GreatWork Blog

Building better workplaces through compliance, culture, connection

With many Oregon employers wondering what their workplace obligations are in the wake of the Coronavirus Outbreak, abbreviated COVID-19, we developed some FAQS. Please keep in mind that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), along with local public health authorities, should be where employers turn for specific workplace safety guidance.

Early this month, the Trump Administration announced it was going to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program established by the Obama Administration in 2012. DACA authorizes young adults who were brought to the US as children illegally by their parents to live and work legally in the United States. The Administration set a rescission date of March 5, 2018 in order to allow Congress time to address this issue through legislation such as the DREAM Act of 2017.

The Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) has published an updated minimum wage poster that employers are required to post when the new minimum wage law takes effect on July 1, 2016. As a reminder, this poster must be posted in a conspicuous location where all employees can view it.

This Sunday is Daylight Savings Time. This change can impact wages for non-exempt employees, particularly those on the graveyard shift.

This Sunday is Daylight Savings Time. While it might not seem obvious, this change can impact wages for non-exempt employees, particularly those on the graveyard shift.

Now you get our Blogs, but do you follow us @cascademployers on Twitter? If not, you’ll want to! Our Tweets will help keep you in the loop on important employment law changes, trends and more.

This month, a Portland Commissioner released a proposal to require employers in the City of Portland, or who have employees who perform at least 240 hours of work in the City of Portland to provide sick leave. Under the new ordinance, sick leave is generally available for absences resulting from certain illness, injury, health conditions, diagnosis, and preventative care of the employee or their family member. 

In just over a two week stretch this summer, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) settled eight harassment claims and had another court ruling in its favor.  Although harassment awareness training is not legally required in Oregon, for all intents and purposes it should be considered as such.  

On May 14, 2012 the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the National Labor Relation’s Board’s new “quickie” election rules that took effect on April 30 are not enforceable. While this is good news for employers, it may only temporary. 

This year, November 6 will mark the return to standard time, when clocks will be moved back one hour at 2:00 a.m.

Last week, the Seattle City Council voted to require employers to provide paid “sick and safe” time to employees working in Seattle beginning in September 2012.  The new ordinance applies to all employers in the city of Seattle with five or more employees.  It also applies to employees who perform more than 240 hours of work per year in Seattle, even if their employer is not located in Seattle.

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries has announced that the state’s minimum wage will increase by 37 cents to $9.04 per hour starting January 1, 2012.

On November 14, 2011 a new rule will take effect requiring most private-sector employers to post a notice to employees regarding their rights under the National Labor Relations Act.