New Ohio Budget Contains A Few Provisions to Interest Employers

Last week, the General Assembly passed a new budget which contained some provisions of interest to public and private employers (aside from the obvious funding issues). Among other things, House Bill 153:
• Amended Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4141 concerning “seasonal employment” provisions in the unemployment compensation chapter;
• Incorporated performance management requirements for schools;
• Re-authorized mandatory and optional cost savings programs for exempt (i.e., non-union) employees in Ohio Revised Code § 124.393 to last until the end of fiscal year 2013, adds new ORC § 124.394 and broadens the provisions’ coverage to include non-union employees of townships and municipal corporations;
• Deleted the health care coverage and quality provisions from ORC § 4113.11 concerning mandatory health insurance cafeteria plans;
• Amended Chapter 4115 concerning prevailing wage requirements;
• Added college preparatory boarding schools to the purview of public collective bargaining provisions in Chapter 4117; and
• Amended provisions regarding the filling of positions within the civil service under Chapter 124.

NOTICE: This summary is designed merely to inform and alert you of recent legal developments. It does not constitute legal advice and does not apply to any particular situation because different facts could lead to different results. Information here can change or be amended without notice. Readers should not act upon this information without legal advice. If you have any questions about anything you have read, you should consult with or retain an employment attorney.