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NEW Oregon Mandated Retirement Plan

This entry was posted in HR News and tagged Benefits Employee Retention Legislative Update on

Oregon Mandates a Retirement Plan FOR ALL EMPLOYERS In 2015, Oregon’s state legislature wanted to address Oregonians’ lack of retirement saving. Due to an alarming amount of individuals with no retirement savings, Oregon forged ahead as the first state to create a mandated retirement plan. The plan was crafted with the overall goal of giving Oregonians an easier way to save for retirement.   The legislature passed the Oregon Retirement Security Bill, HB 2960 which […]

Ask HR: Employee needs time off for surgery- What type of leave is that?

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Medical Leave (OFLA/FMLA) Paid Time Off (PTO) Sick Leave on

Dear HR: My current employee has asked about taking time off to have a surgery. They anticipate being off for a couple of months during recovery and are hoping to be able to continue employment after they return from their previously planned two week cruise at the end of the summer.  Would this time off be something that falls under the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) or the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? […]

ALERT: Federal Government Form I-9

This entry was posted in HR News on

U.S. Citizenship and immigration Services (USCIS) issued a newer version of the Form I-9 on July 17, 2017. This form use is mandatory beginning September 18, 2017. The newest version contains very subtle changes to the instructions section and to the list of acceptable documents. These minor changes are a great reminder to employers that Section 1 must be completed “at the time of hire.” Now is a great time to review your company hiring […]

Ask HR: Using Paid Sick time on a check already paid?

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Paid Time Off (PTO) Sick Leave on

Dear HR: An employee wants to use a paid sick day for our previous pay period that has already been paid. They forgot to turn in their request in time to get it on their last paycheck. Are we required to pay sick time after a pay period as passed? Can I say no since they didn’t turn their request form in to their manager in the proper time frame?   HR Answer: You should […]

NEW Oregon Equal Pay Act

This entry was posted in HR News and tagged Legislative Update Wage & Hour on

What Every Oregon Employer Needs to Know Governor Kate Brown signed Oregon House Bill 2005 on June 1, 2017. Most of the provisions of the new Oregon Equal Pay Act of 2017 (EPA) go into effect on January 1, 2019. Oregon’s EPA establishes significant penalties for pay discrepancies between those in protected classes and those who are not. Oregon’s EPA makes it an unlawful employment practice for employers to: Screen job seekers based on current […]

Ask HR: Can I deny OT for lack of work done?

This entry was posted in Ask HR on

Dear HR: Can I deny paying overtime if there’s no evidence of work being done?   HR Answer: No, overtime must be paid even if it hasn’t been authorized in advance. You can discipline employees that violate your policy by working overtime without required authorization. You can also discipline your employee for poor performance based on the (lack of) quantity or quality of work accomplished. However, wage and hour laws require that you compensate the […]

Ask HR: How to go about Random Drug Testing?

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Drug Testing on

Dear HR: I suspect a couple of my employees are using drugs, can I send them in for a random drug test? Or should I test the entire department? Or should I test my entire staff? What can I do?   HR Answer: If you suspect a certain employee is under the influence or showing signs of impairment, you may instead, opt to test a specific employee based on ‘reasonable suspicion.’ The good news is […]

Ask HR: Can I restrict lunches to on campus only?

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Time & Attendance on

Dear HR:  I have several employees that are constantly late when returning from their 30 minute lunch break. This is quite disruptive to business and the other employees are noticing. May I implement a policy that requires all staff to stay on the premises during their lunch breaks?   HR Answer: Yes. Requiring employees to remain on the premises during the lunch break is permitted under current Federal and State regulations. Even if you require […]

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Predictive Scheduling

This entry was posted in HR News and tagged Time & Attendance Wage & Hour on

Oregon may be the first to implement state-wide predictive scheduling rules. The predictive scheduling bills are designed to give employees advanced notice of their work schedules. This bill is designed to cut-down on last minute shift changes that can be common in industries such as retail, hospitality and food service. Employers changing schedules past their due date may be required to pay employees for the change – and allow employees to refuse some schedules. This […]

Ask HR: Can I push back employee payday for late timecard?

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Wage & Hour on

Dear HR:   I have an employee that is consistently turning in his time card late. Maybe if he gets paid late, he will remember to turn it in on time to begin with. Since he keeps turning it in late, can I just keep it and turn it with the next pay-period?   HR Answer: Unfortunately it is considered an unlawful employment practice to withhold payment of wages until next pay period, even when […]