By Oregon NFIB
A new House bill would have opened small business up to more labor regulations and legal liabilities.
Oregon’s House Business and Labor Committee recently killed a bill that would have established “familial status” as a new protected class under Oregon employment law.
The bill, HB 4088, defined “familial status” as the “state of being, or having the potential to become, a provider of care or support to a family member” and gave employees with familial status the same legal protections as those of different race, religion, sex and marital status.
NFIB’s main concern was how HB 4088 defined a family. The bill stated that a family member could be “an individual who is dependent on an employee for their support or care.”
NFIB/Oregon State Director Anthony Smith testified against the bill and said that this definition was too broad and vague.
“That could be anyone and everyone, from a neighbor across the street to someone who you just met yesterday,” Smith said.
Additionally, the bill would entangle small businesses in more webs of legal liabilities, especially when it came to hiring and promotions, according to Smith.
“This bill would have hurt small businesses’ ability to make practical and objective hiring, scheduling and promotion decisions for fear of potential lawsuits,” Smith said.
HB 4088 died after Smith testified.
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