by J.D. Davidson
A Franklin County judge ruled Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has the power to stop extra federal unemployment payments, denying an attempt to restore the weekly $300 payments that he stopped in late June.
Common Pleas Judge Michael J. Holbrook denied the request from former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction that would have restored the benefits that the federal government plans to end on Labor Day.
“As with all the decisions to be made during the pandemic, this is not one that can be taken lightly. The Court is aware of, and sympathetic to, the thousands of Ohioans without work and in desperate need of any assistance available; however, the injuries suffered by said Ohioans, including the plaintiffs here, are but one element for the Court’s consideration on a motion for a preliminary injunction,” Holbrook wrote in his ruling. “Indeed, the Court simply cannot legislate from the bench.”
Business groups, including the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, filed briefs in support of ending the extra payments. They’ve argued the money deters unemployed Ohioans from seeking work as businesses throughout the state continue to struggle to find employees.
“We are pleased with the decision. We have heard over and over again from employers who can’t find workers to fill open positions, and this policy helps both employers and workers. Our administration has focused on opportunities to help Ohioans find quality, well-paying jobs. As a result of the tough decisions we have made, Ohio’s recovery is strong, unemployment claims are declining, and Ohio’s unemployment rate is below the national average,” Dewine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said in a joint statement.
Judges in Indiana and Maryland have ruled that those two states have to restart the extra benefits after governors halted them. In all, 26 states either have ended or will end the benefits before they officially expire. All but one of those states are led by Republican governors.
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An Ohio native, J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He has served as a reporter, editor, managing editor and publisher. He is regional editor for The Center Square.
This is fuckin disgrace for Ohio people have different situations they are illegally stopping unemployment for jobs that are entitled to them by law this is not helping the Ohioan that are struggling still this is are right now that the Delta variant is high in the state people putting their lives on the line Governor Dewine doesn’t care about Ohioians at all this is a very discriminatory State he only cares about the rich not people who are still struggling
I don’t think that it should have been up Dewine or the others gov to make that decision to stop the extra money it was put in place to pay until September and they should have left it that way. The COVID cases and the delta both is on the raise. This stuff is not to play with peoples lives should not be put on the line but they are every day. I don’t think that if you get the shot your name should be put in a drawing to win a million dollars or anything like that. Dewine should reinstate the extra money. He is not out here struggling to make sure rent is paid, food on the table or the lights stay on or water is on or anything else he is not in the same place as is he had no worries at all