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July 8, 2013 - NFIB: Oregon paid sick leave bill full of problems

By Jan Meekcoms Oregon NFIB (Originally published in Salem Business Journal) Fortunately for our state’s economy, a bill calling for a paid-sick-leave law has been shelved for now at the request of its author, Rep. Michael Dembrow, who sensed a lack of support for its passage. Good thing. Like minimum-wage […]


July 6, 2013 - No-car homes adds to drop in national gas use, traffic

MSNBC interviews their analyst, Phil Lebaeu, to uncover explanations in the drop in national gas consumption and even traffic in some areas. The impact of trends will play into retailers and also raod gas tax revenue funds. Watch the MSNBC video below. Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and […]


July 5, 2013 - Oregon’s unique college payment plan gets national press

Business News Note, Oregon’s “Pay it Forward, Pay it Back,” project to allow students to pay for college using a 3% salary diversion is gaining some national headlines, see Business Insider, ABC News, CNN and Wall Street Journal.  The bill has passed both the House and Senate and is awaiting […]


July 4, 2013 - Health care rule redefines full-time work at 30 hours

U.S. Chamber of Commerce It’s been one year since the Supreme Court upheld most of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). As the law continues to be implemented, employers have been scratching (or even banging) their heads in frustration over the perverse consequences of the rules delivered from Washington. […]


July 3, 2013 - Grand Bargain “tax” bad for small business

Comment on Death of the Grand Bargain Oregon Legislature failed to make some needed reforms, but at least tax increases lost, too By Oregon NFIB The “Grand Bargain” legislators had hoped to strike died when House Bill 2456-B failed to get the constitutionally required three-fifths vote in the state Senate. […]


July 2, 2013 - Oregon unemployment: 35th out of 50 aint bad

Oregon unemployment rate: 35th out of 50 aint bad By Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Blog. The news that Oregon’s unemployment rate had fallen below the symbolic rate of 8% was met with widespread applause this week. Indeed, the worst of the economic downturn does appear to be […]


July 1, 2013 - Status of Business Bills in 2013 Legislature

By  J.L. Wilson Associated Oregon Industries   Slew of Employment Law Issues Are Resolving as Session Ends HB 2950 – Bereavement Leave: Amends Oregon’s Family Leave Law (OFLA) to allow up to two weeks of unpaid bereavement leave for eligible employees. Although AOI opposed the bill at the outset, the […]



June 28, 2013 - 12 most disruptive tech trends

Michael Hendrix Director, Research & Emerging Issues U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation The McKinsey Global Institute doesn’t do small things. When they set out to examine technological advancements, they found a way to put a dollar figure to every technology imaginable all the way out to 2025. In so doing, […]


June 27, 2013 - Oregon GDP by the numbers 2012

Oregon GDP, 2012 By Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Blog. The BEA released estimates for state GDP for 2012, along with revisions to the 2009-2011 figures. The following takes a quick look at the latest figures and growth so far in recovery. In 2012, Oregon’s real GDP grew […]