GreatWork Blog

Building better workplaces through compliance, culture, connection

An employee tells you that they are having a baby and that they need to take time off both before and after the birth. What do you do? Is the leave covered under the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) or Paid Leave Oregon (PLO)?

As with anything leave-related, it’s complicated.

It's the annual holiday party, and spirits are high. Employees are mingling, enjoying drinks, and lightening up from the pressures of the year. Over at a table, a manager makes a joke that borders on inappropriate. Several employees laugh uncomfortably and exchange looks, but one employee feels deeply offended. As the night goes on, the manager continues with more inappropriate comments, and the employee walks away feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable.

Cascade is excited to continue its second year with our online compensation platform, Payscale Peer! This innovative platform offers our members enhanced compensation reporting options, including real-time data reports, online dashboarding, competitor comparisons, and regional and national data sets.

It's almost 2025! Well, sort of. At least, some of us may be planning for the new year to turn its page in just three short months. Before we make it to 2025, how will you share with your employees how much they earned by working for your organization this year?

Starting January 1, 2025, the most impactful change to Medicare Part D will be the reduction of the annual out-of-pocket (OOP) maximum from $8,000 in 2024 to just $2,000. This adjustment is most relevant for groups with HSAs and high deductible health plans (HDHPs), which traditionally feature higher out-of-pocket costs. As a result, many of these plans may no longer be considered "creditable" under Medicare Part D standards.

In today’s competitive business environment, attracting and retaining top talent requires more than just offering a competitive salary. Organizations need to have a clear, structured approach to compensation that aligns with their overall business goals. This is where the concepts of compensation philosophy and compensation strategy come into play. Establishing these two elements is essential for driving employee satisfaction, performance, and long-term business success.

When I arrived in the United States in 1989 on a student visa, I was filled with anticipation. I had left behind a life in Sierra Leone where I had already completed technical college, worked professionally, and even owned my own business. My goal was to further my education and embrace new opportunities, but nothing prepared me for the complex reality of being a first-generation immigrant in America. 

Cascade is partnering with the Employer Associations of American (EAA) to conduct the 2024-2025 National Business Trends Survey. This survey compiles data on national, regional, and local business trends, covering issues such as staffing levels, hiring practices, cost cutting measures, and business outlooks. This year includes topical questions on recent business concerns, such as hybrid work policies and AI technology impacts.  

In today’s multigenerational workplace, creating a culture of inclusion and belonging is more critical than ever. With up to five generations working side by side, each bringing unique perspectives and experiences, leaders must ensure that all employees feel valued and respected, regardless of their age. A culture of inclusion across generations not only enhances collaboration and innovation but also drives organizational success.

As the crisp autumn air replaces the lazy days of summer, it's time for leaders to shed their flip-flops and dive headfirst into professional growth. Whether you're a seasoned pro, just starting your leadership journey, or somewhere in between, now's the perfect time to reset, refocus, and rejuvenate your professional development goals and set a course for success.

Since its inception, Paid Leave Oregon has faced significant challenges, including delays in processing claims, technical issues, and fraud attempts. These problems have highlighted the program's shortcomings and the need for more effective solutions.

The 2024/25 Salary Budget Survey is here, and it is time to participate in Cascade’s annual salary increase survey!

While making a mistake at work can be a difficult and uncomfortable situation to navigate, it is something that people can overcome in most cases. Several years ago, completely by accident, I launched a process on the wrong day that touched thousands of users. The minute I did it I knew something was desperately wrong. My stomach hit the floor as dread completely paralyzed me. It was with great remorse that I took one of the longest walks of my professional life to my boss's office to throw myself on my sword and fess up. This was one of the biggest mistakes I have made in my professional life, but certainly not the only one. As human beings, it is likely we will all get ourselves in a pickle at least once in our professional careers and might need some help on how to recover. 

Pay compression is not one-size-fits-all and shows up in various situations. For example, pay compression can exist when: there is little to no difference between a new hire’s and a tenured employee’s salary in the same role; a manager is making only a little bit more than their direct report; or similar situations. In general, employers collectively don't want their employees to pay a “loyalty tax,” or be negatively rewarded for their loyalty and tenure without it being reflected in their compensation.

It is possible to administer merit increases and still comply with Oregon’s Equal Pay Law, but a strong performance management system is crucial. This system should establish clear, objective criteria to ensure consistent and fair evaluation for all employees. 

Goal setting is the cornerstone of progress. It's how we turn aspirations into achievements, both individually and collectively. But what if, in our pursuit of excellence, we inadvertently create a system that leaves some people behind? Traditional goal setting can often overlook the importance of inclusion and equity, leading to missed opportunities and a culture of disengagement.

COVID made a significant, far-reaching impact on many aspects of how we live and work in the modern age. Within this era of disruption, more and more companies are choosing or resorting to hiring employees who don’t come into an office, whether regularly or even at all.

We celebrated YOU, our members, through June with free webinars, contests, and prizes. Here are the winners!

Cascade thoughtfully leverages AI technology to improve productivity and efficiency of our work, expand our services, and enhance the experience of our members. By utilizing AI technology in this way, we can increase the speed in which we get information to you, improve your member benefits and resources, and make our content more engaging. Our use of AI technology is not replacing any staff, but rather our staff is using the technology to build capacity and improve how we serve our members. All content created using AI must meet our professional standards for work produced and is vetted by our team including fact-checking for accuracy.

Welcome to week three of Member Appreciation Month!

Our Membership Trivia activity is just one of many ways you can earn entries in our month-end drawings, including a Grand Prize of two nights lodging at the Oxford Hotel, a luxury lifestyle hotel in downtown Bend.

This is the final of four weekly trivia activities. All answers can be found on our website (just a bit of hunting involved). Good Luck!

Welcome to week three of Member Appreciation Month!

Our Membership Trivia activity is just one of many ways you can earn entries in our month-end drawings, including a Grand Prize of two nights lodging at the Oxford Hotel, a luxury lifestyle hotel in downtown Bend.

This is the third of four weekly trivia activities. All answers can be found on our website (just a bit of hunting involved). Good Luck!

Welcome to week two of Member Appreciation Month!

Our Membership Trivia activity is just one of many ways you can earn entries in our month-end drawings, including a Grand Prize of two nights lodging at the Oxford Hotel, a luxury lifestyle hotel in downtown Bend.

Welcome to week one of Member Appreciation Month!

Our Membership Trivia activity is just one of many ways you can earn entries in our month-end drawings, including a Grand Prize of two nights lodging at the Oxford Hotel, a luxury lifestyle hotel in downtown Bend.

Are you an Oregon or Washington employer looking to attract and retain top talent? In today's competitive job market, offering a strong benefits package is crucial. But how do you know if your benefits are keeping pace with industry standards?

Here's where our 2024 Northwest Employee Benefits Survey comes in!

Congratulations on your promotion to supervisor! Leading a team can be incredibly rewarding, but it also presents unique challenges, especially when you're now managing former colleagues or even friends.  At Cascade Employers Association, we understand that transition can be daunting. That's why we created a dynamic blended learning experience designed to empower you to excel in your new supervisory role.

“We can’t afford to give you a pay increase this year.”

“Your work performance hasn’t met expectations, so you aren’t receiving a salary increase this year.”

These are hard messages, both to deliver and receive. Many times, we keep constructive feedback, “bad news,” and other information to ourselves because we are concerned about navigating the potential reaction(s) others may have about what we share.

We ask ourselves questions like “will I make things worse?” or “what if it negatively affects our relationship?” Discomfort and challenging emotions can rise in the acute moment when the interaction occurs. In the long-term, it may be just the message they needed.

Salaried, hourly, non-exempt, exempt, salaried non-exempt, exempt hourly, goodness gracious!

These are common terms in the world of compensation, but what do they mean?

These phrases are used to explain the frequency and form of payment for work performed. Different combinations of exempt, non-exempt, salaried, and hourly can be partnered together based on the nature of the job’s duties. All in all, it can be very confusing!

Sometimes summer school isn’t such a bad thing.  We’re so excited that Cascade’s new Summer Training Catalog is here! While it may not feel like a vacation, taking the time to invest in your personal and professional development just might leave you feeling refreshed!

Shape the future of work by participating in Cascade’s second quarterly HR Trends Survey of 2024. This vital survey gathers insights on critical workplace issues impacting the workplace.