On Friday, November 6, 2009, President Obama signed legislation approving up to 14 additional weeks of extended unemployment benefits for claimants in all states, and another 6 weeks of extended benefits for UC beneficiaries in states such as Ohio with high unemployment rates. As a result, Ohioans who have exhausted their unemployment benefits could be eligible for another 20 weeks of benefits.

This new law is effective as of November 8. Accordingly, if you exhausted your unemployment benefits prior to November 8, you will not receive back payment for weeks prior to November 8 in which you did not receive benefits.

We are working diligently to modify our computer payment system so that these benefits may be paid as quickly as possible. Once that work is completed, all potentially eligible individuals will be contacted. We appreciate your patience

When to file an application for unemployment benefits
You should file your application as soon as you become unemployed. Your claim will begin the Sunday of the calendar week in which it is filed. Waiting more than a full week to file your application will postpone the beginning of your claim, and no benefits will be paid for weeks of unemployment that occur prior to the week of filing. Even if you need to serve the required waiting week or you are receiving separation pay from your employer, do not hesitate in filing your application for unemployment benefits.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
for Parents With Child Support Orders

If you have a child support order in Ohio and you have encountered a lay-off or plant closing, you may already qualify to have your child support case reviewed and adjusted.

For more information, please visit the Ohio Office of Child Support website at: http://jfs.ohio.gov/Ocs/index.stm

On April 1, 2009, Ohio law was amended. Individuals may now receive up to 20 weeks of state-extended benefits after their federal-extended benefits expire, for a total of up to 79 weeks overall. These benefits are known as "Ohio Extended Benefits, or Ohio EB". The first payable week of Ohio EB is the week beginning March 15, 2009.

For further information please check the UC State Extended Benefits FAQs.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ("stimulus package") made the following changes to unemployment compensation (UC) benefits:

1. Extended the last possible effective date, for establishing eligibility to the federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits, to the week of December 20-26, 2009.

2. Created a temporary Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) program which allows states to pay an additional $25 for each week that an individual is eligible to receive unemployment compensation. Eligible individuals automatically received an adjustment (reflective of the increased benefit amount) retroactive to the week of February 21-28, 2009. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services began making these payments on May 8, 2009.

3. Suspended the first $2,400 paid in unemployment benefits from Federal income tax for tax year 2009 only. This adjustment will be made when the individual files his/her 2009 federal tax forms.

For further information please check the UC Changes due to Stimulus Package.

Filing for unemployment compensation benefits is a free service. The State of Ohio is aware some companies are charging a fee to file your unemployment claim for you. Please be advised these companies are NOT affiliated with the State of Ohio and are therefore not subject to the same laws regarding your privacy and the confidentiality of your Unemployment claim.