Proponent Testimony on Senate Bill 33 — Ohio Chamber of Commerce, House Commerce & Labor Committee

Summary

Proponent testimony on Senate Bill 33 (SB 33) before the House Commerce & Labor Committee by Kevin Shimp, an associate attorney at the law firm Dickinson Wright, testifying on behalf of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. The testimony states that the Ohio Chamber represents over 8,000 companies and supports SB 33 because it can reduce compliance burdens by giving employers another way to make labor law notices accessible to employees. It cites a 2024 Gallup survey finding that 26 percent of adults work fully remote, 55 percent have a hybrid schedule, and 19 percent are entirely in-person. It states that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered how Ohioans work.

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              BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMERCE & LABOR COMMITTEE
                  PROPONENT TESTIMONY ON SENATE BILL 33

Chairman Johnson, Vice Chair Lear, Ranking Member McNally and members of the
House Commerce and Labor Committee, thank you for the opportunity to provide
proponent testimony on Senate Bill 33 (SB 33). My name is Kevin Shimp and I am an
associate attorney at the law firm Dickinson Wright testifying on behalf of the Ohio
Chamber of Commerce.

The Ohio Chamber is the state’s leading business advocate. The organization represents
over 8,000 companies that do business in Ohio and their mission is to aggressively
champion free enterprise, economic competitiveness and growth for the benefit of all
Ohioans.

In the Ohio Chamber’s efforts to champion economic competitiveness, the Ohio Chamber
supports SB 33 because it can reduce compliance burdens on businesses and provide
employers another manner to comply with Ohio’s requirement to make certain
employment law posters accessible to their employees.

Currently, Ohio law mandates that private businesses post notices about their rights
under various labor laws in a conspicuous place at their place of employment. These laws
include Ohio’s minor labor laws, minimum wage laws, employment discrimination laws,
prevailing wage requirements and workers’ compensation obligations. Public employers
must also have a notice on Ohio’s Public Employment Risk Reduction Program.

These laws, which perform an important function of assuring employers and employees
alike understand their rights and obligations in the workplace, were developed when
employees primarily worked in an office setting each day. Due to this work arrangement,
employers could comply with their obligations under Ohio law by posting these notices in
breakrooms or other common areas, and the posters were easily accessible to employees
since they were placed in areas they frequented.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered how Ohioans work. A recent
2024 Gallup survey found that 26 percent of adults work fully remote, 55 percent have a
hybrid schedule, and 19 percent are entirely in-person.1 Senate Bill 33 seeks to address
this new reality where the most conspicuous spot for an employer to place a labor poster
may be on a webpage that is accessible to employees.




1 https://www.gallup.com/401384/indicator-hybrid-work.aspx
By allowing employers the option to put certain employment posters online, Senate Bill
33 makes it easier for employees who work remotely to have access to the same
information as their colleagues or other Ohioans who work at a place of business.

The legislation also benefits employers by reducing compliance burdens since it provides
them with multiple methods to comply with the notice requirements of Ohio law. The
electronic posters will also be easier to update on a yearly basis or if there is a change in
the law, so the legislation may bolster the accuracy of these notices and employer
compliance rates.

In closing, the Ohio Chamber urges your favorable consideration of Senate Bill 33
because it modernizes Ohio’s law on posting employment law notices to reflect the new
reality of hybrid and remote work arrangements. Thank you for the opportunity to testify
and I welcome any questions from the committee.


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