Report: Ohio Misspent $3.8B in Unemployment Funds

A new audit shows Ohio misspent more than $3.8 billion in unemployment funds between April 2020 and the end of June 2021. According to State Auditor Keith Faber’s office, a lack of internal controls and outdated technology resulted in the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) mistakenly paying $3.4 billion due to errors — and more than $477 million due to fraudulent claims.

ODJFS Director Matt Damschroder, who replaced Kimberly Henderson as agency chief earlier this year, noted that several improvements to the system have already been made thanks to the efforts of a public-private partnership organized by the governor. 10/28/2021