I got 4 weeks of Severence pay, when should I apply for Unemployment

I cannot tell exactly what is going on, and would probably have additional questions if I did. However, the short answer is that you should file for unemployment compensation benefits online, at https://unemployment.ohio.gov/PublicSelfServiceChoice.html. I am aware of no good reason for delaying that application.

By way of general information, your vacation pay should not affect your eligibility for benefits. The length of time you were in the job from which you were separated, the length of time you were in the prior job, the amount of time between jobs and the amount and timing of your severance all may affect your eligibility for benefits. As a result, once you create an application online, Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services will probably send you questions about them.

If the questions or the process are confusing, I believe it is fairly easy to get a live person on the phone once you create an application.

Once you have the process started and on its way, contact an employment lawyer if you still have questions.

posted by Neil Klingshirn  |  Nov 1, 2013 06:53 AM [EST]