Legislation to Rebrand Ohio's Workforce Development Centers Passes Ohio House

The Ohio House of Representatives today passed House Bill 1, which strives to streamline Ohio’s workforce development efforts and make it easier for Ohioans to utilize the resources that are available to them.

House Bill 1 rebrands all of the state’s patchwork of workforce centers (also known as One-Stops) as “Ohio Means Jobs ___ County” to ensure consistency, reduce public confusion, and connect these centers directly to OhioMeansJobs.com.

“There has been a great deal of inconsistency across the state as far as One-Stop branding, which has created confusion for those who seek workforce training and job search assistance,” said State Representative Tim Derickson (R-Hanover Twp.), who sponsored House Bill 1 with State Representative Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario). “It is long overdue that all One-Stops use an easily recognizable brand that is consistent throughout all 88 counties. This is a crucial step in enhancing Ohio’s workforce development efforts and providing Ohioans the resources they need while searching for employment.”

“The goal of House Bill 1 is to make it easier for Ohioans to navigate the many tools at their fingertips and to help these individuals get back to work,” said Rep. Romanchuk. “Marketing Ohio’s One-Stops as one uniform brand will eliminate confusion for job seekers and also help employers to more easily get in touch with potential employees.”

House Bill 1 requires all workforce investment boards to use OhioMeansJobs.com as the only job-matching tool to streamline job matching services, reduce duplication, and maximize this increasingly important benefit to Ohioans. The bill also would provide flexibility to the Governor’s Executive Workforce Board as it relates to specifying the number of voting members needed to conduct business.

House Bill 1 passed with strong bipartisan support and will be sent to the Ohio Senate for further consideration