HB688 • 2026

Prohibit employment application question re: criminal background

Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Desiree Tims
Last action
Official status: As Introduced
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Prohibit employment application question re: criminal background

To enact section 4113.87 of the Revised Code to prohibit private employers from including on an employment application any question concerning the criminal background of the applicant.

What This Bill Does

To enact section 4113.87 of the Revised Code to prohibit private employers from including on an employment application any question concerning the criminal background of the applicant.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

Ohio Legislature
As Introduced

Official Summary Text

To enact section 4113.87 of the Revised Code to prohibit private employers from including on an employment application any question concerning the criminal background of the applicant.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
H. B. No. 688

2025-2026

Representatives Tims, Brent

To
enact section 4113.87 of the Revised Code
to
prohibit private employers from including on an employment
application any question concerning the criminal background of the
applicant.

BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section
1.
That
section 4113.87 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec.
4113.87.
(A)
As used in this section, "employer" means every person who
employs one or more individuals in this state but does not include a
"public employer" as that term is defined in section 9.73
of the Revised Code.

(B)
No employer shall include on any form for application for employment
with the employer any question concerning the criminal background of
the applicant.

(C)
Nothing in this section prohibits an employer from including on any
form for application for employment with the employer a statement
notifying an applicant of any provision of the Revised Code or
federal law that disqualifies an individual with a particular
criminal history from employment in a particular position.

(D)
A person may report an alleged violation of this section to the
director of commerce. If, on receipt of such a report, the director
determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a
violation exists, the director shall investigate the alleged
violation within a reasonable amount of time. If, after an
investigation and a hearing conducted in accordance with Chapter 119.
of the Revised Code, the director finds that a violation of this
section has occurred, the director may assess a fine against the
employer in a reasonable amount, as determined by the director.

(E)
All money collected under this section shall be deposited into the
state treasury to the credit of the industrial compliance operating
fund created under section 121.084 of the Revised Code.