3/24/26 L&I Updated Policy Outlining Equal Pay and Opportunity Protections By Barran Liebman Law Oregon law firm, March 24, 2026 The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (“L&I”) has updated its administrative policy on the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (the “EPOA”) to align with statutory changes resulting from […]

Urge Gov. Kotek to Veto SB 1507, Tax-Disconnect Bill By Oregon Business & Industry, Bill awaits signature: SB 1507, which will disconnect Oregon partially from the federal tax code and increase the tax burden for Oregon residents and businesses, currently sits on Gov. Kotek’s desk. She has until April 17 […]

By US Senator Ron Wyden, Press Release, Washington, D.C. — Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., renewed his call for reform of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act today, in response to two new reports released on government surveillance. The law expires on April 20 and is expected to be […]

By Barran Liebman Law LLP, Oregon law firm, March 27, 2026 – The Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued six new opinion letters offering official interpretations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”). The opinion letters were published on January 5, 2026, and […]

Main Street continues searching for qualified applicants By NFIB, WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 2, 2026) – NFIB’s March Jobs Report shows that the Small Business Employment Index fell 1.9 points to 101.6. Despite the decline, the current reading remains above the 2025 average of 101.2 and the historical average of 100.In March, 32% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill, down 1 point from February. Unfilled job openings remain above […]

By Oregon State Treasurer, Press release, Nearly three-quarters of Oregonians are feeling increasing cost of living pressures, contributing to record household debt and a 25% jump in bankruptcy filings in 2025. Those are among the takeaways from the 2026 Oregon Financial Wellness Scorecard, which spotlights key economic and personal finance […]

By Oregon Business & Industry, Oregon drops: Oregon fell from 40th in 2023 to 46th in 2024, according to the Common Sense Institute’s (CSI) 2026 Free Enterprise Report. The state’s competitiveness rank has fallen 10 places since 2017, when Oregon ranked 36th, and 15 places since 2011, when the inaugural […]

By Barran Liebman Law, March 25, 2026 — On March 23, 2026, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1155 (the “Bill”) into law. The Bill, which will go into effect on June 30, 2027, largely prohibits noncompetition agreements, further defines nonsolicitation agreements, and amends or repeals several […]

EPA’s elimination of the 2009 Endangerment Finding will reduce energy costs for Main Street By NFIB, WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 20, 2026) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, filed a motion to intervene in the case American Public Health Association v. Environmental […]

Key legislative updates affecting Oregon’s hospitality business climate. By Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association, ORLA continues to monitor legislative activity that could affect Oregon’s hospitality industry and the broader business climate. We remain actively engaged with our partners at Oregon Business & Industry (where ORLA serves on the board) to […]