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CLEVELAND, Ohio – While many people have started to receive their extra $ 300 per week in unemployment benefits, others may have to wait a month or more to file extended benefit claims that were part of the plan. relaunch signed just after Christmas in Ohio. the head of unemployment said on Wednesday.
Kim Henderson, director of the Ohio Department of Employment and Family Services, blamed the delay in fully enacting provisions of the December stimulus bill on the need to reprogram the unemployment system in the ‘Ohio to comply with new federal requirements.
“I know and understand that it’s too long,” said Henderson. “We are working diligently to engage our vendor, Deloitte (Consulting), to advance the preparation of this program.”
She said payments would be retroactive for all of the weeks a person was eligible, dating back to December 27.
Henderson said at least eight states have already implemented the new unemployment pandemic program – Alabama, Maine, Minnesota, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Washington – though none to his knowledge was not using Deloitte.
For Ohio, Henderson said:
* The $ 300 per week in additional unemployment benefits is now paid to those who did not exhaust their benefits before the original CARES Act program expired on December 27.
* By January 31 (“hopefully sooner”), people who have exhausted their benefits due to traditional unemployment will be able to apply to resume their benefits, retroactively. Eleven weeks were added, up to 50 in total.
* By February 6, applications should be open for those new to the special pandemic unemployment program known as PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance). This is the program for people who would otherwise not be eligible for unemployment because they are either self-employed or their wage income is too low.
* On February 26, applications should be open for those who were previously in the PUA program, but they exhausted their benefits before the initial stimulus expires on December 27. Eleven weeks were added, up to 50 in total.
In addition to extending the duration of unemployment benefits, the recent stimulus package included an additional payment of $ 300 per week for up to 11 weeks – $ 3,300 in all – for the unemployed.
For traditional unemployment and the PUA program, Henderson said no new applications will be accepted after March 13, and both extensions will expire on April 10, as part of the latest approved stimulus package.
However, an additional stimulus is likely under President Joe Biden and the new Congress. Biden offered an additional $ 400 a week, extensions through September and a new round of stimulus checks for employees and the unemployed.
Henderson began Wednesday’s press briefing by addressing a social media post she said circulated about a woman who said her grandson, following the national agency’s response for unemployment in the pandemic, had died by suicide.
Henderson said she wanted to “express her heartfelt sadness and regret for the loss she suffered.”
Others emailed Henderson directly about the post on Wednesday, with someone placing responsibility for the deaths of anyone related to it “squarely on my shoulders,” Henderson said.
Henderson responded in an email, “I reject your attribution of responsibility for anyone’s death,” adding that his team have been working hard for months and millions in Ohio benefit from programs administered by his agency providing food aid, unemployment assistance, child services, child support, child care and workforce development.
“I wake up every morning with one thing in mind, leading with integrity to the best possible extent,” said Henderson.
Previous coverage
Ohio starts $ 300 in additional unemployment payments; applications can start on Friday for others closed
What You Need To Know About New Stimulus Checks And $ 300 More A Week In Unemployment Benefits: It’s Rich! Questions and answers
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