Ohioans case for $900M in unemployment briefed before Supreme Court
A legal battle over $900 million in pandemic unemployment funds is now before the Ohio Supreme Court. The Buckeye Institute, a Columbus-based think tank, has challenged the stateās refusal to distribute the federal money. At the centre of the dispute is whether Ohio must release the funds, which were intended to support unemployed residents during the COVID-19 crisis.
The case began after Governor Mike DeWine opted out of a federal program that provided an extra $300 per week to unemployed Ohioans between December 2020 and September 2021. DeWine argued that the payments discouraged people from returning to work. Twenty-four other states also declined to participate in the scheme.
Lower courts, including the 10th District Court of Appeals, ruled against Ohio, ordering the state to distribute the $900 million allocated by Congress. The Buckeye Institute, however, filed a brief with the Ohio Supreme Court to block the funds from being released. Their lawyers claim that state law does not require the governor to accept federal money. The Ohio Supreme Court initially rejected a challenge to the stateās Cooperation Statute but agreed in November to reconsider the case. Robert Grossman, a senior legal fellow at The Buckeye Institute, is leading the litigation against the government.
The courtās decision will determine whether Ohio must release the $900 million in unpaid unemployment benefits. If the ruling stands, the funds could still reach thousands of unemployed residents who missed out on the extra support. The outcome may also influence how other states handle similar disputes over federal aid programs.
