Ohio Law Prohibits Disability Discrimination in the Workplace

Ohio Law Prohibits Disability Discrimination in the Workplace

Doug Mann

Last updated on August 3rd, 2023

A disability doesn’t mean you have to sideline your career. If you’re a software engineer who is confined to a wheelchair, for example, your employer should be willing to make your workspace wheelchair-accessible. If your employer refuses to do so, you might have a disability discrimination claim against your employer.

Employment discrimination based on disability is illegal in Ohio. Of course, in some cases, you might not be certain that your disability is the reason why you have been treated badly. If you seriously suspect disability discrimination, however, you must act quickly to protect your rights. In Ohio, the law gives you three remedies against disability discrimination in the workplace:

• Negotiation
• File a complaint with a government agency
• File a lawsuit against the employer who discriminated against you

If your employer refuses to accommodate your disability, you can seek monetary damages for discrimination under both Ohio law and federal law.

What Qualifies as a Disability Under Ohio Employment Discrimination Law?

For the purpose of Ohio disability discrimination law in the workplace, “disability” means a physical or mental impairment that substantially affects at least one life activity such as walking, talking, seeing, hearing, breathing, working, sleeping, or learning.

A person can also be treated as disabled under the law if they have a record of disability, or if they are merely regarded as disabled by others. Sexual orientation and gender identity of any type are not considered disabilities, and neither are certain addictions such as gambling, pyromania, kleptomania, or substance use disorders.

Disability Discrimination: The Broader Legal Environment

In Ohio, both federal and state laws govern the treatment of disabled people in the workplace. Following is a listing of some of the major statutes:

• Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 (federal);
• Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Sections 501 and 505 (federal);
• Titles I and V of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (federal);
  • See: Does My Disability Fall Under the ADA?
• Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008 (federal); and
• Ohio Employment Discrimination Act (Ohio) as amended by the Employment Law Uniformity Act (ELUA).

Remedies

The remedies available for disability-based employment discrimination are consistent with the remedies for employment discrimination in general (except for age discrimination):

• Back pay and benefits;
• “Front pay”, if it is likely to take time for you to find alternative employment;
• Out-of-pocket expenses, including court filing fees;
• Reasonable attorney’s fees;
• Emotional distress;
• Punitive damages;
• Compelled hiring, reinstatement, or promotion;
• Reasonable accommodation for your disability; and/or
• Posting of public notices concerning the employer’s violation and employees’ legal rights.

Not all of these remedies are available for every claim.

The Ohio Fair Employment Practices Act

The Ohio Fair Employment Practices Act prohibits employment discrimination based on disability as well as many other characteristics such as race, color, religion, sex, military status, national origin, age, and ancestry. Unlike federal employment discrimination law, which applies only to employers with 15 or more employees, the Ohio statute applies to employers with as few as four employees.

Acts or omissions of prohibited employment discrimination include:

• Refusal to hire
• Termination without just cause
• Denial of training opportunities
• Denial of any employment-related benefit
• Other discriminatory actions also are prohibited

These prohibitions are not absolute. An employer may discriminate in an otherwise prohibited manner if the basis of the discrimination is a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) that is reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the employer’s particular enterprise. A church, for example, may practice religious discrimination when hiring a pastor.

The Employment Law Uniformity Act (ELUA)

The Employment Law Uniformity Act (ELUA) was signed into law by Governor Dewine in January 2021. Among its most important features include:

• Exhaustion of administrative remedies: A requirement to file the charge with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) before filing a lawsuit in civil court. You must exhaust all administrative remedies before proceeding to court.
• New statute of limitations period: The deadline for filing a civil rights lawsuit is two years after the alleged discrimination. The previous limitation period was six years.
• Damages caps: The law limits non-economic damages to $250,000, or triple the amount of economic damages up to $350,000, whichever is greater. The law also limits punitive damages to twice the amount of available compensatory damages.
• Limits on the liability of managers and supervisors: An employee cannot sue managers and supervisors for damages in their personal capacity (out of their own bank accounts). Two exceptions exist: if the defendant is a sole proprietor employer and if the defendant acted outside the scope of their employment.
• “Good faith” defense against hostile work environment claims: An employer can now plead a “reasonable care” defense to hostile work environment claims.

The foregoing is only a partial list of the amendments contained in ELUA.

Filing a Discrimination Claim in Ohio

In Ohio, you can file a disability discrimination claim with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, or with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. These two entities have a work-sharing agreement whereby they cooperate with each other to process discrimination claims.  As long as you indicate in your claim, the agency you file the complaint with will cross-file it with the other agency.

Filing Deadlines

The deadline for filing an administrative complaint (required before you can file a civil lawsuit) is:

• 180 days after the discriminatory conduct if you file with the OCRC (or cross-file with the EEOC); and
• 300 days after the discriminatory conduct if you file with the EEOC (or cross-file with the OCRC)

Local Employment Discrimination Law

Some counties and municipalities offer their own legal protection against disability-based employment discrimination. Cuyahoga County (where Cleveland is located) for example, maintains a Human Rights Commission that protects against disability-based employment administration.

Contact an Employment Discrimination Lawyer

Ohio law related to disability-based employment discrimination in the workplace is complex and highly subject to interpretation. Retaining an experienced Ohio employment discrimination attorney is probably the best way to maximize the chances that an Ohio court will see your case the same way you do. Reach out today for a free consultation.