Ohio Code 4117.03 – Rights of public employees
(A) Public employees have the right to:
Terms Used In Ohio Code 4117.03
- Employee organization: means any labor or bona fide organization in which public employees participate and that exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with public employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, hours, terms, and other conditions of employment. See Ohio Code 4117.01
- Public employer: means the state or any political subdivision of the state located entirely within the state, including, without limitation, any municipal corporation with a population of at least five thousand according to the most recent federal decennial census; county; township with a population of at least five thousand in the unincorporated area of the township according to the most recent federal decennial census; school district; governing authority of a community school established under Chapter 3314 of the Revised Code; college preparatory boarding school established under Chapter 3328 of the Revised Code or its operator; state institution of higher learning; public or special district; state agency, authority, commission, or board; or other branch of public employment. See Ohio Code 4117.01
- Wages: means hourly rates of pay, salaries, or other forms of compensation for services rendered. See Ohio Code 4117.01
(1) Form, join, assist, or participate in, or refrain from forming, joining, assisting, or participating in, except as otherwise provided in Chapter 4117 of the Revised Code, any employee organization of their own choosing;
(2) Engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid and protection;
(3) Representation by an employee organization;
(4) Bargain collectively with their public employers to determine wages, hours, terms and other conditions of employment and the continuation, modification, or deletion of an existing provision of a collective bargaining agreement, and enter into collective bargaining agreements;
(5) Present grievances and have them adjusted, without the intervention of the bargaining representative, as long as the adjustment is not inconsistent with the terms of the collective bargaining agreement then in effect and as long as the bargaining representatives have the opportunity to be present at the adjustment.
(B) Persons on active duty or acting in any capacity as members of the organized militia do not have collective bargaining rights.
(C) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, nothing in Chapter 4117 of the Revised Code prohibits public employers from electing to engage in collective bargaining, to meet and confer, to hold discussions, or to engage in any other form of collective negotiations with public employees who are not subject to Chapter 4117 of the Revised Code pursuant to division (C) of section 4117.01 of the Revised Code.
(D) A public employer shall not engage in collective bargaining or other forms of collective negotiations with the employees of county boards of elections referred to in division (C)(12) of section 4117.01 of the Revised Code.
(E) Employees of public schools may bargain collectively for health care benefits.