Archives

September 23, 2009 - Despite price drop, renters increase, owners decrease

USA Today Reports, “Housing is getting even less affordable.  More Americans found housing unaffordable last year, even though home prices across the U.S. have taken a major fall. More than 40 million spent 30% or more of their household income on housing costs, 600,000 more than in 2007, according to […]


September 22, 2009 - Workplace bullying: Who is doing it. How to stop it

Understanding, Addressing, and Resolving Bullying Behavior in Your Workplace By Dunn, Carney, Allen, Higgins & Tongue Bullying in the workplace is a common, and often misunderstood problem.  In a 2007 survey, half of the employees interviewed said they had heard someone scream at a co-worker during work.  Almost one-third acknowledged […]


September 22, 2009 - eBay CEO, Meg Whitman, announces for California Governor

From Businessweek, “Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman said she wants to cut state spending by another $15 billion and reduce California’s existing state work force by 17 percent, even as the state has wrestled with budget shortfalls in recent years that have led to deep cuts in education and other […]



September 20, 2009 - Final Health Care Bill and What You Need to Know

Final Health Care Reform Bill Released: Let the Reconciliation Begin Barran Liebman LLP The Senate Finance Committee officially released its health care bill, the last of the 5 bills to be introduced in the health care debate. This alert focuses on the impacts on employer based health insurance and not […]


September 19, 2009 - Oregon unemployment highest in 26 years

By Oregon Employment Department, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 12.2 percent in August from the revised July figure of 11.8 percent. Oregon’s unemployment rate has been close to 12 percent for the six month period March through August, following a steep run-up during the prior nine months. Oregon’s […]


September 18, 2009 - 60% live from paycheck to paycheck

From Career Builders: Counting down the hours until payday? You’re not alone. As the economic downturn trudges on, many workers are struggling with household budgets. Six-in-ten (61 percent) workers report they always or usually live paycheck to paycheck just to make ends meet, up from 49 percent last year and […]


September 17, 2009 - Cost of owning a vehicle in Oregon to soar

José Pinomesa, President Oregon Independent Auto Dealers Association It is a fact that it is going to cost more to own a vehicle in Oregon.  During this past legislative session Oregon passed a bill that would increase the vehicle fuel tax.  Even currently at $2.89 a gallon for regular unleaded […]


September 17, 2009 - Housing up 1.5%, Apartments up 25%

The Wall Street Journal reports, “Housing starts climbed a less-than-expected 1.5% to a seasonally adjusted 598,000 annual rate compared to the prior month, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Building permits also increased last month.  Single-family starts in August compared to the prior month retreated 3.0% to 479,000, a modest pullback […]


September 16, 2009 - Oregon court rules on when contractors can be sued

by Ahead of Schedule Law Blog Stoel Rives LLP, Attorneys at Law Portland, The Oregon Court of Appeals recently issued an opinion in Abraham v. T. Henry Construction, Inc., et al., a residential construction defect case, that helps clarify the circumstances under which a contractor may be sued for negligence. […]