By Bill Vidmar It can be tough to budget for groceries, bills, and unexpected emergencies without knowing how many hours you’ll work each week. Unfortunately, many of Ohio’s lowest-paid workers grapple with erratic and unpredictable work schedules. There is a solution. House Bill 216 puts important protections in place to
By Nya Christian Public higher education prepares people for careers and helps them pursue their dreams. Because of legal racial segregation, African Americans were barred from attending higher education institutions until the middle of the 20th century. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were established to enable African Americans to
By Brianna Rummer Barberton, Ohio is known for two things – fried chicken and flooding. Unfortunately, the Magic City has seen more than its share of flooding the last few years. Over the weekend of June 14th, Barberton had more than three inches of rainfall in less than 48 hours.
By Zane Steiber The Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) is the state-level agency responsible for the enforcement of civil rights laws in Ohio. The OCRC handles claims of discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodation and credit. It also addresses cases of disability discrimination in higher education. Cases are handled through
By Leah Pike This summer, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted workplace raids of Corso’s Flower and Garden Center in Sandusky, and Fresh Mark meatpacking plants in Salem, Massillon and Canton. They were among ICE’s largest raids under the Trump Administration, resulting in the detention of over 200 Ohioans. The
Introduction More than 35,000 foreclosure cases were filed in Ohio county courts in 2017. This remains well over twice the rate we saw in the mid-1990s, specifically from 1993 to 1995, when predatory home loans became an enormous factor in Ohio’s economy. Last year’s foreclosure level was nonetheless an improvement
By Brett Litzler, Policy Matters Intern I’m an undergraduate at Ohio State, but when I’m not in school, I live in my parent’s home in Avon Lake, a town on Cleveland’s west side where I went to grade school. We’re only a few blocks away from the Lake Erie coast.
By Brynn Williams Graduating high school is an exciting but stressful rite of passage. One of the hardest parts of senior year is going through the college process. Picking a school that fits you is important. I’m thrilled to be attending Kent State University in the fall where I plan
By Taylor Swift Ohio’s congressional districts have extreme partisan boundaries – among the worst in the country, according to the non-partisan Brennan Center for Justice. The result is a congressional delegation that does not represent the preferences of Ohio citizens. Outrage over this issue in Ohio inspired a bevy of
By Brook Sabin As climate disasters wreak havoc across the globe, citizens and policy makers are recognizing the urgent need to build strong renewable energy infrastructure – but not without a few setbacks, especially here in Ohio. Ohio leads the nation in wind turbine manufacturing, but since 2014, no new
By Taylor Swift, Policy Matters Intern Cuyahoga County would join a growing list of communities that place small fees on disposable bags used to bring products home from stores, if a recently proposed ordinance is approved on December 12th. Similar fees have reduced use of disposable bags, curtailed litter, and
Proposed change in rules for tipping would cause hardship for workers
by: Deanna Krokos This piece originally appeared on Cleveland.com in March 2018 In August, I’ll hang up my server’s apron and head to law school, leaving the job I’ve worked for six years. Since I was 16, my near-constant employment in serving positions has allowed me to pay my tuition,