Ohio Bill Could Penalize Job Seekers Who Ghost Interviews

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Ohio lawmakers are pushing a bill that could make it easier for employers to flag job seekers who ghost interviews.

House Bill 395 would create a statewide registry for no-shows. The idea is to give employers a simple way to report people who miss scheduled interviews without warning. Backers say it’s about accountability. Critics say it’s an overreach.

One of the sponsors, Rep. Brian Lorenz (R-Powell), claims it’s become a common problem. He says businesses in his district are fed up with applicants not showing up and wasting time. But under current Ohio law, if you’re receiving unemployment and not seriously looking for work you’re at risk of losing those benefits.

Sen. Bill DeMora (D-Columbus) doesn’t see the need for the bill at all. He called it “an answer looking for a question” and argued that it would punish people dealing with real-life issues, like transportation problems or last-minute emergencies.

According to the state’s Department of Job and Family Services, nearly 50,000 Ohioans filed for unemployment just last week. The agency already has a process to report interview no-shows, though it’s not as streamlined as what Rep. Lorenz wants.

“We’re not looking to black list anybody or anything like that, we’re just trying to build and foster a culture of respect and accountability and stop wasting employers’ valuable time,” Lorenz said.

But Rep. DeMora doesn’t buy it… He believes the bill is more about appeasing businesses than helping workers.

Lawmakers are out until October, so no action is expected on the bill anytime soon.