By Oregon Employment Department, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 12.2 percent in August from the revised July figure of 11.8 percent. Oregon’s unemployment rate has been close to 12 percent for the six month period March through August, following a steep run-up during the prior nine months. Oregon’s […]

From Career Builders: Counting down the hours until payday? You’re not alone. As the economic downturn trudges on, many workers are struggling with household budgets. Six-in-ten (61 percent) workers report they always or usually live paycheck to paycheck just to make ends meet, up from 49 percent last year and […]

José Pinomesa, President Oregon Independent Auto Dealers Association It is a fact that it is going to cost more to own a vehicle in Oregon.  During this past legislative session Oregon passed a bill that would increase the vehicle fuel tax.  Even currently at $2.89 a gallon for regular unleaded […]

The Wall Street Journal reports, “Housing starts climbed a less-than-expected 1.5% to a seasonally adjusted 598,000 annual rate compared to the prior month, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Building permits also increased last month.  Single-family starts in August compared to the prior month retreated 3.0% to 479,000, a modest pullback […]

by Ahead of Schedule Law Blog Stoel Rives LLP, Attorneys at Law Portland, The Oregon Court of Appeals recently issued an opinion in Abraham v. T. Henry Construction, Inc., et al., a residential construction defect case, that helps clarify the circumstances under which a contractor may be sued for negligence. […]

Reuters reported, “August retail sales jumped 2.7 percent, the sharpest rise in 3-1/2 years, indicating that consumer spending might make a bigger-than-anticipated contribution to the economy’s recovery from the worst recession in decades…”Expectations were high for the retail sales number, but the number reported exceeded even those expectations,” said Josh […]

By Oregon Tax News, States across the nation are cutting taxes to boost stagnant economies.  Texas, Arizona, and Maine are all taking steps to lower taxes.  A recent study by former U.S. Treasury economist Robert Carroll shows that states with lower corporate tax rates have higher wage gains and more […]

By Bill Conerly, Businomics, Conerly Consulting LLC The data on foreign trade show both imports and exports looking up.

After nearly eight months of postponements, the new E-Verify system goes into effect today, September 8, 2009, for certain federal contractors. Barran Liebman LLP As you may remember from previous E-Alerts, current law requires that all employers complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (Form I-9) to verify a new employee’s […]

Oregon Employment Department:  Approximately 3,000 Oregonians have come to the end of their unemployment insurance benefits, as their final extensions expired this past week.  According to the Oregon Employment Department, the rate of Oregonians running out of all extension benefits will grow to about 500 per week statewide.In July, 2008 […]