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Ohio unemployment trust bonds.
From $100.

A nonprofit that elects to be a reimbursing employer — paying unemployment benefits dollar-for-dollar instead of regular contributions — must file a bond with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services under ORC 4141.241. Pricing starts from $100; one soft credit pull, never affecting your score.

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Required of a nonprofit reimbursing employer electing to pay benefits in lieu of contributions under ORC 4141.241
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Amount is set by the Director of Job and Family Services — based on your payroll and benefit exposure
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One soft credit pull — never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score
From $100your bond amountSoft pull onlynever a hard inquiryInstantissued the moment you pay
Trusted by industry leaders
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New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC)
Blumenfeld Development Group (BDG)
Capital Development Partners
McKinney Properties
Terra Capital
JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle)
Triple Five Group
The Georgetown Company
Price

How much does an Ohio unemployment trust bond cost?

4% of the bond amount, from $100. Enter your amount in the calculator for the exact price.

How it works

Three steps to filed.

Your reimbursing-employer election is waiting on this bond. Here is the whole process:

TODAY · ONLINE

Apply once, online

Organization details, the bond amount the Department set, and the effective date — the only extra step is a one-time consent to a soft credit pull.

RIGHT AWAY

Approved

Most are approved as soon as you apply. One soft credit pull, never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score. If it needs a second look, one to two business days at most.

WHEN YOU PAY

E-sign & file with Job & Family Services

Pay online and receive the executed bond, ready to file to secure your reimbursing-employer status. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever the Department insists.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the trust bond actually covers

Most Ohio employers pay quarterly contributions into the state Unemployment Compensation Fund. A nonprofit can instead elect to be a reimbursing employer — paying the fund back, dollar-for-dollar, for the benefits actually charged to it. ORC 4141.241 lets the Director of Job and Family Services require a bond securing that obligation.

The bond is a public-funds guarantee: it stands behind the reimbursements the nonprofit owes the fund. If the organization fails to repay benefits paid on its account, the Department can recover against the bond, protecting the fund and other employers.

It is not insurance for the nonprofit — if the surety pays, the nonprofit repays the surety. The Director sets the amount based on payroll and benefit exposure (the statute caps it at $2,000,000), and it is reviewed periodically. Enter the amount on your determination and your exact price — from $100 — appears at the application, backed by a soft credit pull that never affects your score.

ORC 4141.241 (Department of Job and Family Services)Ohio Revised Code 4141.241 lets a nonprofit organization elect to make payments in lieu of contributions (reimbursing-employer status) for unemployment benefits charged to it, and authorizes the Director of Job and Family Services to require a surety bond securing those payments. The Director sets the amount based on the organization’s exposure; the statute caps the required bond at $2,000,000. Confirm the amount on your Department determination.

You need this bond if you are

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A nonprofit (501(c)(3)) employer electing reimbursing-employer status in Ohio
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Already reimbursing and asked by the Department to post or increase a bond
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Renewing or adjusting your bond as your payroll and benefit exposure changes
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Reinstating reimbursing status after a determination required new security
After you buy

Claims, renewal, filing, and what sets the price.

If a claim is made

A claim comes from the party the bond protects, the obligee named on the form, when the duty the bond guarantees is not met.

The surety investigates and pays a valid claim, up to the bond amount. You then repay the surety: a surety bond is a guarantee of your performance, not insurance for you.

Renewal and term

The carrier issues this bond for a single two-year term; the term cannot be changed at checkout.

Renewal falls on the statutory date, October 7, in the year your term ends.

Renew before the expiry date to keep the bond in force: the license, permit or contract it backs expects continuous coverage.

How to file it

E-sign & file with Job & Family Services. Pay online and receive the executed bond, ready to file to secure your reimbursing-employer status. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever the Department insists.

What sets the price

The premium is 4% of the bond amount, $100 minimum: the amount the obligee sets moves the price, not your business profile.

One soft credit pull, never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score.

Where a check runs, it decides approval; the rate is the same for everyone approved.

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual underwriting fields, including a one-time consent to a soft credit pull. Submit once and your bond is issued when you pay.

Start the application →
FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the Ohio unemployment trust bond?Pricing is variable, from $100. The amount itself is set by the Department of Job and Family Services based on your payroll and benefit exposure (capped at $2,000,000). Enter the figure on your determination and your exact price appears at the application; most applicants qualify at or near the $100 minimum.
Who needs this bond?Nonprofit employers that elect to be reimbursing employers — paying the Unemployment Compensation Fund back for benefits charged to them instead of paying regular contributions. ORC 4141.241 lets the Department require a bond to secure that obligation.
What does the bond guarantee?That your organization reimburses the fund for the unemployment benefits paid on its account. If you don’t, the Department can claim against the bond — and if the surety pays, your organization repays the surety.
Is there a credit check?Yes: one soft credit pull, never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score. It informs approval, not price: credit can affect whether we approve the bond, never what it costs once your amount is set.
How often does the amount change?The Department reviews reimbursing employers periodically and can adjust the required bond as your payroll and benefit exposure change. When yours changes, send us the new determination and we’ll re-issue at that amount.
Which A-rated carriers underwrite these bonds?Typically Arch Insurance Company (A.M. Best A+) or Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company (A.M. Best A). Which one writes your bond depends on the bond type and your state. The carrier's name and official signature are printed on the bond you receive.
How do I contact Light RFP about this bond?Email insurance@lightrfp.com. It reaches the bond team at Light RFP Risk Management Services LLC (NY DFS License # PC-1978982). Write to us about quotes, applications, bond forms or certificates. We will respond within 24 hours.
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Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, . Page updated .

Secure your reimbursing-employer status.

Pricing from $100, soft pull only. Enter the amount the Department set and file the same day.

Your premiumfrom $100
Apply now →