News
BOLI Announces 2025 Minimum Wage Rates
On April 11th, the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) announced Oregon's new minimum wage rates, effective July 1, 2025. The annual minimum wage adjustment, calculated by BOLI's Labor Commissioner by April 30th of each year, is based on....
NewsBrief: April 2025
Catch the latest HR news in April's NewsBrief!
EEOC and DOJ Provide Clarity on Executive Orders and "Illegal DEI"
Since taking office on January 20th, the Trump Administration has issued a series of Executive Orders relating to DEI including Executive Order 14151 and Executive Order 14173. Since then, the ambiguity surrounding the scope of executive orders targeting “illegal DEI” has created a lot of confusion regarding DEI program impacts. There have also been many legal challenges....
Temporary Injunction Issued on DEI Related Executive Orders
On February 21, 2025, a federal district court judge issued a preliminary nationwide injunction against clauses of Trump’s Executive Orders set to dismantle Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) programs for federal contractors and organizations receiving federal grants.....
Exciting Update! Improved Access to Cascade's HR Library
We’re excited to share an important update to the Members-Only area of our website.
To enhance your experience, we’ve reorganized Cascade’s HR Library of policies, guides, factsheets, forms, and checklists to make it easier to navigate and use....
Five Reasons Organizations Should Not Abandon DEI Work
In light of President Trump’s recent Executive Order dismantling federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs (whitehouse.gov), as well as reaching into non-profit and private sectors, many organizations may be reconsidering their commitment to DEI initiatives. However, despite political shifts, the business case for DEI remains stronger
Enforcement of Executive Order 11246 to Cease
On January 24, the Acting U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary, Vincent Micone, issued an Order to all DOL employees, including the employees of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), to cease all investigative and enforcement activity under the rescinded Executive Order 11246....
Significant Changes to Federal Contracting and Potential Scrutiny of Private Sector DEI Programs
Late on January 21, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.” This Order is focused on eliminating "discriminatory" DEI programs, targeting both federal contractors and private sector entities. This Executive Order revokes Executive Order 11246 (EO 11246) which was originally signed in 1965 and established various Affirmative Action requirements for federal contractors and subcontractors....