Ohio's 'E-Verify Workforce Integrity Act': What Construction Employers Should Do Now

Ohio's new employment verification law, the 'E-Verify Workforce Integrity Act' (House Bill 246), will require many construction employers in the state to use the federal E-Verify system when hiring. The law, signed in December 2025, is set to take effect on March 19, 2026.

Under the new law, nonresidential construction contractors, subcontractors, and labor brokers who hire employees to work on covered projects in Ohio will have to participate in E-Verify, the federal employment eligibility verification system administered by the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration.

The law defines a covered "nonresidential construction project" as any construction or renovation on buildings, highways, bridges, utilities, and related infrastructure, with certain exclusions.