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May 21, 2024 - Chamber spotlight: Migration Brewing Company

By Portland Metro Chamber of Commerce, Pub Locations: Glisan, Gresham, Williams, and various pop-ups Founders: McKean Banzer-Lausberg, Colin Rath, Eric Banzer-Lausberg, and Mike Branes Meet our Chamber member, Migration Brewing Company! In the Spring of 2017, a pivotal development in their journey took place—they signed a contract with the most […]


May 19, 2024 - Summer ahead: OR & WA Heat Exposure & Illness Prevention Rules

By Becky Zuschlag & Lex Shvartsmann As summer approaches and the temperatures begin to rise, Oregon and Washington employers should review their heat exposure and illness prevention policies and practices to ensure that they comply with their state’s rules. Both the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OR-OSHA”) and the […]


May 16, 2024 - Supreme Court Ruling on CFPB Funding Structure Disappoints Small Businesses

By NFIB, Small businesses are disappointed by today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Community Financial Services Association of America, Limited. The Court ruled that the funding mechanism for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complies with the Constitution’s Appropriations Clause. “Small businesses will feel the […]


May 15, 2024 - DOL Increases Salary Requirements for White-Collar & HCE Exemptions

By Missy Oakley & Andrew Schpak Barran Liebman LLP Oregon law firm, April 23, 2024 — the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced the Final Rule: Restoring and Extending Overtime Protections. The final rule amends the Fair Labor Standards Act regulations by increasing the salary threshold required for the bona […]


May 14, 2024 - Bend property tax measure 9-167, a burden to small business

By Oregon Small Business Association, There are many property tax measures on the May Primary ballot, nearly 50 in total.  But few as costly as the Bend-La Pine school district measure 9-167 which is asking voters for a $1.00 per $1,000 assessed value property tax.   This is triple the cost […]


May 13, 2024 - EEOC Final Rule on Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

EEOC Issues Final Rule Implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act  By Amy Angel & Natalie Pattison Barran Leibman LLP, The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued its final rule and interpretive guidance implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable […]


May 8, 2024 - DeRemer: Protect Access to Affordable Internet Services

Chavez-DeRemer Pushes to Protect Access to Affordable Internet Services By Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer Press Release, As a cosponsor of the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, Chavez-DeRemer joined her Problem Solvers colleagues to endorse the much-needed legislation WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) recently joined her colleagues on the bipartisan […]


May 8, 2024 - Small Businesses Champion Legislation to Repeal Beneficial Ownership Requirements

By NFIB, The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, supports legislation introduced today by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (AL) and Rep. Warren Davidson (OH-08) to repeal the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Repealing the CTA will relieve small businesses of beneficial ownership information requirements, one […]


May 7, 2024 - Portland and Seattle chambers unite for priority sharing

By Portland Metro Chamber The Portland Metro Chamber and Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce share advocacy priorities for addressing policy and funding challenges in the two largest urban centers in the Pacific Northwest. This combined federal agenda calls for the prioritization of the Pacific Northwest so that both cities can […]