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Rep. Demetrio proposes waiver of job-search rule for weather-related temporary layoffs
Summary
Rep. Demetrio told the House Public Insurance and Pensions Committee that House Bill 726 would let the director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services waive the weekly active job-search requirement for workers temporarily laid off because of winter weather, for up to 17 weeks between Dec. 1 and March 31 when employers document a return-to-work date.
Representative Demetrio presented House Bill 726 to the House Public Insurance and Pensions Committee as a narrow, workforce-focused fix to what he called a gap in Ohio’s unemployment system. He said the bill would allow the director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to waive the active work-search requirement for employees temporarily laid off because weather makes their jobs impossible to perform, for up to 17 weeks between Dec. 1 and March 31 when an employer notifies the state and supplies a documented return-to-work date.
"This bill simply acknowledges the realities of seasonal employment in Ohio," Representative Demetrio said, arguing that requiring workers to document job searches for positions they have no intention of taking creates unnecessary administrative burden. He emphasized the proposal does not expand benefit eligibility or increase the duration of unemployment benefits; claimants would still have to meet existing requirements, including being able and available to work.
Committee members pressed the sponsor on scope and safeguards. Rep. Miller asked whether the change targets specific industries; Demetrio said it is aimed primarily at outdoor trades such as paving and landscaping and that the draft currently clarifies applicability to nonunion shops. Rep. Brennan asked whether the bill would set a precedent that disadvantages union members; Demetrio said he consulted with skilled-trade unions, does not intend to undercut union arrangements and is open to further discussion or amendment.
Other lawmakers raised implementation questions. Rep. Claggett suggested pairing any waiver with employer-side incentives or requirements so firms have a financial stake in rehiring laid-off workers. Rep. Young warned that fixed calendar dates could misalign with regional weather variability and urged careful use of ODJFS oversight to avoid misclassification. Demetrio said the Dec. 1–March 31 window was intended to target rough winter months but acknowledged the draft could be refined and that he is open to agency input and amendments.
The sponsor repeatedly described the proposal as a limited administrative fix that builds on an existing statutory waiver in Ohio Revised Code 4141.29 and would preserve the integrity of the unemployment system while reducing paperwork for predictable seasonal layoffs.
The committee heard the testimony and asked follow-up questions but took no vote on HB 726 at this session; the panel moved on to consider other bills and said staff and members would continue discussions and possible drafting changes.
