How To File For Unemployment In Ohio Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

CLEVELAND — Nearly 80,000 people applied for unemployment in Ohio in three days, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted announced Wednesday. As more businesses are forced to close to protect the public from the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, the livelihood of more Ohioans will be damaged.

There are two primary ways to file for unemployment in Ohio, over the phone and online. Husted has asked Ohioans, if they can, to file for benefits through the state's unemployment website.

The state recently waived the one-week waiting period for unemployment benefits to kick-in and expanded who can apply for and receive unemployment benefits.

Who Qualifies

Gov. Mike DeWine issued an executive order giving more flexibility to Ohio's unemployment program. Under the new guidelines, any person who is told to self-isolate by a medical professional, employer or local health authority qualifies for unemployment (even if they have not been diagnosed with COVID-19).

However, employees who choose to self-isolate without a doctor's order will likely not qualify for unemployment benefits.

Employees who were laid off because their company or business was ordered close during the outbreak also qualify for unemployment. Employees who work for tips — like waiters — could face peculiarities depending on how their employer reported tips.

"If the employer reported tips as part of the employees wage, it would be reflected on their tax reporting and therefore the UI benefit would be based on wage with tips. If the employer did not include tips in the wage, the employee will need to file an affidavit with their tipped wages for ODJFS to review," the department of jobs and family services said.

More details on how COVID-19 is impacting qualifications for unemployment benefits can be found on the jobs and family services' website.

How To File Online

Here's what to expect when filing for unemployment online:

• Go to Ohio's website for the Department of Jobs and Family Services.
• The online unemployment application takes about 25 minutes to fill out.
• From the moment a new application is started, users have 48 hours to complete the form before it is reset.
• Applications are filed until the user receives a confirmation number. If a user is disconnected during the application process, they can log back into their account and resume filling out the application.

What You Need

Here's what you'll need to provide when filing for unemployment:

• Name
• Phone number
• Email
• Home address
• Social security number
• Title of your most recent job and relevant job skills
• Employment history, including your most recent employer
  • You will need specific start and end dates for your employment history
• The name, address, telephone numbers and dates of your previous jobs
• W-2 form or pay stub
• Dependents' names, social security numbers and dates of birth

If you were employed somewhere outside Ohio, worked for the government, or are leaving military service, you'll need the following:

• Form DD-214, member 4 copy (for military service)
• SF-8 or SF-50 form (for federal government employment)

After Applying

After submitting an application, a user should get an email from OJI@odjfs.state.oh.us or a piece of physical mail with more instruction. The application will head to a state processing center for review.

The minimum payment through unemployment, weekly, is $134. The maximum weekly payment is $480, but could be higher if there are dependents.