The unemployment situation is bad throughout the nation, and Ohio unemployment is no different. In fact it is worse compared to other states, because of its double digit jobless figures. If you are living in Ohio and was recently unemployed, you probably know it better. According to later news reports, the State UI agency is so overwhelmed that it is not barely able to cope up with the workload. It is receiving 4 times more calls and inquiries.
During times of high unemployment, State agencies will be overloaded. They may get 2-4 times more calls, inquires and applications. So, it is not unusual if you don’t hear back from them quickly during such times. You should always apply at the earliest convenience so that your case will be processed faster. If you need to talk to their office try during different times, especially during the mid week and late afternoon hours. There are many online guides available to assist you. For example, this Ohio unemployment blog explains how to file for unemployment insurance in Ohio State. It is important to understand the eligibility criteria before you submit the application. You should also make sure you provide accurate and timely information to ensure your application won’t get delayed unnecessarily, especially during times of high unemployment. There are many such guides available including another guide to file unemployment in Ohio at www.work.com/ohio-unemployment-benefits-44927/
Congress recently passed a new law that extends unemployment benefits by another 20 weeks. The legislation approved up to 14 additional weeks of extended unemployment benefits for claimants in all states, and another 6 weeks of extended benefits for claimants in states such as Ohio with high unemployment rates. Now, unemployed people in Ohio can get extended benefits.
There is some hope at last. For the first time in a year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped last month.While the national “adjusted” unemployment rate decrease from 7.4 percent in October to 7.2 percent in November was not significant, it still came as a surprise. Except for being flat from March to April, the unemployment rate has been rising since December 2008, when it stood at 3.2 percent.
The situation is similar in other parts of the country. Kentucky had a statewide average of 10 percent unemployment last month. Fayette County had the state’s lowest rate at 7.1 percent. Calloway County had western Kentucky’s lowest rate at 7.5 percent. Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest rate last month at 21.1 percent. Trigg County had western Kentucky’s highest rate at 15.9 percent. Overall, the state lost 79,300 jobs in the year.
Elsewhere in the mid-west region, Wyoming lost 18,200 jobs from November last year to this year. The state lost 5,900 jobs over the year in the natural resources and mining industry, 5,200 in construction, 2,000 in retail and 1,900 in hospitality. It should also be noted that Wyoming gained four hundred jobs in educational and health services and about nine hundred in government sector.
Rankin County again had Mississippi’s lowest unemployment rate at 5.9 percent, followed by Scott County at 6.2 percent. Clay County had the highest rate at 17.8 percent, followed by Noxubee County at 16.8 percent. Leflore County tied with Prentiss County for the 63rd best unemployment rate of the 82 counties, one spot worse than the month before.