Posted on 09/27/17 by Michael Shields in Work & Wages
Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. Department of Labor planned to extend overtime protection to 12.5 million American workers, including 351,000 Ohioans, by updating the rule that exempts some salaried workers. Ohio was among a group of states that sidelined that effort with a lawsuit to block its implementation. Now the Eastern District of Texas Court has ruled against the DOL, and the department must decide whether to defend its authority and the rights of covered workers by appealing the verdict. The department should file the appeal. [image:1] At risk is a rule that would have required employers to pay time and... read more
Posted on 06/30/17 by Michael Shields in Basic Needs + Unemployment Insurance
Cleveland residents struggle to afford safe and secure housing. A higher minimum wage would help. More than 66,000 families in Cuyahoga County who rent their homes are considered housing insecure. Those who are housing insecure... read more
Posted on 06/09/17 by Michael Shields in Work & Wages
More than 200 Ohio workers were killed on the job in 2015 alone. Nearly 105,000 others were hurt or made sick by exposure to workplace hazards. Workers’ Compensation laws are designed not only to treat... read more
Posted on 03/13/17 by Michael Shields
Federal budget should make good on manufacturing promises [image:1] Photo by Steve Cagan On Thursday, President Donald Trump will release his federal budget plan. Although he campaigned on the promise of bringing back manufacturing jobs, it’s widely expected... read more
Posted on 11/18/16 by Michael Shields in Education & Training
Cleveland expands its program and Cincinnati and Dayton approve preschool for all Communities across Ohio are recognizing the vital need for preschool as an early learning foundation and coming up with innovative solutions to deliver quality... read more
Posted on 12/11/15 by Michael Shields in Energy
In a surprise reversal, staff at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio signed on last week to a settlement in utility giant FirstEnergy’s latest rate plan. The plan, which includes an arrangement to have Ohio... read more
Posted on 05/12/15 by Michael Shields in Energy
A legislative committee this week is meeting to study whether consumers benefit from Ohio clean-energy standards, which lawmakers put on hold last summer. Spoiler alert: Consumers do benefit. Self-reported studies from Ohio’s four major utilities show... read more
Posted on 03/27/15 by Michael Shields in Energy
Update: the Public Utilities Commission voted on March 31, 2016 to allow an eight year consumer subsidy for both FirstEnergy and American Electric Power. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in late February said no dice... read more
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