The COVID pandemic has changed all of our lives in big and small ways. For many, COVID closures have resulted in job loss. If you lost your job due to the pandemic, you may be eligible for unemployment or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). What is Unemployment Insurance? “Unemployment Insurance (UI) provides unemployment benefits, usually in the form of weekly payments, to eligible workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own, and meet certain other eligibility requirements. UI is administered jointly by the U.S. Department of Labor and individual states. 
In March 2020, new federal law greatly expanded unemployment insurance. Many workers who were not previously covered are now eligible.” (Unemployment Benefits Finder Help, 2020) What Is Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)? Through the CARES Act there is a new temporary federal program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). In general, PUA provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended benefits, including those who have exhausted all rights to such benefits.” (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) FAQs, 2020) In order for a person to be eligible for PUA, the individual must not be eligible for regular unemployment benefits. Additional eligibility requirements can be found at https://unemploymenthelp.ohio.gov/expandedeligibilityFAQ/ Filing for Unemployment Ohio has two ways to file an application for Unemployment Insurance Benefits:
- Online File online at http://unemployment.ohio.gov, 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Once on the page click the red Get Started Now button in the center of the page. The questions asked of you will determine whether you are eligible for Unemployment assistance or PUA.
- Telephone Call toll-free 1-877-644-6562 or TTY 1-614-387-8408, (excluding holidays). Agents are available to assist with PIN resets and take initial applications Monday through Friday 7 AM – 7 PM, Saturday 9 AM – 5 PM, and Sunday 9 AM – 1 PM
Additional Support: Call 211 or visit https://www.211oh.org to speak with someone about other support services available to you. Unemployment Resources from the Library Currently, Heights Libraries are open with reduced hours and services due to the COVID pandemic. Despite these restrictions, we still have resources to help you file for unemployment assistance or find a new job. By Phone: If you have questions about applying for unemployment or job hunting please call us at 216-932-3600 to speak with a Librarian or Tech Trainer. Our current hours are Tues & Thurs 1:30 – 9 pm, Wed, Fri and Saturday 10 am – 5 pm. Resume Review by Email: Tech Trainers are available to review resumes and cover letters by email. If you are interested in having your resume reviewed, please submit the following form and select Tech and Digital Resource Questions under Question Type. https://heightslibrary.org/services/online-reference Lynda.comIf you’re looking to learn something new, Lynda.com is truly the place to do it. 
Lynda provides access to comprehensive video-based classes on a variety of subjects including career development, business and technology. Lynda also has series of videos called Learning Paths that will help you become an expert on a subject such as Small Business Ownership. This is definitely not a resource to be missed! Check it out here Additional Resources are available at https://heightslibrary.org/job-search-and-unemployment-resources/