Dear HR: I want to hire a 17-year-old that has already been working for me through a WorkSource GED program. The job duties include mowing, weed-whacking, gardening, fencing repair, painting, cleaning, etc. What are the rules I need to keep in mind when moving forward with hiring a minor? A. First, and most importantly, an Oregon employer who hires minors 14 through 17 years of age must apply to the Bureau of Labor and Industries […]
Details on Penalties for not having an employee retirement plan in place RECAP: On November 15, 2017, the OregonSaves plan came into being mandating that all Oregon employers offer access to an employment retirement savings plan to all employees. Oregon employers are required to implement a state-run savings plan called OregonSaves if they do not offer their own employer-sponsored retirement plan. IMPLEMENTATION DEADLINE: The deadline for compliance with this law is determined by the number […]
Dear HR: Can I offer different Paid Time Off (PTO) policies to employees based on their position? I would like to offer PTO for full -time staff, but keep our temporary staff on accrued sick time only. Is that allowed under labor laws? A. In Oregon, employers are not required to provide employees with vacation benefits, either paid or unpaid. So yes, you can offer different PTO policies to different employees, as long as the […]
Effective July 1, 2019 The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries has updated the minimum wage posting to show the new Oregon rates that take effect on July 1st. All employers with at least one employee must display this revised posting in a conspicuous location at each of their worksites. Oregon also revised the Oregon Family Leave Act and Domestic Violence posters. Failure to keep these postings compliant and up-to-date may result in a government […]
Starting JULY 1, 2019 Oregon Minimum Wages are increasing as mandated by the State of Oregon. The July 1st deadline raises the Standard Rate Counties to $11.25 per hour, Portland Metro to $12.50 per hour, and Non-Urban Counties to $11.00 per hour. If you are unsure which County your Minimum Wage Rates falls into visit:www.cardinal-services.com/or-minimum-wage-rates Cardinal Clients do not have to worry—we will make these changes to your payroll automatically. However, if you wish to […]
20 Years of Statistics Show Incidents on the Rise It could happen anywhere and at any time. The FBI has been tracking workplace violence pertaining to armed incidents for 20 years—and the incidents are increasing. Two million cases of workplace violence are reported each year. Homicide is the 3rd leading cause of workplace deaths among healthcare workers and professional service providers. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], workplace violence is a growing […]
Dear HR, Two of my project managers came into the office today to discuss the salary for a new employee. The employee will performing supervisor duties as a Foreman, and may occasionally perform some welding and excavating work. My Project Manager said that this employee is a supervisor, and will spend more than half of his time supervising—and will only perform labor when there is a need to help out or train. This employee will […]
Dear HR, I have an employee who is claiming sick time and wants more time off to get well and get paid for this time off. Can I require that the employee provide me with a doctor’s note verifying that he is sick and needs more time to recover? He says he doesn’t want to pay to see a doctor to get checked and get a letter.
This month we’ve had numerous emails from Employers and employees about “sick time” – So we’re going to help you understand what it is and what it isn’t! What is “Sick Time”? By now, you’re probably sick of hearing the term “sick time”—but what does sick time actually refer to, and why should it matter to you? It might surprise you to know that there are no federal laws requiring or protecting paid sick time. […]
Dear HR, Last night I had an incident with one of our employees physically grabbing some dishes out of another employee’s hand, reprimanding them, and essentially, ordering that employee around in a rude, derogatory manner. This incident was witnessed by one of our managers. I notified the bossy/grabby employee to that let them know that treating this coworker was not allowable behavior. But I want to do more. Can you give me some advice about […]
