The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, or BOLI, govern all labor
laws in the state. BOLI works to protect the rights of workers, ensure
non-discriminatory treatment and enforce compliance with state laws
relating to wages, hours, and conditions of employment. The also spend
time educating and training employers about wage, hours and civil
rights laws.
How much am I gonna get? (Wages)
Minimum wage in Oregon as of January 1st, 2009 is $8.40. This wage will
be in effect until December 31st, 2010. Oregon law requires minimum
wage to be adjusted annually to account for inflation. This adjustment
will differ from year to year and is announced by September 30th.
Overtime
Any hours worked in excess of forty in a given week must be paid at one
and a half time the employee's regular rate. No matter what your
employer tells you payment of overtime is required by law and cannot be
waived through any sort of agreement. Time off in lieu of overtime pay
must be taken in the same work week.
Some employees are exempt from overtime regulations because of the
nature of their position. This list includes salespeople, mechanics,
truck drivers, seamen and workers in the motion picture industry. For a
full list of exemptions, or to determine if you are exempt contact an
attorney or the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries.
Maternity Leave
The Oregon Family Leave Act deals with maternity leave and other types
of leave involving family issues.
There is no law that requires an employer to pay for time off before or
after child birth. The law is in place to protect your job during the
time you are away. An eligible female employee can take up to
thirty-six weeks of leave for child birth. However, this must be taken
under three separate twelve week classifications that you must qualify
for. They are the pregnancy disability leave, parental leave, and sick
child leave. This leave can be taken before, during or after child
birth in any proportion. The only stipulation is that the thirty-six
weeks must be taken within a twelve month period.
Giving Milk on the Job
Something you may not know? Upon returning to work after giving birth
employers with twenty-five or more employees are required to give all
Mothers who are breast feeding a child 18-months or younger unpaid rest
periods of at least thirty minutes for every four hours worked.
Working while under the age of eighteen
Individuals as young as fourteen can be employed in Oregon, but under
more strict guidelines. Each underage employee does not require a
permit (the employer's permit covers all underage employees for his/her
business). All laws covering wage, overtime and any other basic
employee rights apply to employees under the age of eighteen.
Some of the restrictions that apply to underage employees include
guidelines on the number of hours a person under the age of 16 can work
and an expanded break schedule.
Programs
BOLI run programs designed to field a highly skilled, competitive
workforce. This includes many different types of apprenticeships. To
learn more about these programs or to apply, contact your local office
of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries.