Once you have filed an application for unemployment compensation you must tell ODJFS for which weeks you are unemployed and want benefits. You accomplish this by filing a "continued weekly" claim for each week for which you want to receive benefits. When you file a weekly claim, you will respond to questions concerning your activity and status for each week. Answer all questions honestly. Ohio law provides penalties including fines and/or imprisonment for fraud. Remember, if you do not file a claim for a week of benefits you will not receive benefits for that week.

For your convenience, you may file your weekly claims in two ways:

• Online: You may file online at http://unemployment.ohio.gov. If you did not file your application online, the first time you access your claim online you will need to enter your User Name (social security number) and your PIN.
• Automated Telephone System: You may call 1-877-OHIOJOB (644-6562) if you have a touch-tone telephone. To access the telephone system you will need your social security number and your PIN.

If you do not have access to either a touch-tone phone or the Internet, please contact your processing office. The name and phone number of that office was provided on the New Claim Instruction Sheet that was mailed to you when you filed your initial application.

The first time you file a new claim, you will be provided a PIN number. You will use this PIN to access your claim through the automated telephone system or on-line. You are responsible for the security of the PIN. Your PIN is an electronic signature and has the same legal authority as your signature on a paper document. Do not give your PIN to anyone as you are responsible for all claims filed and all information given to this department using your PIN to file for benefits. If you believe someone knows your PIN, if you forget your PIN, or if you want to change your PIN for any reason, you may request a new one either by calling the automated phone system or by calling your processing center. Your new PIN will be mailed to you. To recover a forgotten PIN, you may also use your "hint" question on-line.

Weekly continued claims for benefits are normally filed on a bi-weekly basis. However, you may claim the first three weeks after filing a new claim on a weekly basis and then switch to bi-weekly. Each week starts on Sunday and ends Saturday. You can file your continued weekly claim no earlier than the day after the week ends and no later than 21 days after the last day of the week.

For example, in the illustration below, the individual filed an initial claim on Tuesday of Day 3. The claims effective on Sunday, Day 1. He/she should file the first continued weekly claim for week ending Day 7 on Sunday, Day 8, the next one for week ending Day 14 on Sunday, Day 15, and the third for week ending Day 21 on Sunday, Day 22. weekly claim for week ending Day 7 on Sunday, Day 8, the next one for week ending Day 14 on Sunday, Day 15, and the third for week ending Day 21 on Sunday, Day 22.