AOI issues “job-killing” bill list

Associated Oregon Industries
Oregon’s largest business advocate

A coalition of Oregon industry, agricultural and small business advocates released a list of “job killer” bills this week calling attention to the cumulative impact that the proposals will have on Oregon’s job climate and economic recovery.

As a group, these bills pose a serious threat to Oregon’s economy and job growth by imposing costly new mandates on employers, both large and small, across the state.

The 2015 “Job Killer” list follows:

SB 19 Expands Liability for Wage Claims
Exposes shift supervisors, bookkeepers, farm labor contractors, farmers and others to the potential liability of wage claim allegations, even when based on honest mistakes. Also adds criminal liability to civil wage claims.

SB 454 Implements Statewide Mandatory Paid Sick Leave
Increases employer mandates by requiring employers to provide employees with paid sick leave, and threatens employers with statutory penalties as well as litigation for alleged violations. Counterpart: HB 2005

SB 718 Allows Liens on Personal Employer Property
Creates a dangerous and unfair precedent in the wage-and-hour arena by allowing employees to file liens on an employer’s real or personal property, based upon alleged yet unproven wage claims.

SB 845 Imposes New Fees on Large Employers
Requires employers whose employees obtain health insurance coverage through a public program to pay a fee to the state for that coverage.

HB 2007 Adds Employer Liability for Wage Discussions
Creates a new unlawful employment practice against an employer who takes any negative employment action against an employee for discussing or disclosing “in any manner” his or her wages or those of another employee.

HB 2009 Increases Statewide Minimum Wage
Increases Oregon’s current minimum wage from $9.25 to $15 per hour by 2018. Other minimum wage bills: SB 130, SB 327, SB 332, SB 597, SB 610, SB 682, HB 2004, HB 2008, HB 2012

HB 2386 Authorizes New Cease & Desist Authority for BOLI
Subjects employers to potentially unjustified imposition of cease & desist orders by Bureau of Labor and Industries, which, once issued, could require costly court proceeding to have removed.

HB 2540 Requires Prevailing Wage in Enterprise Zones
Eliminates the incentive to build projects inside Enterprise Zones by requiring prevailing wage to be paid on any privately owned projects developed on private land.

HB 2606 Expands Family Leave for Siblings
Adds siblings as an additional category of family members for whom a worker may take leave to provide care.

HB 2764 Increases Workers’ Compensation Costs
Unravels certain cost-saving provisions and resulting benefit increases due to Oregon’s 1990 Workers’ Compensation reforms, resulting in employers paying nearly 5% increases in workers’ compensation system costs without any expectation that increases will be offset by system savings.

HB 3377 Mandates Predictive Scheduling
Requires employer to establish “mutually acceptable work schedule” upon employee request for a flexible or predictable work schedule. Mandates employers provide alternative work schedules. Other predictive scheduling bills: SB 888, HB 2010

Associated Oregon Industries (AOI)

Associated General Contractors (AGC)

Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc. (AOL)

Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Oregon (IIABO)

Medford Chamber of Commerce

National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA)

National Federal of Independent Business (NFIB)

Northwest Food Processors Association (NWFPA)

Northwest Grocers Association (NWGA)

Oregon Cattlemen’s Association (OCA)

Oregon Dairy Farmers Association (ODFA)

Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB)

Oregon Forest Industries Council (OFIC)

Oregon Home Builders Association (OHBA)

Oregon Metals Industry Council (OMIC)

Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA)

Oregon Seed Council (OSC)

Oregon State Chamber of Commerce (OSCC)

Oregon Trucking Associations (OTA)

Oregon Wheat Growers League (OWGL)

Oregonians for Food & Shelter (OFS)

Salem Chamber of Commerce

The above mentioned bills have been identified as job killing bills based on the official legislative language drafted as of March 20, 2015.

Legislation included on the “Job Killer” list released this week will change throughout the session as bills are amended or new language is introduced.

For more information, contact Betsy Earls at 503-588-0050.