Job & Family Services - Unemployment Compensation FAQ's
Unemployment Compensation FAQ's
Establishing Eligibility for Unemployment Compensation Benefits
 
Definitions:
 
What are the requirements to establish eligibility?
 
There are two types of requirements. The first type of requirement is monetary (weeks and wages). The applicant must:
 
  • Be unemployed at the time of filing;  and
 
The second type of requirement is non-monetary (unemployment must be through no fault of the applicant).
 
What is covered employment?
 
Under Ohio law, most employers are required to pay contributions for unemployment insurance. Work for such an employer is "covered" employment. Work for a nonprofit or government agency is "covered" employment, even though the employer does not pay regular contributions, but instead reimburses the cost of unemployment benefits paid to its former workers.
 
What is a calendar quarter?
 
Every calendar year is divided into the following four parts, known as "quarters"
 
1st Quarter: January 1 through March 31
2nd Quarter: April 1 through June 30
3rd Quarter: July 1 through September 30
4th Quarter: October 1 through December 31
 
What is the base period?
 
The regular base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters, before your claim begins.
If your claim begins between these dates: Your base period will be:
January 1, 2006 thru April 1, 2006 October 1, 2004 thru September 30, 2005
April 2, 2006 thru July 1, 2006 January 1, 2005 thru December 31, 2005
July 2, 2006 thru September 30, 2006 April 1, 2005 thru March 31, 2006
October 1, 2006 thru December 30, 2006 July 1, 2005 thru June 30, 2006
 
Note:  If you worked 20 weeks, but the weeks do not fall within the regular base period, or your average weekly wage was less than the established minimum within the regular base period, you may still be able to establish a right to benefits if the weeks fall within the alternate base period. The alternate base period is the last four completed calendar quarters before your claim begins.
If your claim begins between these dates: Your base period will be:
January 1, 2006 thru April 1, 2006 January 1, 2005 thru December 31, 2005
April 2, 2006 thru July 1, 2006 April 1, 2005 thru March 31, 2006
July 2, 2006 thru September 30, 2006 July 1, 2005 thru June 30, 2006
October 1, 2006 thru December 30, 2006 October 1, 2005 thru September 30, 2006
 
Note:  ODJFS will determine your weekly benefit amount, your total benefits and the beginning date of your benefit year. However, if you had a previous claim established, you must have had six weeks of employment and earned three times the average weekly wage in work since that first application before you can establish another new claim.