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Cut Costs, Not Coverage: Association Health Plans for Oregon Small Employers
Cut Costs, Not Coverage: Association Health Plans for Oregon Small Employers Posted by Gayle Gilham, President on Monday, October 20, 2025 Tags: Employee Benefits Small Businesses Deserve Better Options for Employee Benefits If you’re a small business owner, you know that shopping for employee health insurance can feel like an uphill climb. Premiums go up year after…
Read MoreWhy Fall 2025 Feels Different for Employers — And What You Can Do About It
Why Fall 2025 Feels Different for Employers — And What You Can Do About It Posted by Jenna Reed, Senior Vice President and General Counsel on Monday, October 13, 2025 Tags: Leadership It’s not just the leaves changing this fall; business and workplace environments are also experiencing change at a faster pace than normal. We know you’re…
Read MoreSomething Better is On the Horizon
Something Better is On the Horizon Posted by Cascade Staff on October 7, 2025 Tags: Alert We’ve got some exciting news to share! After much thought, we’ve decided to sunset the current version of HR Reinforce. In addition to the robust resources available to you in Cascade’s HR Library, HR Reinforce is a portal to help you…
Read MoreCriminal Background Check Rules in Oregon
Criminal Background Check Rules in Oregon Posted by Mackenzie Cowan, HR Consultant on Monday, October 6, 2025 Tags: Compliance Employers in Oregon often wonder whether there are special rules around asking about criminal history or conducting background checks. While criminal background checks are not required in most industries, many employers use them as part of their hiring…
Read MoreEmployment Effects of the Federal Government Shutdown
Employment Effects of the Federal Government Shutdown Posted by Cascade Compliance Team Wednesday, October 1, 2025 Tags: Alert Today, October 1, 2025, the federal government officially shut down after Congress failed to pass funding legislation, pausing a range of non-essential government services. This shutdown has significant implications on federal contractors, as well as trickle-down effects…
Read MoreOpen for Participation! 2025-26 National Business Trends Survey
Open for Participation! 2025-26 National Business Trends Survey Posted by McKenna Arnold, Survey and Research Manager on Monday, September 29, 2025 Tags: Surveys Cascade has partnered with the Employer Associations of America (EAA) to conduct the 2025-2026 National Business Trends Survey. This survey compiles data on national, regional, and local business trends, covering issues such as staffing…
Read MoreBasics of Supervision: Building a Strong Foundation
Basics of Supervision: Building a Strong Foundation Posted by Plummer Bailor, MA, Leadership Development Consultant on Monday, September 22, 2025 Tags: Leadership, Training Stepping into a supervisory role can feel like a big leap. One day, you are focused on doing your job well, and the next, you are responsible for guiding others, making decisions that affect…
Read MoreCompensation Planning: 2026 Forecast
Compensation Planning: 2026 Forecast Posted by Margaret Oglesby, Compensation Consultant on Monday, September 15, 2025 Tags: Compensation Looking ahead to 2026, many employers have started mapping out their salary budgets, with the prevailing expectation being that salary increases will remain steady. Recent U.S. market salary budget survey results include: WorldatWork: 3.6% projected mean salary increase budgets for…
Read MoreDrugs and Alcohol in the Workplace: When to Test?
Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace: When to Test? Posted by Mackenzie Cowan, HR Consultant on Monday, September 8, 2025 Tags: Compliance, Policies Have you ever had a situation where you’ve observed an employee stumbling or weaving as they walk, or perhaps slurring their words, and wonder if the employee may be inebriated? In situations such as…
Read MoreIRS Publishes Draft W-2 for 2026
IRS Publishes Draft W-2 for 2026 Posted by Cascade Compliance Team, Wednesday, August 27, 2025 Tags: Alert, Compliance The IRS plans to introduce new guidance and forms for the 2026 tax year, including guidance on how overtime and tips will need to be reported. As a first step, the IRS has released a draft of the…
Read MoreWhat I’ve Learned From Leading HR Professionals (Without Being One)
What I’ve Learned From Leading HR Professionals (Without Being One) Posted by Gayle Gilham, President on Monday, August 25, 2025 Tags: Leadership When I tell people I’m the president of an HR consulting association, the first question is usually, “So, what’s your HR background?” The answer is…I don’t have one. I didn’t start as an HR consultant or practitioner.…
Read MoreWhat to Do When Employees Hit the Top of Their Pay Range
What to Do When Employees Hit the Top of Their Pay Range Posted by Lindsay Hill, Director of Compensation Services on Monday, August 18, 2025 Tags: Compensation With annual increase season coming up for many employers, one question we hear often is, “What should we do when employees are at or near the top of their salary…
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