Ohio Overpaid $2.1 Billion in COVID-19 UC Benefits

Ohio has distributed more than $2 billion in overpayments via state and federal unemployment compensation programs during COVID-19, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported this week.

According to Cleveland.com (subscription), State Auditor Keith Faber says unemployment system officials withheld the extent of the problem from his office and showed no urgency in installing anti-fraud measures. The state is now working with federal law enforcement in an attempt to recover illegitimate payments.

Over the last 60 weeks, Ohio has distributed more than $9.8 billion in unemployment compensation payments to more than 997,000 Ohioans, and more than $10.8 billion in federal pandemic payments to more than one million Ohioans, the AP reports. 5/19/2021