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Unemployed workers in the state of Ohio can file claims for compensation with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. While the state determines your eligibility and total payout for unemployment compensation, you can figure this out for yourself so you know what to expect. By taking your average wage and number of dependents into account, you can come up with an accurate calculation of your total benefits.

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Filing for Unemployment Benefits in Ohio

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  1. There are a certain number of factors that determine whether or not you are eligible for unemployment compensation. If the following applies to you, then you are considered unemployed and are eligible for unemployment insurance and benefits.
    • You are totally or partially unemployed at the time you file for unemployment. If you performed no services and received no pay for the entire week before you filed, then you are totally unemployed. If you lost your job before the end of a typical work week or had your hours reduced and are earning less than the weekly unemployment benefit, then you are partially unemployed.
    • You must have worked a minimum of 20 weeks during the previous base period to be considered unemployed.
    • A base period in Ohio consists of the past 4 quarters of three months each, not including the current one.
    • You must have earned at least $237 per week during the base period.
    • You must be unemployed through no fault of your own. For example, if you were laid off or fired unreasonably, you lost your job through no fault of your own. If, however, you were fired for fighting with your boss or coworkers, you are considered to have caused your own termination.
    • Quitting your job is also covered if you quit for good reason. Ohio considers "good reason" to be: 1)Your employer failed to meet the terms of the employment agreement. 2) Your employer failed to provide proper safety measures required by law. 3) Your work violated accepted moral or legal standards. It is up to you to prove that you quit for one of these reasons.
  2. Unemployment insurance uses base periods to determine if you are eligible for benefits. In Ohio, the year is divided into 4 quarters of 3 three months each. The base period is the last 4 quarters that have gone by, not counting the current one.
    • As of 2015, if you worked at least 20 weeks and earned more than $237 per week during the past 52 weeks and lose your job, you qualify for unemployment benefits.
    • Your specific base period depends on when you are filing your claim.
    • Weeks you work during the base period are called qualifying weeks.
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  3. When filing for unemployment, you will have to provide several pieces of information. Have all of this at hand when you file to make the process go by smoother.[1]
    • Your Social Security number.
    • Your driver's license or state ID number.
    • Your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address.
    • Name, address, telephone number, and dates of employment with each employer you worked for during the past 6 weeks.
    • The reason you became unemployed from each employer.
    • Dependents' names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth.
    • If claiming dependents, your spouse's name, Social Security number, and birth date.
    • If you are not a U.S. citizen or national, alien registration number and expiration date.
    • Your regular occupation and job skills.
    • If you had out of state employment, federal employment, or military employment, you may also have to provide Form DD-214, member 4 copy (for military service) and SF-8 or SF-50 form (for federal government employment).
  4. Ohio uses an online system for filing for unemployment. You can access the application here. The application is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  5. If you don't have access to a computer or prefer to use the phone, you can alternatively file for unemployment by calling 1-877-644-6562 or TTY 1-888-642-8203. The office is open from 8-5, Monday through Friday.[2]
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Part 2
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Calculating Your Compensation

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  1. Your unemployment compensation is based on your average wage during past employment. There is a simple process to calculating your average wage.
    • Add up all of your earnings from the base period. If you worked multiple jobs, include all of them in this calculation.
    • Divide the total wages by the number of weeks you worked. So if your total wages were $30,000 and you worked 25 weeks, your average weekly wage is $1,200.
  2. Your weekly unemployment compensation will either be 50% of your weekly wage or a maximum number based on the number of dependents you have, whichever is lower.
    • To do this, just divide your average weekly wage by 2. So if your average wage was $1,200, this would be $600.
  3. Based on your average weekly income and the number of dependents you have, the state of Ohio assigns a weekly amount that you will receive for unemployment compensation.
    • As of 2015, there are 3 dependency categories. Category A means you have no dependents. Category B means that you have 1 or 2 dependents. Category C means that you have 3 or more dependents.
    • The 2015 maximum amounts are as follows: Category A is $424, Category B is $514, and Category C is $572. This is the most you will receive per week in unemployment compensation.[3]
    • Compare the weekly maximum to 50% of your average weekly wage. If the wage is less than the weekly maximum, then you will receive 50% of your average weekly wage. If it is more, then you'll receive the weekly maximum.
  4. The number of qualifying weeks is how long your payments will last. Once you determine a weekly maximum, then you can multiply it by the number of qualifying weeks to determine what your total payout will be.
    • If you're in Category B, then your maximum payout is $514. If you have 30 qualifying weeks, then your total payout will be $15,420.
    • If your weekly allowance gets reduced for any reason, your total payout remains the same. It will then take longer for your benefits to run out.
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  • Question
    What are the reasons why I may not qualify for unemployment benefits?
    Kim Bates
    Kim Bates
    Enrolled Agent
    Kim Bates is an Enrolled Agent and the Founder of Central Florida Tax Services in Orlando, Florida. Established in 2007, Central Florida Tax Services is a full-service virtual tax firm specializing in taxpayer representation before the Internal Revenue Service, with a focus on payroll tax issues. With over 20 years of experience in tax and financial matters, Kim has handled everything from small tax controversy cases of unfiled tax returns to complex international audits. She has obtained the Enrolled Agent designation offered by the IRS and is also a certified Notary Public.
    Kim Bates
    Enrolled Agent
    Expert Answer
    Sometimes you can't get unemployment benefits if you've been fired because of your own mistakes, like showing up late all the time, being under the influence, failing to follow instructions, etc. So, if you lose your job but it's not your fault, you will qualify. Also, unemployment benefits come from the state and not from the federal government.
  • Question
    How do you calculate partial unemployment in Ohio?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    The amount of your benefit per week is reduced by the amount of your earnings for that week. If your benefit is $400 and your partial employment pays $200, your benefit for that week is $200. If you make more then your benefit your payment for the week is $0.
  • Question
    If I am getting a severance package, should I wait until it runs out to apply?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    No, file for unemployment once you are unemployed. It may take 3-4 weeks to determine eligibility before you receive your first payment. Your severance package might be taken into account when determining your eligibility, however, so check with your local Department of Labor for details.
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  • The applicant may claim children as dependents as long as they are under 18 and the applicant has paid more than 50 percent of the cost to support them. Spouses are dependents as well as long as they are legally married and earned an income less than 25 percent of the claimant's average weekly wage.
  • Consider applying for other government assistance programs such as welfare, Medicaid, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), and WIC (Women Infants Children).


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About This Article

Kim Bates
Co-authored by:
Enrolled Agent
This article was co-authored by Kim Bates. Kim Bates is an Enrolled Agent and the Founder of Central Florida Tax Services in Orlando, Florida. Established in 2007, Central Florida Tax Services is a full-service virtual tax firm specializing in taxpayer representation before the Internal Revenue Service, with a focus on payroll tax issues. With over 20 years of experience in tax and financial matters, Kim has handled everything from small tax controversy cases of unfiled tax returns to complex international audits. She has obtained the Enrolled Agent designation offered by the IRS and is also a certified Notary Public. This article has been viewed 113,773 times.
54 votes - 72%
Co-authors: 6
Updated: September 4, 2023
Views: 113,773
Categories: Unemployment Benefits
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 113,773 times.

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