What is wrongful termination in Ohio?

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Ohio recognizes   at-will employment   with a judicially-created public policy exception and statutory anti-discrimination protections.    1. Public Policy Exception — Greeley/Painter    Greeley v. Miami Valley Maintenance Contractors, Inc. , 49 Ohio St. 3d 228 (1990), recognized a wrongful-discharge tort for terminations contravening public policy.  Painter v. Graley , 70 Ohio St. 3d 377 (1994), formalized the four elements:  1.   Clarity   — a clear public policy exists in the Constitution, statutes, or common law. 2.   Jeopardy   — dismissing employees in such circumstances would jeopardize the policy. 3.   Causation   — the dismissal was motivated by conduct related to the public policy. 4.   Overriding justification   — the employer lacked an overriding business justification.    2. Ohio Civil Rights Act — R.C. § 4112.02   Prohibits discrimination based on   race, color, religion, sex, military status, national origin, disability, age (40+), or ancestry  . The   Employment Law Uniformity Act of 2021   harmonized procedures with federal law: now requires filing a charge with   Ohio Civil Rights Commission first   (60-day exhaustion) and shortened the SOL to   2 years  . Applies to employers with 4+ employees.    3. Ohio Whistleblower Statute — R.C. § 4113.52   Highly procedural. To be protected, an employee must: -   Orally report   the violation to a supervisor or other responsible officer. -   Subsequently file a written report   identifying the violation. - Allow the employer   24 hours   (or "reasonable time") to correct the violation before reporting externally.  Failure to follow the script defeats the claim — Ohio courts strictly enforce.    4. Workers' Comp Retaliation — R.C. § 4123.90   Prohibits retaliation against employees who file workers' comp claims.   180-day SOL   for filing notice;   180 days   to sue.    5. Implied Contract from Handbook   Ohio recognizes implied contracts where the handbook contains specific promises ( Mers v. Dispatch Printing , 19 Ohio St. 3d 100 (1985)). Most employers include disclaimers preserving at-will status.    6. WARN Act   Federal WARN applies; no state WARN.    7. Statute of Limitations   - Public policy tort:   2 years   (post-2021 Act). - R.C. § 4112:   2 years  . - Whistleblower:   180 days   to file notice (R.C. § 4113.52(D)).  This is legal information, not legal advice.