Should employees get paid for answering work emails after hours? Ohio bill would curb overtime Anna Staver, The Columbus Dispatch Ohioans who answer work emails from their beds or the sidelines at their kids' soccer games could be blocked from claiming those minutes as overtime if a bill introduced in the state Senate becomes law. Popular Searches Supporters say Senate Bill 47 would give employers clarity and protection from lawsuits in this new COVID-19 world where thousands of people work unsupervised from home. Opponents say federal labor laws provide adequate protection, and these new rules could create a system that harms hourly employees.