As predicted, today's Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Ohio Civil Rights Commission approved its new maternity rules that guarantee 12 weeks of leave for all pregnant employees of companies with 4 or more employees. 1 of the OCRC's 5 members voted against the new regulations. The proposal will now go the legislature's Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, which will consider whether the OCRC overstepped its authority in enacting the new regulations. That Committee has no power to approve or reject the rules, but can merely recommend to the legislature that it invalidate improperly enacted rules. The new rules could go into effect by year's end, although business groups vow to lobby the legislature to invalidate them. Interestingly, yesterday's Plain Dealer reported that the rules did not spark much response from businesses prior to its approval.
For prior posts on this issue, see OCRC to vote on new maternity leave regulations, OCRC to vote on new maternity leave regulations - part 2, and The more things change the more they stay the same.