CLEVELAND — For eligible Ohioans who have both exhausted the maximum 26 weeks of unemployment benefits and the 13 weeks of Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, there’s up to 20 additional weeks of Extended Benefits available, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
“We will soon begin notifying individuals who may qualify for this additional assistance to instruct them how to apply,” said ODJFS Director Kimberly Hall. “Although high unemployment rates are never welcome news, we are happy that we can offer this extra support for Ohioans who are unemployed through no fault of their own and who are having difficulty finding work.”
The additional weeks of Extended Benefits are possible because Ohio’s insured unemployment rate, which is a measure of the number of people receiving benefits as percentage of the labor force, exceeded a minimum threshold.
The ODJFS said the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security CARES Act created three new unemployment programs:
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) provides up to 39 weeks of benefits to many who historically have not qualified for unemployment benefits, such as self-employed workers, 1099 tax filers, part-time workers, and those who lack sufficient work history.
- Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) provides an additional $600 per week through July 25 to existing benefit amounts for those in multiple programs, including regular unemployment benefits, PUA, Trade benefits, and SharedWork Ohio benefits.
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) provides up to 13 weeks of additional benefits for Ohioans who exhaust their maximum 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits on or after July 1, 2019. This program is available through Dec. 26, 2020
Ohioans who exhaust their regular unemployment benefits are potentially eligible for PEUC, and if they exhaust PEUC, they are potentially eligible for Extended Benefits.
ODJFS said if any Ohioan exhausts all three programs, they are potentially eligible for PUA. No additional extended benefits are available to those who exhaust PUA, which will be in effect through Dec. 26, 2020.
You can learn more about the benefits available and sign up to receive them here.
