Blog


Ask HR: Can PTO allowance vary by position?

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 […]


Mandatory Oregon Posting Change

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 […]


July 1st: Oregon Minimum Wage Increase

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 […]


Workplace Violence—Is your Company at Risk?

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 […]


Ask HR: Can my Employee be correctly classified as exempt?

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 […]


Ask HR: Can I require an employee to provide a doctor’s note?

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.


“It’s all about Sick Time.”

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. […]


Ask HR: How can I help a co-worker being bullied?

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 […]


Ask HR: What is Bullying?

Dear HR, I have an employee that I am pretty sure that has been experiencing bullying at my workplace for the last 4 months.  Some of the behavior comes from co-workers, and some of it comes from one of my shift supervisors.  Can you help me understand what kind of work behavior is defined as bullying? HR Answer. Most American workers used to characterize workplace bullying as “I have a bad boss – my boss […]


2019 Oregon Legislative Update

New Business Tax? You might remember Measure 97, a gross receipts tax that Oregon voters overwhelming turned down in 2016?  This gross receipts  would have been levied on the business’s sales regardless if companies make a profit. The Oregon Legislature is going back to the idea of a gross receipts tax to plug our upcoming budget deficit.  There are several routes the Legislature may go: a restructured gross receipts tax; a business activity tax—which is […]