US Chamber of Commerce, The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6) and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (H.R. 1603). Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer of the U.S. Chamber released the following statement after the vote: “Both the American Dream […]

By Oregon Employment Department March 9, 2021 January 2021 Employment and Unemployment in Oregon’s Counties In January 2021, 16 out of 36 of Oregon’s counties experienced over-the-month increases in their unemployment rates. Oregon’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage point between December and January, and 14 of Oregon’s counties followed […]

What Employers Need to Know About the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 By Josh Goldberg Barran Liebman LLP Oregon law firm, Today, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) into law. This comprehensive stimulus package contains a number of provisions aimed at supporting the supply […]

Oregon US Attorney Press Release, Klamath Falls Man Pleads Guilty for Sending Threatening Cards Containing White Powder to Former Coworkers A Klamath Falls, Oregon man pleaded guilty today for sending cards to former coworkers containing a white powdered pesticide threatened to be anthrax, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams. Kelly […]

By Oregon Small Business Association Although Multnomah County restaurants area can reopen to serve customers indoors, many owners and operators hesitate to invest in rehiring workers and restocking kitchens when a spike in coronavirus cases could force them to shut their doors again. The uncertainty for restaurant owners, who have […]

National Federation of Independent Business The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) sent a letter to the United States House of Representatives Small Business Committee urging Congress to extend the authorization for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) beyond March 31, 2021. NFIB included additional recommendations for the committee to consider. […]

Oregon Attorney General Press Release, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum today announced $105,600 in settlements with four different hotels and motels in Oregon due to price gouging during and in the aftermath of the 2020 wildfires in Oregon. On top of that, at least 100 Oregon families who were overcharged […]

California Family Rights Act Expanded to Include More Northwest Employers By Charlotte Hodde & Julie Preciado Bullard Law NW Law firm, On January 1, 2021, California Senate Bill 1383 went into effect, expanding the California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”) – the California counterpart to the Oregon Family Leave Act (“OFLA”). […]

By Vlad Yurlov Cascade Policy Institute Why is “affordable housing” so expensive? Many politicians, bureaucrats, and affordable housing advocates treat the question as one of life’s many mysteries. But it’s really not that mysterious. Many regulations governing public projects add up, piece by piece, to affordable housing’s staggering price tags. […]

By Josh Lehner Oregon office of Economic Analysis, Women suffered disproportionate layoffs and higher unemployment rates at the start of the pandemic. However since last spring, much of the gender gap in employment has effectively closed. As of January 2021, male employment in the U.S. was down 5 percent, while […]