There is good news and bad news when it comes to Ohio’s unemployment situation. Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: Ohio’s unemployment rate is still very high. The good news, however, is that Ohio is extending its unemployment benefits for up to 20 weeks in light of this COVID-induced unemployment.
The extended benefit will apply to those who have exhausted both regular unemployment benefits and the additional 13 weeks that the United States Government provided through the CARES Act. Importantly, the extended benefits are also available to self-employed and part-time workers, but these workers will only receive an additional 7 weeks of benefits.
Before COVID-19, Ohio workers were eligible for up to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits. The CARES Act added on an additional 13 weeks (along with an extra $600). The additional 20 weeks (or 7 weeks for self-employed and part-time workers) kicks in after a worker has exhausted the initial 39 weeks.
Remember, however, that these benefits will not last forever. The extra $600 provided by the federal government expires on July 25, 2020 (stay tuned for potential news of an extension of this program, however). The additional 13 weeks of benefits ends on December 26, 2020. Finally, the additional 20 (or 7) weeks of Ohio benefits is tied to the unemployment rate under existing Ohio law—meaning that a welcome return to low unemployment would eliminate this extra benefit.
Make sure to follow the Graydon COVID-19 Task Force for all of the latest COVID-19 legal updates