CLEVELAND — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's office said it will be moving forward with a $300 a week lost wages assistance plan set-up by a President Trump Administration executive order.
The governor's office told News 5 it opted for the $300 additional weekly benefit for Ohio's unemployed because the state would not have to add any funding to make it work, unlike the $400 plan, which would require Ohio to add $100 in weekly benefits.
DeWine's office said it's waiting for numerous details on the plan from the U.S. Department of Labor, which it hopes will be revealed later this week, and admitted the state would need to update its computer systems to distribute the federal funds.
He told CNN on Aug. 9 that his administration was looking into whether the state could do the $100 a week contribution.
DeWine's office said it was in the midst of a feasibility study when it was told there was the $300 a week option, with no state contribution.
For Jesse Taylor of Mentor, the new unemployment assistance plan sets up plenty of uncertainty, as he struggles to find a new job and provide for his child and fiancee.
"I hope they do something soon," Taylor said. "People can't survive on what they're currently getting from unemployment."
Greg Lawson with the Buckeye Institute told News 5 the lost wages assistance plan has unanswered questions, especially with the state needing a computer update to get the job done.
“There’s a lot of moving pieces to this, and I think that is one of the great challenges here," Lawson said.
“Everybody is scrambling because we really don’t know how to manage this process, and you're even talking about the computer systems and how to get them up and running, and up and running quickly.”
“How do we maintain some level of control and creditability that it's going to the right place, and how do we do that on antiquated systems, and how do we do that on the drop of a dime.”
Zach Schiller with Policy Matters Ohio told News 5 he believes congress could put together a more comprehensive assistance plan.
“When is it going to be when people actually get these benefit, the point is to provide what amounts to emergency relief,” Schiller said.
“Trying to cram this in through executive orders, that are poorly conceived, and are difficult to implement, isn’t going to help Ohioans or others across the country.”
“Really we need to see Congress act and come forward with a whole broader relief package.”
“We were getting $600 a week, and it was working, and it was providing real aid to businesses, and helping set a floor for the economy."
"I think that we should stick with what we got that works.”
The governor's office told News 5 it is hopeful lost wages assistance funds will be ready for distribution by the end of August, but if Ohio isn't prepared on-time, there be would no loss to Ohio's unemployed, because the funding would be retroactive.
