Unemployed people in Ohio to get retroactive help

CLEVELAND (AP) — Many people getting unemployment benefits in Ohio will receive an extra payment because of a delayed raise.

The state is just now reprogramming its system that sends out unemployment checks and electronic fund transfers to reflect a $25 weekly increase approved earlier this year by the federal government. Recipients were supposed to start getting that the last week in February.

As Ohio catches up, many of its more than 346,000 residents on unemployment in recent months will receive a benefits boost in the next week or two.

The raise is retroactive, so the state will issue separate checks or transfers for up to $300, representing the accumulated increases over 10 to 12 weeks. Subsequent payments will include the $25 raise.