By Oregon Small Business Association Business owners must provide workers with paid leave during a public health crisis if schools or child care centers close under a bill recently passed by the Oregon Senate 22 to 7. House Bill 2474 expands the Oregon Family Leave Act and reduces the number […]

By NFIB, The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) sent a letter of support to the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives supporting the Save Local Business Act, which will provide certainty for small businesses concerning the joint employer standard. “Returning to a ‘direct-control’ joint employer standard will […]

OSHA Reverses Guidance on Recording Adverse Reactions to COVID-19 Vaccination By Wilson Jarrell Barran Liebman Law The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently updated its guidance on when employers need to record adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. In a reversal of the guidance it issued back in April (which […]

By Oregon Small Business Association, Yesterday in the Oregon Senate Revenue and Finance Committee, lawmakers heard testimony on Senate Bill 137-2 which would have the effect of placing a tax on the forgiven PPP loans created by Congress to help Oregon small businesses.  The tax would apply to all loans […]

By Heather J. Van Meter Bullard law, Washington state recently passed the Long-Term Care Act, creating a new employee payroll tax of 0.58% on employee income. SB 1323 was signed into law late last month, and it amends RCW 50B.04 to create the country’s first state-run long-term care trust fund. […]

By Oregon Employment Department, Hiring in Oregon slowed significantly in April. Total nonfarm payrolls added 2,200 jobs, following a revised gain of 19,600 in March. Oregon’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.0%. Job growth also slowed nationwide in April, and the U.S. unemployment rate was 6.1%. Oregon has regained 59% […]

By NFIB, NFIB commends the United States Supreme Court decision in CIC Services v. Internal Revenue Service today which clarified that the Anti-Injunction Act’s scope is limited and permits pre-enforcement judicial review of tax rules. This is a win for small business owners who can now challenge tax regulations they […]

Oregon Health Authority Issues Revised Masks Guidance Statewide, Adjusted for Vaccinated People By Heather J. Van Meter Bullard Law, Oregon law firm The Oregon Health Authority issued its revised guidance for the use of face masks, face coverings, or face shields (“masking requirement”) in light of the U.S. Centers for […]

By Anthony K. Smith Oregon NFIB, Oregon lawmakers have less than two months left to complete the work of the 2021 legislative session, and while legislation was moving slowly during the first half of the session, the pace has picked up significantly in recent weeks with many bills passing in […]

By Oregon Business Industry, Gov. Brown announced on May 11 that she will fully reopen the state once the vaccine rate (adults 16+ with the first dose) hits 70% statewide. “Fully reopen” means risk levels will be eliminated, and businesses can return to normal operations, although mask and distancing requirements […]