COLUMBUS, OH – In a landmark ruling, Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Holbrook has ordered Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to reinstate Ohio’s participation in the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program and take immediate steps to secure the state’s share of benefits from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The decision follows a lawsuit filed in July 2021 by former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann on behalf of thousands of Ohioans who lost out on $300 weekly supplemental unemployment benefits when DeWine ended Ohio’s participation in the federally funded program on June 26, 2021.
Victory for Ohioans Affected by COVID-19
Dann hailed the ruling as a major win for struggling families and the state’s economy.
“Judge Holbrook validated our argument that Gov. DeWine and ODJFS were legally required to accept and distribute FPUC benefits,” Dann said. “The governor’s decision to reject these federal funds was not only arbitrary and unconscionable but also illegal. We hope he now follows the law without delay.”
With the ruling, eligible Ohioans are set to receive approximately $900 million in FPUC benefits.
“These payments will help families still recovering from the pandemic and provide a major boost to Ohio’s economy,” Dann said. “We’ve never understood why the governor would leave nearly a billion dollars in Washington, D.C., instead of letting it support Ohio communities, businesses, and local tax revenues.”
State Response and Legal Implications
Governor DeWine’s office has not commented on the ruling.
Holbrook’s judgment entry made clear that the state acted illegally when it withdrew from the program and must now take all necessary steps to reinstate participation retroactively from June 26, 2021, through the program’s expiration.
While the state could appeal the decision, Dann pointed out that the 10th District Court of Appeals had already ruled against Ohio on the matter.
“The law is clear: the state must obtain and distribute these funds,” Dann said. “If the governor refuses to follow the law, we will fight—and we will win.”
