States

How To Apply For Unemployment In Ohio

All the information you need to file an unemployment insurance claim in Ohio can be found at the State of Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The best way to get your claim processed quickly is to apply online, but you can also file by phone if you call (877) 644-6562. For additional assistance and answers to common questions, see below:

• Department of Job and Family Services Website
• Ohio Unemployment Application Process
• Federal Trade Adjustment Assistance

Required documentation to file includes your social security card, driver’s license (or state identification), and personal contact information, including email. You also need employment information going back to the beginning of the previous year.

Weekly Unemployment Insurance Benefits Calculation

The amount of your weekly UI benefits payment is determined by the amount of money you made in the four quarters immediately before the most recent quarter. Your employers are required to report wages quarterly, so the State of Ohio relies on those numbers to verify your wage history. If you make tips and they were not reported, you can file an affidavit to add them and ODJFS will review that as part of your initial unemployment insurance claim review.

The military and federal government do not report wages to the State of Ohio, so you’ll need additional documentation if you’re separating from military service or your most recent employer was the federal government. Military personnel receive a Form DD-214 upon separation. Federal workers need to present Standard Form 50 or Standard Form 8.

Receiving Your Weekly Benefits Payment

Your initial claim needs to be processed before you can start receiving weekly unemployment insurance benefits payments. This could take several weeks, so be patient. When your first payment comes in, it will be retroactive to your initial claim date, minus one week (mandatory waiting period). Payment options include:

• Direct Deposit to Checking or Savings Account
• Visa Debit Card issued by ODJFS

To continue receiving weekly payments, you’ll need to file a weekly claim. Do this even while you’re waiting for the initial claim to process. You can file weekly claims online or by calling (877) 644-6562. To calculate the amount of your weekly benefits payment, go to page nineteen of the Worker’s Guide to Unemployment Insurance.

Work Search Requirement and Fraud Prevention

You are required to search for work when collecting unemployment payments. The Unemployment insurance benefits program is funded by employer contributions and is meant to be only a temporary reprieve until you can find a new job. For assistance in finding a new job, visit OhioMeansJobs.com. You can access resources there to help you search for work or attend classes and job training programs to improve your skill set.

Avoid unemployment insurance fraud by double checking all information that you submit in your initial and weekly claims. Keep your personal information personal and don’t share pins or bank numbers with anyone. The areas monitored most closely are wage amounts, identity verification, and bank activity. By law, you cannot file an unemployment claim from outside the United States or have funds sent electronically to offshore bank accounts.