<font color=#AAAA00FF>Support for the state</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> wide broadcast of the state of Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>comes from medical mutual, providing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> more than one point four million Ohioans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>peace of mind with a selection of health</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> insurance plans online at Medd Mut.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>dot com slash Ohio by the law offices</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of Porter Wright, Morris and Arthur LLP.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now, with eight locations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> across the country, Porter Wright</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is a legal partner with a new perspective</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to the business community.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>More at Porter Wright dot</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> com and from the Ohio Education</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Association, representing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> 124000 members</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who work to inspire their students</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to think creatively and experience</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the joy of learning online</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at OHEA dot org.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>As Covid case is clim, Ohio lawmakers</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>come back to the state house</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for a hearing on a bill that would ban</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>not only required coronavirus shots,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> but all mandatory vaccines.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And the head of the agency that sends out</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> assistance to jobless Ohioans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>talks about more than a year of pandemic</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> claims, problems and fraud.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>All this week in the state of Ohio.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Welcome to the state of Ohio.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I'm Karen Kasler.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ohio's Covid numbers are approaching</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the levels they were</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> before the spike last fall.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>In the last week, confirmed cases</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> have averaged more than twenty seven</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>hundred a day, with total cases, meaning</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> confirmed and probable cases much higher.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Sixty days ago, there were around</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> 300 people hospitalized each day in Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with Covid or one in sixty </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>five patients, as calculated by the Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Hospital Association.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now there are more than twenty</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> one hundred people hospitalized,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and one in 10 patients</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> has Covid in Ohio in the ICU.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Sixty days ago, one in thirty</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> eight patients was Covid positive.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now that number is one in six.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>This week brought some Ohio House members</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> back to the office for an unusual event,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a committee hearing during a legislative</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> break to your testimony on a single bill.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And it was the controversial</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> one that would ban all mandatory vaccines</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in Ohio.

That hearing also brought out</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> people who both want to see</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>this bill pass and those</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who've described it as dangerous.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>State House correspondent</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Joe Ingles reports.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Oh, yes.

I.

They came from all over Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to protest vaccine requirements</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and support the bill being heard</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>inside the state house</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that would prevent mandatory shots.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Government's gotten too darn big.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Really smart.

People said</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> way back in the day</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that any government at all</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is a necessary evil.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think we have to darn much.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think that people in government</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> has decided, have decided.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I believe that people in government,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a lot of them, not all of them,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>have decided that they work for themselves</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and not for the people.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We are founded on an idea</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that the power that our government has</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is based on the consent of the governed.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>As you can see here today,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> there's no consent.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Coercion is not consent.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ironically, Bouchet</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and the others are asking state governmen</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to block employers,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> schools and businesses from mandating</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>employees, students</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and customers get vaccines.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And the bill being considered by lawmakers</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> wouldn't just cover Covid vaccines,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>but all mandatory shots,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> such as those against childhood</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>diseases like measles and meningitis.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>While mainstream medical groups widely</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> oppose the bill,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>there are some who work</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in the medical field who support it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>If I do happen to be diagnosed with Covid,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I have researched</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>other treatment options</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that are inexpensive, safe and effective.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Why mandate a vaccine</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> when other options are out there?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It simply comes down to this.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Every night, people in the health care</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> field allow others</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to choose their own health</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> interventions.

Why can't I?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The bill also bans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> so-called vaccine passports</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and would prevent people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who are unvaccinated from being denied</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>service, separated or treated differently</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> from those who have shots.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Major business groups,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> including the Ohio Chamber of Commerce,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>are opposed to the bill, though</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> all 16 of its sponsors are Republicans.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The bill's primary sponsor,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Representative Jennifer Gross, was cheere</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>when she stepped into an overflow room</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at the state house during the testimony.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Attendees laid hands on growth</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and prayed for her before she went back</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to the committee room where she questioned</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> witnesses who disagreed with her bill.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Like Sarah Joga, who testified against</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the bill for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Do you believe the person of the business</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>supersedes the individual</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> right of an individual</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to choose the vaccine</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and or then coerce the employee</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to say this job that you have planned</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and that you've been educated for?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You can no longer earn an income </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because our right supersedes</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> your individual liberty.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Joga explained her answer this way</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Your right to individual medical freedom,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>your right to hold a fist and punch ins</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> when you start hurting someone else.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And that's what we're dealing with.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We're not dealing with someone's </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>individual choice</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of whether they want to do something.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We're dealing with them</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> coming into the workplace with a communal</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>spreadable disease</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and hurting other people.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Has said the bill would lead to businesses</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> not being able to protect their own</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>employees, customers and interests.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But advocates for kids</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> such as the Children's Defense Fund</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>have joined hundreds of health</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> care workers, organizations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and major hospital systems</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in opposing the bill.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Pediatrician Emily Miller</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is with Cincinnati Children's Hospital</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and said those who work in hospitals</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> like hers are exhausted</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>from caring for sick patients</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who could be saved with Covid vaccines.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Only 23 percent of pregnant</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> women are currently vaccinated.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And we know that Covid during</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> pregnancy is bad news.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Increased risk of hospital</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> admission, ICU admission</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>needs to be put on a ventilator and death.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Sometimes the mother is so sick</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and the virus is doing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>so much damage that we have</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to deliver the baby early.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>This is a baby that would not have been</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> born early otherwise.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And if the infant survives,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> they'll spend weeks or months in the NCU</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and there is no guarantee</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that the mother will survive.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Sometimes the other parent is sick, too.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I've cared for premature</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> infants in the NCU</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that lost both parents to Covid.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Testimony ranged</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> from comments about health</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and the economy to religion to politics.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There were pro trump signs among those</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> outside the state house and former</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ohio treasurer Josh Mandel, running</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for the Republican nomination for the U.S</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Senate, showed up and tweeted his support.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ranking committee member Alison Russo</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> put out a statement after the hearing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>saying there was a lot of vaccine</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> misinformation and conspiracy.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>During testimony</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and Democratic Representative Beth listIn</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who is a doctor, said the bill would lead</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to more disease and death</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and that the hearing pandered</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to the conspiracy theorist</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and extreme groups</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> behind the bill, giving them equal</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>footing with health experts</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and the business community.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Republican Health Committee Chair</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Scott Lipps said more than a thousand</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>people and groups have offered testimony</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for and against the bill.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And he said this hearing allowed people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to be heard so amendments</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> could be proposed for votes</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>when the House returns from its break</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on September 14th.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Speaker Bob Cupps said he and other</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> lawmakers will talk to interested parties</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to determine what should happen</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to the bill and the future.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Joe Ingles, Statehouse News Bureau.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>In the last week,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> nearly eight thousand two hundred</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>people filed first</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> time jobless claims in Ohio.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That's the lowest number since the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> pandemic began in March of twenty twenty.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So far, three point nine </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>million claims have been filed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for traditional unemployment in Ohio.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Forty one percent were approved.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Fifty five percent were denied.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And seventy two thousand</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> claims are still pending.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Some for more than a year.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There's also the pandemic unemployment</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> assistance program</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>funded by the federal government </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for people who don't qualify</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for traditional unemployment</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>gig workers, independent contractors</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and others, including those who work</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in restaurants and salons.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Two point seven million</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Puia claims have been filed in Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with thirty seven percent</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> approved and forty four percent denied.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>More than half a million of those claims</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> have been flagged for potential fraud.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And five hundred and twenty two thousand</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> claims in Puia are still pending.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Again, sometimes for over a year.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And during that time, calls and emails</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> have flooded into the Ohio Department</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of Job and Family Services</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> from people desperately seeking help</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and getting the money they need to pay</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> bills, keep their housing and eat.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I talked with GFS director Matt Damn</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Schroeder this week about the failures</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and challenges in processing those claims</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and getting those checks out.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But since his agency is one of the state's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> largest in terms of scope,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I started by asking about funding</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for another critical area</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>during this pandemic</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and the continuing opioid crisis.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Children's services and foster care,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> foster care and adoption</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is one of the governor's priorities.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so jobs on Family Services </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is, you know, proud</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to play an important part of that.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So as a part of the budget</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for this upcoming year, there's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a couple of things that I'll highlight</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> around around children's services.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>One is can as a last year,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> we started offering assistance,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>financial assistance</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to kinship parents, foster care parents.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so that's been</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a big increase in this budget.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>As we as we move forward,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> making sure that that kids</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who have to end up into the foster</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> care system, who have the option</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of being with a blood</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> relative , can do that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and that there's financial supports</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> there for that and uncle,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>our older sibling, grandparent,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to help offset some of those costs.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Another big area in the budget</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is increased to Wendys</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Wonderful Kids, which provides</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> adoption placement services.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so continuing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> partnering with with that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>incredible foundation</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and also increasing our support there.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And these are all important, too,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> because under children services</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>had been underfunded for many years.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so this was kind of part of what you</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> folks were dealing with as well.

Yeah.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And the governor is very first budget.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The governor and lieutenant</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and lieutenant governor and the General</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Assembly increased funding for the county</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> children's services agencies.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so that increase has maintained</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> through this upcoming this current</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>biennium, as well as additional supports</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> again, and for kinship foster</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and a number of other supportive services.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Let's talk a little bit</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> about unemployment here.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>In 74 weeks, the state has paid out over</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> 12 and a half billion dollars</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in unemployment compensation</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to over one million Ohioans,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and also more than 11</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> billion dollars in federal</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>pandemic unemployment assistance</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to over one point two million Ohioans.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That system had to be built from the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> ground up for you folks to administer it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>As you noted, in May,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> two point one billion dollars of</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>those claims are overpayments,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> most of that in the federal puia</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>or pandemic unemployment</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> assistance program, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>one point six billion paid in non</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> fraudulent claims.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Again, those numbers are from May.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So I'm wondering what's the status of the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> fraudulent claims and tracking down who.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Is involved in this</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and getting that money back?

Sure.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So one of the things that the governor</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> asked us to do, in addition to the three</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>primary areas that we've engaged</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the public private partnership to work on</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in terms of contact center improvements,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> fraud detection and mitigation</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and adjudication has been to also expand</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that P3 activity</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> into the law enforcement space.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so we have engaged</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the services of the former U.S.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>attorney for the southern district</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of Ohio, DeVillers,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who is working closely with us</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and really providing a link</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>between our agency</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and all the federal agencies that have</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the primary jurisdiction for investigating</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and prosecuting these crimes.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It's important to know</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Ohio wasn't alone in any of these things</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that we've seen, both</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in terms of the scale of the unemployment</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>need by our residents, but also, you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> also the fraudulent activity.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So we're working closely </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with our federal partners, state</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> law enforcement as well, to track down</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>as many of those kinds of scams.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Most of them, as Mr.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>DeVillers noted a few weeks ago, are,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, international based criminals.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so, you know, certainly that's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> well out of our realm to handle it from</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>from JAF us, but working closely</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with a patrol and others to identify,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, where we can in</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> terms of homegrown, fraudulent activity.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now, in that time frame in May,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you had said that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the public private partnership</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that you've engaged on</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>this had gone through the backlog</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of cases from 20, 20.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And we're working on the backlog cases</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> from twenty twenty one.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Where are you on a backlog</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of clearing some of this out?

Sure.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So in terms of the non fraud,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> flagged backlogs,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, we are essentially current</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with new claims within DOL</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>requirements for, again,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> non fraud, flagged claims.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so now what we're doing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is going back through claims</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that initially had a fraud flag,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that we will ultimately have to make</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a human adjudication on to say, yes,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> it was fraudulent.

No, it wasn't.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But we prioritized as many of the,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, non fraud flagged</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>claims as we could.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The other big backlog</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and there's some litigation around</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>this is not surprisingly, you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> all of this is kind of a waterfall.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So you kind of work</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> through the first bucket of work.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And then there's another bucket of work.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so now as we've cleared out </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the backlog of initial claims,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> now there's some appeals</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that we have to work through</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as a backlog as well.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And ultimately things will go to,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, other other processes where</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>just because of the sheer</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> scale of everything, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, it'll take us</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> time to work through.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>When you talk about the appeals process,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> there was a court ruling that said that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Odey DFES had to decide on reviewing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> appeals within twenty one days,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and that certainly</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> there was an understanding that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because you had so many claims</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that we're trying</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to work their way through that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that had created this backlog.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But that wasn't going to be a reason</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to give you an extension.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Sure.

And, you know, we're appealing that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> district court judge's decision.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But also, at the same time, you know, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we're not delaying our our duty</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to to work through that.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so we're working very aggressively.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think the the underlying issue for us</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is we're in a better place today</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> than we were in March.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We were in a better place in March</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> where we were last year.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And the goal is to be in a better place</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> tomorrow than we are today.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Some of these people had overpayments</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and there was supposed to be a system</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that was going to be set up</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to give people an opportunity to apply,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to not have to pay those overpayments</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> if it wasn't their fault.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But I understand</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> some of those overpayments come from</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>weekly benefit accounts.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I've even heard from one gentleman</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who said the clawback,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>he's on a second overpayment.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The clawback is coming from that.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We could benefit him out.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And he says it's done</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> more damage to his family than Covid did.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So what do you tell people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who are in this position where they got</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>extra money that they didn't ask for,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> they weren't entitled to,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and now they're in the position</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of having to repay it?

Right.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So as a part of what</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the Department of Labor has enabled</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>all of the states to do</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is to create these waiver processes</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by which, as you mentioned, you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a person who received an overpayment,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, through no fault of their own</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> area in the part of the agency or</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>nonpunitive employer can apply to have ,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, those waivers granted.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And certainly in cases, you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> like the situation where you described,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>where under state law</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> there's automatic triggers of,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, clawback </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of those underlying</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> base unemployment funds.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You know, if a waiver is granted,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>then will, you know, true up,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> so to speak, with those individuals</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and money that they would have</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> otherwise received would be refunded.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So somebody who's in that position</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> has to go through</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and apply for the waiver.

That's right.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> And how long does that process take?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So, again, similar kind of that waterfall.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There's, you know, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>all of these different processes of work</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and all of it, because of the nature</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of the unemployment system </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>at the federal level, is a</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is a human adjudication process.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so we set we established the first</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> phase, which was creating the program,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the capability on our very</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> old online system</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for a person to apply for the waiver.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> That's happening right now.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And then phase two of that will be once</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the technology is additionally built</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for our team to start, the adjudication</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> process will begin doing that .</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But in the interim, some of these people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> are losing part of their checks.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Unfortunately, that's that's correct.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And that's a function of of the of the law</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and the program design.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so, you know, all we can say</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and it's an unsatisfactory answer</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and we we acknowledge</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that is to apply for the waiver.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And as soon as we have</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that technology in place,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, we'll make</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> those adjudication decisions.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And you have new problems </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>just starting out, scammers taking over</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> legitimate accounts and changing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>bank routing numbers so that benefits</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> are being diverted into a new account.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>This is a whole different scam.

Yeah.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So the account takeover is is something</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> something new that we are also</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in the process of addressing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> through the coordination</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with our fraud technology</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> partners and the P3 team</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and our consultants in that space.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You know, we've identified technology</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to put that we have put in place</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that we believe has has reduced</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and mitigated that activity .</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But certainly where,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, we want to make sure</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that there's a process in place</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and are building the technology again</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for our systems, for individuals</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who did experience that account takeover</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to be able to apply and be made whole.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You said that the system was very old.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Is that why all this stuff is happening?

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And you also mentioned that Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> wasn't alone in getting hit by scammers.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But, boy, this has been a year and a half</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that we've been dealing with this.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And these problems still keep cropping up.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Is it because the age of the system</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> or are the scammers</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>just getting savvier or what's happening?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Well, I think a couple of things.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>One is in terms of, you know, the states,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> not just Ohio, but</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>many of the states</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> had very old systems in place.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ours was built in the 2000s.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And then layer on top of that,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as you mentioned at the beginning,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a whole new federal program</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that was essentially created overnight</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for individuals who didn't qualify</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for traditional unemployment</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>had to be, you know, built and stood up</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> because of the age of Ohio's system.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We couldn't tax are under our underlying</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> system with those additional benefits.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And, you know, honestly,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the federal enhanced dollars,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>while they were very important</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for a number of Ohioans and people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>across the country</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to get through the pandemic </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>created a really big bull's eye for,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, for scammers.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so, you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the nexus of old technology,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, big prize,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, made it made it a real thing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for scammers from around the world</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to go after Ohio and other states.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I know there's been some talk</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in other states specifically about</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the unemployment system being set up</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> so that it makes it hard</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for people to work through it</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> deliberately, that people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the goal of the state is not to help</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> people who are unemployed get money.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Is that some of what's happening here?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I don't believe that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that's what's happening here.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think there is a</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, to your point, a fundamental</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>point of of conflict between individuals</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who are the beneficiaries, who in some</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> cases view it as an entitlement program,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>whereas the employers</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who are paying into it</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and are taxed specifically for it</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> want to maintain the fund.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So that keeps their taxes low.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So, you know, from our standpoint,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, Jfr kind of stands</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in the middle of those two</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> somewhat competing interests</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and calls balls and strikes based on,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, a very human paper</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>based adjudication process</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that has appeals all the way through it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There is some discussion</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> going on on how to fix the system,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to try to make it more</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I mean, not only fix it from the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>technology point,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> but also fix it from the user side of it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Is there a way to fix the system </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>so that it doesn't get too difficult</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to navigate, to keep people out?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Because that's certainly a danger here</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as you start to put in more safeguards.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Yeah.

So one of the things that </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we're doing that was really kind of flight</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> before the pandemic occurred</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is a is a transformation</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> or modernization of the underlying</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>computer system that has been delayed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> because of the pandemic.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But we're well underway</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to bring that back up to speed.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so, you know, two things</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> are very important as a part of that.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>One is to make sure that we learn</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> all the lessons from the pandemic in</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>launching that new system</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in terms of security and the like.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But also, you know, a modern system,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, needs to be designed, you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>from a from a human centric standpoint,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with with user experience involved.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so to me, the ability to Lowder</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> claim, the ability to follow the process.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The ability to understand</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the rules, you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is entirely separate from the rules</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that govern adjudication decisions.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It should be easy for any Ohioan</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to file a claim.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now, I want to talk about the three</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> hundred dollar weekly check program</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for unemployed people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that is currently being litigated.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So I know that there are some things</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that you can't say.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The program does end in September.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It looks like it's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> not going to be extended.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So there is an ending point to all this.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ohio stop sending out those three hundred </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>dollar weekly checks</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to unemployed people in June,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>saying that there were too many businesses</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who needed to hire people.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So this was an incentive</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that needed to end here.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But there are some reports.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>To suggest that ending that money </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>hasn't helped people find jobs and really</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> has added more hardship on them.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>What do you say to that?

Well,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I would say two things.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You know, one is, as the governor,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> lieutenant governor said at the time,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, the availability of the vaccine </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>at that point in time was a major decision</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> driver to eliminate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>or to end Ohio's participation</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in that Photoshop program.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And really, that was the underlying</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, one of the underlying reasons</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>was the pandemic for that.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So the availability of the vaccine</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> was a big driver.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You know, the other</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I would say at this point in time,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>it's it's too early to to say</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> one side or the other.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You know, all of the news stories,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, have the liberal leaning</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and the conservative leaning,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, economists</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who have different views</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of the same thing.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You know, my view is</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I think we have to make the best decision</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we can on the ground based on</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the environment, the vaccine availability</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And time will tell.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But, you know, from my perspective,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I think it was the right thing to do</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to return the benefit program</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to its pre pandemic design.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>One of the other benefit</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> or one of the other pandemic issues</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that you've been dealing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with is childcare, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because childcare centers are licensed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> through your agency.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And obviously childcare was considered</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> an essential to go back to work</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for a lot of people.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But childcare was also shut down</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for quite a while.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And there's been a real struggle over</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> getting those childcare centers back up</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to where they were pre pandemic</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> or at least at the beginning of this.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>What's the progress on that?

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Well, actually, in in in Ohio right now,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we have more licensed providers</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> than we did pre pandemic.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The challenge for four centers</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that we're seeing is both</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> both the supply and demand problem.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>One is, you know, throughout the summer,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, maybe a parent,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, one of two parents</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> or or whatever the situation was said.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now, we don't maybe</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> need childcare quite yet.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so there's a delay in returning kids,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> returning to programs,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>but also at the same time,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, individuals who were laid off,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, maybe on on the enhanced vants</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>benefits program, you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> hadn't returned yet to full staff.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so I think we're starting </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to see a schools return</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and those kinds of things as as more</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>jobs are added to the economy,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that I think we'll see a resurgence there</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But certainly what what</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> this administration done </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in the leadership of the governor</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in terms of hero pay to recognize workers</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in the childcare space,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> little extra funding there.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You know, as you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> we continue to make this a priority</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for the administration to make sure that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> there's, you know, a sufficient capacity,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because it's you know, it's a major driver</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for our economy as well.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But affordability is still at issue.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I know the last budget</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> did enhance a little bit of a</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>affordability for people on the lower</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> end of the spectrum.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But affordability,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> childcare is is is very expensive.

Sure.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>No, absolutely.

And that's why,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as a part of the budget,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the governor and Senate governor</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and the General Assembly increased</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the the federal level to,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I think, 142 percent of federal poverty</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in order to qualify</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for publicly funded childcare.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But also what we want to make sure</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at the same time is while we're</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>while we're making sure that there's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> access, we all also want to make sure</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that its quality programs.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so that's also a component</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of what we do, a job of family services.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And a quick update</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on something we discussed.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The 10th District Court of Appeals</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> ruled two to one that Gov Mike DeWine</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>overstepped his authority</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in stopping the three hundred</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>dollar weekly checks for unemployed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Ohioans in late June.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The state has appealed that decision</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to the Ohio Supreme Court</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And that's it for this week</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for my colleagues at the Statehouse</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>News Bureau of Ohio Public</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Radio and Television.

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