Ohio Work Search Requirements

Active Search for Work and Reemployment Requirements Federal and state law requires individuals who are receiving unemployment benefits to actively search for suitable work unless their former employer has affirmed that they were part of a temporary layoff and are expected to return to work within 45 days. Ohio law also requires most unemployment claimants to participate in reemployment activities by their eighth week of claiming benefits. This policy clarifies both the active search for work and the reemployment requirements.

Active Search for Work – When they apply for unemployment benefits, eligible individuals who are required to search for work are registered in OhioMeansJobs.com and must create and maintain an active, searchable resume on that website. In addition, they must do both of the following for each week that they file a claim for benefits:

• Conduct two work search activities
• Provide documentation of their active work search activity

Acceptable work search activities include but are not limited to the following:

• Making an application for work
• Submitting a resume to an employer
• Complete the Reemployment Services & Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) and/or Unemployment Compensation Reemployment Services (UCRS) activities assigned
• Creating and maintaining a reemployment plan
• Creating and maintaining a searchable, active resume
• Completing a career profile in OhioMeansJobs.com
• Attending a Job fair
• Applying for jobs
• Creating a personal user profile on a professional networking site (such as LinkedIn)
• Interviewing for suitable work
Attending a training
• Contacting a hiring hall
• Any other good faith reemployment strategy reasonably expected to result in reemployment

Reemployment Requirements – Ohio law requires individuals who are still claiming unemployment benefits by week 8 and who are required to actively search for work to conduct specific reemployment activities as determined by the director. Both are designed to help them find suitable work faster. The following two activities are required:

• By week 8, replace/upload a complete, searchable resume in OhioMeansJobs.com
• By week 20, complete the Career Profile in OhioMeansJobs.com

Good Faith Effort – Methods a reasonable person, intent on returning to work, would exercise to obtain employment. A good faith effort extends beyond simply making a specific number of contacts to satisfy the state’s requirement.

Documentation of Active Work Search Activities – Ohio claimants are required to keep a record of their efforts to find suitable work.

Suitable Work – Appropriate employment given such things as an individual’s education level, work experience and physical fitness to do the work. Suitable work is defined in ORC Sections 4141.29 (E) and (F) http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4141.29v1. What is considered suitable work for one person may not be suitable for another.

Impact on Eligibility The active search for suitable work requirements must be completed weekly. Failure to do so may result in a denial of benefits for the week(s) claimed if no good faith effort was shown to become reemployed. Similarly, if the reemployment activities are not completed by the deadlines (week 8 and week 20), and if justifiable cause has not been established, benefits will be denied until the claimant completes the requirements. Even if the claimant returns to work before the deadline date and later reopens their unemployment claim, they must meet these requirements.