U.S. Senator Ron Wyden Press Release, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked FBI Director James Comey how the FBI is tackling the increasing problem of “ransomware” attacks in a letter. Ransomware attacks refer to the growing criminal practice of hacking Americans’ devices, encrypting personal information and holding it for ransom […]

By Bullard Law, Portland law firm Benjamin P. O’Glasser Portland to Implement Ban the Box The City of Portland has jumped to the forefront of the national “ban the box” trend and has adopted a new ordinance that restricts many employers from screening applicants based on their criminal history before […]

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon Oregon Economic Indicators: The Oregon Measure of Economic Activity rebounded from an upwardly revised September number. As expected, the steep job losses reported in September were almost entirely revised away with the October employment report. […]

By NFIB, Advertisers are cutting the cord on TV spending. And small businesses could gain a lot as TV’s relevance continues to fizzle in an increasingly digital world. Global revenue from digital advertising is poised to surpass that of traditional TV by 2017, according to a recent Magna Global study. […]

By Steve Buckstein, Cascade Policy Institute The Portland City Council has voted 3-2 to let ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft operate permanently in the city. The normally “progressive” council members’ split decision revealed a conflict of visions that does not fall along ideological lines as much as it falls along […]

By Oregon Small Business Association, Though 2015 has witnessed key Oregon companies being acquired by out-of-state enterprises, relocating elsewhere or reducing jobs, a number of other companies have expanded operations. Breweries, sports apparel, and a range of technology-related businesses have made significant investments in Oregon to strengthen their presence in […]

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon Oregon Economic Indicators: -Weak employment numbers dragged the Oregon Measure of Economic Activity deep into negative territory in September. Highlights of the report include:  – The three-month moving average, which smooths month-to-month volatility in the […]

U.S. Chamber of Commerce U.S. Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue today issued the following statement regarding House approval of H.R. 22, the “Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act”: “The FAST Act is a critical investment in our nation’s future that will help keep people and commerce moving and […]

By Bullard Law, Portland law firm By Michael G. McClory Sometimes it seems like EEOC tests its theories on the fly rather than thinking about them first. This week’s (fictional) mailbag is filled with questions from HR managers wondering if they could get in trouble for hiring the most qualified […]

Associated Oregon Industries Oregon’s largest business advocate In the ongoing process of implementing Oregon’s new Paid Sick Leave law (PSL), the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) released a third rule draft this week. Although BOLI made several of the changes that AOI and partner associations requested, the rules still […]