Below is a communication that was sent from the Office of Unemployment Insurance Operations (OUIO) to businesses regarding mass layoffs and shutdowns due to COVID-19. This communication also includes the mass-layoff number to be used for employees seeking claims.
All Ohio employers planning a mass layoff or shutdown due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic should provide the following mass-layoff number – 2000180 – and the information in the second link below for an instructional sheet to their employees in order to speed the processing of unemployment benefits.
COVID-19-affected claimants with otherwise valid applications for unemployment will be awarded benefits. While claimants must still meet the weekly requirements that they be able and available for work, the requirement that they actively search for work while receiving benefits has been waived.
COVID-19-affected contributory employers will receive regular monthly charge statements, but these charges will be charged to the mutual account and not the employer’s account.
Reimbursing employers will follow existing charging requirements under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4141.
For more information, please see the press release at the following link:
Press Release: Ohio JFS Press Release – Mass Layoffs
Instructional Sheet: Mass-Layoff Instruction Sheet
Addendum March 18, 2020, Frequently Asked Questions
1.Is it possible to file for unemployment if the employee has had their hours reduced. Example. 40 hours down to 25 hours? Can an unemployment claim be filed to make up the lost wages?
Yes the employee can file for unemployment with reduced hours. Also, due to the CV19 the waiting period has been waived.
Ohio Dept of Jobs and Family services has employers and employees go here… http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouio/CoronavirusAndUI.stm
Employers, please distribute this form to employees laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic to expedite their claim process: http://www.odjfs.state.oh.us/forms/num/JFS00671/pdf/
2. So does this mean that the specific employers rates will not be impacted? If an employee receives unemployment benefits as a result of a coronavirus-related business shutdown, will the employer’s unemployment taxes increase?
For contributory employers, charges during Ohio’s emergency declaration period will be mutualized. Reimbursing employers will follow existing charging requirements under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4141.