Coronavirus and Unemployment Insurance Benefits: Expanded Eligibility Resource Hub

To be eligible for PUA, the individual must NOT be eligible for regular unemployment benefits. Additionally, individuals must meet one of the following circumstances:

• The individual has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or is experiencing symptoms and is seeking medical diagnosis;
• A member of the individual’s household has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
• The individual is providing care for a family member or member of the household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
• A child or other person in the household for which the individual has primary caregiving responsibility is unable to attend school or another facility is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 emergency, and the school or care is required for the individual to work;
• The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because of a COVID-19 quarantine;
• The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because a healthcare professional has advised him or her to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns;
• The individual was scheduled to commence employment and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job as a direct result of COVID-19;
• The individual has become the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of the household has died as a direct result of COVID-19;
• The individual has quit his/her job as a direct result of COVID-19;
• The individual was laid off as a direct result of COVID-19;
• The individual’s place of employment is closed as a direct result of COVID-19

There is no minimum income requirement for PUA.

To apply for the PUA program, visit pua.unemployment.ohio.gov and click the button that says "Click Here to Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance."

Yes. If you think you might be eligible for the PUA program, but you have an appeal for regular unemployment in process or you’re still waiting on your determination for regular unemployment, you can still apply for the PUA program. This will not negatively impact your existing application for regular unemployment benefits. You do not need to be denied regular unemployment benefits to apply for PUA.

To apply for the PUA program, click here.

The additional $600 per week will be paid via a separate weekly payment and will appear on your pay stubs with the designation "FAC". It will be paid until July 25, 2020 as long as you are still eligible for unemployment benefits. The first payment will include any retroactive payments for which you may be eligible, dating as far back as March 29, 2020.

Before you begin the PUA application process, please be sure to collect the following documents and information.

• Social security number, date of birth and driver’s license or state ID number
• Name, address, telephone number, and valid email address
• Name, address, telephone number and dates of employment for 2019
• Reason for unemployment
• Dependent information (Spouse or Children), including social security number and date of birth
• Banking information for direct deposit
• 2019 tax return, if available

Self-employed individuals must submit acceptable proof of employment. This includes, but is not limited to, W-2 forms, recent pay stubs or vouchers, earnings statements (reflecting profit and loss), recent bank records showing payroll direct deposit, or a 2019 tax return, if available.

It could be any of several reasons.

It's possible that you weren't denied for PUA but are being directed back to the regular unemployment program to determine your eligibility for other benefits, based on your answers to the opening questions. If you are eligible for regular unemployment benefits, you must apply for them first, including any extended benefit programs.

It's also possible that you were not eligible in the previous quarter, but in the current quarter, you now qualify for regular unemployment benefits.

In addition, the new system is not allowing some individuals to apply for PUA if they are monetarily eligible for regular unemployment benefits but were denied for other reasons and meet PUA eligibility criteria. The system also has incorrectly denied some individuals who were serving penalty weeks in the regular unemployment program. We are aware of this issue, and are working to resolve it. If you believe you were denied for any of these reasons, please call the PUA Call Center at (833) 604-0774.

This is the minimum PUA benefit amount. If you have been asked to submit additional documentation, this amount may appear until your claim can be processed.

You don't have to upload your 2019 tax returns immediately as proof of your income, but you will have to within 21 days. Otherwise, the system will default to the minimum benefit amount, and you will receive an email with a link telling you to return and upload a document.

In addition, from April 4 through July 25, everyone who receives PUA also will receive the weekly $600 supplemental payments made possible by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program.

To be eligible for PUA, the individual must NOT be eligible for regular unemployment benefits. Additionally, individuals must meet one of the following circumstances:

• The individual has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or is experiencing symptoms and is seeking medical diagnosis;
• A member of the individual’s household has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
• The individual is providing care for a family member or member of the household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
• A child or other person in the household for which the individual has primary caregiving responsibility is unable to attend school or another facility is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 emergency, and the school or care is required for the individual to work;
• The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because of a COVID-19 quarantine;
• The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because a healthcare professional has advised him or her to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns;
• The individual was scheduled to commence employment and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job as a direct result of COVID-19;
• The individual has become the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of the household has died as a direct result of COVID-19;
• The individual has quit his/her job as a direct result of COVID-19;
• The individual was laid off as a direct result of COVID-19;
• The individual’s place of employment is closed as a direct result of COVID-19

There is no minimum income requirement for PUA.

To apply for the PUA program, visit pua.unemployment.ohio.gov and click the button that says "Click Here to Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance."

Before you begin the PUA application process, please be sure to collect the following documents and information.

• Social security number, date of birth and driver’s license or state ID number
• Name, address, telephone number, and valid email address
• Name, address, telephone number and dates of employment for 2019
• Reason for unemployment
• Dependent information (Spouse or Children), including social security number and date of birth
• Banking information for direct deposit
• 2019 tax return, if available

Self-employed individuals must submit acceptable proof of employment. This includes, but is not limited to, W-2 forms, recent pay stubs or vouchers, earnings statements (reflecting profit and loss), recent bank records showing payroll direct deposit, or a 2019 tax return, if available.

Yes. If you think you might be eligible for the PUA program, but you have an appeal for regular unemployment in process or you’re still waiting on your determination for regular unemployment, you can still apply for the PUA program. This will not negatively impact your existing application for regular unemployment benefits. You do not need to be denied regular unemployment benefits to apply for PUA.

To apply for the PUA program, click here.

The only reason to appeal a denial of regular unemployment benefits is if you believe the decision was made in error.

It could be any of several reasons.

It's possible that you weren't denied for PUA but are being directed back to the regular unemployment program to determine your eligibility for other benefits, based on your answers to the opening questions. If you are eligible for regular unemployment benefits, you must apply for them first, including any extended benefit programs.

It's also possible that you were not eligible in the previous quarter, but in the current quarter, you now qualify for regular unemployment benefits.

In addition, the new system is not allowing some individuals to apply for PUA if they are monetarily eligible for regular unemployment benefits but were denied for other reasons and meet PUA eligibility criteria. The system also has incorrectly denied some individuals who were serving penalty weeks in the regular unemployment program. We are aware of this issue, and are working to resolve it. If you believe you were denied for any of these reasons, please call the PUA Call Center at (833) 604-0774.

This is the minimum PUA benefit amount. If you have been asked to submit additional documentation, this amount may appear until your claim can be processed.

You don't have to upload your 2019 tax returns immediately as proof of your income, but you will have to within 21 days. Otherwise, the system will default to the minimum benefit amount, and you will receive an email with a link telling you to return and upload a document.

In addition, from April 4 through July 25, everyone who receives PUA also will receive the weekly $600 supplemental payments made possible by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program.

The additional $600 per week will be paid via a separate weekly payment and will appear on your pay stubs with the designation "FAC". It will be paid until July 25, 2020 as long as you are still eligible for unemployment benefits. The first payment will include any retroactive payments for which you may be eligible, dating as far back as March 29, 2020.