Workplace Issues in Ohio

Under the Ohio Civil Rights Act, workers have 6 months (180 days) from the discriminatory act to file a complaint with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. EEOC dual-filing extends the federal deadline to 300 days. After the OCRC issues a right-to-sue notice, workers may file a lawsuit in state court.

Ohio's Civil Rights Act does not expressly protect sexual orientation or gender identity at the state level. Workers may rely on the federal Bostock v. Clayton County interpretation of Title VII's sex discrimination prohibition for federal protection. Some Ohio cities — including Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati — have local non-discrimination ordinances covering sexual orientation.

Ohio's minimum wage is $10.45 per hour in 2024 for most employers (adjusted annually for inflation). Employers with annual gross receipts of $342,000 or less must pay the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Ohio does not have a state paid sick leave mandate.

Ohio courts recognize a public policy exception to at-will employment where the termination clearly violates a well-established public policy expressed in a statute or constitutional provision — such as firing for filing a workers' compensation claim or for jury duty. Ohio courts have also recognized implied contract exceptions in some circumstances based on employer representations.