Oregon’s 2026 short legislative session is underway, and a few proposed bills could affect employers of all shapes and sizes. Although short sessions move quickly, they often include important policy changes, particularly in the labor and employment space. Below is an overview of three bills that Oregon employers should monitor closely.
Leave and Benefits Updates for California Employers in 2026
California’s leave and benefits landscape continues to expand with revised paid sick leave rules, upcoming changes to paid family leave, and broader personnel file access requirements. Employers must understand these changes to avoid disputes and maintain compliant practices.
Here is what you need to know.
Paid Sick Leave Expansion
California’s paid sick leave law now
Contracts, Wage Judgment Enforcement, and Arbitration for California in 2026
Through new legislation and shifting enforcement priorities, California continues to challenge common workplace practices, including collectible wage judgments and binding employment agreements. Employers must understand how new rules on wage judgment penalties, stay-or-pay provisions, and arbitration agreements affect risk and strategy.
Below is what employers need to know for 2026.
Wage Judgment Enforcement Is Getting
Pay Transparency and Pay Data Reporting in California for 2026
California continues to push pay transparency further into the mainstream of employment law. Employers with 15 or more employees now face more detailed requirements for posting wage ranges and reporting pay data. Penalties for missing or incomplete information have increased, and misunderstandings about these rules can lead to significant exposure.
Here is what every California
California Wage & Hour Compliance in 2026: New Rates, Old Risks, and What Employers Can’t Afford to Overlook
Upcoming Webinar: New Year, New Laws – What Oregon Employers Need to Know for 2026 – February 4, 2026
As a new year gets underway, gain a clear understanding of the employment law changes Oregon employers need to know. Join Stoel Rives labor and employment attorneys Melissa Healy, Matt Tellam, and Megan Bradford
How the Federal Government Shutdown Impacts California Employers
As Congress approaches a funding lapse resulting in a government shutdown, California employers should prepare for several indirect effects on workplace operations. Although a federal shutdown does not halt California’s employment laws, it does pause many federal agency functions, as discussed below.
Federal Enforcement Agencies
Most federal labor agencies will furlough staff and suspend routine
What to Know About Recent Non-Compete and Salary Basis Changes in Light of Expected Legal Challenges
Two administrative agencies within the federal government have been busy lately publishing new rules that govern important aspects of employers’ relationships with their employees. Read more below for further updates.
DOL Rolls Out Final Rule Increasing Minimum Salary For Exempt Employees
The U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) has rolled out its long-awaited update to the
What Would a 32-Hour Workweek Look Like?
A few weeks ago, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders announced a bill to implement a 32-hour workweek. While such a law is a long way from becoming a reality, it does raise interesting questions concerning exactly what a 32-hour workweek would look like, especially in California.
Before engaging in this thought experiment one thing should be
Paid Leave Oregon and OFLA Update: Senate Bill 999 Will Require Use of a “Rolling Forward” Leave Year, Align the Definition of “Family Member,” and Alleviate “Leave Stacking” Concerns
Senate Bill 999, designed to align Paid Leave Oregon (PLO) with the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA), passed the Oregon Legislature on June 1, 2023, and is expected to be signed by Governor Kotek shortly. The bill makes the following changes:
Rolling Forward Leave Year: Effective July 1, 2024, employers must use a “rolling
Oregon Supreme Court Rules That Oregon Law Follows Federal Definition of “Work Time.”
In a recent decision titled Buero v. Amazon.com Services, Inc., 370 Or. 502 (2022), the Oregon Supreme Court ruled that Oregon’s wage and hour law uses the same definition of “work time” as the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). The Buero decision resolves what had been a hotly contested legal issue for many years and clarifies that Oregon employers (most of which are subject to Oregon law and the FLSA) satisfy their legal obligation to calculate employees’ compensable time using the same legal standard for both sets of laws. Continue Reading Oregon Supreme Court Rules That Oregon Law Follows Federal Definition of “Work Time.”