Filings for unemployment benefits had been slowly ticking up in January. But the last two weeks of reported numbers show an explosion of claims. And the state鈥檚 job and family services agency is now flagging tens of thousands of claims filed in those last two weeks.
Around 50,000 jobless claims were filed in Ohio in the last week of January. But more than 287,000 jobless claims were filed in the first two weeks of February鈥�140,444 from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6 and 147,002 from Feb. 7 to 13.
That's triple the expected number after examining the current trend. Jobless filings since the beginning of December had averaged 36,000 since the end of November, according to an analysis of weekly ODJFS reports from the Statehouse News Bureau.
The state in the filings at the beginning of February.
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Kim Henderson said fraud in the federally funded pandemic unemployment assistance or PUA program is happening in traditional unemployment, too.
鈥淭hat steep increase and other economic indicators paint quite a different picture of the state's economic situation and makes clear that criminals are targeting not only PUA but also traditional unemployment," Henderson said.
Henderson said when comparing those numbers to which she said is "solid," is another suggestion of fraud.
In the past two weeks 77,000 have been flagged and more are likely, which Henderson admits will cause delays in benefits. Henderson that 44,000 claims had been flagged. This week, another 33,000 were added to the total.
Fraud has been a concern in . The state has also announced with its processing system.
Ohio Auditor Keith Faber has also said . But his office has issued no report yet.
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