Office of Unemployment Insurance Operations
Highlights
Fraudulent Claim Processing
We have begun processing a large number of unemployment claims suspected of being fraudulent. Federal law requires the determination notices for these claims to be sent to any employers who were named on them. If you receive notices about claims you have already reported as being fraudulent, please save them for your records. However, no further action on your part is necessary. After these claims are closed, you should no longer receive notifications regarding them. Our apologies for the inconvenience.
Determination Notice Change
Due to changes in Ohio law, you may now receive multiple determination notices after someone you previously employed applies for unemployment benefits. If any one of them say that no benefits will be paid, the individual will not be eligible for benefits.
The monetary determination notice will state whether the person worked enough weeks and earned enough wages to qualify for benefits. It will include the potential benefit amount, but this does not necessarily mean the individual will receive benefits. A second notice will state whether they met all the other requirements.
Using SIDES Can Save Time
ODJFS offers an additional way to report separation information: the State Information Data Exchange System (SIDES) and SIDES E-Response. Both provide a standard format used by other states. They allow information to be transferred quickly, efficiently, and securely. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
SharedWork Ohio Works for You
SharedWork Ohio is a voluntary layoff aversion program. It allows workers to remain employed and employers to retain trained staff during times of reduced business activity. Under a SharedWork Ohio plan, the participating employer reduces affected employees' hours in a uniform manner. The participating employee works the reduced hours each week, and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) provides eligible individuals an unemployment compensation benefit proportionate to their reduced hours. For more information, go to http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouc/SharedWorkOhio/index.stm.
Reporting Questionable Employer Practices
The Office of Unemployment Compensation's Compliance section employs a team of auditors who audit employer records to ensure compliance with state and federal unemployment compensation tax laws. They protect the integrity of the UC trust fund by investigating tips and leads regarding fraudulent activity and by using a variety of sources to identify employers who improperly classify employees as independent contractors in order to avoid paying UC taxes.
It is the goal of the Compliance section to ensure that all employers pay their fair share of UC taxes to uphold a level playing field. Click here for more information.
To report questionable employer practices, use the link of "Report UC Employer Fraud" or call us at 1-800-686-1555 and select option 2.
Learn about SIDES
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