Forum Selection Clauses Put Employees
At Risk. Do You Take The Time To Read Your
Employment Contract?

As a consequence, more employers in Ohio and the midwest find it necessary to employ individuals capable of traveling throughout the state/region/country.  Interstate travel has become a common feature of modern employment, but with it comes risks natural to travel.  When a majority of an individual's work day is spent in transit, they are obviously placed at a far greater risk of an accident than your typical desk job.

Employers in Ohio are well aware of this risk and are becoming increasingly aware of their ability to mitigate the cost of this risk by compelling Ohio employees to accept what is essentially a state sanctioned forum selection agreement. Forum selection clauses and mandatory arbitration agreements alike have been rightfully derided by consumer rights advocates as a predatory practice, and have come under increased scrutiny in recent days for their ability to insulate corporate America from liability by providing them with a home court advantage.   When it comes to workers' compensation in Ohio, the C-112 form provided by the Bureau of Workers' Compensation enables this insulation for multi-state employers by acting as a waiver to a right otherwise codified by statute, in this case R.C. section 4123.80.  The unfortunate reality for Ohio employees is that you may be granted inadequate benefits from an alternative jurisdiction in the event of claim allowance, or alternatively you may be compelled to litigate your claim in an inconvenient venue in the event of claim denial.