COLUMBUS — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic on Monday:

NEW HEALTH ORDER
The Ohio Department of Health amended its remaining health order on Monday to conform to the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, which allows those who have been vaccinated to stop wearing masks. Under the CDC’s new guidance, those who have not been vaccinated should still wear a mask and socially distance.

Ohio’s order reflects the CDC’s recommendation that everyone wear masks when in a healthcare setting, when traveling on public transportation (including airplanes), and when at a business or employer that chooses to require masks.

The CDC recommendations make clear that businesses will be able to choose for themselves whether they continue to require masks in their premises. If a business chooses to require masking for employees and customers, that is permitted under the CDC guidance and Ohio’s order.  If a business chooses not to require masks and leave that choice to customers and employees, that is also permitted
Ohio’s order also continues to require masking in settings such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and in settings with large numbers of unvaccinated individuals, such as schools and daycare centers.

YOUTH VACCINATION FAQs
The Ohio Department of Health has created a new FAQ document to answer common questions from parents, guardians, and youth about COVID-19 vaccines. It shares information about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, parental consent, where children can be vaccinated, and more.

Just like adults, youth can be vaccinated at many locations across the state that are offering the Pfizer vaccine.

Pediatricians that are not yet registered to be vaccine providers are encouraged to sign up. Pediatricians and other potential vaccine providers can find more information at odh.ohio.gov.

RESOURCES FOR OHIO EMPLOYERS
As Ohio’s economy recovers, businesses continue to experience difficulty filling open positions. Lt. Gov. Husted outlined the process for employers to report work refusals on the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services website. This includes jfs.ohio.gov, unemployment.ohio.gov, and OhioMeansJobs.com.

Because of the wide availability of both jobs and the vaccine in the state, ODJFS now has several buttons featured prominently on their websites for employers to report former employees who are receiving unemployment but have refused offers of suitable work.

Ohio law states that individuals are not entitled to unemployment benefits if they have resigned or have declined an offer of suitable work by filling out the “Eligibility Notice/Refusal to Return to Work Form.”
ODJFS will then investigate and send both parties an appealable determination on whether the quit or work refusal was for good cause.
Ohio law states that individuals are not entitled to unemployment benefits if they have resigned or have declined an offer of suitable work without “good cause.”

Individuals can visit OhioMeansJobs.com or contact their local OhioMeansJobs center to find and apply for job openings, take skill and career interest assessments, create or improve their resume, or practice interviewing.
OhioMeansJobs.com currently lists more than 180,000 job openings, and nearly 95,000 of them pay more than $50,000 per year.

To find contact information for your nearest OhioMeansJobs center, visit OhioMeansJobs.com and select “FIND A JOB CENTER” at the bottom of the page or call 1-888-296-7541.