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Ohio Law Banning Cities from Local Hiring Rules Remains on Hold

Cleveland construction projects like Hopkins Airport renovation would not be required to hire city residents under a new state law
KEVIN NIEDERMIER
/
WKSU
Cleveland construction projects like Hopkins Airport renovation would not be required to hire city residents under a new state law
Cleveland construction projects like Hopkins Airport renovation would not be required to hire city residents under a new state law
Credit KEVIN NIEDERMIER / WKSU
/
WKSU
Cleveland construction projects like Hopkins Airport renovation would not be required to hire city residents under a new state law

A judge’s preliminary injunction against anew state law prohibiting local hiring requirementscould have larger implications for all Ohio cities.

Cleveland sued the state over the law which would overturn its local ordinance requiring 20 percent of the work on city-funded projects be done by city residents. Cleveland State University employment law professor Candice Hoke says keeping the law intact goes beyond the benefit to Cleveland residents.

“Yes, this is a very important law for Cleveland and Cleveland residents and the economic welfare of the city as a whole. But the bigger even larger issue that impacts all Ohioans is the power of self-government.”

The Cuyahoga County judge who issued the preliminary injunction against the state law said that it violates Cleveland’s constitutional right to local control. The state law is sponsored by mostly rural legislators who say local hiring ordinances reduce their constituents’ chances of being hired for urban construction projects. 

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Kevin Niedermier
Kevin was raised in New Washington in rural North Central Ohio. He attended Bowling Green State University and Ashland College (now Ashland University) before beginning his career in commercial radio news.