Unemployment Insurance Specialist

Who We Are

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) supports Ohioans and their families through the following programs:

• Cash and Food Assistance
• Employment Services and Workforce Development
• Unemployment Insurance
• Adult Protective Services
• Child Support

Public service is an honorable way to serve the community in a hands-on dedicated way. You can make a difference in someone’s world!

Guiding Principles

• We will be a leader in customer satisfaction.
• We will have a reputation that attracts and retains talented, diverse, and dedicated employees.
• We get better at what we do every day.

Office of Unemployment Insurance Operations

The Office of Unemployment Insurance Operations (OUIO) administers Ohio's unemployment insurance program, which provides short-term income to unemployed workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. It reduces the hardship felt by families during periods of temporary unemployment and bolsters the local economies by maintaining the purchasing power of the unemployed worker. Learn more about the office by visiting the ODJFS OUIO webpage at jfs.ohio.gov/ouc.

What You Will Do

• Examine and resolve the most complex Unemployment Insurance (UI) accounts, cases and applications.

• Serve as a technical resource by providing policy guidance and operating-system support to central and field office staff. 

• Act as a lead worker by assisting in training and mentoring lower-level examiners.

• Handle the most difficult inquiries from the public, employers, legislators, and other stakeholders.

• Analyze case facts, assess credibility, and apply relevant laws, rules, and policies to adjudicate claims and issue decisions.

• Conduct comprehensive case reviews requiring independent judgment and full-cycle technical work from initial evaluation through resolution.

• Perform fact-finding to determine whether additional information is needed for initial or redetermination claim examinations. 

• Gather information through interviews or written correspondence and clarify conflicting or ambiguous details. 

• Identify potential fraud during interviews and refer cases to fraud specialists or auditors as appropriate. 

• Research and verify information using multiple databases and evaluate evidence to determine benefit eligibility. 

• Issue administrative appeal decisions and represent the Office of Unemployment Insurance Operations (OUIO) through written and verbal communication.

• Participate in meetings with internal and external partners as needed.

• Respond to inquiries from claimants, employers and other interested parties via phone, email, mail and other communication methods.

• Explain claim status, program requirements, and unemployment processes clearly and accurately.

• Resolve complex of multi-faceted claim issues in collaboration with relevant parties.

• Monitor and manage voicemail and email accounts to ensure timely responses.

• Provide training sessions, presentations, and support for program operations. 

• Participate in Rapid Response sessions and other outreach activities.

• Perform related tasks, including attending training and meetings as required. 

• Use computer systems to prepare correspondence, reports, and other documentation.

• Maintain accurate logs, records, and files.

Recommended Skills

• This role requires experience evaluating program eligibility and supporting organizational communication and development.

• Core competencies include decision-making, analysis, communication, and training support.

• Ensuring compliance with state and federal program guidelines. 

• Analytical thinking. 

• Attention to detail.

• Consistency in applying policy.

• Confidentiality and professionalism.

• Ability to prioritize cases and manage workload volume.

 

Schedule: Full time

Hours: Standard workdays are Monday through Friday. Hours are between 8:00am and 5:00pm.

Location: This position will be headquartered in an ODJFS Facility in one of the following cities - Columbus, Akron, or Dayton. This determination will take into account the proximity to the applicant's home address.

Rhodes State Officer Tower - 30 E. Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Akron - 172 S. Broadway Street, Akron, OH 44308
Dayton - 6680 Poe Avenue, Dayton, OH 45414

Travel: Required as needed. Must provide own transportation or, in order to operate a state vehicle, you must have a valid driver's license.

PN(s): 20032435, 20033553, 20037786, 20045430, 20048564, 20034773, 20032426

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

The ideal candidate, at minimum, must have the following: 

Option 1:

• 24 months experience as Unemployment Insurance Examiner,16752.

Or

Option 2:

• 24 months experience in interpreting, applying, & making decisions for program eligibility &/or liability (e.g., unemployment insurance, workers compensation, income tax, debt collection)

• AND 6 months training or 6 months experience in developing correspondence

• AND 12 months training or 12 months experience in customer contact (i.e., telephone, face-to-face, &/or electronic communication) for purposes of problem solving

• AND 6 months training or 6 months experience in operation of personal computer.

Or

Option 3:

• Completion of undergraduate coursework in business administration, public administration, human services, or social sciences

• AND 6 months training or 6 months experience in developing correspondence

• AND 12 months training or 12 months experience in customer contact (i.e., telephone, face-to-face, &/or electronic communication) for purposes of problem solving

• AND 6 months training or 6 months experience in operation of personal computer.

Or

Option 4:

• Equivalent of minimum class qualifications for employment noted above.

Job Skills: Customer Service

Tips For Your Application

When completing the different sections of this application, be sure to clearly describe how you meet the minimum qualifications outlined in this job posting. We cannot give you credit for your Work Experience and Education & Certifications if you do not provide that information in your online application. Information in attached resumes or cover letters must be entered into your application in the appropriate Work Experience or Education & Certification sections to be considered.

Pay Information

This position is in the State of Ohio’s OCSEA Pay Schedule, Pay Range 30. Unless required by legislation or union contract, starting salary will be the minimum salary of that pay range (step 1, currently $26.54 per hour). These ranges provide a standardized pathway for pay increases. With continued employment, new hires move to the next step in the range after 6 months and annually thereafter. Cost of Living Adjustments increase wages in these ranges each fiscal year. The current step progression wages are in the table below.

Pay Range 30	Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4	Step 5	Step 6	Step 7
Hourly	$26.54	$27.56	$28.76	$30.10	$31.47	$32.84	$34.53
Annual	$55,203	$57,325	$59,821	$62,608	$65,458	$68,307	$71,822
Months of Employment	At Hire	6 Months	18 Months	30 Months	42 Months	54 Months	66 Months

ADA Notice

If you require an accommodation based on a disability for any step of the selection process, please contact [email protected]

Selection Priority Notice OCSEA

Current employees of ODJFS in the OCSEA union have selection rights before all other applicants. Applications from all other candidates will only be considered if an internal OCSEA applicant is not selected for this position.

Background check information

The final candidate selected for this position will be required to undergo a criminal background check. Some positions may require drug testing and/or fingerprinting. Criminal convictions do not necessarily disqualify candidates from consideration.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.