The Oregon Biz Report - Business News from Oregon

Should pot be under same rules as alcohol?

By Oregon Family Farm Association,

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat who founded the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, has proposed regulating marijuana like alcohol.

HB 420, a bill introduced in Congress recently, would take marijuana off the list of federally controlled substances. Since the 1970s, the number 420 has been used in cannabis culture to refer to smoking marijuana around 4:20 p.m. and on April 20 (aka 4/20).

Oregon Ag presses ID theft rules

Oregon Attorney General Press Release,

Leading a coalition of 31 state Attorneys General, Oregon Attorney General Rosenblum sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urging the federal agency to not only maintain its “Identity Theft Rules”, also called “Red Flag Rules”, but, in light of technological advances and savvy identity thieves, to update the rules to further protect consumer information. The letter cites the proliferation of identity theft and the growth in technology since the rules were adopted in 2007. The letter points out that with all the consumer data they have been able to accumulate due to the number of data breaches, “…identity thieves are able to amalgamate consumer data with exact accuracy to cause financial harm.”

Carbon Tax increases small business utility bills by 28%

By Oregon Small Business Association,

The carbon tax bill, HB 2020, also known as Carbon Cap-and-Trade would have a big price tag for Oregon small businesses and their customers.

Residential customers in Oregon who use natural gas are likely to see their rates increase by 11 percent—or $74—in 2021, the first year Oregon’s new climate policy and cap and spend bill takes effect, and by 53 percent, or $567, in 2040.

Those numbers appear in NW Natural’s study of how the proposed carbon tax, which has more support this year than in previous legislative sessions, is likely to affect its customers. The first year, small businesses would see increases of 13 percent and industrial customers 28 percent.

Alaska Air: Employees get 3 week bonus pay

Alaska Air Press Release,

Employees of Alaska Air Group companies Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are receiving $120 million in incentive bonuses. For most employees, this equates to more than 6.5 percent of their annual pay in 2018.

The company’s annual bonus, called Performance Based Pay (PBP), is determined by meeting or exceeding specific company-wide goals for safety, customer satisfaction, cost control, customer loyalty and profit.

Walden: $32 trillion Gov’t run health care plan?

Oregon Congressman Greg Walden Press Release,

Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) raised concerns about a $32 trillion government-run health care system during a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “The latest ‘solution’ from the Democratic Party is a government takeover of healthcare, called Medicare for All,” said Walden.

Should OLCC sell rare liquor only to bars?

By Oregon Small Business Association,

Collectors of rare or collectible liquors are irritated that they can’t buy bottles from Oregon liquor stores, which keep their limited stock to sell to bars and restaurants.

Justin Lehr of Portland, founder of the Portland Bourbon and Spirits Society Facebook group, told KGW television that he should be able to buy rare bourbons and other liquors as long as he has the money to pay for it.

Valentines, #MeToo & the workplace

By Oregon NIFB,

There’s never a rest for the small-business-owning weary. Congratulations to the small businesses that made it through the holiday party season without incident. Now, another happy occasion approaches, one also potentially fraught with legal trouble—Valentine’s Day.

Labor Board restores independent contractor rule

NLRB Reinstates Longstanding Independent Contractor Standard
By Trevor Caldwell & Kyle Abraham
Barran Liebman
Oregon Law Firm

Companies using independent contractors or franchisees take note – the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently overruled its 2014 FedEx decision, reinstating its longstanding independent contractor standard in SuperShuttle DFW, Inc.

Oregon among top union decline states

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation,

Last year, union membership in Oregon dropped by 7.6 percent, registering the sixth largest drop in the country. According to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2017 to 2018, Oregon unions lost 20,000 members. This is the eighth largest drop in the country and is especially remarkable given the state’s relatively small size.