HR News

Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries [BOLI] announces upcoming changes to Oregon’s minimum wage rates.    For hours worked July 1st and forward—Oregon’s minimum wage rates increase 50¢ based on year-over-year inflation:   Standard Minimum Wage: $15.55 per hour  Portland Metro Minimum Wage: $16.80 per hour  Non-Urban Minimum Wage: $14.55 per hour     Required Posting of Minimum Wage Posters  Oregon employers are required by law to post minimum wage posters. Individual posters reflecting the new minimum wage rates as […]

Any employer with employees working at heights understands the serious risks involved. Falls remain one of the leading causes of workplace injuries, and the consequences can be severe — for both employees and the business.  In Oregon, the importance of fall protection is reinforced through active enforcement. Oregon OSHA has directed its enforcement officers to stop at job sites when they observe employees working at heights. This means that fall protection is not just a […]

March coverage shows a continued downward trend in engagement and rising pressure on managers. Reports stress that culture and manager enablement require urgent attention to prevent downstream retention issues. Global engagement has fallen to 21%, costing an estimated $438B in productivity. Managers specifically show steep declines. https://www.thehumancapitalhub.com/articles/13-hr-trends-that-will-shape-2026  Manager engagement dropped from 30% to 27%, creating cascading team-level issues. [uctoday.com]  Culture ranks as the #1 HR priority (said 17% of leaders), with many organizations described as “functioning […]

Pretty much every employer has chemicals in the workplace. Sometimes this requires training, sometimes it does not. For example, an office employee using a window cleaner like Windex every once in a while on the window of their office does not. However a janitorial person using the same Windex, and more importantly, who uses it every day does require a hazardous communication plan. Of course the more dangerous the chemical(s), the more likely an employer […]

Guidelines for paying staff when bad weather closes a workplace or halts business operations  Employers’ pay obligations during inclement weather closures are based on the worker’s Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) classification—depending on whether the employee is classified as an exempt employee or a non-exempt worker who is eligible for overtime. Additionally, some state laws may come into play depending on the circumstances involved.   Whether or not you maintain a brick-and-mortar workplace or have remote […]

Do you have to keep OSHA 300 records and post a 300A summary in February? It depends on your industry and if you have been asked.   If you are unfamiliar with the OSHA 300 logs, they are a nationwide standard that records workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses, so you can compare injuries in Oregon to any other state. It is also helpful to note that an accepted workers’ compensation claim is probably recordable, but not […]

It is that time of the year again to get your OSHA 300A posted (technically as of February 1st, 2026). Starting in 2024 Cardinal has been tracking recordable injuries and illnesses in PrismHR, our new payroll platform.    Some advantages of the new system:  Our Risk Team enters in injury data quickly and keeps it up to date. For example, how many days of lost time.   OSHA 300 logs are updated daily in the new […]

A comprehensive job description is more than just a recruiting tool.  For most employers, a job description is used only when hiring. Traditionally, it is a bare-bones document outlining the tasks, duties, functions, and responsibilities for performing a given job.     Job Descriptions are not just for recruiting!  Employers shouldn’t wait until there is a sudden need to hire to have a job description for each employee. Having a “ready to go” job description for […]

Cardinal Offers Affordable Group Health Insurance Plans!    Health Insurance is the #1 benefit requested by employees!   A powerful recruiting and retention perk, Group Health Insurance is almost always on the wish list for employers and their employees. However, the cost of Group Health Insurance is often prohibitively high, and many small businesses can’t afford it. If you have less than 50 employees and your business is based in Oregon, your options are limited to […]

Oregon’s House Bill 3187 strengthens existing age discrimination laws by prohibiting employers, agencies, and recruiters from requesting an applicant’s age, birthdate, or graduation dates before an initial interview or conditional job offer.  Exceptions exist for bona fide occupational qualifications (BFOQs), legal compliance (like verifying minimum working age), and certain other legitimate business needs.  Importantly, any age-related inquiries must be non-discriminatory.  The bill also removes age restrictions from apprenticeship programs.  Oregon employers must review and update […]