Oregon

Under Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s Executive Order 21-15, the state of public health emergency due to COVID-19 will continue in Oregon until December 31, 2021, unless the governor extends the deadline or terminates the state of emergency before the end of the year. Now that school is back in session

On August 5, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) adopted a temporary rule on an emergency basis requiring healthcare providers and healthcare staff who work in healthcare settings to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or face periodic COVID-19 testing by September 30, 2021.

Following on the heels of an executive order by Oregon’s governor requiring full vaccination for teachers, staff and volunteers in K12 schools, the Oregon Health Authority yesterday issued a new rule requiring that healthcare providers and healthcare staff be vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Octobe

Effective August 13, 2021, Oregon Governor Kate Brown will implement a statewide mask mandate for all children and adults ages 5 and older in all indoor public spaces regardless of vaccination status. This order will remain in effect for the foreseeable future. The existing requirement that all Oreg

In recent weeks, Oregon has seen a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations due to the more contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, which threatens to overwhelm local hospitals. On August 5, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) adopted a temporary rule on an emergency

On August 4, 2021, Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced that the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will create a rule requiring healthcare workers to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing if they are not vaccinated. Based on the governor’s announcement, OHA’s rule will require healthcare workers to show the

On July 22, 2021, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) issued a temporary rule that expands the reasons employees can use leave under Oregon’s paid sick and safe leave law during a public health emergency. Under the rule, effective immediately and through January 17, 2022, eligible emplo

On June 23, 2021, in Charlton v. Ed Staub and Sons Petroleum, Inc. and Quicksilver Contracting Company , the Oregon Court of Appeals reversed the dismissal of the plaintiff’s “aiding and abetting” discrimination and retaliation claim. Applying the Oregon Court of Appeals’ recent decision, Hernandez

On July 8, 2021, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) adopted temporary rules to bolster worker protections from the hazards of high and extreme heat, including requirements to provide shade, drinking water, cool-down breaks, an effective emergency medical plan, and train

June 2021 culminated in the elimination of COVID-19 restrictions in Oregon and significant changes to the state’s employment laws during the 2021 legislative session. On June 25, 2021, Governor Kate Brown issued Executive Order 21-15 rescinding all remaining COVID-19 restrictions, allowing businesse

On July 8, 2021, Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) adopted emergency Heat Illness Prevention rules to establish workplace heat safety requirements that apply when temperatures in a work area reach or exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The rules are effective immediately

Effective June 30, 2021, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) lifted most statewide mask and physical distancing restrictions related to COVID-19, with limited exceptions. Mask requirements remain in place

On June 25, 2021, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed Executive Order No. 21-15 (the “Recovery Order”), lifting the vast majority of Oregon’s COVID-19 restrictions as of Wednesday, June 30, 2021. The Recovery Order eliminates the statewide mask mandate, as well as requirements for physical distancing

On June 15, 2021, Governor Kate Brown signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 483, which amends the Oregon Safe Employment Act to increase whistleblower protections for workplace safety complaints.

On June 11, 2021, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed into law House Bill 2935, also known as the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), joining several other states in explicitly prohibiting employers and public schools from discriminating against individuals based on phys

On June 8, 2021, Governor Kate Brown signed into law House Bill (HB) 2474, amending the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) to update and expand the law’s eligibility and leave provisions. The amendments give eligibility to take leave to employees reemployed after a separation or returning after a tempor

On May 21, 2021, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed Senate Bill (SB) 169, making substantial changes to the statute that limits noncompetition agreements with Oregon employees, Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 653.295. The changes apply to any employee noncompetition agreement entered into on or after t

Oregon law on permitted covenants not to compete has been amended to void nonconforming agreements and limit such agreements to employees making at least $100,533, among other changes.

On May 18, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued a new guidance titled, “Interim Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Individuals,” adjusting the applicability and enforcement of current state guidance for fully vaccinated individuals. Here are the key provisions of the new interim guidance.

On March 3, 2021, in Rohrer v. Oswego Cove, LLC , the Oregon Court of Appeals reversed the lower court’s dismissal of an employee’s common-law wrongful discharge claim for seeking legal advice about her employment. The court concluded that because the employee’s alleged protected activity did not en