Democratic lawmakers announce Ohio House bill on mass layoffs

COLUMBUS — A group of state Democratic lawmakers today announced legislation in the Ohio House aimed at helping workers and communities affected by “large-scale closures and mass layoffs,” according to a news release.

The bill is a response to General Motors’ recent announcement it plans to idle its plant in Lordstown next year. The bill’s sponsors are Democratic state Reps. Glenn Holmes of Girard, Dan Ramos of Lorain and Adam Miller of Columbus.

“I’m happy to support efforts to assist and care for the workers, families and local communities impacted by the GM Lordstown’s closure,” said Holmes, “This bill is critical to empower the state to better assist communities facing sudden unemployment of this magnitude.”

The legislation would expedite unemployment benefits, provide additional resources to process claims and offer additional qualifying benefits to communities faced with unemployment from mass layoffs and plant closures. In addition, some workers under the plan would see extended benefits if they face structural unemployment challenges, according to the release.

The bill would define a mass layoff as any job loss greater than 200 employees over a seven-day period. The Lordstown shutdown is expected to directly impact about 1,500 jobs.

The announcement of this legislation comes as the legislative term is about to end. State lawmakers will meet next Tuesday or Wednesday if needed; then the session ends for the year.

If legislation is not passed by the end of the term, lawmakers would have to start over in January.