The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services announced on Wednesday that it has started issuing the supplemental weekly $300 payments made possible by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for claimants in the traditional unemployment program.

Additional weeks of extended benefits, from 24 to 53, also made possible by the act are now available to claim.

“The most recent federal legislation provided straightforward extensions of these programs, which makes them quicker to implement,” said ODJFS Interim Director Matt Damschroder. “The transition for claimants should be seamless.”

System updates are underway in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, as well, to make it possible for eligible individuals to claim all available weeks provided by the new legislation.

The third stimulus package extended weeks from up to 50 to up to 79, ending on Sept. 4, according to the ODJFS.

While this work is underway, those with PUA weeks remaining from the previous extension can continue to claim them if they remain unemployed, through April 10.

The American Rescue Plan Act, signed on March 11, extends many of the pandemic unemployment programs and benefits created by the federal CARES Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

This includes but is not limited to the continuation of the Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation Program and full federal funding of Ohio’s premier layoff aversion program, SharedWork Ohio. ODJFS is posting updates with target implementation dates at jfs.ohio.gov/caa.

Ohio offers self-service options for unemployed people:

Online claim filing at unemployment.ohio.gov. This website is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Answers to frequently asked questions at unemployment.ohio.gov in three categories:

  • “Employee” – for those receiving traditional unemployment benefits.
  • “Expanded Eligibility” – for those receiving PUA benefits.
  • “Employers” – for employers.

“Chat with Virtual Assistant” at unemployment.ohio.gov for general questions about unemployment.

Automated PIN resets via a chat feature on the log-in page for traditional unemployment claimants.

Online PIN resets, document submission, and many other self-service features for PUA claimants.