Senate Bill 33 Proponent Testimony — Ohio House Commerce and Labor Committee (April 2, 2025)

Summary

Proponent testimony on Senate Bill 33 (allow employers to post certain labor law notices on internet) before the Ohio House Commerce and Labor Committee, April 2, 2025, by Chris Ferruso, State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business in Ohio (NFIB). The testimony states support on behalf of nearly 21,000 governing members. It says Senate Bill 33 adds a second option to post required Ohio labor law notices on the internet instead of only in a conspicuous place in or about the premises, and describes the bill as permissive. It also states that Senate Bill 33 passed the Ohio Senate on March 5, on a vote of 29-3.

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    SENATE BILL 33 – (ALLOW EMPLOYERS TO POST CERTAIN LABOR LAW NOTICES ON
                                   INTERNET)

     PROPONENT TESTIMONY- OHIO HOUSE COMMERCE AND LABOR COMMITTEE

                                       APRIL 2, 2025


Chairman Johnson, Vice-Chair Lear, Ranking Member McNally, and members of the Ohio

House Commerce and Labor Committee, my name is Chris Ferruso, and I serve as State

Director of the National Federation of Independent Business in Ohio (NFIB). I am here on

behalf of our nearly 21,000 governing members to lend our support for Senate Bill 33. We

appreciate Senators Wilson and Lang reintroducing this legislation from last general

assembly.



For reference, NFIB is a small business trade association founded over 80 years ago that is

dedicated to representing the interests of small and independent businesses across our

state and nation. NFIB’s mission is to promote the right of our members to own, operate

and grow their businesses. NFIB members come from all industry sectors and each of the

88 counties across Ohio. Our average member has 15 or fewer employees and has less

than $2 million in annual gross receipts.



Senate Bill 33 would permit businesses to post required Ohio labor law notices on the

internet in a manner that is accessible to employees. Under current law, such notices are

required to be posted “in a conspicuous place in or about the premises” where an

individual is employed. Senate Bill 33 adds a second option “on the internet in a manner

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that is accessible...” With a number of employees now working on a remote or hybrid

basis, the ability to access this information online would be a positive step as employers

continue to adapt their work models to best suit their and their employees’ needs.

Important topics such as Ohio wage, workers’ compensation and civil rights laws are

outlined under the six notices covered by this bill.



Senate Bill 33 is permissive. It gives employers the option to make these notices

accessible via hard copy if they choose or provide both physical and electronic copies.

Senate Bill 33 enables flexibility based on the employer and the nature of their workplace.

For instance, some companies have a share of or all their workforce working remotely. For

them, it does not serve a purpose to require these notices to be made available solely via

hard copy in a physical location. Furthermore, this legislation would provide greater ease

of access to employees as they would have the opportunity to view workplace notices

anywhere from their personal, work, or public computers or their cell phones without

having to be at the physical location where the posters are located. We believe Senate Bill

3 may increase employee awareness and access to these posters.



Senate Bill 33 is nearly identical to House Bill 94 which passed out of this committee and

full Ohio House last week on a vote of 75-20. Senate Bill 33 passed the Ohio Senate on

March 5, on a vote of 29-3. Senate Bill 96, identical legislation from the 135th General

Assembly, unanimously passed the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House Commerce & Labor

Committee. Unfortunately, this bill did not make it to the Ohio House floor for a vote. We

encourage adoption of this legislation. Thank you for your time. I am happy to try and

address any questions.




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