“I’m trying to make the best financial decisions I can, and I feel like I’m also in a somewhat privileged position of it’s just me, myself and I that I have to take care of.”More than 423,000 Ohioans remain unemployed and another 474,000 have received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance at some point since that program was created in May, according to the latest data from Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.Jenna Gilbert, 24, of St. Marys, has applied for more than 50 positions since she was laid off from her copywriting job at the Powell Company in March.Lampton expects many who are now on unemployment will return to the workforce quickly once the enhanced benefits end, while a smaller cohort will continue to stay home because they are fearful of contracting COVID-19 or they cannot find childcare.Please consider following us by clicking below.The thought of working 40 hours per week in a low-paying role is “defeating,” she said, but Gilbert said she intends to continue seeking work after her move, even if that means a temporary restaurant or retail job.But while companies say they can’t find workers despite widespread joblessness, Ohioans who remain out of work say their employment prospects are bleak.By Mackenzi Klemann - mklemann@limanews.comNadia Lampton, an employment attorney for Taft Stettinius & Hollister in Dayton, has seen this dynamic play out with her corporate clients, particularly those in the manufacturing and service industries, which have had a hard time filling jobs since Ohio lifted its stay-at-home order.LIMA — Hundreds of thousands of Ohioans will see their incomes slashed Saturday as Congress debates whether it should extend the $600 in weekly unemployment assistance authorized by the CARES Act, or allow those enhanced benefits to phase out entirely.The enhanced federal benefits have supplemented state jobless benefits, which in Ohio replace no more than half of a person’s lost wages, at a time when more than 30 million Americans —including 1.5 million Ohioans — suddenly found themselves out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic. Once the state approves your claim, you're eligible to receive whatever state benefits you're entitled to -- as well as FPUC funding up to $600 a week, provided by the federal government.That additional $600 weekly bump will be discontinued. It varies from state to state but is typically between $300 and $500.The GOP has proposed a stimulus package. Democratic congressional leaders were set to start negotiations with the GOP on the particulars of the plan Tuesday.If you've been laid off or furloughed, you're eligible to apply for unemployment benefits from the state where you live. To file an unemployment claim: go to unemployment.ohio.gov or call 1-877-644-6562. This extra $600 is counted as taxable income. But the enhanced benefits have also been praised as a lifeline for millions of Americans who now face an uncertain job market as the coronavirus pandemic worsens in Ohio and other states.She’s now moving in with her sister and brother-in-law, who have two children, knowing that she can’t support herself on the $120 in partial state unemployment and $150 per week she’s been earning through her part-time hosting gig.“They could be taking a reduction in pay by coming back to work,” Lampton said.“That $600 is what’s been paying my rent for the past three or four months,” Gilbert said. The $600 weekly unemployment benefit likely ends next week—here's how some are bracing for the drop in aid Continued unemployment boosts … Mississippi pays up to $235, while Massachusetts' maximum is $1,220.The White House and Senate Republicans agreed on the terms of an aid package. The weekly benefit amount depends on an applicant's gross income when they were employed and ranges between $300 and $600, with some exceptions. LIMA — Hundreds of thousands of Ohioans will see their incomes slashed Saturday as Congress debates whether it should extend the $600 in weekly unemployment assistance authorized by … The CARES Act provided a booster fund -- adding up to $600 extra per week -- while also extending states' unemployment benefits to a maximum of 39 weeks instead of the typical 26 weeks.Republicans proposed a downgrade to the $600 weekly benefit.Again, the benefit duration and amount varies. Ohio has some work to do to catch up with other states in getting expanded unemployment benefits out to laid-off workers.
Gilbert isn’t sure, as rumors of future shutdowns and more layoffs complicate an already frustrating job search.Still, lawmakers are debating whether to extend or reduce the federal unemployment assistance, which has been criticized as a disincentive for workers who were earning less prior to starting unemployment.
On the other hand, Delaware will provide benefits for up to 30 weeks. Through July 25, 2020, everyone who receives unemployment benefits will receive an additional $600 per week on top of the amount they'd normally receive through unemployment.