When receiving unemployment benefits in Ohio, simply filing weekly claims is not enough - claimants must actively search for new employment. The Ohio courts have established that a person must make reasonable, good faith efforts to find suitable work, going beyond merely registering with the unemployment office.

Understanding the Basic Requirements

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) typically requires claimants to apply for positions with at least two different employers each week. However, these applications must represent genuine efforts to obtain employment. Simply inquiring whether a company has openings does not satisfy this requirement. Instead, claimants must complete formal job applications following each employer's specified application process.

What Constitutes a Valid Job Search

The quality of job search efforts matters as much as the quantity. For example, if an employer specifically requests online applications, submitting a paper resume in person would not demonstrate good faith compliance. Similarly, repeatedly applying to the same employer or applying for multiple positions within the same company generally does not fulfill the weekly requirement. Even applying through a single online portal that distributes applications to multiple locations of the same company counts as just one application.

Documentation Requirements

Claimants must maintain detailed records of their work search activities. These records should include specific information about each application: the date of contact, company name and address, method of application, type of work sought, and the outcome. ODJFS may request these records at any time, and they must be provided in the format specified by the agency.

Important Exceptions to Work Search Requirements

The work search requirement may be waived in several situations. For instance, workers on temporary layoff with a return date within 45 days may receive a waiver. Union members in good standing whose unions handle job referrals may also qualify for modified requirements, though they must first obtain verification of their union status from ODJFS.

Students present another exception. Those enrolled in approved training programs need not conduct work searches while in training. Additionally, individuals who were both working and attending school during their base period may have modified requirements, though they must remain available to work any shift for their most recent or base period employer.

Looking Ahead: Future Employment

When a claimant has secured new employment starting within two weeks, they may request a waiver of the work search requirement for that brief period. However, it's crucial to understand that such waivers only take effect after ODJFS issues written notice of the change - they cannot be applied retroactively.

While the active work search requirement claims to ensure benefits only go to those genuinely seeking employment, in practice it often creates unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles for unemployed workers. The requirement assumes that submitting two applications per week somehow proves a sincere desire to find work, when in reality it may force claimants to apply for unsuitable positions simply to meet an arbitrary quota. This system particularly disadvantages workers in specialized fields with limited job openings, those facing transportation or technology barriers, and those living in areas with few employers. A more flexible approach focused on quality over quantity of applications would better serve both workers and employers while still maintaining the integrity of the unemployment system.

Ohio Unemployment Appeal Attorneys