CLEVELAND — Approximately 20,000 unemployed Ohio workers are still waiting for their 1099-G forms that are needed to file taxes this year because the forms "were not generated" by the state's system, according to Bill Teets, Communications Director, Ohio Jobs and Family Services.
In a statement to News 5, Teets wrote, "We do not yet know why, and our primary focus is on resolving that issue so we can get those 20,000 reissued. It is a matter of identifying, and then testing potential fixes, which we’ve been doing for several days now. "
"We’ve received close to 1,000 requests to reissue 1099s and have been keeping current with those," according to Teets.
Cleveland resident Greg McPherson, 62, said he is one of the unemployed Ohio workers still waiting for a 1099-G.
"It's disgusting," he said. "This is our government, who is supposed to be working for the people and they're treating the people like dirt."
News 5 Investigators reached out to ODJFS about the missing tax forms after McPherson and another News 5 viewer alerted us to the issue.
"It's now March 3 and I still haven't gotten my 1099 from our government," he said. "It's not fair. Why aren't they held accountable when we are?"
McPherson said he has called the state to ask for a new 1099-G form, but, so far, no one has been able to help him.
"Every time I called I always got a different answer. Nobody's on the same page," he said. "It's incompetence at its finest."
Since the pandemic started, Ohio's antiquated unemployment system has struggled to manage a record level of new claims.
News 5 has reported on long wait times for benefits, accidental overpayments, fraud, and cybercrimes, including account takeovers.
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"How can we pay our taxes if we don't have the 1099?" McPherson said. "I need that refund to survive."
If you are still waiting for your 1099-G form, request one by filling out the form on the ODJFS website here.
You could can also request a 1099-G form by going to the state's website here and clicking on the “submit a question” button.
