By Mercy Core NW Small business activity is on the rise across the country, according to a recent study by a prominent research foundation, and Portland, Oregon is at the top in two categories. The Kauffman Foundation, which looked at 40 metro areas across the United States, reports that Portland […]

By Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Blog Among the myriad economic trends to watch in 2016, two in particular stand out to me: labor force participation and middle-wage jobs. The reason is both have turned the corner in recent years — even if the conventional wisdom about them […]

By Oregon NFIB A new bill will benefit some alcohol producers in the state. A $680 billion tax package that Pres. Barack Obama recently signed into law made permanent or renewed more than 50 temporary tax breaks—some that benefit Oregon specifically. With many hard cider producers in Oregon, one of […]

Oregon State Treasurer Press Release, State Treasurer Ted Wheeler called for an immediate suspension of lending through the State Small-Scale Energy Loan Program overseen by the Oregon Department of Energy, noting that the loan fund has reported a $20 million deficit, lacks the necessary cashflow to cover its obligations, and […]

NIKE Press release, For more than 40 years, Nike has called the greater Portland area home. Beyond centering its headquarters in the region, the company has both committed to and developed strong ties within the community. “We’re proud of our long history of partnership with the City of Portland and […]

By NFIB A federal mandate requiring employers to offer paid leave would erase 430,000 jobs and shrink economic output by $652 billion over 10 years, according to new research released today by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). “There’s no such thing as a free benefit,” said NFIB President […]

Miller, Nash, Graham & Dunn LLP NW Law Firm In Broadway Cab LLC v. Employment Department, the Court first applied the Employment Department statute that defines “employment” as “service for an employer” that is “performed for remuneration.” ORS 657.030(1). The Court held that the facts supported the conclusion that the […]

By Oregon Attorney General, For the first time, the Oregon Attorney General must now be notified when there has been a consumer data breach involving more than 250 Oregonians. The new law, which went into effect January 1, 2016, requires businesses and government agencies to notify the Oregon Attorney General’s […]

By Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Blog One of our state’s key economic features in recent years is that the robust job gains have also been joined by strong wage gains. Oregon’s average wage, while still below the national average, is at it’s highest relative point in a […]

U.S. Chamber of Commerce The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced its strong opposition to a Seattle ordinance that authorizes union organizing of for-hire drivers working as independent contractors, highlighting that the ordinance violates federal law in at least two ways and that the ordinance will burden innovation, increase prices, and […]