The federal program meant to bolster the income for those unemployed because of coronavirus shutdowns ended on Saturday, and it is uncertain how much future benefits will be under the new stimulus package currently being debated in Congress. 

More than 800 thousand ohioans continued on unemployment as of the July 23 weekly Ohio Department of Job and Family Services release. 

But, because the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program ended on the 25th, the upcoming filing week will only pay standard benefit amounts. 

Senator Rob Portman says he’s open to extending a version of the benefits, but not at $600. He spoke on the senate floor on the 21st. 

“As part of this negotiation,  I think congress should and will extend the additional federal insurance benefit in some form,” says Portman.  “But, you shouldn’t get paid more not to work. And, I think that’s a principle we should all, on both sides of the aisle I hope, agree with.”

Zach Schiller from Policy Matters Ohio says the loss of income will have a dramatic impact on both families and the economy. Data from ODJFS shows that hundreds millions of dollars were paid weekly in FPUC; spending power he says prevented the state's economy from “spiraling downward” 

“Right now what is needed we have so many people not going to restaurants, or hotels, or using a lot of the traditional services that they do because of public health,” says Schiller. “And, of course that won’t end until we end our public health crisis. But, in the interim,  this is now spreading across the economy.”

Schiller also says that Washington should act to maintain the coronavirus programs until the threat is over, and look for a more permanent solution for unemployment. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, which expanded unemployment benefits to self-employed workers and those not covered by regular unemployment, also has an expiration date at the end of the year.