The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Oregon Revised Statute 653.261 both regulate minimum employment conditions for workplaces within the state. Such minimum conditions include minimum hourly wages, required overtime payments, and required rest and meal periods. These conditions do not apply to all employees, however, as many employees are classified as “exempt” from… Read More
Posts Categorized In: Portland
Oregon Senator Defends Nuclear Whistleblower
The Hanford Nuclear Reservation has long been a health and environmental concern for Oregonians. Hanford is the most contaminated site in the nation, and many of the underground tanks holding nuclear waste are leaking. If the waste is not properly treated, the Columbia River and surrounding communities could be compromised. In 2010, a URS Corp…. Read More
Oregon Treats Unpaid Interns Better than Other States
As previously discussed on this blog, federal laws do not protect unpaid interns from discrimination or harassment because they do not fit the law’s definition of an “employee.” However, states may choose to adopt laws that extend workplace protections to unpaid interns, which allow them to hold companies accountable for unlawful mistreatment. In June of… Read More
Lack of Protections for Oregon Employees Who Use Medical Marijuana
ue to the enactment of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act (OMMA) in 1998, Oregon is one 20 states plus the District of Columbia to pass legislation legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The laws under OMMA, ORS 475.300-ORS 475.346, protect citizens with debilitating medical conditions from criminal liability for the use of small… Read More
Oregon Courts on Constructive Discharge Claims
Everyone has bad days at work. Most people have coworkers who may be annoying, undermining, and even occasionally name-call in the workplace. Numerous employees believe their bosses are ‘mean’ or on power trips. Almost everyone has days during which the annoyances at work reach a point where they want to quit. An employee has the… Read More
Disabled Oregonians Should Know Their Rights in the Hiring Process
Discrimination in the workplace based solely on an employee’s disability is against both federal and state law. Any company within the state of Oregon that has six or more employees must comply with Oregon Revised Statutes 659A.100-145, which regulate the civil rights of disabled persons and prohibit discrimination against disabled persons in the employment realm…. Read More
New Labor Laws in Oregon
The Oregon legislature has passed several new employment measures in 2013, most of which will take effect on January 1, 2014. Many of the new laws provide additional rights and protections for Oregon employees, which demonstrates a positive pro-employee trend among the legislators. Employees throughout the state should familiarize themselves with the new laws to… Read More
Protections for Oregon Employees who Suffer Domestic Violence
The unfortunate reality is that anyone can become a victim of illegal acts such as domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking. Victims of these crimes may requirement several different kinds of assistance from medical doctors, therapists or psychiatrists, law enforcement, etc. Working with law enforcement and prosecutors and ultimately serving as a witness to… Read More
Portland Town Looks to D.C. for Minimum Wage Laws
We recently discussed federal and state minimum wage issues in a blog post highlighting McDonald’s somewhat out-of-touch proposed budget for its minimum wage employees. “Big box” retailers have long been the subject of criticism for paying their workers particularly low wages, drawing displeasure from observers who claim that the companies fail to pay their employees… Read More
Oregon Age Discrimination
Discrimination is a pervasive problem in the United States today, affecting millions of employees every year. Both state and federal law protect workers from certain kinds of discrimination. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex or national origin. When it comes to age,… Read More