How Much Is Unemployment In Ohio

Biden Arpa Stimulus Bill Extensions

Under President Bidens $1.9 trillion federal coronavirus relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan , enhanced unemployment benefits have been extended until September 6th . This includes further extensions to the PUA program, PEUC program, $300 weekly payment under the FPUC program and $100 Mixed Earners program. There were also provisions in the Biden Stimulus package for Unemployment tax breaks on the first $10,200 of benefits received in 2020.

Unemployment Insurance Benefits And The Cares Act

Unemployment insurance is a joint program set up between the federal government and states. In it, states have control over the process, so qualifying and applying for unemployment benefits will differ from Ohio to another state. Originally, it was created to provide a safety net and financial assistance for people who were out of work but still looking for a job. But it has been somewhat amended thanks to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

So, what did the CARES Act do?;

The $2.2 trillion stimulus packagethe largest of its kind in historyaccomplished many things, but for purposes of unemployment benefits it stipulated the following:

• Extended benefits by 13 weeks for a maximum of 39 weeks.;

• Expanded eligibility to workers who had lost jobs, hours, or been furloughed due to Coronavirus.;;

C You Must Have At Least 20 Weeks Of Covered Employment During Your Base Period

Covered employment. The vast majority of employers are subject to unemployment and therefore your work for them is covered employment. There are some exceptions, however, such as working for religious organizations.Base Period. Your base period may be either your Regular Base Period or your Alternate Base Period. This gets complicated to explain, but the following chart simplifies the periods. The Regular Base Period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters, and the Alternate Base Period is the last four completed calendar quarters before your claim begins. First look to your Regular Base Period, and if you do not qualify then look at the Alternate Base Period.

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Are You Available And Actively Searching For Work

To keep collecting unemployment benefits, you must be able to work, available to work, and looking for employment. If you’re offered a suitable position, you must accept it.

Whether a position is suitable depends on a number of factors, including how similar the job is to your previous employment, how much you will be paid, the working conditions, and the skills, experience, and training required for the position. The longer you are unemployed, the more likely you will have to consider jobs that are different from, pay less than, or require a significantly longer commute than your prior position.

You must engage in a good faith search for work, including contacting at least two potential employers each week. The ODJFS may ask you to provide contact information for employers you’ve reached out to at any point during your claim. In addition, you will be required to create a resume and participate in other reemployment efforts at the ODJFS’s online portal, OhioMeansJobs.com.

Possible Finance Providing Additional Financial Assistance

Naturally, you may be eligible for the unemployment benefits and stimulus check but theres still concern over the fact that it could take some time to receive any money. In the meantime, your bills still need to be paid. So, what are you to do then?

Thats where Possible Finance comes in. We allow both new and existing customers to borrow up to $500 instantly, no questions asked. Even if your credit score is bad, we want you to have the ability to meet your needs regardless of your financial history. We offer low-interest installment loan plans, allowing you to repay the loan in small increments over the course of several months. You can apply, get approved, and have funds available in just a few minutes. Its that fast and easy.;

We all need to band together to overcome a situation such as this. At Possible Finance, our goal is to be your partner and advisor in your time of need.

Forbes. Longest Economic Expansion In United States History.

Statista. Monthly unemployment rate in the United States from March 2019 to March 2020.

NPR. Staggering: Record 10 Million File For Unemployment In 2 Weeks.

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Do I Have To Pay Taxes On Unemployment Compensation

Normally yes. Unemployment benefits are considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service . That means unemployment benefits are always subject to federal taxes, but state taxes on the benefits vary depending on the state where you live.;

However, as part of the stimulus package, the federal government is forgiving taxes on up to $10,200 of unemployment benefits earned in 2020 for individuals earning less than $150,000.;

If you already filed your 2020 taxes, you dont need to amend your return. The IRS is adjusting qualifying returns automatically in two phases. Nearly three million refunds were sent the week of June 7, and another batch of refunds is expected to be distributed later in June. The IRS will send a mailed letter to anyone whose return has been adjusted.

If you havent yet filed your 2020 tax return, If you filed for benefits in 2020, your state should mail you Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payment, which will include your total unemployment compensation received during the year. Youll use this form to determine how much to adjust your tax return calculations in order to get the tax break.;;

Unemployment Benefits In Ohio During The Covid

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill known as the American Rescue Plan . The law extended a $300 per week federal unemployment supplement until September 6, 2021. However, in response to apparent labor shortages, the state of Ohio decided to end this supplement early on June 26, 2021. That means the unemployment supplement is no longer available in Ohio.

The law also extended two unemployment programs originally created by the CARES Act in March 2020: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation .

Under the PUA program, self-employed workersusually excluded from unemployment benefitsare entitled to unemployment if they meet certain criteria. ARP makes PUA benefits available through Labor Day 2021, and increases the maximum duration of these benefits from 50 to 79 weeks.

The PEUC program provides for a federally-funded extension of benefits when state unemployment benefits expire. ARP increases the maximum duration of PEUC benefits from 24 to 53 weeks, with an expiry date of September 4, 2021.

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How Much Might I Get

As with most states, Ohios formula for calculating your weekly benefit amount can seem a little confusing. Lets walk through it and look at an example.

The calculation of your weekly benefit amount will depend on your earnings during whats referred to as your base period. In Ohio, the standard base period is the first four out of the last five calendar quarters before you file your claim. So, for example, if you file in May, your base period would be January through December of the previous calendar year.

The formula for your weekly benefit amount is half your average weekly wage during your base period up to maximum amounts based on the number of qualifying dependents you have.

Heres how to find your average weekly wage.

In Ohio, the minimum weekly benefit amount is $135. Heres a snapshot of the maximum unemployment benefit amounts in Ohio for 2020.

Again, because states may change their benefits during times of crisis, its possible these maximums can change during recessions or other economic crises.;

A You Must Be Totally Or Partially Unemployed

Totally unemployed means you performed no service for your employer, and no earnings or income are payable to you during the week you apply for benefits, you are totally unemployed.Partially unemployed means your hours were reduced from full-time and your earnings are less than what your weekly unemployment benefit amount would be.

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How To Apply For Unemployment Benefits

You can apply;for unemployment benefits online at;the ODFJS website.;When you apply;you will need:

• Your Social Security number and driver’s license or state ID number.
• The name, address, phone number of your employer in the last six weeks.
• The dates you worked there and the reason you became unemployed from each job.
• The Social Security numbers and dates of birth for your dependents.;;
• If you recently worked out of state or for the federal government, or you are not a US citizen, you may have to provide more information.

Due to COVID-19, ODJFS is experiencing very high call volumes to apply for unemployment benefits. If you can, please apply online to streamline your application process.;

This also means that the ODJFS system may being experiencing technical issues due to the larger than usual number of applicants. If you are not able to access the ODFJS online system, please be patient. The ODJFS team is working to resolve technical issues as they come up.If you cannot get through to file online due to technical issues, ODJFS has announced that your benefits will be retroactive to the time that you qualified.;

I Was Fired In Ohio Can I Collect Unemployment

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Workers in Ohio who have been laid off, fired, or forced to leave their jobs might be eligible for unemployment benefits through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services . Unemployment benefits are available to employees when they are no longer working through no fault of their own. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of clarity regarding who gets unemployment benefits and who does not as the process is mostly dependent on the ODJFS representatives that review your case.

Therefore, our employment law attorneys recommend that everyone who may be eligible file for benefits as the worst that can happen is that you are told no.

We will get to the unemployment information is a second.; But first, if your termination was unjust, it could also be actionable as part of a claim for wrongful termination. If you feel you were wrongfully fired, you could be entitled to more than unemployment benefits. Reasons for dismissal that are unlawful may include:

• Discrimination because of any protected class. Legislation on the state and federal level protects classifications such as race, gender, religion, age, disability, LGBT status and more. Your employer cannot legally fire you for any of those reasons.
• Retaliation for filing a Workers Comp claim or whistleblowing. Your boss or manager cannot retaliate against you for participating in a discrimination investigation or raising awareness to illegal working conditions or activities.

Just reasons for termination

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B You Must Have Become Unemployed Through No Fault Of Your Own As Defined By Law

This can include a variety of circumstances, and you may be eligible if you are unemployed due to a lack of work ; because you were terminated without just cause; because you resigned with just cause; or are kept from working due to a lockout during a labor dispute. Other factors, such as whether you were a teacher or engaged in seasonal employment can also impact this determination. If you find your claim becomes denied, remember to contact an experienced unemployment attorney.

What Information Do I Need To File My Claim

When you apply for unemployment insurance in Ohio, you will need to provide the following information:

• Your Social Security number
• Your Ohio Drivers License Number or state ID number
• Your contact information including a phone number and email address
• The names, addresses, contact information, and dates of employment for your previous employers
• Your Form DD-214 if you were in any branch of the military within the past 18 months.
• Your Form SF-8 or SF-50 if you worked at a government employer within the past 18 months
• The reason why you became unemployed from your previous employer
• The names and Social Security numbers of any dependents you have
• Your alien registration number and the expiration date of your work authorization if you are not a US citizen
• Your normal occupation and job skills

When you apply, you will be asked to create a personal identification number. This PIN is important because it allows you to access the system and to claim benefits each week. Its important that you write your PIN down, keep it in a safe place, and do not share it with anyone.

After you file your initial claim, you must continue to file ongoing claims for benefits. You will be asked several questions to verify that you are still eligible for benefits. Its important that you answer these questions honestly since Ohio unemployment laws have strict penalties for unemployment insurance fraud.

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Spotlight Changes To Unemployment Benefits Under The Consolidated Appropriations Act

• An additional $300 per week in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation payments will be added to all unemployment benefits through September 6, 2021 %E2%80%94An%20additional%20%24600%20per,25th%20for%20most%20people.” rel=”nofollow”>FPUC)
• Regular state unemployment benefits will be extended for up to an additional 29 weeks through September 6, 2021, beyond the 50 weeks of benefits provided for by previous laws, through Pandemic Emergency Unemployment compensation %E2%80%94An%20additional%20%24600%20per,25th%20for%20most%20people.” rel=”nofollow”>PEUC)
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for categories of workers excluded from regular benefits %E2%80%94An%20additional%20%24600%20per,25th%20for%20most%20people.” rel=”nofollow”>PUA)
• Six months of free COBRA health insurance will be available to the unemployed
• Workers who have at least $5,000 in annual self-employment income but were previously ineligible for regular state unemployment benefits will continue to receive up to $100 per week

How Can I Qualify For Ohio Unemployment Benefits

To qualify for unemployment benefits, federal guidelines say you must be unemployed through no fault of your own, like if you were laid off because of a lack of available work.

But each state also has its own eligibility requirements that you must meet in order to qualify for benefits.

In Ohio, you must meet four criteria to establish eligibility for unemployment benefits.

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What Unemployment Benefits Programs Are Ending

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation , the supplemental unemployment benefit created by the CARES Act in March 2020 at $600 per week and continued by the American Rescue Plan Act at $300 per week, is ending.; The federal government, acting through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, paid FPUC to unemployed workers in addition to the state unemployment benefits they were already eligible to receive.; Although ARPA extended FPUC payments for unemployed workers through September 6, almost half of all states have now committed to opting out of this program early.; Ohio will end FPUC payments after the benefit week ending June 26, 2021.;

Two other federal pandemic unemployment programs are also set to end in the coming months.; The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program , which provides unemployment benefits for independent contractors and others who do not qualify for traditional state unemployment benefits, and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program , which provides extended traditional unemployment benefits, are both set to expire after the week ending September 4, 2021.

What Does Ohios Traditional Unemployment Benefits Framework Look Like

After fifteen months of expanded pandemic unemployment benefits, and with a return to normal on the horizon, this is a good time to refresh your understanding of Ohios traditional unemployment benefits framework.

To qualify for traditional unemployment benefits, Ohio workers filing for unemployment benefits must meet the following criteria:;

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