US Chamber of Commerce, The third quarter RSM US Middle Market Business Index (MMBI), presented by RSM US LLP (“RSM”) in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, found that 40% of middle market leaders reported that tariffs on imported goods are posing challenges for their businesses and 26% cited […]

Wall Street Journal Editorial, 9/11/19 Big Labor has had big success getting politicians to raise the minimum wage, despite warnings that it could lead to more automation. Well, what do you know, now the Oregon AFL-CIO wants voters to limit self-checkout kiosks in grocery stores. The union still needs the […]

Oregon Congressman Greg Walden, Representative Greg Walden (R-OR), Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, launched a bipartisan investigation into practices of private equity firms surrounding surprise billing. In letters to KKR & Co. […]

By NFIB Washington, Take action immediately! Deadline to submit written comments is 11:59 a.m. September 20 Starting July 1, 2020, L&I plans a six-year phased implementation to raise salary threshold to 2.5 times the state minimum wage for qualifying workers to be exempt from overtime, sick-and-safe leave requirements. The Department […]

President Zippy Duvall American Farm Bureau Federation Farm Bureau members have come to Washington, D.C., to remind our elected representatives that trade is a lifeline for tens of thousands of family farms. “We need Congress to pass the USMCA trade agreement to bring certainty to our already-positive trade relationship with […]

Big News for Union Employers: NLRB Abandons “Clear and Unmistakable Waiver” Contract Standard By Kyle Abraham & Nicole Elgin Barran Liebman On September 10, 2019, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued its decision in MV Transportation, a case that creates a big change for unionized private sector employers looking […]

By Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, Here are a few quick updates: HB 2005 – Paid Family and Medical Leave – Hard cap of 12 weeks paid leave + 4 weeks unpaid (if OFLA eligible) with 2 additional weeks for complicated medical pregnancy – Must be employed for 90-days before […]

Oregon Attorney General Press Release, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and Oregon Governor Kate Brown joined four other states in filing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) “Public Charge Rule”. The lawsuit claims the Rule targets […]

Tim Duy University of Oregon Economic Indicators This is the University of Oregon State of Oregon Economic Indicators for July 2019. The Oregon Measure of Economic Activity rose to 0.41 in July although previous months were revised downward. Highlights of this month’s report include: – The University of Oregon Index […]

National Retail Federation, The National Retail Federation issued the following statement from Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French after the Trump administration announced that current tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods will rise from 25 to 30 percent on October 1. New tariffs set to take effect […]