The weekly work search rule in Ohio
At least 2 work search activities each week you request benefits. Write them down and keep the record. If your requirement changes, ODJFS will tell you. You must also post a full resume on OhioMeansJobs.com by week 4 and finish the Career Profile survey there by week 8.
Keep track of your work search activities; ODJFS says you will need this information for your weekly claim. All activities must be documented and able to be checked.
File and certify on the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services site. The rules can change, so check ODJFS's work search page if a letter from them says something different.
| Ohio rule | |
|---|---|
| Each week | At least 2 work search activities each week you request benefits. Write them down and keep the record. If your requirement changes, ODJFS will tell you. You must also post a full resume on OhioMeansJobs.com by week 4 and finish the Career Profile survey there by week 8. |
| How you report it | Keep track of your work search activities; ODJFS says you will need this information for your weekly claim. All activities must be documented and able to be checked. |
| Enter each activity online | No, you keep your own record |
| Keep records | Keep a record of your work search activities for 18 months. |
| Agency | Ohio Department of Job and Family Services |
Source: Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (jfs.ohio.gov), checked 2026-10-20.
What counts as a work search activity in Ohio
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services lists these:
- Applying for work
- Sending a resume to an employer
- Interviewing for suitable work
- Attending a job fair
- Completing assigned Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) activities
- Creating and keeping a reemployment plan
- Creating and keeping a searchable, active resume
- Completing the OhioMeansJobs.com Career Profile survey
- Creating a profile on a professional networking site such as LinkedIn
- Attending a training
- Contacting a hiring hall
- Any other good-faith step likely to lead to a job
Who does not have to search for work in Ohio
The requirement is waived if you are in agency-approved training or your employer told ODJFS your layoff is temporary. It is treated as met if you are attending school or are a member in good standing of a union hiring hall that refers members to jobs.
Keep your work search log free
Write down each activity the day you do it: the date, the employer, how you contacted them, the job, and what happened. If the state asks to see your search, the log is your proof.
The free work search log in Capstone Careers keeps it for you: each application you send through Capstone Careers goes on it by itself, you add the ones you do elsewhere, and you can save the week as a PDF.
Need more applications to reach your number? See openings near you and get a resume written for each one.
Training while you are on unemployment in Ohio
If you want to train for a new job, WIOA can pay for approved training if you qualify. See how WIOA works in Ohio.
Approved training is on ODJFS's list of exemptions above, so ask ODJFS before you start.