Ohio Supreme Court agrees to hear case involving federal unemployment benefits
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The Ohio Supreme Court decided Tuesday it will review an appeals court decision that said Gov. Mike DeWine could not end the $300 in extra weekly federal unemployment benefits before the program expired.
The program expired Sept. 6, but DeWine, along with many other governors, ended the extra benefits early. DeWine said the need was not there when he ended the program June 26.
“When the program was put in place, it was a lifeline for many Americans at a time when the only weapon we had in fighting the virus was through social distancing, masking and sanitization,” DeWine said when he announced the end of the benefits. “This is no longer the case as we now have an abundant supply of vaccines.”
Business groups, along with political leaders, said the extra payments played a role in employers struggling to find people to fill open positions. The court voted 4-2 to take the case.
“The Ohio Chamber is pleased with the court’s announcement to review the 10th District Court of Appeals decision finding Governor DeWine could not end the $300 per week supplemental unemployment benefit in Ohio before the federal program expired,” Ohio Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Steve Stivers said. “The lower court’s holding is a clear example of two judges legislating from the bench to overturn a policy decision by Ohio’s governor that they did not support. The Ohio Chamber has been involved in amicus briefs throughout each stage of this litigation because these supplemental unemployment benefits distorted Ohio’s labor market, making it harder for businesses across our state to find workers.”
A Franklin County judge ruled in late July that DeWine had the authority to end the extra benefits, but the group challenging the change appealed to the 10 Ohio District Court of Appeals and won.
This article was originally posted on Ohio Supreme Court agrees to hear case involving federal unemployment benefits
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