn more about this topic check out our Ohio Unemployment Benefits [...]

  5. [...] workers who are already receiving Ohio unemployment benefits may also enroll in special education and training programs to improve their job prospects in and [...]

  6. Sandra Swanson says:

    I have been working part-time at Fashion Bug, a retail store for the past 3 years. The entire chain of 700 stores will be closing by January of 2013. My Medina County, Ohio store will be closing in August of 2012. I tried to figure if I will be eligible for unemployment, but my average earnings are only figuring to be about $159.00 per week over the past 76 weeks. How can I find out before the store closes? I read that you must have $222 per week minimum. Thank you.

  7. carol says:

    how long must you work at a business to be able to file for unemployment in ohio

    • rashmi says:

      One of those requirements is that you have worked 20 qualifying work weeks. A qualifying work week is one in which you earned $215 before taxes or deductions. This ensures that only those who have performed a significant amount of work receive benefits in Ohio.

  8. juanita santiago says:

    How can I get copies of past unemployment benefits statments

  9. Scott Lenhoff says:

    I was laid off in Ohio, and could not find a job so I moved back to CA. Can I still collect OH unemployment benefits, or can my income be transfered to CA?

    thanks

    • neha says:

      You must be approved in the state you were laid off in and the benefits will continue to be paid from that same state. You must check your state’s department of economical services, unemployment compensation. You are required to file with Ohio as you worked there and your payments will be sent to California.

  10. Tina Crockett says:

    If my employer has asked me to take an early retirement and they will give me a lump sum payment of $21,000 as an incentive to accept the offer. Would I be elegible for unemployment if I accept?

    I am approx 10 years away from planned retirement and would not be drawing any pension payments if I do take the buyout.

  11. Betty Barger says:

    I was forced to resign my position at a local nursing home. I was not allowed to work my notice. It was stated,”It would be in your best interest if you resigned now.” The company allowed me to have my 2% increase that was due 8/15, and gave me payment for the two weeks vacation I just received after 1 year. Am I eligible to file unemployment due to being forced to leave?

  12. dawn stewart says:

    im trying to get my unemployment for work for the Cincinnati sport service

  13. Thomas Lattanzi says:

    I was recently terminated from employment from the Ashland Municipal Court by the Judge. No reason given I was salaried at approximately $26500.00 per year. I currently received a Ohio Police and Fire Pension Check of approximately $36000.00 a year…
    Do I qualify for Unemployment Benefits, even though I receive the aforemention pension benefits.

  14. tanya brown says:

    Can someone work a part time job and collect unemployment

  15. Ellen says:

    I worked 4/16/2012 through 1/06/2013…do I have enough weeks I. To collect unemployment?

  16. Susan Brewer says:

    If the employee was termed and not eligible for your company unemployment, then he works for 8 to 10 weeks, is he still eligible for the previous company which was previously denied?

  17. joh says:

    I have been a 1099 worker since last September. I pay all my FICA and other taxes. Am I eligible to file for unemployment when I can not find work?


State Unemployment Guides

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