State Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) sent a letter on Tuesday to Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS) Director Kimberly Hall, requesting more information on when applicants subjected to penalty weeks will be able to apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits. 

“If you have paid back money owed to the state for a previous unemployment insurance over-payment, you are entitled to this benefit. It’s the law. More importantly, it’s the right thing to do. If it wasn’t for coronavirus, these people would be working,” said Rep. Lepore-Hagan in a press release. “My district has been hit hard by this pandemic, and it is imperative that we serve them as soon as possible. They are struggling with home, care and food costs and need help immediately.”

In the letter, Rep. Lepore-Hagan, who represents Ohio House District 58, shares examples of exchanges with her office specific to the issue of repaid overpayments and penalty weeks, while respectfully requesting a timeline for when the current PUA system issues will be resolved.

“While other PUA eligible applicants are now successfully receiving benefits, many of my constituents and Ohioans around the state have still not been able to apply because of a technical glitch. Many applied successfully for traditional unemployment insurance, were determined to be eligible, but because of penalty weeks, they’ve been waiting months for financial relief. PUA is a sliver of hope in an extremely stressful and uncertain time,” said Rep. Lepore-Hagan. “We know the system is overwhelmed and we are reasonably patient. At the same time, more information on the specific steps ODJFS is taking will go a long way in comforting struggling people.”

Penalty weeks are assessed to an eligible unemployment insurance recipient if an investigation reveals a previous benefit over-payment was made fraudulently. The U.S. Department of Labor and ODJFS have acknowledged that the CARES Act expansion of unemployment insurance allows those who have repaid their overpayment to receive benefits through PUA.