Employers understand the risks associated with alcohol consumption at work, particularly for those employees who operate equipment or vehicles. But, employers often view the off-work hours as something outside their area of concern. That is not necessarily true. When an employer organizes or encourages employees to grab drinks after work, the company may risk becoming liable for the consequences of that drinking. Earlier this year, the Oregon Supreme Court sent that message to employers in Schutz v. La Costita III, Inc., 364 Or 536 (2019). Ms. Schutz drank too much, hopped in her car, and ended up paralyzed from the car accident she caused. Thankfully, the other driver was not significantly injured. She sued both the bar and her employer.… Continue reading →

For Oregon employers, the minimum wage increased again on July 1, 2019, part of incremental increases under a 2016 law. The new minimum wage rate differs depending on region. Standard: $11.25 Portland Metro Area: $12.50 Non-urban Oregon counties: $11.00. If you are unsure of which rate applies to your employees, visit BOLI’s website for a map of the Portland rate area and list of non-urban counties. Please feel free to contact Sather, Byerly, & Holloway with any questions.

Check out the new Oregon and Washington Absence and Disability Management group on LinkedIn. This new group is aimed at giving employers and HR professionals a forum to share ideas and learn about changes specific to the unique laws and requirements in Oregon and Washington. Join the group and share with others who may be interested!  

KAISER PERMANENTE AND SATHER, BYERLY & HOLLOWAY EMPLOYEE DISABILITY AND LEAVE ROUNDTABLE Date: Tuesday, October 16, 2018 Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Where: Kaiser Permanente- Town Hall Ballroom (3704 N. Interstate Ave., Portland, OR 97227) Cost: Free – Lunch provided Kaiser Permanente and Sather Byerly & Holloway are sponsoring a work group for Oregon and Washington employers related to leave management. This open-forum roundtable will allow employers to bring their questions and share their insights on how to address various disability and leave requirements under state, federal or local laws. Mike Moses, ADA Manager at Kaiser Permanente, and Rebecca Watkins, attorney at Sather Byerly & Holloway LLP, will lead the group in problem-solving discussions… Continue reading →

In a nutshell, Oregon’s new law requires certain employers to provide advance schedules for their employees and imposes penalties for last minute changes. SB 828 went into effect on July 1st and BOLI recently issued final rules for the new law, found here. Does it apply to my company? The law applies to retail, hospitality and food service establishments that employ 500 or more employees worldwide. This includes chains and – a more tricky concept – integrated enterprises. If your company operations overlap with another corporate entity (think parent, subsidiary, franchisor, general contractor) then take a look at the factors that determine if the companies would be considered an “integrated enterprise.” Those factors include: Interrelation of operations of the… Continue reading →

The next annual rate increase for minimum wage goes into effect on July 1, 2018. The standard rate increases to $10.75 per hour. Those in the Portland Metro area increase to $12.00 per hour and for non-urban counties, the rate increases to $10.50 per hour. If you are not sure which category you fall into, check out BOLI’s website here for a link to the Portland Metro urban growth boundary and a county-by-county map of rates. If you have any questions regarding which rate you are obligated to pay, please contact me directly at (503) 595-2134.

Oregon’s second rate increase under 2016 legislation goes into effect on July 1, 2017. The minimum wage for your company turns on your location. The standard rate will increase to $10.25/hour and applies to most of the state. But nonurban counties have a lower rate increase to $10.00/hour. The nonurban counties include: Baker, Coos, Crook, Curry, Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa and Wheeler counties. And employers located in the Portland Metro area will have a higher rate increase to $11.25/hour. Unsure if your location falls inside the Portland Metro area for purposes of minimum wage? Visit this website and confirm: http://www.oregonmetro.gov/library/urban-growth-boundary/lookup If you have questions about wage and hour law, please give… Continue reading →