Legislature considers additional worker protections, Oregon Sea Grant program faces ax and Nike defends false advertising claims.
Legislators want to implement more worker protections
In the previous two sessions, Oregon legislators approved paid sick leave and minimum wage increases. Next on deck: paid family and medical leave, the Oregonian reports. A bill for paid leave would provide 12 weeks to care for yourself or a family member, and an additional six weeks for the birth or adoption of a child. Employees would be paid 90% of their wages on leave. There are also about a dozen different measures addressing worker protections, including preventing employers from basing salary on previous salaries and requiring employers to pay on-call employees at least four hours’ wages if a shift is canceled.
Oregon lawmakers consider simplifying process for transgender residents
Currently, a transgender person has to endure a public process, including a court hearing, to change their gender identity on legal documents. A bill to skip the court hearing and create an application process through the state passed in the House yesterday, OPB reports. The measure still needs Senate approval.
Oregon Sea Grant program could be cut
The Sea Grant program started in the 1990s when the groundfish industry was flailing due to over harvesting. The program, based out of Oregon State University, connects marine industry workers with university researchers and helps provide basic funding for families in need. The Trump administration has proposed cutting that program, as part of a drastic cut to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association budget, OPB reports. The Sea Grant program itself employs about 40 people and creates an economic benefit of $8 million.
Nike speaks out against false advertising claims
Nike ran ads in China with an inaccurate product description last year. Chinese consumers purchased 300 pairs of the Hyperdunk 2008 FTB that did not contain sole airbags as advertised. Nike says it corrected the problem as soon as it realized the shoes didn’t have said airbags. The company says it also provided customers with compensation for the mistake, the Portland Business Journal reports.
New Survey Launching: 100 Best Manufacturers
Oregon Business is launching a new employee satisfaction survey to highlight best workplace practices in the manufacturing sector.
OB Original Blog: Revolving door shuffles government workers into sharing economy
Former PDC executive director Patrick Quinton resurfaced in the news this week as the cofounder of Dweller, a startup that builds and rents accessory dwelling units.
Trump travel ban blocked once again
The President’s revised travel ban was set to go into effect at midnight Thursday. Instead, two different federal judges found the ban discriminatory, the Oregonian reports. Hawaiian judge Derrick Watson was first to block the ban Wednesday afternoon, followed by Maryland judge Theodore Chuang Thursday morning. Chuang ruled that despite removing the religious preference from the ban, “the history of public statements continues to provide a convincing case that the purpose of the Second Executive Order remains the realization of the long-envisioned Muslim ban.” Trump responded calling the ruling an “unprecedented judicial overreach.”
