The Oregon Legislature was in session in 2009, and many labor and employment-related bills came up for consideration.  A complete list of the bills that passed and the bills that failed follows below (you may have to click "continue reading." 

Several passed and will become law effective January 1, 2010.  Several others didn’t get the support they needed to become law, but employers may want to take note as they may gain more traction in the next legislative session. 

Notable winners:  leave for military spouses, a ban on "captive audience" union meetings, and protections for stalking victims.  Notable losers:  several attempts to clarify an employer’s obligation to accommodate medical marijuana use. 

Up next:  a federal labor and employment legislation update.  Stay tuned!Continue Reading 2009 Oregon Legislative Update

In case you haven’t heard, new Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations take effect today, Friday, January 16. Some highlights of the new regulations include:

  • Regulations covering the recently instituted military family leave laws
  • Expanded FMLA general notification requirements
  • New individual eligibility notification and leave designation requirements
  • New forms for eligibility notification, leave designation,

A California bill to provide universal paid sick leave died in committee last week, following intensive lobbying efforts from small businesses and their lobbyists.  The bill would have granted employees of small companies in California up to five days of paid sick leave each year, while workers at larger companies could take up to nine