Intro to Ohio Labor Laws

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) is moving to OHID, a secure login system that allows users to access many Ohio government services with just one username and password. 

Justworks PEO customers with active Ohio BWC accounts will need to create an OHID account, enable 2-Step Verification credentials, and transfer the association of existing BWC e-accounts to your OHID by July 1, 2024. While these customers are required to take the above actions, this new login method will not disrupt Justworks' ability to manage the BWC policies for said customers with active PEO agreements and completed Forms AC-2.

If you need assistance setting up your OHID login, please reach out to the BWC Customer Contact Center.

The city of Columbus, Ohio has passed a new ordinance restricting employers from inquiring about applicants’ previous salary history or current wages. Employers are also prohibited from inquiring about candidates’ past or current benefits and/or total reward packages. Employers can still discuss salary expectations for the role with an applicant.

Starting next month, a new ordinance in Toledo, OH will prohibit employers in the city from inquiring about applicants’ salary histories during the application process.

Effective December 7, 2023, the state of Ohio legalized recreational marijuana use for residents aged 21 and older. Although the law permits recreational use, Ohio employers are not required to accommodate an employee’s use, possession, or distribution of marijuana while at work. Additionally, employers are entitled to take adverse action against an employee for marijuana use, possession, or distribution as well as enforce drug testing, zero-tolerance, and drug-free workplace policies. 

Employers should carefully review drug policies to ensure compliance with Ohio and federal law and ensure their policies are clearly communicated to employees and consistently enforced.

In January, Governor DeWine signed a law that impacts employment discrimination claims filed with the state. One notable inclusion, while not a requirement, is that establishing anti-harassment policies and procedures (including training) may assist with an employer’s defense in hostile work environment claims.

Justworks teams up with EVERFI to provide our customers with access to harassment and discrimination training directly in Justworks.

As announced by Governor DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Husted on March 21, Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) is allowing employers to defer BWC premium payments for the months of March and April 2020, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

If Justworks reports and remits premiums on your company’s behalf under a PEO Reporting Lease and you would like to defer premiums for these months, please reach out to our support team. If you choose to defer premiums and reporting of these months, deferred premiums will be charged on the first month that normal billing resumes.