National Retail Federation, A recession is unlikely and the economy is expected to see slight growth in 2023 as consumers continue to cope with inflation and high interest rates, National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said today. “A month into 2023, the economy is facing stiff headwinds and – […]

By Oregon Small Business Association Foundation There are three basic sources of demands for downtowns: downtown residents, commuters, and visitors from the suburbs or out-of-town. Commuter demand declined significantly in Portland (see Oregonians Working from Home). Many downtown Portland businesses relied on the lunch or after work crowds for a […]

By Oregon US Attorney Press Release, SAN DIEGO—On January 26, 2023, a California man who evaded federal authorities for more than two decades after being convicted at trial and who was wanted in District of Oregon for perpetrating a real estate scam while a fugitive pleaded guilty in San Diego. […]

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon Foundation December spending on services was the worst in nearly a year, retail spending fell 3 of the last 4 months, rising mortgage interest rates drove existing home sales to their lowest level since 2014, and car sales were the worst in more than a […]

By NFIB, According to NFIB’s monthly jobs report, 57% of owners reported hiring or trying to hire in January, up two points. Of those hiring or trying to hire, 91% of owners reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill. Twenty-seven percent of owners […]

By Oregon Small Business Association Foundation According to the U.S. Census’ 2021 American Community Survey, between 2019 and 2021 work from home workers increased from 6% of the labor force to 18%. In Oregon, it went from 7% in 2019 to 23% in 2021. Oregon ranks as the fifth highest […]

By Oregon Business and Industry Legislative Session Seeks Groove The Legislature got into full swing during its second week. Daily schedules have been packed, owing to a combination of limited committee room space (due to the ongoing Capitol construction project) and a proliferation of committees in recent sessions. So far, […]

By Oregon Attorney General Office, Press Release. AG’s slate of bills focuses on protecting Oregonians As the 2023 Oregon Legislature gets underway today, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum also announced her legislative policy priorities for the legislative session. The AG’s proposed legislation arises in large part from two long-standing Attorney […]

By Natalie Pattison & Andrew Schpak BY Barran Liebman Law, Non-compete agreements between employers and employees may soon be a thing of the past. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a sweeping proposal that would ban almost all non-compete agreements with limited exceptions. If the rule goes into effect, it […]

By Oregon Restaurant Association & Lodging Association, Oregon is officially gearing up for another Legislative Session in Salem with newly elected legislators hoping to make a difference for their constituents. As is typical with elections, results rarely if ever align on all fronts with your personal preferences. Regardless of the […]