By Oregon Business and Industry, CPP lawsuit filed: On Thursday, OBI and other members of a broad coalition of state employers, labor unions and trade associations filed a lawsuit challenging the validity of Oregon’s Climate Protection Program, which is projected to increase energy costs for state residents and businesses by […]

3/12/26 EEOC Overturns Workplace Harassment Guidelines By Barran Liebman Law, March 12, 2026 — On January 22, 2026, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) voted to rescind its 2024 “Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace” (“Harassment Guidance”). The decision follows President Trump’s direction to federal agencies to reconsider […]

By Oregon Small Business Association Foundation, Food & Wine magazine has named Kann, a Haitian fine dining restaurant in Portland operated by award-winning chef Gregory Gourdet, one of the nation’s top 10 restaurants, according to KGW. The popular Portland restaurant, which opened in 2022, ranked ninth in the list that […]

House Republican Leader Responds to Announcement that Providence is at Risk of Exiting the Health Insurance Market By Oregon House Republican Caucus, SALEM, Ore. — House Republican Leader Lucetta Elmer (R-McMinnville) released the following statement in response to the announcement by Providence that it is exploring the sale of Providence […]

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 […]