Archives

January 17, 2014 - 5 futuristic products from 2014 Consumer Electronics Show

Michael Hendrix Director, Research & Emerging Issues U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation What will the next big thing be? Will it be Samsung’s bendable TV; Intel’s smart earbuds that track speed, location, and heart rate; or the TouchJet PTE that transforms a blank wall into an interactive tablet? Or will […]


January 16, 2014 - State jobless rate drops sharply

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon The Oregon economy continued to post moderate gains in November. Highlights of the report include: – The Oregon Measure of Economic Activity rose to 0.39 in November, up from a revised -0.02 the previous month. […]


January 15, 2014 - New 2014 Oregon business laws in effect

by J.L. Wilson Associated Oregon industries The new year brings with it new changes to business costs and regulations. Many of the laws passed by the Oregon Legislature are effective on the 1st of January. Your business association, AOI, is instrumental in the shaping of many of these policies. Here’s […]


January 14, 2014 - New 2014 tip law may trip you up

Barran Liebman Oregon Law Firm IRS Offers Restaurants a Tip:”Mandatory Gratuities” Are Not Tips Service charges need to be reported differently than tips under the IRS guidelines and a Revenue Ruling that went into effect on January 1, 2014. Therefore, it is important for service industry employers to properly classify […]


January 13, 2014 - State Treasurer CRC report & toll tax enforcement

By Oregon State Treasurer   Treasurer: Consultants’ analysis of proposed CRC appears sound, but more certainty needed on toll enforcement — In letter to legislative leaders, Treasurer says bond buyers will need assurance tolls will be collected As requested by Oregon state legislators, Treasurer Ted Wheeler has offered his review […]


January 10, 2014 - 20% to change jobs in 2014: A peek inside why

Career Builders Survey, With the New Year just underway, many U.S. workers are already resolving to find a new employer, according to a CareerBuilder survey. Twenty-one percent of full-time employees plan to change jobs in 2014, the largest amount in the post-recession era and up from 17 percent in 2013. […]


January 9, 2014 - Oregon Court: Broad Definition of “Employee” for Minimum Wage Statute

Ater Wynne LLP NW Law frim Oregon Court of Appeals Adopts Broad Definition of “Employee” for Minimum Wage Statute Last month, in Cejas Commercial Interiors, Inc., v. Torres-Lizama, the Oregon Court of Appeals adopted the “economic realities test” for determining whether an individual is an employee under Oregon’s minimum wage […]


January 8, 2014 - Paul Allen sold his Washington island ($8M)

Paul Allen Sells Allan Island for $8 Million By Oregon Small Business Association Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen has sold his private island to Eric C. Anderson, CEO of Intentional Software Corp.. Allen originally intended to build a vacation home on Allan Island, but opted instead to build on Sperry Peninsula […]


January 7, 2014 - IRS lowers business mileage rate

By Associated Builders and Contractors, The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) decreased the optional standard mileage rates to use for 2014 in computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business by half-a-cent. Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, the standard mileage rate for the use of a car, including vans, pickup […]


January 6, 2014 - Part-timers nearly a quarter of all Oregon workers

by Tracy A Morrissette Oregon Employment Department Although most people work in full-time jobs, nearly one-quarter of employed Oregonians usually worked part-time schedules in 2012. People work part time for a variety of reasons. Part-time jobs offer flexibility for some who seek a job that fits their circumstances, such as […]