Ohio Employee Handbook

When your company hires employees in Ohio, you are required to comply with federal, state, and local employment laws. There are a variety of human resources and labor policies in the workplace that differ by state. Through your employee handbook, employers can easily document and distribute the correct policies to their employees to comply with the laws of each state.

Creating your Ohio Employee Handbook is a useful way to explain important policies and procedures, mitigate legal risk, and introduce employees to the expectations and operating practices of the organization.

Mosey has compiled the relevant policies a company with employees in Ohio must consider.

Ohio Employee Handbook Policies

There are 6 state and local employee handbook policies in Ohio.

Wage and Hour

Ohio Minimum Wage Policy

You are entitled to a minimum wage of $10.70 per hour in Ohio for 2025. Tipped employees must receive at least $5.35 per hour, with Employer covering any shortfall if total wages and tips do not meet $10.70 per hour. Employees under 16 may be paid less than the state minimum wage.

Leaves of Absence

Ohio Military Service Leave Policy

You are entitled to job-protected leave if you serve in the Ohio militia, National Guard, Commissioned Public Health Service Corps, or other uniformed services and are called to active duty, training, or deployed during times of war or emergency. Your employment is protected during military service, and you have the right to return to the same or an equivalent position with comparable seniority, status, and pay unless significant changes within Employer make reinstatement unreasonable, in which case alternative arrangements will be considered.

Whenever possible, you are encouraged to provide advance notice of your military service obligations to your manager or Human Resources. For reinstatement of licenses or certifications, you must submit an application to the issuing board with the necessary service-related documentation.

Ohio Volunteer Emergency Responder Leave Policy

Employer provides unpaid, job-protected leave to employees who are absent or late to work when responding to emergencies as a volunteer firefighter or emergency service provider.

Ohio Voting Leave Policy

You are permitted to take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off to vote on Election Day if your work schedule does not provide sufficient time to vote outside of working hours.

Ohio Jury Duty Leave Policy

You are entitled to unpaid, job-protected leave to serve as a juror. Unless directed otherwise by your supervisor, you should return to work at the completion of jury duty, even if for a partial day.

Ohio Military Family Leave Policy

Employer provides eligible employees with unpaid, job-protected leave in accordance with the Ohio Military Family Leave Act. Eligible employees may take up to 10 workdays or 80 work hours per calendar year (whichever is less) and must provide Employer with advance notice in most circumstances.

Federal Employee Handbook Policies

Regardless of which states you have employees in, there are required federal policies that must be included in your employee handbook. In addition to any state-specific policies, your employee handbook for Ohio should contain the following federal policies.

• Anti-Harassment Policy
• Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy
• Anti-Retaliation Policy
• Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
• Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Handbook Policy Best Practices

In addition to the required federal policies, the following policies are best practices to include in your employee handbook.

• Prohibited Conduct Policy
• Violations Reporting Policy
• Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
• Weapons Policy
• Disciplinary Action Policy
• At-Will Employment
• Federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Policy