Bureau of Labor and Industries News from BOLI and BOLI in the News

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News from BOLI and BOLI in the News

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BOLI Press Releases

4.30.12 -- 21 Schools Win 21st Century Job Education Grants
Commissioner Avakian and State Schools Superintendent Susan Castillo have announced the first recipients of grant awards to re-establish hands-on learning and job skills training programs in Oregon middle and high schools. Eight grant awards will benefit 21 schools that will launch or expand vocational education programs featuring skills training and career exploration in a variety of fields, including agricultural science, industrial automation, marketing, engineering, building and construction trades and visual art design. Read more about the grant recipients.

4.17.12 -- Oregon Taking the Lead in Tackling Pay Equity
Marking national Equal Pay Day, the annual recognition of how long it takes for women's wages to catch up to men's wages from the year before, Commissioner Avakian and the Oregon Council on Civil Rights are ready to craft a plan to eliminate wage gaps based on race and ethnicity as well as gender.

4.12.12 -- BOLI Reminds Oregon Employers to Employ Minors Lawfully
In the wake of fining a local employer for failure to obtain a certificate to employ minors as required by law and allowing a minor to do prohibited hazardous work, BOLI is encouraging all employers to consult the Technical Assistance for Employers Program or the Wage and Hour Division's Child Labor Unit before employing a minor in their workplace.

3.8.12 -- Avakian spotlights high-wage careers in visit with local students
Speaking at an event sponsored by the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce and local trade unions, Commissioner Avakian emphasized the importance of early job skills training and filling the pipeline of skilled workers that employers need. The union apprenticeship career day was held at Merlo Station High School and included participants from several Washington Countyschool districts.

3.6.12 -- Avakian Highlights Hands-On Learning in Visit with Local Students
Commissioner Avakian led a roundtable with educators and community partners from Linn, Benton and Lane Counties at IBEW Local 280's Training Center in Tangent, following up to chat with Corvallis School District students working at the training center as part of a pre-apprenticeship career and technical education class.

2.27.12 -- Avakian Announces New PWAC Appointees
Three new members will be joining PWAC for their April meeting, and the Commissioner has re-appointed the current co-chairs to lead the group for one more year.

2.21.12 -- Avakian Names Sunny Petit to Council on Civil Rights
Sunny Petit, Chair of the Oregon Commission for Women, has been appointed to the Oregon Council on Civil Rights as the Council ramps up its work to achieve equal pay for equal work in our state.

12.21.11 -- New Year Brings Changes to Employment Laws
BOLI summary materials show a wide range of law changes taking effect on January 1, from protections for victims of harassment and veterans to a new right for workers to recover damages for bounced paychecks through BOLI's wage claim process. www.oregon.gov/BOLI/New_Legislation.shtml has a list of all the latest law changes.

12.20.11 -- BOLI Investigation Leads to Formal Charges against Typhoon!
The investigation of Typhoon!, Inc. by Oregon's Civil Rights Division has generated formal charges of discrimination that seek economic and non-economic damages for at least 11 Thai cooks employed in Oregon. A contested case hearing before an administrative law judge is scheduled for May 15, 2012.

12.1.11 -- Avakian Honors Outstanding Oregon Employers
This year's Civil Rights Champion is Hawthorne Auto Clinic of Portland and this year's Workforce Development Champion is SE Works of Portland.

11.16.11 -- Proposals for Career Education Grants Now Being Accepted
Commissioner Avakian and Superintendent Castillo have opened the statewide request for proposals to develop or expand career and technical education options in Oregon middle and high schools, planning to make awards from the state's $2 million grant fund in the coming months for the 2012-13 school year. Technical details are available at www.ode.state.or.us/go/ctegrant.

11.4.11 -- BOLI continues competition for $900,000 in workforce contracts
BOLI has issued its second of three RFPs to offer supportive services targeted at increasing diversity in the highway construction workforce. These RFPS continue the partnership with ODOT that will empower workers through direct supportive services for active apprentices and through career awareness and pre-apprenticeship outreach to young Oregonians.

10.13.11 -- Seven Contractor Judgments for Wage and Hour Violations Referred to CCB
BOLI has now referred seven construction contractors with outstanding judgments for wage and hour violations, including unpaid employee wages, to Oregon's Construction Contractors Board. The CCB has power to suspend contractor licenses for violation of the law, including failure to pay legal judgments like those obtained by BOLI. Two contractors have been suspended while four others have come into compliance with payment plans for their judgments.

10.3.11 -- Avakian Seeks Nominations of Outstanding Oregon Employers
Through November 7, BOLI is accepting nominations for Oregon employers, both businesses and non-profits, who showcase exceptional commitment to fair workplaces, civil rights and workforce development. Awards will be presented at BOLI's Annual Employment Law Conference, December 1st in Portland. Nomination form available here.

9.15.11 -- BOLI Announces 2012 Minimum Wage
Oregon's minimum wage will rise to $8.80 per hour on January 1, a 3.77% increase that tracks the 3.77% increase in the Consumer Price Index in the last year. The required posters for employers will be available from the BOLI homepage in December.

9.8.11 -- Employer Assistance Seminars Coming to Southern Oregon
BOLI's Technical Assistance for Employers Program is bringing three days of comprehensive seminars on Leave Laws in Oregon: A 2-Day Training (Sept. 20-21 in Medford) and Documentation, Discipline and Discharge (Sept. 22 in Roseburg) to Southern Oregon.

7.12.11 -- Employer Assistance Seminars Coming to Eastern Oregon
In their last set of public seminars in Eastern Oregon this year, BOLI's Technical Assistance for Employers Program is set to hold three days of comprehensive trainings on effective supervisory practices, wage and hour laws and payroll issues in Ontario (Aug. 2-3) and Pendleton (Aug. 4).

6.21.11 -- Avakian Statement on Passage of CTE Plan
Final legislative approval for Commissioner Avakian's Career and Technical Education (CTE) plan (part of HB 3362) commits the state to an investment of $2 million in revitalizing CTE programs, beginning the full restoration of CTE options that the Commissioner and his coalition partners have long advocated.

6.17.11 -- Avakian Scores Win on Restoring Career and Technical Education (CTE)
Allocation of funding to a new grant program for public school CTE options (contained in HB 3362) paves the way for full legislative approval of Commissioner Avakian's top legislative priority of the session.

6.13.11 -- BOLI Report Draws Path to Diverse Construction Workforce
BOLI's biennial report to the legislature on workforce diversity in the construction industry contains specific recommendations on increasing diversity in the skilled trades and achieving a higher return on investment in terms of workforce diversity for public works dollars.

5.23.11 -- Avakian Wins Passage of Bill Protecting Workers from NSF Paychecks
The Oregon legislature has approved HB 2039A, Commissioner Avakian's legislation to allow employees to recover damages for bounced paychecks through BOLI's wage claim process, rather than through a private court action. The NSF paycheck bill is a key victory for working Oregonians this session.

5.11.11 -- Avakian Complaint Investigation Finds Substantial Evidence
The Civil Rights Division has found substantial evidence that Typhoon!, Inc. engaged in unlawful discrimination against its Thai employees based on their national origin. Pursuing a complaint filed by Commissioner Avakian last fall, investigators found evidence that Typhoon used its leverage over workers recruited from Thailand to impose lower pay, longer hours, unfavorable contract terms, and hostile working conditions that were not faced by non-Thai employees.

4.1.11 -- Career Education Bill Wins Unanimous Approval in Key Committee
Bipartisan legislation to revitalize and enhance Career and Technical Education in Oregon’s middle schools and high schools won unanimous approval in the House Education Committee today.

3.23.11 -- Revitalizing Career and Technical Education Becomes a Shared Priority in Salem
House Education Committee takes up bipartisan legislation to strengthen our workforce.

3.22.11 -- BOLI Awards Final Major Contract Under Highway Workforce Development Program
Agreement with ACE Academy rounds out comprehensive effort to remove barriers to
employment, diversify the workforce, and keep Oregonians on the job.

3.16.11 -- BOLI Announces Round II of Highway Workforce Development Agreements
Portland Community College and the Oregon & Southern Idaho Laborers-Employers Training Trust will provide critical training and support for Oregon workers as part the BOLI-ODOT Heavy Highway Workforce Development Program.

2.14.11 -- BOLI Awards First Contracts to Reduce Barriers to Employment
The first contracts for services funded by the BOLI-ODOT Heavy HighwayWorkforce Development Program have been issued to Cooper Zietz and several subcontractors and to Portland Youthbuilders.

1.12.11 -- Avakian Names New PWAC Co-Chairs
As Don Kool and Jim McKune wrap up two productive years as co-chairs, Norman Malbin of IBEW, Local 48, and Shawn Miller of ABC/IEC Oregon prepare to take over.

1.7.11 -- Avakian Announces Legislative Agenda for 2011
Career and technical education restoration plan and concepts championed by the Oregon Council on Civil Rights and the Advocacy Commissions headline a broad, substantive agenda.

12.8.10 -- Avakian and Castillo Announce Model Religious Clothing Policy
The Labor Commissioner and State Schools Superintendent led the drive to repeal Oregon's ban on religious dress for teachers; now they've helped craft a model policy for school districts to use.

12.6.10 -- BOLI Opens Competition for $1 Million in Supportive Services Contracts
Apprenticeship and Training Division, as part of partnership with ODOT, will award contracts throughout the state for programs that increase diversity in the construction workforce.

12.1.10 -- Avakian Honors Outstanding Oregon Employers
2nd Annual BOLI Business Leadership Awards go to four employers from around Oregon, including two Fair Workplaces Champions. Additional info about the winners is here.

11.8.10 -- Employers Flock to Free Worker Classification Seminars
Joining with other enforcement agencies, BOLI offers more free education to Oregon employers, this time targetting the issue of employee vs. independent contractor determinations.

10.28.10 -- BOLI Unveils New Resources for DVSAS Victims
www.oregon.gov/BOLI/dvsas.shtml has been launched to assist victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking (DVSAS) with resources on services as well as their workplace rights.

10.18.10 -- Avakian Announces New Committee Appointments
Labor Commissioner expands the Oregon Prevailing Wage Advisory Committee, adding Dee Burch as a management representative and Greg Held and Kevin Jensen as labor representatives.

9.30.10 -- Workplace Expression of Milk Committee to Meet
On October 6th, Oregon’s Expression of Milk in the Workplace Advisory Committee (EMAC) will receive updates on state and federal protections for nursing mothers.

9.20.10 -- BOLI Announces 2011 Minimum Wage
Based on the required annual review of the Consumer Price Index, Commissioner Avakian announces a 10-cent increase in Oregon's minimum wage, effective January 1, 2011.

9.14.10 -- Avakian Seeks Nominations of Outstanding Oregon Employers
Labor Commissioner will present 2nd annual BOLI Business Leadership Awards at Law Conference on Dec. 1; nominations are open until Nov. 8, 2010.

9.8.10 -- Avakian Files Discrimination Complaint Against Typhoon! Restaurants
Commissioner initiates investigation of popular restaurant chain for discriminatory practices and alleged retaliation against employees recruited in Thailand.

8.31.10 -- Avakian Praises Safeway for Coming to Aid of Unpaid Workers
Safeway will fund payments to employees of Aptitude Staffing Solutions to cover the wages they were never paid; Commissioner Avakian says "Safeway has really stepped up to take care of these workers."

8.18.10 -- BOLI Going to Court Over Stanich's Employee Complaints
The Wage and Hour Division has determined that Portland restaurant Stanich's owes $22,000 in unpaid wages, penalty wages and civil penalties; the employer is demanding a court trial.

8.6.10 -- Child Labor Regulations Change
BOLI will amend state rules to match new federal standards, including limits on the use of minors in forest fire fighting crews.

BOLI in the News

Page updated: April 30, 2012

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