Nearly 140,000 Ohio Jobless Claims So Far This Week

As of early Friday, March 20, there were nearly 140,000 new unemployment claims in Ohio for this week alone. That’s compared to roughly 4,800 last week.

Earlier this week, the DeWine-Husted administration announced that anyone who is laid off as a direct result of COVID-19 is immediately eligible for benefits. The surge in jobless claims has raised concerns about the stability of Ohio’s unemployment compensation fund, which was already considered among the nation’s least solvent before the coronavirus crisis.

Employers with questions related to Ohio’s unemployment system should contact the Ohio Department Job and Family Services. 3/19/2020