Human Resources

House Finance Committee Increases K-12 Spending, Slightly

The House Finance Committee proposed an additional $90 million in state spending on K-12 schools. The funding formula is tweaked also.

To find out how your schools would be affected, check out this spreadsheet.  4/27/2016

House Goes After Opioid Crisis

House Republican leadership has put $170 million in new funding to treat the state’s opioid crisis. Ohio has led the nation in opioid-related deaths.

Leadership proposes to spend: $130 million for treatment, $19.4 million for mental health initiatives, $12.2 million toward prevention efforts, and $9 million to support workforce training programs.  4/27/2017

Seventh Circuit Decides Sexual Orientation is Covered Under Civil Rights Act

From OMA Connections Partner, Dinsmore: “On Tuesday, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which encompasses Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, became the first federal circuit to rule that sexual orientation is covered by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The landmark decision created a circuit split between the Seventh Circuit and every other court of appeal to have addressed the issue, setting the stage for a possible Supreme Court showdown regarding the scope of Title VII’s coverage.”

Read more from Dinsmore about the decision.  4/6/2017

“Blacklisting Rule” is Voided

This week President Trump signed the Congressional Review Act, Resolution of Disapproval (H.J. Res 37) of the “Blacklisting Rule,” essentially voiding the rule and preventing it from resurfacing in future administrations.

The rule would have placed extensive and burdensome new reporting requirements on federal contractors by requiring contractors to report any labor law “violation,” even if it was a mere allegation.

The Senate and House both passed the resolution and now the rule is officially voided with the president’s signature.

The National Association of Manufacturers issued a press statement praising the rollback of this unnecessary and burdensome rule.  3/28/2017

New Workplace Gun Law Now in Effect

Beginning this week, on March 21, 2017, businesses in Ohio are no longer permitted to ban handguns from all company property.

Senate Bill 199, signed by Governor Kasich on December 19, 2016, precludes private employers from adopting policies that prohibit, or have the effect of prohibiting, employees and others with a valid concealed handgun license from transporting and storing firearms or ammunition in a personal vehicle in an employer’s’ parking lot.

Prior to SB 199, employers in Ohio were free to ban guns on their property, including in parking lots.

Read more about this from OMA Connections Partner, Dinsmore.  3/22/2017

Skills Based Hiring Pilot in NEO

TalentNEO, a regional initiative in northeast Ohio, is sponsoring a no charge, pilot program for skills based hiring by manufacturers.

What is TalentNEO?

“TalentNEO connects companies and jobseekers in NE Ohio using WorkKeys® assessments to articulate and quantify cognitive workplace skills. Driven by business and supported by multiple stakeholders, TalentNEO promotes and supports employers’ use of WorkKeys skills scores in their hiring process to increase applicant pool size, improve retention rates, and reduce costs. TalentNEO aims to expand employment opportunities for jobseekers who have the required skills but lack the educational credentials or experience traditionally used to screen job applicants.”

Read more here.  3/23/2017

USCIS Temporarily Suspends H-1B Premium Processing

OMA Connections Partner, Dinsmore, advises: “On March 3, 2017, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a temporary suspension of premium processing impacting all H-1B petitions received by USCIS beginning April 3, 2017. The suspension will be in place for up to six months, supposedly to permit the agency to prioritize pending H-1B cases that are outside of their normal processing time and to reduce the backlog of pending H-1B cases filed in 2016.”

More from Dinsmore here.   3/6/2017

Ohio New Gun Law is Effective March 21

OMA Connections Partner, Barnes & Thornburg, reminds us that Ohio’s new gun law, SB 199, that passed in the December 2016 lame duck session, goes into effect next month, on March 21. The bill revised the state’s laws on where a concealed carry firearm licensee is allowed to take a gun.

According to Barnes & Thornburg, here are the main points Ohio business owners should remember about the new gun law.  2/17/2017

OMA Supports Aligning Ohio Employment Discrimination Laws with Federal Laws

In written testimony this week to the House Economic Development, Commerce, and Labor Committee, OMA’s Rob Brundrett said: ” … Ohio is at a competitive disadvantage with employment discrimination laws that are significantly different than federal laws and the laws of many other states. These differences between the state and federal laws create an administrative burden for Ohio’s manufacturers and other Ohio employers. Bringing Ohio’s laws in line with their federal counterparts creates a more predictable and consistent system for employers and employees alike, and does not disrupt individuals’ avenues to assert discrimination violations.

“In the critical areas of statute of limitations, dual actions, individual supervisor liability, damages, affirmative defenses, and age discrimination, the bill improves Ohio’s laws. We agree with other proponents that the bill encourages predictability, stability, and administrative efficiency, not only for Ohio manufacturers but also in terms of use of the state’s resources. This legislation gives human resources professionals the first opportunity to resolve personnel complaints and rectify detrimental workplace behavior before it results in costly litigation.”

The bill had its second hearing this week.  2/23/2017 

With Focus on Immigration, Get I-9s in Compliance

OMA Connections Partner, Frantz Ward, posts a timely notice about the importance of I-9 compliance: “In an Executive Order issued on January 25, 2017, titled “Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States,” President Trump directed all executive agencies to prioritize the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. Such enforcement will very likely include more frequent and significant  audits and investigations of employers’ I-9 compliance.

” … on January 21, 2017, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services began requiring employers to use a new version of the I-9 form for all new hires. Employers who fail to use the proper form can be subject to civil penalties exceeding $2,000 for every improper form used.

“Here is a link to the new form and instructions for completing it. Note that unlike prior versions, the instructions are now contained in a separate document and are more detailed.”

Read more from Frantz Ward.  2/14/2017