Coronavirus in Ohio: Filing for unemployment? Online is quicker

Filing for unemployment benefits online is much faster than applying over the phone, according to state officials.

According to recent numbers, wait times are, on average, 13 minutes to apply online, and more than 45 minutes to apply over the phone.

>> Coronavirus in Ohio: Who qualifies for unemployment, how to apply

Thousands of people in the restaurant industry are now applying for benefits after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued an order effectively closing all dine-in service at restaurants and bars across the Buckeye State.

“People who are being sent home by their employer because of quarantine over an illness or being sent home by a doctor or if their business temporarily closes they to are eligble for unemployment under the executive order.” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted in a press conference today.

In the past three days, the state of Ohio has received 78 thousand claims which is up more than 25-hundred percent from the same period, last week.

>> Coronavirus Pandemic: What you need to know Wednesday

To apply for unemployment benefits in Ohio:

• Online: File online at unemployment.ohio.gov 24/7
  
• Phone: Call 1-877-644-6562 or 614-387-8408 M-F 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
  

To apply for unemployment, you will need:

• Social Security number
• Driver's license or state ID number
• Your name, address, telephone number and email address
• Name, address, telephone number and dates of employment with each employer from last 6 weeks of employment
• Reason for unemployment from each employer
• Dependents' names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth
• If claiming dependents, your spouse's name, Social Security number and birth date
• If you are a U.S. citizen or national, alien registration number and expiration date
• Your regular occupation and job skills

For more information, contact unemployment.ohio.gov.