COLUMBUS, Ohio — The number of Ohioans who filed initial jobless claims for the week of Jan. 17 through Jan. 23 reached 49,974, an increase of 6,999 from the week before, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
The total number of initial jobless claims filed in Ohio over the last 45 weeks was more than the combined total of those filed during the last five years.
Ohioans filed 262,999 continued jobless claims last week, which was 513, 303 fewer than-or about 34%-the peak last year.
Over the last 45 weeks, ODJFS has distributed more than $8 billion in unemployment compensation payments to more than 908,000 Ohioans.
If you find yourself in need of work, ODJFS has launched the "Ohio To Work" initiative to help displaced workers re-skill and restart their careers. The agency also has partnered with local workforce development boards and local staff to provide employment and training services at Ohio Means Jobs centers throughout the state.
RELATED: ODJFS website updates almost finished, will allow 95,000 to claim benefits
