Courts Diverge on Contracts That Shorten Time for #MeToo Claims

An Ohio police officer’s years-long sexual harassment case ended before she could argue it in court, thanks to a contractual six-month statute of limitations—a scenario that’s garnered attention in the wake of the #MeToo movement and a broader push by states to give workers more time to sue.

The Ohio Supreme Court last month declined to review the case, which could have tested the limits of when businesses can use employment contracts to shorten the time workers have to file harassment and discrimination lawsuits.

State courts, as well as federal appeals courts, have taken different directions on the issue. Some ...