Ohio sets up commission to settle essential business disputes

COLUMBUS (WCMH) – Ohio’s new stay-at-home order has put in place a method to settle disputes regarding what is or isn’t an essential business.

Ohio’s Dispute Resolution Commission has been established to mediate and decide disputes between health departments on what constitutes an essential business, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said during a briefing Monday.

“We do know that there are some businesses that operate statewide, that they may experience one set of regulations in one community and a different set of regulations in another,” he said. “You’re looking to reconcile them.”

Husted said local health departments and elected officials contacted state leaders, asking them to come up with a way to resolve the disputes.

Husted said the commission expects to have a 24-hour turnaround time in settling disputes.

The deliberations among the commission will be made available to the public.

“It is not there to question the descriptions in the order,” Husted said. “It’s only there for when more than one health department has a discrepancy in how they’re implementing the order and the dispute commission can resolve that.”

Information on the dispute commission can be found at coronavirus.ohio.gov/businesshelp.

Residents who suspect a non-essential business is open are asked to call their local health department.

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