Denied Unemployment Insurance for Fraud, but Did Not Work

[A76.SSEB]

My question involves unemployment benefits for the state of: OH

Please help, my mom is a terminated teacher in OH. She was terminated b/c teachers not completing their masters degree in this certain district at a certain period were being relieved. She applied for unemployment benefits. She DID NOT WORK, yet she received a denial of benefits due to fraud/working & collecting benefits from U of D. She went to the University, did some digging/querying at HR & Payroll. They found no pay under her name or SS# since she worked with them in 2001, so she had them to fax the archived records proving she hadn't worked with the University since that period. The unemployment appeal stated: your claim was denied due to: information given does not change the determination. This seems either malicious or a mix-up from someone not paying attention (i.e. looked in the wrong screen, connected wrong SS# etc. or something) . How can I help my mom, she DOES NOT have the money for an attorney. I'm willing to help pay, but (no harm intended), the attorney's in her area are WAY too interconnected, I've dealt with them before, & I was only able to receive objective council from an attorney in CA licensed in OH.
Thank you for your time & help.

[PattyPA]

Something isn't making sense. Did the state say that she was being denied because she was was earning wages through U of D (whoever they are)? Has she EVER worked there? Is that from where she was terminated?

The state has no reason to "maliciously" deny benefits.

She can appeal the decision; an attorney is not necessary.

I will say that, even if she was financially eligible, the fact that she did not complete the requirements of the job by getting her degree in the time frame required, would be a big strike against her in receiving UI benefits. This is something over which she had control.

[A76.SSEB]

Thanks for your response. It was deemed an error by the state; it WAS a fat-finger issue. They didn't deny her due to not having her Master's at the time frame requested. They will reimburse her for the weeks missed. It will take 2-4 weeks, but they are reimbursing her for their fat-finger.