Category: Employment Law

October 21, 2020
by Rebecca Watkins

Washington employers, remember to review exempt salaries for 2021

In late 2019, the Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) outlined new rules for exempt employees, including base salaries. The salary threshold for exempt…

September 9, 2020
by Randi Ensley

Proposed Unemployment Rule May Impact Oregon Employers-Feedback Due by October 21

On September 3, 2020, the Employment Department issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking of Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 471-030-0071. The proposed rule (found here) gives…

July 29, 2020
by Adriana Ortega

Getting Back to Work in a COVID World

As we all begin to return to work following the loosening of restrictions, it is important to take stock and prepare for the future. By…

July 22, 2020
by Rebecca Watkins

Oregon employers: are you ready for the Workplace Fairness Act?

The Workplace Fairness Act goes into full effect on October 1, 2020. This Act adds to Oregon’s existing discrimination and harassment laws, extending statutes of…

July 2, 2020
by Laurel Hensley

SBH Video Series: PPP Loans and Return to Work

SBH is excited to announce it will be producing a series of short videos addressing various issues employers are facing during the COVID-19 Crisis and…

June 29, 2020
by Rebecca Watkins

Oregon minimum wage increase on July 1st

With everything else going on right now, the yearly increase in minimum wage may not be the first thing on any employer’s mind. Don’t forget…

May 13, 2020
by Randi Ensley

Oregon Health Authority Releases Reopening Guidance for Oregon Employers

On May 7, 2020, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) released a series of sector-specific guidance as well as general guidance to assist employers in making…

April 15, 2020
by Megan Vaniman

Reductions in Hours, Furloughs, and Layoffs During COVID-19

A lot of employers are having hard conversations right now. A part of those conversations inevitably includes employment decisions. Many companies are trying to decide…

March 20, 2020
by Randi Ensley

Effective April 2nd: Employers Must Provide Paid Sick Leave and Paid FMLA Leave Related to COVID-19

On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201) into enactment. These provisions are to take effect no later…

March 13, 2020
by Krishna Balasubramani

Washington – COVID-19 Incident Reports, Workers’ Comp, Wage and Leave Issues

With the recent news of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Washington, we want to ensure everyone understands the guidelines for incident reports, workers’ compensation claims, and other…

March 13, 2020
by Randi Ensley

Oregon – COVID-19 Incident Reports, Workers’ Comp, Wage and Leave Issues

As Oregon employers continue to face unique issues in the wake of the COVID-19 coronavirus, SBH has assembled this list of commonly asked questions addressing…

December 13, 2019
by Rebecca Watkins

After-Work Drinks: Things Employers Should Consider

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…

November 5, 2019
by Megan Vaniman

Oregon Legislature Makes Sweeping changes with Workplace Fairness Act

In response to the national #metoo movement, the Oregon legislature passed the 2019 Oregon Workplace Fairness Act. The Workplace Fairness Act (the “Act”) takes aim…

July 2, 2019
by Rebecca Watkins

Reminder: Oregon Minimum Wage Increased on July 1, 2019

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…

April 8, 2019
by Rebecca Watkins

Employer Disability Leave Roundtable on April 17th

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…

December 21, 2018
by Sarah Ewing

Documenting and discussing work performance issues with employees in relation to the ADA and FMLA

How many times have you heard Human Resources tell you to document, document, document? Well, it’s because of cases like Estep v. Forever 21. This…

December 6, 2018
by Kara Cogswell Kidder

Final Rules Issued for Oregon Equal Pay Law Effective January 1, 2019

The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) recently issued final rules implementing the Oregon Equal Pay Law, most provisions of which take effect on January…

November 29, 2018
by Rebecca Watkins

Do you manage employee leave for employees in Oregon or Washington?

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…

September 11, 2018
by Kara Cogswell Kidder

BOLI issues proposed rules for Equal Pay Law

The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (“BOLI”) recently issued proposed rules implementing the Oregon Equal Pay Law, most provisions of which take effect on January…

September 7, 2018
by Rebecca Watkins

October Event: Employer Disability & Leave Roundtable

  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…

July 27, 2018
by Rebecca Watkins

Predictive scheduling: What is it and does it apply to my company?

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…

June 21, 2018
by Rebecca Watkins

Oregon Minimum Wage Increases on July 1, 2018

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…

December 21, 2017
by Sarah Ewing

Washington Paid Sick Leave – Sample Policies and Enforcement Rules

Starting January 1, 2018, Washington employers will have to provide paid sick leave to their employees. All employers are required to provide one hour of…

June 30, 2017
by Sarah Ewing

Oregon Passes Fair Work Week Legislation

Oregon made national news yesterday as the first state to pass legislation requiring employers to provide greater schedule predictability to low-wage employees in the retail,…

June 23, 2017
by Rebecca Watkins

Minimum Wage Increases July 1, 2017

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…