Resources for Ohio Employees and Employers Affected by COVID-19

• • • The Ohio Development Services Agency (DSA) has requested that all Ohio businesses complete the Economic Damage Assessment Survey. Note that this survey is not an application for resources.  Instead, the survey, which asks employers questions regarding topics such as revenue loss and employee headcount reduction due to COVID-19, will be used by Ohio’s leaders to develop response plans.
    • The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS) is requesting that Ohio employers provide employees who are laid off as a result of COVID-19 with the form found at this link: http://www.odjfs.state.oh.us/forms/num/JFS00671/pdf/. By using this form, or otherwise providing employees with the mass layoff number 2000180, claims processing can be expedited, allowing your employees to collect unemployment benefits sooner.
    • During the state’s emergency declaration, Ohioans may receive unemployment benefits when a medical professional, local health authority, or employer requests that the employee be isolated or quarantined due to COVID-19, even if the employee is not actually diagnosed with the virus. Note that asymptomatic employees imposing a self-quarantine are generally not eligible for unemployment benefits, since work is available to them.
    • All otherwise eligible employees who are laid off because of loss of production due to COVID-19 will be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
    • Ohio employees seeking more information about unemployment or applying for benefits can visit unemployment.ohio.gov, or call (877) OHIO-JOB or TTY (888) 642-8203 Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    • Ohio offers the SharedWork Ohio program, which allows employers to reduce hours worked for certain employees, instead of laying off those workers. To be eligible, employers must have at least two affected employees, be current on all unemployment obligations, and agree to the program requirements.  Hours reduced must be at least 10% but no more than 50% of the normal weekly hours.  Workers receive their pay for hours worked, and can collect unemployment for the hours that were reduced.
    • Ohio employers seeking more information about unemployment should visit the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services or email UCTech@jfs.ohio.gov.
    • To obtain more information about COVID-19 in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.

For questions or to discuss COVID-19’s effect on your business, contact a member of the HBK CPAs & Consultants team.