By Oregon Small Business Association, People who like to imbibe can find one plus from the pandemic—Oregon lawmakers have legalized cocktails-to-go. Struggling bars and restaurants offered mixed drinks to go while attempting to survive the coronavirus pandemic, but Senate Bill 317 lets licensed businesses sell mixed drinks and single services […]

By National Federation of Independent Business, A record-high 48% of small business owners in May reported unfilled job openings (seasonally adjusted), according to NFIB’s monthly jobs report. May is the fourth consecutive month of record-high readings for unfilled job openings and is 26 points higher than the 48-year historical reading […]

By Oregon Employment Department, In April 2021, 19 out of 36 of Oregon’s counties experienced over-the-month increases in their unemployment rates. Curry and Morrow counties saw the largest over-the-month increase at 0.3 percentage points each in April. Nine counties experienced decreases in their unemployment rates over the month, and eight […]

By Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association National Restaurant Association Provides State and Local Lawmakers Blueprint for Rebuilding Blueprint includes funded and unfunded tools to accelerate the industry’s economic recovery The National Restaurant Association today sent a State and Local Blueprint for Rebuilding to the National Governors Association, the United States […]

By Oregon Small Business Association Business owners must provide workers with paid leave during a public health crisis if schools or child care centers close under a bill recently passed by the Oregon Senate 22 to 7. House Bill 2474 expands the Oregon Family Leave Act and reduces the number […]

By NFIB, The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) sent a letter of support to the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives supporting the Save Local Business Act, which will provide certainty for small businesses concerning the joint employer standard. “Returning to a ‘direct-control’ joint employer standard will […]

OSHA Reverses Guidance on Recording Adverse Reactions to COVID-19 Vaccination By Wilson Jarrell Barran Liebman Law The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently updated its guidance on when employers need to record adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. In a reversal of the guidance it issued back in April (which […]

By Oregon Small Business Association, Yesterday in the Oregon Senate Revenue and Finance Committee, lawmakers heard testimony on Senate Bill 137-2 which would have the effect of placing a tax on the forgiven PPP loans created by Congress to help Oregon small businesses.  The tax would apply to all loans […]

By Heather J. Van Meter Bullard law, Washington state recently passed the Long-Term Care Act, creating a new employee payroll tax of 0.58% on employee income. SB 1323 was signed into law late last month, and it amends RCW 50B.04 to create the country’s first state-run long-term care trust fund. […]

By Oregon Employment Department, Hiring in Oregon slowed significantly in April. Total nonfarm payrolls added 2,200 jobs, following a revised gain of 19,600 in March. Oregon’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.0%. Job growth also slowed nationwide in April, and the U.S. unemployment rate was 6.1%. Oregon has regained 59% […]