Unemployment Compensation In Ohio-Can You Collect Benefits?

In Ohio, like most states, if you have lost your job through no fault of your own you are very likely to be entitled to unemployment benefits. If you are downsized or laid off, due to a lack of work, you are entitled to unemployment benefits. That's the good news. The bad news is you are only able to collect about 50% of your weekly income you earned while employed. If you were a high wage earner (making about $800 per week or more) you will often be entitled to less as the current maximum in Ohio is $485 per week (excluding any dependent allowances you are entitled to for a qualified spouse or child).

You also must have enough qualifying weeks in the past 18 months to be eligible to collect. For example, if you file for unemployment in May 2011, the "base period" most states, including Ohio uses to calculate your benefits is January 2010 through December 31, 2010. (The first calendar quarter is excluded from the calculations).

This can be bad news for younger employees who may have just started a career. It can also affect those who have had a period of unemployment for any reason, and now find themselves out of work again.

This can't be stressed enough after your have been let go, discharged, terminated, laid off, quit, or whatever has happened to end your employment. There are even certain instances when you quit your employment, the state will side with you and allow you to collect. Let's go briefly point by point.

1. Discharge (other than lack of work)- In this case your employer may decide to contest your benefits,and if they can prove deliberate misconduct, a violation of company policy, or even if the state deems your behavior went beyond the bounds an employer has a right to expect your benefits may be denied. You must clearly and honestly state your reason for being let go to the state. If you were not aware of a policy your employer states you violated, be sure to include that in your filing. Do you feel you were treated differently and perhaps singled out for something that happens all the time at your previous employers? Do mention that, as the employer must prove that all employees are aware of the policy and all have the same consequences for the same behavior.

2. I Quit!- There are instances when the state decides you did in fact quit with "just cause". Perhaps you were harassed continuously at work and the employer did nothing to stop it. It is important that you convey to the unemployment office that you tried to address your concerns with your employer (before walking off the job) and they did nothing to try to help remedy the situation. Do be reasonable here, though, or the state may not find your reason credible. For example if you site simply feeling "stressed" or "overworked" this won't likely (at least initially) , convince the state you had good reason to leave. Take notes. Be prepared to give specific examples with the names of those over you (not coworkers) that you brought legitimate safety, harassment, or working condition concerns to before you left.

3. Don't be discouraged if you are denied at the "initial level". In Ohio, (and again, most states) you have several appeal levels available to you. First you may ask for a redetermination based on the original facts. You may submit any new evidence you wish here, just be sure you submit it by the deadline. If you are still denied at the redetermination level, you may then take it to a hearing. In Ohio and many other states these are done by phone. It can be intimidating, but stay calm and clearly state your position. Be courteous while at the hearing, and do not interrupt your former employer while they are testifying. You will get an opportunity to ask questions of them, just be sure to stick to the facts, as Hearing Officers have little patience for testimony that doesn't relate directly to what the issue at hand is.

4. Look for my future hubs to to address these issues in depth.