Ohio GOP bill would raise unemployment taxes, cut benefits

Republican legislative leaders proposed a new plan Tuesday to overhaul Ohio’s unemployment compensation system by raising taxes on employers and lowering benefits paid to jobless workers.

Identical bills introduced in the House and Senate which leaders intend to pass by the end of the year would:

■ Reduce unemployment benefits from a standard 26 weeks to to a sliding scale of 20 to 26 weeks, depending on the state unemployment rate. The full 26 weeks would apply whenever Ohio’s unemployment rate hits 8 percent or above. The 20 weeks would apply when the rate drops to 5.5 or lower, as it has for the past two years.

■ Raise the taxable wage base from $9,000 to $11,000 to increase employers’ contribution to the fund.

■ Freeze benefits for employees and increase employer payments until solvency is reached.

■ Lower additional benefits paid to jobless workers with dependents.

The measure does not include a new tax paid by employees, an option that had been discussed by lawmakers. The changes would take effect Jan. 1, 2018.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/11/29/Unemployment_plan_would_raise_taxesx_reduce_benefits.html